Chapter 8: Successful Business

Yun had overheard the conversation between the miko and the priest. It was easy, because the thin walls only slightly impeded her hearing when she was sitting in the next room. That was exactly where she had been sent. She was to prepare herself and make herself beautiful to please the general in the evening.

But what she heard now worried her. She was, of course, all too familiar with demon weed. The fact that it was rare and expensive was not least due to the fact that she and her sisters destroyed it often enough when they came across stocks of it. However, it was not uncommon for temples in protected areas to cultivate this herb.

However, if the supplies here ran out, her task might be made easier. As long as the spell was around Na-Ri’s head, she could not approach without her true nature being revealed. She had to find the person her sister had bonded with as soon as possible. He could easily enter the spell circle where she could not.

A visit to the market to buy some scented water would be a good excuse. She would set off just after midday.

De-Yong was tired and in a bad mood. He had had to spend the night huddled up on the street because there was absolutely no free accommodation available. Samurai patrols had come by again and again, shooing him from one place to the next.

He made his way to the marketplace at first light.

First, he had looked at how other traders presented their wares. After all, there was another herbalist.

He immediately approached De-Yong to advise the supposed customer. However, when he realized that De-Yong did not intend to buy, but rather to compete with him, he shooed him away from his stall.

It was only late in the day that De-Yong put down his rack and laid out the vials. The main business had obviously long since finished.

He had bought some rice paper from another stall to wrap the herbs. He also bought some food, which he now ate.

He was half dozing in the warming spring sun when suddenly a shadow blocked the heat.

“Hey, you have herbs?” asked a Japanese man in very bad Korean.

De-Yong nodded grumpily.

“Demon weed, you have?”

“Yes!” he replied wearily.

“I’ll buy, anything!”

De-Yong immediately perked up. That could make him debt-free after all. That would free him to look for his head.

Even if he didn’t know the exact prices, he knew that this herb was expensive and was worth its weight in gold.

When he named the price, the Japanese man’s head turned red.

“Being outrageous, too expensive! Offer half!”

“I’ll take it for full price!”

Both De-Yong and the Japanese man looked open-mouthed at the beautiful woman who had just spoken.

“You can’t, I came first!” protested the Japanese man.

The woman suddenly replied in Japanese and the Japanese man involuntarily straightened up. Then, to De-Yong’s astonishment, he bowed, saluted the woman and hurried away.

De Yong took a closer look at the woman. She was wearing the robe of a gisaeng. There was nothing about her to justify the Japanese man’s sudden compliance. She had to belong to the city commander.

He carefully wrapped the pressed cabbage in rice paper and held it up.

“How would you like to pay, I prefer silver!”

Before he could blink, her face was in front of his head.

“With your blood, you fool! You sell demon weed? Are you still alright? I’d have to skin you for that alone!”

If it hadn’t been for the words, his eyes, which briefly lit up dangerously blue, would have told him who was standing in front of him.

De-Yong swallowed. At least their characters were similar, no doubt.

“Lady Yun, if I may presume?”

As soon as Kazuki was able to do so without appearing rude, he took his leave. But not without having the safety measures around his head shown to him once more. They were not outstanding, but sufficient. Next to the barrier of incense sticks with demon herbs, two samurai stood guard at all times.