Exiled Prince and His Succubus Army-Chapter 41: The market

Now that Renji had acquired the appraisal skill, he was eager to test it in practice. Kaede, ever the curious one, was his first subject. With a flick of his hand, the ability activated, and lines of information flowed before his eyes. Powers: Illusion, Magic, Enhancement. Strength level, Speed level, Stamina level, Agility level, Sensory Sensitivity, all of them extraordinary.

Truly, each stat was not only off the charts for a human, but even impressive by non-human standards. His eyes widened slightly as he realized just how superhuman she truly was. Kaede, who had always carried herself with a certain aloof confidence, suddenly seemed even more formidable in his appraisal.

Next, he turned his attention to Aya. At first glance, she appeared fragile, her slender frame hardly hinting at hidden strength, but as the numbers revealed themselves, he blinked in surprise. Every stat, just like Kaede’s, was extraordinary. Both girls, though different in demeanor and style, were on par in terms of raw potential. Renji noted their overall levels: Level 3. Solid. Powerful. Reliable. Definitely a step above ordinary humans.

Rei, however, was an entirely different matter. Appraisal showed nothing unusual. Her powers? None. Her stats? Completely normal. The numbers were human through and through, not a hint of enhancement, magic, or any other gift. She was simply Rei, an ordinary human girl, in every sense of the word. Renji could almost hear the universe whispering, "This one is grounded."

Feeling a mixture of curiosity and professional caution, he shifted his focus to the carcasses of the bears they had killed earlier. Appraisal revealed them to be Level 5 beasts. That was... unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated that defeating level 5 creatures would feel almost casual, even with some bruises and scratches to show for it. A flicker of concern ran through him.

If Level 5 beasts posed such little challenge, what did that say about humans? Could there be Level 5 humans as well, or were the thresholds different between species? Renji made a mental note to investigate this further.

With the appraisal done, the group decided to head back home. Renji insisted they cut the hunting trip short; he needed to visit the market. Aya, curious, tilted her head and asked why, and Renji, in his characteristic mix of practicality and pride, explained his plan: he intended to buy a carriage and a horse.

Their recent hunts had yielded a fair bounty of beast crystals and monster hides, and now, with appraisal at his disposal, he could travel with greater safety. Dangerous illusions or hidden threats wouldn’t catch him off guard.

Several hours later, they returned home and began the journey toward the market. They had yet to acquire a horse or carriage, so walking was the only option. Aya and Rei handled the trek well, practically skipping along, but Kaede lagged behind almost immediately.

Her energy reserves seemed lower than usual, and she muttered complaints under her breath, clearly questioning why Renji had insisted she come along instead of staying comfortably at home.

Renji, for his part, wasn’t in the best shape either. His legs ached from the extended walk, and when Kaede grumbled yet again, he snapped. "I need all of you! Aya and Kaede are necessary to protect me if trouble arises.

And now that Rei is with us, we need every hand on deck, because she’s... a liability." His last word came out a bit harshly, but he quickly softened, patting Rei on the head. "I mean it in an endearing way, Rei."

Rei scowled, but a small blush hinted that she might have accepted his explanation. Aya, ever the observer, giggled softly at the exchange, while Kaede trudged on, grumbling and muttering, clearly unimpressed by Renji’s rationale.

Finally, after several more hours of walking, they reached the market. Renji immediately set to business. He sold the monster meat and hides to the local vendor, who gave him a suspicious glance but handed over a fair price.

Then, he sold some of the more valuable beast crystals to the crystal vendor. Coins jingled satisfyingly in his purse as he tallied the proceeds. The final step was the carriage.

The carriage seller eyed them warily. "That’s quite a lot of coin," he said, suspicion written across his face.

Renji straightened his back, adopting the air of a high-ranking noble, and allowed a subtle glare to accompany his words. "Would you rather make the sale or you’d keep asking questions?"

The man hesitated for a moment, clearly calculating whether to press further or not, eventually he chose not to and then nodded and stepped aside. "Of course, my lord. The carriage is yours."

With their new carriage secured, Renji kept appraisal active as they moved through the bustling market. He scanned the crowd for anyone dangerous or potentially deceptive. Most people were harmless, displaying nothing extraordinary. Few used illusions, and most had power levels that were safely mundane.

Only one figure caught his attention, a young girl, no older than ten, who radiated Level 4 power. She wasn’t paying attention to them at all, yet the realization struck him with quiet awe. Someone so small and young, yet so formidable? The fantasy world never ceased to surprise.

The journey back home began smoothly, with Aya and Kaede seated in the carriage and Rei perched alongside, still slightly affronted by the "liability" comment but managing to maintain her dignity.

For a brief moment, Renji allowed himself to relax. That is, until a disturbance rippled through the air. His senses, heightened by appraisal, detected it instantly. They were being attacked.

Bandits. On horseback. Surrounding the carriage.

Renji stopped the horses and instructed Rei to stay inside, her protests muffled as he emphasized the danger. He stepped out with Aya and Kaede, weapons at the ready, tension coiling in the air.

The fight erupted quickly. The bandits, confident in their numbers, underestimated the group. Renji, Aya, and Kaede moved as a unit, their coordination fluid and effective. The bandit leader, however, proved to be a more formidable opponent. Renji’s duel with him stretched on, a drawn-out contest of skill, strategy, and stamina, but ultimately, Renji emerged victorious.

Afterward, he checked the results. Experience points from defeating three of the bandits amounted to 150 shop points, 50 each. He frowned slightly. Killing three beasts of similar strength would have netted 300 shop points.

Clearly, killing humans wasn’t nearly as rewarding. A quiet relief washed over him. If humans had yielded the same points as beasts, he might have found himself tempted to engage in more conflicts than necessary. Now, he knew definitively that targeting humans wasn’t worth it.

With the threat neutralized, Renji exhaled quietly, shoulders relaxing for the first time since the attack began. Aya and Kaede exchanged triumphant grins, while Rei finally peeked out of the carriage, curiosity replacing her earlier indignation.

Renji, though tired, allowed himself a small smile. Travel, danger, and appraisal aside, the day had been productive. A carriage, a horse, monster bounties, and a reaffirmed understanding of where his priorities lay.