Chapter 5: Sigsug Market

The village of Sigsug lay wrapped in the gentle embrace of early autumn, the air crisp with the faint promise of rain. Morning dew clung to the cobblestone paths, glinting like tiny jewels under the pale sunlight.

A deep sigh escaped the lips of a young girl, no older than thirteen, her pale white hair tumbling past her shoulders and catching the light like a sea of spilled snow. Her deep crimson eyes, thoughtful and intent, surveyed the already bustling market square. A neatly woven basket hung from the crook of her right arm like a handbag, while her other hand tightened around the folds of her robe as she stood anchored at the market’s heart.

Molly’s gaze darted from stall to stall, a nervous expression flickering across her face as she considered her first move. Today, she had boldly decided to descend the hill alone and purchase the ingredients for dinner, having declared to Jen that she would cook the meal herself for the special occasion.

Jen had insisted on accompanying her, as she always did, but Molly, stubborn to her core, had kindly refused the offer.

Which brought her to her current predicament.

Where should she even begin?

Another sigh slipped from her lips. Her eyes swept over the colorful stalls that lined the market street in neat, orderly rows. The voices of sellers boomed through the crowd, each cry competing for attention.

“Come get your Lion fish here! Only four copper coins! Freshly caught just a few hours ago!” a man bellowed from his stall.

“Water turkey! Get your fresh water turkey!” another seller shouted, her voice tangling with the man’s.

“Red lettuce here! Fresh red lettuce! Carefully imported. Just one gold coin! One gold coin.”

Molly frowned at those words. One gold coin? Wasn’t that far too expensive for a simple red lettuce? She remembered clearly that the price two weeks ago had been a mere six silver coins.

As if sensing her very thought, an elderly man who had been shuffling toward the red lettuce stall came to a halt, his brow furrowing. “One gold coin?” he repeated, turning to the young seller.

“Young man, isn’t that a bit excessive? I know the plague has dried up our greens, but that doesn’t excuse inflating the price this much.” The elderly man let out a weary sigh. “At least sell it for seven silver coins.”

The young seller lifted a brow and studied the elderly man for a long moment, as though weighing his words. “Old man, that’s simply how the price stands. I paid seven silver coins for just one of these, not to mention the carriage fee I covered to bring them here.”

He exhaled. “Ever since the healing specialists failed to cure the plague from our crops, farmers from other villages have raised the prices of their greens. And since red lettuces are very special vegetables, their price rose significantly.”

He shrugged. “That’s just how business works.”

The elder clicked his tongue at the seller’s explanation. “I can’t argue with that,” he muttered, shaking his head as he walked away, clearly deciding to purchase something else.

Molly, who had observed the entire exchange, couldn’t help but shake her head too. A sigh escaped her as she retrieved a small jotter she had tucked inside her basket. She flipped it open and turned to the page where she had written: ‘Red lettuce x2’

She stared at the words for a moment, then reached for the wooden pen hooked to the top of the jotter. Holding it poised, she fixed her gaze on the words, caught in the decision of whether to buy the red lettuce or strike it from her list altogether.

A frown soon settled on her delicate features. The red lettuce was a necessary component for the main dish, the ‘Rose Porridge,’ and the recipe demanded it as the primary ingredient.

But the real question now was: was she willing to spend two gold coins on red lettuce alone, or should she remove the ingredient and find a replacement?

Her thoughts deepened as she considered what Jen would have done in this moment.

A response came instantly to mind, in Jen’s familiar voice:

‘If you want something, Molly, just buy it. As long as I’m around, money isn’t the problem.’

Molly shook her head firmly at the very notion. She detested wasting money, even if Jen wouldn’t mind.

According to the book she had read on financial management, one should spend only when necessary, cut down all useless expenses, and save at all times.

And Molly intended to do precisely that. After pondering for a long moment, she decided to cancel the ‘x2’ and replace it with ‘x1.’

She exhaled in quiet pride and began walking with renewed enthusiasm toward the red lettuce stall, which was brightly decorated with a red canopy and yellow-and-blue paneled sides.

When she stepped inside, she noticed the young seller had already returned and was now speaking with a lady who appeared to be a customer.

Molly raised a brow, edging closer until she stood waiting beside the counter where the negotiation was unfolding.

“I’ll give you nine silver coins per bunch,” the lady said, eyeing the stock of lettuce visible through a transparent door that led into what seemed to be a magically chilled storage room.

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He shook his head. “If I do that, I’ll be at a loss, madam. Please, try to understand. It isn’t cheap for me to acquire these.”

Seeing his insistence, the lady sighed. “Alright,” she said, glancing once more at the refrigerated storage. “Just give me ten bunches.”

The seller’s expression brightened immediately. “Right away, ma’am.” He hurried to the magical cooler, opened it, and retrieved exactly ten bunches of red lettuce. Placing them into a basket, he handed it to the lady. “Thank you for your patronage.”

The lady gave a curt nod and walked away.

Molly released a deep breath as she realized it was now her turn. She stepped closer to the counter.

The seller’s brown gaze finally landed on her, and his lips curled upward. “Well, well. If it isn’t my quiet friend.” A warm smile spread across his face.

“You didn’t come with your mom today?” he asked, watching as a black orb, clearly a magical artifact, drifted out from Molly’s robe and hovered at eye level.

The orb shuddered for a moment before dissolving into tiny particles. The particles swirled in the air, shaping themselves with each motion until they formed a sentence:

~ Good morning, Mr. James. No, I didn’t come with her today. I decided to come alone.

Molly’s expression brightened as the words materialized, conveying her thoughts.

He raised his brows at the message. “Is that so?”