Let's buy something and ask around

And so, that's how we ended up at a Magic Tool shop.

"Look at this, Arthur. It says this Magic Tool plays melodies!"

"Ooh, that's pretty cool! A music box, huh. Wonder if Anego would like it."

A Magic Tool as a get-well gift… that could work.

"… By the way, I feel like people have been watching us from a distance this whole time."

"Well, yeah. An elf and a dragon walking around together? It'd be weirder if they didn't stare."

"Mm, fair point… Let's buy something and ask around while we're at it."

I grabbed a potion that happened to be nearby and headed to the counter.

… A paralysis potion. Not one that cures paralysis, but one that induces it for pain relief purposes. Huh, they make things like this too.

"Excuse me, I'd like to buy this."

"O-oh, sure! That'll be two large copper coins."

"Here you go… By the way, I heard there's a Divine Artifact in this town."

Technically, it was supposed to be somewhere in the country, but I narrowed it down to the town to see if I could get a reaction.

"What's this, elf-san, you came to see the Breaching Wall Hammer?"

Jackpot on the first try! Today's my lucky day.

"So the Divine Artifact is called the Breaching Wall Hammer?"

"Ah, well, that's just what people call it. The official name is Hepha-something-or-other… Anyway, it's on display at the museum."

So that wasn't the official name. Still, now I know where it is.

"A museum? There's a museum in this town?"

"Yep. Baa-sama, one of the Five Elders, had it built. Said aesthetic sense is essential for craftsmen."

The Five Elders. The influential leaders of Tessin, and coincidentally, the people Onee-san said she'd become friends with.

Baa-sama must be referring to Vermilion-sama specifically.

"It's over in that direction. It's built for dwarves, so it might feel small to other races, but you should be fine, miss."

The shopkeeper grinned proudly.

"Actually, I'm male."

"Oh, right, right. My eyes can't be fooled, but sure, let's go with that."

Yeah, blind as a bat, this one.

"S-so, uh. That big lizard there… could it be a young dragon? If you have any scales, would you sell them? I'll pay one large silver coin per scale… no, two!"

"Whoa there, you're really lowballing me, huh? Heh heh heh. One gold coin per scale!"

"Wha—!? Word cards!? A dragon that understands language!? … I-is this the real deal!? B-but one gold coin is way too much!"

"Then never mind. You just might never get another chance, that's all. Let's go, Master."

Arthur wrapped his tail around me and started pulling me toward the door.

Casually calling me "Master" like that. Nice acting.

"W-w-wait, hold on! … I didn't say I wouldn't pay! How about three scales for two gold coins?"

"Hmm, well, I guess that works. Pop pop pop. Here ya go, trade ya."

"Grr… I never knew dragons were such shrewd businessmen…! Fine, take it, two gold coins!"

And just like that, Arthur traded his scales for two gold coins.

Earning gold coins this easily… what a fearsome dragon. No, what a fearsome Arthur.

"Thanks for your business! Come back anytime!"

With the shopkeeper seeing us off, we left the Magic Tool shop.

…

"By the way, what's the market price for dragon scales?"

"About six large silver coins per scale. He actually paid a bit above market! Fresh-plucked straight from the source, direct from the producer, so he tacked on a premium for that."

"Oh, so it wasn't a rip-off or anything."

"Yeah, I don't wanna make enemies over nothing. We kinda stand out, after all."

And so, having obtained information about our objective, the Divine Artifact, we returned to base.

As a side note, when I gave Onee-san the pain relief potion as a get-well gift, she was so happy she hugged me, and her sweat had this nice scent that warmed the back of my nose, but that's just between us. Yes.