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~Chapter 17~
About fifteen minutes later, the village market was bustling with crowds.
Business was going extremely well.
“Everyone, how about a basket of strawberries that’s great for beauty?”
Lysian handled the first part—using his looks to draw attention. Nine out of ten passersby were easily lured by his charm, wandering over as if under a spell.
On the makeshift stall, a large basket held strawberries for sale, while a smaller basket nearby offered samples.
“Here, one for each person to try!”
I handed strawberries to the gathering crowd. A few people flinched at my hair color, but it didn’t go beyond mild surprise.
Everyone probably thought:
‘Why would that Terney villainess come to a market like this? Must be someone with similar hair.’
Thankfully, hardly anyone in this remote village knew Muriel’s exact appearance.
The name ‘Muriel’ wasn’t widely known, either; people only remembered her as “the villainess of Terney” or “the lord’s wicked wife.”
And news of Muriel being exiled to the contaminated lands hadn’t spread much yet.
“Wow, these strawberries are amazing!”
“So sweet and tart!”
“I’ve never had strawberries like this!”
The customers’ eyes went wide as they bit into the fruit, exclaiming in delight.
I beamed triumphantly, just as I had expected.
Of course. I trusted the taste of the strawberries I had grown…!
Once someone tasted these special strawberries, there was no way they’d just walk past!
“How much for a basket of strawberries?”
“Seven rubels~”
Rubel was widely used currency across the Alterra continent.
Seven rubels was roughly nine thousand won in Korean terms. Not overly expensive by Korean standards, but here…
“A bit pricey, huh?”
“Yeah…”
I had anticipated that reaction.
Clearing my throat, I announced loudly:
“Buy strawberries now and get these fresh vegetables at a whopping fifty percent off!”
And one more thing:
“Buy two baskets of strawberries, and I’ll throw in an extra basket for free!”
Yes. The classic irresistible 2+1 deal.
Even selling this way, I still profited. Why?
No cost for materials, no wasted time, no labor!
Planting and harvesting hadn’t been too taxing, and the growing time was reduced thanks to my farming skill. Taxes and rent weren’t an issue either—the contaminated land had no owner.
The half-price vegetables were strategic.
‘Too many vegetable sellers!’
Nearly every household had a garden and were selling seasonal root vegetables.
Naturally, heavy competition meant you either had to be clever or sell cheaper. Those were basically the only options.
“A bit pricey, but they taste amazing… can’t just walk past.”
“One basket should be fine, I think.”
“What do you think, dear? Should we try one basket?”
At that moment, a burly man pushed through the indecisive crowd, holding a wad of money and shouting boldly:
“Owner! Give me two baskets of strawberries!”
“Thank you, sir!”
I quickly packed three baskets into a paper box and handed them over.
A large silver coin landed in my palm—a 10-rubel piece.
The rugged man chuckled heartily.
“I’m forty, and my wife’s having a late child! Fruits are great for pregnant women! Sell well, shopkeeper! Keep the change!”
His voice boomed, nearly blasting my eardrums.
Everyone nearby peeked over curiously, providing free publicity.
I clasped my hands and silently prayed for the cheerful couple:
“Thank you, sir! Wishing your wife health and happiness!”
Business continued smoothly after that. Psychology works in funny ways—once someone takes the plunge, others can’t resist following.
Thanks to the man, people eagerly bought strawberries and vegetables, and within an hour, the stall was empty.
All sold out—strawberries and vegetables alike.
“Eighty… eighty-one… eighty-three…”
Lysian and I counted the earnings. I handled rubels, while he took the smaller currency, Delins.
“All done. Total: 3,456 Delins.”
“Already?!”
I stared at Lysian in disbelief at his speed.
Before him, coins were stacked neatly like a little tower.
“Muriel, haven’t you finished? Need help?”
“No, I’ll do it.”
I didn’t want anyone else interrupting while counting, so I focused intently on the silver coins.
A moment later:
“All done!”
I lined the coins neatly on the stall and clapped my hands.
Total: 259 rubels and 56 Delins.
Enough to buy everything we needed—and still have surplus. A fruitful haul indeed!
“Did we make a lot, Master? Nini doesn’t know much about human money…”
The spirit peeked from my pocket in a tiny voice. I smiled and patted her.
“Yes. We earned quite a bit.”
“Wonderful! That’s a relief!”
Ninabel, foolish and love-starved as she was, had a kind heart. She celebrated my success as if it were her own.
“It’s already four o’clock. Let’s enjoy the market, grab some snacks, and book a place to stay before it gets late.”
“Sounds good. I was hungry anyway.”
“Pick whatever you want to eat. I’ll buy it all!”
Excited, I exclaimed, and Lysian chuckled softly. His gaze was tender, making my heart flutter.
I shyly looked away and walked ahead—but soon, he caught me.
“You shouldn’t wander alone in crowded places, Muriel.”
“……”
He gently held my hand—no, he slid his fingers between mine and interlaced them tightly.
Palms pressed fully together, fingers entwined. The touch felt warmer than usual.
I felt an inexplicable urge to run, yet couldn’t deny that holding hands like this was safer.
So, I wiped my nervous sweat and pretended to browse the market casually.
“Freshly baked bread! Just out of the oven!”
“Salt, pepper, spices, and tea leaves for sale!”
“Look at the fresh fish caught this morning! Really fresh!”
The market was chaotic, noisy, and overwhelming with merchants shouting from all directions.
Pulling off successful sales here… maybe my skills were better than I thought.
‘But Muriel’s luck stat is abysmal. Can this really be just luck?’
Still, thinking back, it was odd. Despite terrible luck, nothing bad had really happened since I arrived in this world.
Perhaps it was all thanks to the system god’s blessing.
Curious, I glanced at the air—and sure enough, a blue window appeared.
(¬‿¬)
What?
Only an unreadable emoticon popped up. The system seemed to use emojis when it was too lazy to explain.
‘Suspicious…’
“Muriel, look over there.”
“…Huh?”
Lysian tapped my shoulder and pointed—to a clothing shop.
A worn, old storefront displayed a wooden sign: “Closing Sale! 80% Off!”
No wonder it was crowded.
“Shall we check it out? Seems like a good deal.”
“Hmm… okay.”
Still holding hands tightly, we headed toward the shop.
But to pick clothes, we had to let go.
“Be careful, it’s crowded; accidents can happen.”
“Yes, and don’t stray from my side.”
“…Of course.”
I picked up an ivory shirt—stain-resistant and colorfast. The fabric was nice, and the size seemed perfect for Lysian. Price? One rubel. Cheap!
‘What a steal…!’
I grabbed it, draped it over my arm, and eagerly examined other clothes.
“These pants would look great on Lysian!”
Only three rubels. Practically free.
I excitedly stacked three tops and two pairs of pants on my arm, then turned to Lysian with a wide smile.
“…….”
“…….”
He held dresses, blouses, skirts, and pants that looked perfect for me.
‘Wait… what’s happening here?’
I chuckled lightly.
“So you’re picking my clothes, and I’m picking yours? Neither of us picks our own?”
Lysian laughed, seemingly as flustered as I was.
“I’m always thinking of you, Muriel.”
“….”
Meaning, I was always thinking of him too…
“…If we’re done, let’s just pay already!”
I forgot our promise to stay close, rushing to the counter.
Lysian’s cheerful laughter trailed behind like a shadow.
