My Demon Pet System

"You need five of them? Sure, no problem!" the very junior merchant replied, slipping a hand into the bag and taking five Demon Teeth one at a time. 

"You're not from Oakenfair, are you? I could tell from your carriage," Yoichi inquired, prying into the motivation that had driven a merchant family there. 

"You've got good intuition, boy!" the most adult of the merchants exclaimed, the boy's father. "We came here to Oakenfair because I wanted to explore northern Tentochu with my family. Now that my son is grown enough to travel, I think we will spend several years around the world," he smiled. Soon after, he continued to serve the customer in front of him.

When Yoichi opened the leather pouch and pulled out a gold coin, the boy's gaze was inevitably drawn to the glittering color of the precious object. Although we talked about a few pennies, it was common knowledge that only the wealthiest people hung around with gold coins.

Ordinary workers were used to being paid with silver coins and ignored the salaries of Demon Tamers. Tamers possessed the highest salaries in society, especially when they reached the highest ranks of the guilds. 

Behind Yoichi, Takuma's gaze was drawn to the shady movements of the man in light armor: though he hadn't even heard him speak, the Grimbrook warrior could have sworn those two men were Demon Hunters. 

Yoichi extended his arm toward the young merchant and handed him a gold coin. He would pay 25 silver coins and was to receive 75 silver coins in change.

During the exchange of money, after the young boy clasped the coin in his hands, the men in armor made a strange movement and, for a moment, one tamer hid the position of the other. At that same instant, the junior merchant in the beret stopped, exclaiming loudly, "Hey! I saw you! Leave what you grabbed!" 

Those words generated a sudden silence, and all the stall customers turned toward the two men in armor. Quick as lightning, the oldest of the merchants moved to his son's stall, verifying his accusation and focusing his gaze on the four hands of those shady men.

One of them, the one with the heaviest armor, had just tried to hide one of the relics displayed in the stall under his gear. "My son is right. You don't steal from this stall. Leave the relic you just took right away. It costs five gold coins if you're interested," the merchant spoke, showing unquestionable professionalism.

Without alarming anyone, he didn't fret and waited for the man's response before taking action. Under the counter, indeed, Yoichi could tell that the stall owner was about to pull out an iron club, helpful in deterring the thieves.

"What? What the hell are you talking about?" the man in light armor grunted. He had shoulder-length black hair and numerous scars on his pale face. "This object already belonged to my colleague. We were comparing it with your merchandise. I suggest you tell your son to shut his mouth and don't interact with grown-ups," he added.

Yoichi and Takuma remained silent. Inside, they knew that if they got involved in that matter, they would lose more useful time searching for Shusaku. Moreover, they might attract unwanted attention. The Vipers of the Tezuka Clan would be able to oversee the scene.

"My son is perfectly capable of interacting with anyone. No one is forcing you to purchase anything from our shop. Please leave what you took and go back the way you came," the older merchant replied. "We don't want any trouble." 

As he spoke in defense of his son, the people around the stall began to scatter and walk away from the merchandise. Some of them disappeared into the alleys of the square. Others continued to watch the scene from afar. 

It was evident that everyone was intimidated by these two shady men. 

"Hey, Takuma," Yoichi whispered, turning his head towards his friend and trying not to be heard by the people around him. Takuma looked into his eyes, giving him his attention. "Stand by," the young Goldhaven tamer concluded, signaling to Takuma that if the situation got worse, he would intervene.

"Hahaha! Did you hear that, Tomokatzu? We have to leave what we took and go! Ahahaha! I'm so fucking scared! I'm freaking out!" - Suddenly, the tone of voice of the man in light armor became dangerously high. The man in heavy armor, on the other hand, chuckled silently with a human bone-shaped relic in his hands. Apparently, his name was Tomokatzu.

Yoichi grabbed the merchant's Demon Teeth and stuffed them into his backpack, securing them. Taking advantage of that movement, he took the opportunity to look at the woman behind the counter, the owner's wife. 

She looked terrified and, trembling like a leaf, backed away slowly. In her hands, she held her big belly disguised by an oversized canvas dress. 

That woman is pregnant, Yoichi thought. If those men had wanted to harm the merchants, no one in Oakenfair Square would have tried to stop them. Alas, they did not know that less than a meter away from them was the warrior who possessed the last dragon demon of Lumya. 

With a sudden gesture, the merchant used one arm to move his son toward the carriage and the other arm to pull the iron club from under the counter. "I will not tell you again! Leave the goods you have just stolen now! Respect my work and pay honestly or leave!" - The merchant clutched the iron rod in his unsure hands. 

His physique was slender and untrained, and his gaze highlighted the fear he was feeling. With no experience in combat, he would try to protect his stall and his family from two men armed to the hilt, who would kill anyone unscrupulously. 

There were no imperial guards in the town of Oakenfair, and the law was virtually non-existent. Anyone could have stolen, raped, or killed without consequence; these characteristics did not make it the safest place for traders in ancient relics.