kscans

Chapter 255 - The Grand Spring Market ~Last Day of Bargains~ 4. A Good Buy (Good-bye)

"...How is it?"

"Hmm... it's a little astringent, but it's not a bad taste. Or at least, it wouldn't be, normally."

At Yuri's verdict, the shopkeeper's head dropped in disappointment.

"That's what I'm sayin'... If only it wasn't damaged, I was confident I could've sold it for a decent price..."

"Oh? And may I ask the basis for that confidence?"

"Yeah... when you eat this stuff, it feels like it clears your head."

Yuri nodded with great interest. It seemed the effects of caffeine were known in this world as well. It was likely that because the pulp itself was rather tasty, the idea of intentionally roasting the seeds had never occurred to them.

"I think you could sell it based on that effect alone, though?"

"Yeah, but that effect is just something I'm sayin'. And even if I wanted to have people confirm it, when the goods are in this state..."

"I see, so they don't even feel like trying it. This part here is starting to rot, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is..."

In the end, Yuri succeeded in fleecing the disheartened man out of the coffee fruit, which was called Kafa in this world, for a pittance. However, this was a kind of tie-in sale...

"If you'll take these fruits off my hands too, I'll let you have 'em for whatever price you name, kid."

"...These seem to be damaged as well..."

"Yeah, part of it is 'cause they were in the same package... but it seems this one spoils more easily than I thought..."

When Yuri cautiously touched it, the skin felt extremely thin. It would surely get damaged if handled even a little roughly. If it required such careful handling, it was likely to be shunned by ordinary merchants and customers.

"...Is this damaged part the part you eat? There's something attached to the tip... is this the seed?"

As Yuri said, the fruit had a rather strange shape. It had the shape of what, in his past life in Japan, would be called a Western pear. Protruding from its tip was a grayish seed that also, in the Japanese style, resembled a magatama. And...

"Yeah, whatever you do, don't eat that seed, alright? I hear it's poisonous."

At the word 'poison', his companions tensed up, but Yuri didn't seem particularly concerned. This was within his expectations.

"...Is it only the seed that's poisonous? What about the fruit?"

At Yuri's gentle prodding, the shopkeeper scratched his head and said,

"Ah, well... it's not so much poison... as I've heard that if it doesn't agree with your constitution, you might get a bit of a rash..."

"On top of being fragile, it does that too? That's even harder to sell than the other fruit."

"Yeah, I know... I stocked up on it thinkin' if it hit, it'd hit big..."

"But the risk was big too, I see."

Nevertheless, in the end, Yuri agreed to purchase both fruits as a set. He did beat the price down for it, but his companions looked doubtful. They seemed to be wondering if this wasn't just a case of wasting money on cheap junk. Yuri, however, paid them no mind. That was because...

(...First coffee, and now cashews... The fruit part is called a cashew apple, right? Looks like they call it Kaju here.)



In the end, Yuri, now in high spirits, energetically browsed the stalls for the rest of the day, and succeeded in obtaining a variety of bargain goods, note from Yuri's perspective.

(I got some really good buys...)