Starting with the sentries on the frontier

Chapter 50 Bargaining Techniques

A few seconds later, an even louder commotion came from the rooftop: the meowing of a cat and the chirping of birds. What was originally a very ordinary hunting activity was amplified by the old house into a sound performance, making Peter's face turn pale.

"No, it can't do that!"

Peter ran downstairs yelling, trying to reason with Snowball: "Good kitty, you need to learn to be grateful for nature! You can't treat nature's gifts like this!"

Zag followed him downstairs at a leisurely pace, and into the sunken garden, where he watched Snowball, like a victorious general, gracefully hop down from the roof carrying two birds that were almost as big as it.

Then, it slammed the two birds down at Zag's feet and instructed its "servant" Zag: "Thank you for 'nature's bounty'! I want roasted birds for dinner tonight, and remember to pluck them clean!"

Zag picked up the two birds and weighed them in his hands. They were very fat, bigger than pigeons, and together they weighed almost as much as a chicken.

Free meat is much more cost-effective than buying a chicken from the market for 1 or even 2 shillings, which made Zag suddenly realize that snowballs might be quite useful.

As he tied the two dying birds to the rope that had been used to tether the snowball, he used Peter's logic to morally blackmail him: "Monk, this is just normal natural hunting behavior. You can't expect a cat to go against its nature and be kind to its food. After all, if a cat doesn't eat birds and fish, it will starve. Humans have choices in food, but cats don't. You can't expect a kitten that's only a month old to eat grass, can you? Or do you believe that the life of a bird is nobler than that of a cat? Oh, God, is this what Meredra's teachings are like?"

Peter was completely bewildered. When he heard the end, he waved his hands in alarm and explained, “No, no, no, our mother didn’t teach that. She just… just conveyed equal love. Of course, it’s free to hunt, that’s its prerogative. But… but perhaps you shouldn’t let it harm the poor little bird. After all, it has an owner and plenty of food, right?”

Zag shrugged. "Of course, but that's not why I'm untying the ropes, hmm?"

"Alright, alright... I am guilty, God, I am so sinful! Tonight I will pray for these two poor lives, Mother! Please forgive my sins! I will repent for my ignorance and presumptions! Oh, Mother!"

Seeing that Peter was starting to question his existence after being swayed by all this, Zag felt a pang of pity, as if he were bullying an honest man. He coughed lightly and changed the subject: "Uh, well, let's talk about the house."

"As you can see, Brother Peter, I'm quite satisfied with this house, although it's old and has been taken over by some 'gifts of nature,' but my cat seems to really like them..."

After saying "a gift of nature" twice, Peter looked like he was about to cry with regret. Zag quickly changed the subject: "Of course, I mean, it's not far from here to my workplace, which is perfect for me, so...maybe we can talk about the price?"

When the conversation turned to business, Peter quickly composed himself and replied, "By Goddess Mother, this price is already a great deal, only 7 shillings and 10 pence, plus a garden!"

Zag skillfully bargained: "But it only has two rooms! Honestly, it's not much cheaper than a hotel, and I still have to pay property tax and water bills—you don't have to pay those at a hotel!"

"Yes, yes, you're right. Property taxes and water bills do add up, but hotels don't have kitchens or separate bathrooms. This house not only has two bathrooms, but it even has a water tap in the garden. If you want to grow something, you don't have to run around inside or outside!"

"I don't believe that tiny space downstairs, barely big enough for my dog, can be called a bathroom... Seriously, I'm being very sincere, Brother Peter. Perhaps you could offer me a further discount within your means. I have a stable job, and Ms. Rowan guarantees I won't be late on rent. That's the biggest advantage, isn't it?"

"Alright, alright, you win. I'll try to persuade the homeowner; maybe we can get it for 7 shillings and 5 pence..."

"Seven shillings. If possible, I can sign the contract today."

"this……"

Peter was somewhat embarrassed.

Zag's offer wasn't so low as to seem insincere, but it was still a very aggressive price reduction. The original price of 7 shillings and 10 pence was already quite low; if the house hadn't been so dilapidated and almost none of the furniture was usable, it wouldn't have remained unrented, allowing Zag to snag a bargain.

Seeing Peter's hesitation, Zag, being very understanding, took a step back and said, "I have no intention of forcing you to buy or sell, Brother Peter. You can discuss it with the homeowner before making a decision. The reason I am so particular is because my bedridden mother needs a bottle of Healing Hand every week to stay alive, so I have no choice but to do this. I'm sorry."

These words had a remarkable effect. Peter immediately showed a look of sympathy and said, "That's no problem! By Goddess God, I hope your mother recovers soon! The owner of this house is a distant cousin of mine. She married and moved to Seawin County. Her mother used to live there, but since the old lady passed away last year, the house has been empty for more than half a year, which is why it looks a bit dilapidated."

"Just last month, she wrote to me asking me to help her rent out this house. Although the price you offered was indeed a bit low, but... Mother Goddess, if it's for your mother's sake, I'm sure my cousin will understand. She is also a devout Merethla believer."

"Thank you very much for your understanding, Brother Peter. May you serve Meredra in the future and live eternally in His Kingdom."

What sounded like a curse was actually the highest blessing for a devout believer. Peter was overjoyed upon hearing it and nodded, saying, "Yes, this is my dream! I long to serve Meredra, my mother, forever!"

Zag then asked, "So, since the homeowner isn't in Dongchui Port, how should the contract be signed?"

Peter replied, “I have my cousin’s letter of authorization, so all you have to do is sign a contract with me. It’s perfectly legal, sir.”

"Great, then perhaps we can sign the contract tomorrow morning? I'll be moving in first thing tomorrow morning, and you can just bring the contract to me then. I can pay four weeks' rent upfront."

"That would be wonderful! You are such a generous and easygoing gentleman!"

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[Snowball's Science Popularization Mini-Drama]: Fairies can survive without eating - I mean in a physical sense, they don't need to eat, they can survive by living in places with high magical fluctuations.

But the hunger doesn't disappear, so fairies mostly hunt. Fish, birds, or some small magical creatures are all on their menu.

Of course, finding a place where food spawns regularly is obviously much simpler than going out to hunt.