"Looks like we have some newcomers."
"It seems like they are blacksmith group. Maybe apprentices?"
"It means we can get some quality weapons for a cheaper price."

Looks like we have a gallery. It's time to show off our skills, it won't do much for us but it is the least we could do for the academy that taught us this skills.

"They are still newbies though, I'm can't really put my trust on their equipment."
"Even if they are still starting out, they are still from the dwarf continent. Also most of them are from the dwarf race. Along with the guidance of their teacher, their craft is already solid."
"Yeah, and its not like you can't judge a weapon by yourself. Just go there and check it out if it really is up to your standards."

I'm happy that we already have a reputation from being born in our continent and being in our race. It might seem like cheating but each race here has their own gifts. I wonder if we can charge a bit higher because of this?

"Teacher won't we get more customers if you also participated in the skills showcase?"
"Spoken like a true merchant bell. It is true that I could boost the sales by doing so but this is for the academy sales. The large bulk of the sales is from the works of the students as they are training. The academy doesn't want to raise the standard that high since we sell those in bulk. Even if this is for profits, these weapons will likely be purchased by people from the other continents. If such high quality weapons are collected by one faction it could destroy the balance of that continent. This would indirectly violate the law of this island so everyone here isn't selling the highest quality of their wares. Those are kept in their own continent."

So this means all we can find here in the island are mostly scraps that won't sell that much in their own continent? I mean the academy is doing that too but we can guarantee that our stuff are up there in quality.

"I'm starting to worry about the quality of the things here now. I have to tell my family about this."
"Well, well, don't be too hasty. The best thing about this place is that you won't get ripped off too much. This is where skill and a good eye for items comes into play. Haggling is still applicable here so its up to you to make this trip a good sale or a bust."

I'm pretty sure we are getting ripped off in a way. They say one person's thrash is another's treasure. For example, the knives we crafted are basically disposable in our continent but it is treated as high quality luxurious goods in another continent.

It might be hard to haggle with the old timers here though. They know the supply and demand of the other continents so they would drive up the price until the limit. Most places aren't that easy for newcomers but I won't have to worry about that here. I'm not here to sell anything and I doubt I have a need to buy things from the other continent so this might be the first and last time I visit here.

"Alright, thanks for all the work. Its almost the afternoon so most of the stuff are already sold but you can still familiarize yourself with the island."

"Well then, I'm going to the centre first. Victor is headed to the arena, which is where?"
"I asked around and a tiger told me it was directly south of the centre."
"So where are you going chatterbox?"
"I will visit the hubs of each continent first. I heard the hubs doesn't negotiate during selling but their markup is a flat 50%. Their prices are also the same with the other hubs to keep the market from fluctuating too much. This means some items could be under priced or overpriced because of inflation over the years and---"
"Stop, Stop, Stop. I don't need to learn all that. Good luck and have fun. See you all at tonight's dinner."
"...Haaah, This knowledge might be useful in the future you know."
"Well, just leave it alone. We have different interest after all. I will try to see if I can join the fight today so I might come back late, Don't wait up."

I doubt you would get a slot by today. I saw how many people pass by our street in the dwarf continent part of the island and there are already a couple hundred ferocious looking warriors. I'm sure they are already lining up over there.

"Good luck, show them how tough the people of the dwarf continent are."
"Yeah! Try to check the taverns to chat up merchants, an alcohol soaked tongue is quite slippery, you know."
"I'll keep that in mind. Have fun sightseeing the centre."

This! This is things a trio can and should do. You answer in a triangle conversations. A good one triangle conversation.

This island isn't really living up to its reputation. I thought it was some kind of no man's land where each continent has a heavily fortified merchant town. However, we have a brick road, clean cement? building and an orderly crowd. There are even maps along the main intersections. I won't need it though since the centre of the island is elevated.

When we entered this place, there was a wall starting from the portal that spans for a who-knows-how-far and there are also a couple of inner walls too. From what I can see, every time there is a wall, the inner side is elevated that continues until the very centre, something like a cake?

"..."

I expected more people calling out passer by to buy their wares but its more quiet than I thought. Is this that stance where super suave veteran stance seller use. The 'I don't care if you buy or not since my things are high quality junk that only the top connoisseur will buy for top coin' stance.

"Welcome to the middle wall. In here we sell jewelry, clothes, bed and other light products. We also have the relaxation district here where you can loosen up in the spa, get a massage or our many barber and salon to change your image. I hope you have a pleasant stay."

Thanks for the greeting but forgive me for not giving you a tip. Don't give me that look, you are paid to do this so don't look at every person passing by like you are collecting a toll fee.

'Light' products are sold here, huh. Then the wall where we came from is for heavy products. Our stall is over there and all the hubs are stationed there. I guess the hubs doesn't need to classify what they sell by district since they are basically a dumping ground.

That was a long walk though. From the portal to the hub, it took us an hour and from our stall to here it took me 2 hours by that weird carriage they have pulled by two giant centipedes. It was like a long carriage but with the shape of an I-beam with segments and wheels, it also has a long bar to hold on to. It cost a couple of copper coins and it was really fast a perfect ride for the masses.

This middle layer is really nice though. It feels like some high class district ,its clean, and there are rows and rows of stores. The outer layer where we are from is also clean and there are also stores but the stores are are proper one's that has a glass door with a big window. It must be the colour since they only have light colours with gold or yellow lining.

"How much for this silk robe?"
"8 silver coins."
"That is a bit much how about a silver coin."
"That is too low, you can't find a better one in the dwarf continent."
"Of course I won't find a better one but you can find a better one in the elf continent."

Don't try to fool me with that kind of talk. I won't be able to use this robe that much in the dwarf continent since it is fragile and being a blacksmith, this would burn up the moment I start heating up the forge.

If this thing didn't have an automatic resize enchantment applied on it I won't even bother buying it. If I find the trick of making it then maybe I can create my permanent equipment that can accompany me through many lives in many sizes.

"This is made from a very rare silk worm and---"
"I see, good bye!"
"W-wait!! I can go down to 5 silver."
"2"
"I still have to pay the tailors, transportation and materials. I can't sell it that low."
"Then 3 silver coins. A silver for each. You might feel left out so here are 30 copper coins."
"Fine."
"Thanks for the business."
"I'm the one who was supposed to that."

Haggling successful! I hate doing this but I need to save up as much as I can to start my own forge. However, I might make more money when I deciphered how this resize function works. We have the same thing in our continent but the enchantments of the elves are supposedly the best while using less materials and energy. We have a more durable enchantment though, you won't ruin our enchantment even if a stampede trampled the equipment.

"...Yo, It looks like you made a sale."
"...Ah, Manager! Yes, I made a sale. I also got 1 silver and 73 copper coins extra."
"...You started the price almost nine times the original again? I keep telling you to be careful about that. If they actually bought the price with that amount then our store would be wiped out from this island along with our lives."
"...Uuuh, I'll be more careful manager. However, the customer was a dwarf so I couldn't help myself."
"...It is true that our raced always fought in the past but that was before the hero era. It never got resolved but nursing that grudge your whole life won't do you any good. You aren't a dwarf so stop acting like them. Good job on the sale but keep it down from now on, we make enough profit that we don't need to push it too hard."
"...Haaah!? Me, a dwarf? I, uuuh. The dwarves we argued with are all dead now while we outlived them. I understand manager, these little ones probably don't know about it anyway."
"...Good, I will make a trip home next week to resupply, do you want any souvenirs or do you have any letters to friends and families you want delivered?"
"...In that case-"

I got duped!?!? Those damn elves! Argh, forget it, forget it. I'll take it as my loss and leave it alone.

Maybe I should buy some cloths while I'm here? Leather lining for the armour is more sturdy but it doesn't hurt to add a soft interior since cloths are much thinner and lighter. I can just pad it underneath to give the user a comfortable feel. It won't matter to true warriors but I am sure rich kids would bid for it. I will let go of such money grubbing technique after I get my own forge going. My aim is that of a master so skilled that even the royal family won't dare to touch him, and if someone tried, a legion of loyal customers would storm the lands to show them who exactly they are messing with.

I'll try looking again in the morning, they might have some good items at that time. For now I should continue to the very centre, if only that centipede bus come quickly. This is waiting for a bus all over again.

"Good afternoon! Waiting for the centibus?"
"...uh, yeah."

Oh great, I came across a really 'friendly' person. This is the worst, I just want to get on with my day. I don't want to be rude since the other person came with a smile and polite attitude but I don't want to force myself to be 'friendly' in kind.

"You must be new here, welcome to the central island. Need help in getting around or do you want me to tell you the popular sights."
"...I'm good thanks."

Ahhhh! So awkward.