Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

"To be honest, we don't have much food to offer either. If it's furs and the like, we do have quite a lot. I wonder if you need them, miss."

The man could see that this gentle black-haired girl in a black dress was the soul of the whole caravan. Whatever she did, everyone else cooperated respectfully, and none showed impatience or dissent.

"Furs..." The girl thought that summer was approaching, and furs were not very useful. However, on second thought, there were still many people in the camp sleeping on stone slab beds, and having some furs could certainly make things more comfortable.

"Let me take a look." She nodded in agreement.

So, a few of them led Tilan and four others back to the settlement.

Walking through the open space between the tents, Tilan observed the real living conditions of the members. There were very few elderly in the camp. Some women were boiling milk soup, and due to the lack of seasoning, the milk and goat milk had a strong raw taste. Their clothes were mostly yellowish and dirty, indicating that water resources nearby were exceedingly scarce, making frequent bathing a luxury.

Upon reaching the tent storing furs, Tilan watched as a few sturdy men took down the bundles of furs stacked together and placed them on an old wooden table. Due to the crude tanning methods, these furs emitted a strong odor, likely because the fats hadn't been properly processed, and materials for tanning were also lacking.

With a certain expectation for the quality of the furs, Tilan did not show any surprise, only noting that it was as poor as expected.

"So, what do you want in exchange?"

"We need medicine and tea to counteract the greasiness. There are few edible plants on the grasslands. If we rely solely on meat and cheese, over time, it can be quite cloying."

"The exchange rate..." The other party hesitated.

Certainly, they didn't want to lose out. The more they could exchange for, the better. But they also felt uneasy about taking advantage of the girl in front. Moreover, this caravan was no weakling. If the price was too outrageous, it might offend them.

"20 furs for a jar of herbs, 40 furs for a bottle of premium powder, 10 furs for a tea cake."

This price... Tilan didn't really understand the exchange rate for goods on this land, so she turned to look at Guy who had followed her.

"In other places, this exchange rate might be reasonable, but here on the grasslands, your furs aren't that valuable." Guy shook his head.

Anyone purchasing goods on the grasslands has to bargain down by at least half to meet the standard practice.

"You little brat!" Although the man was quite respectful to the black-haired girl in front of him, it didn't mean his disposition had changed, especially with Guy's attitude, which instantly reminded him of the shrewd merchants he encountered.

He heavily placed his axe on the table, scattering chips of wood. If not for the table's thick and clumsy build, it might have collapsed on the spot.

Seeing this, Tilan understood the general situation and the true exchange rate. She extended her hand to make Guy step back, ready to negotiate herself.

"Hold on, I can offer you some concessions, like sticking closely to the exchange rate you mentioned earlier. However, we're new to trading on the western grasslands and lack local knowledge. You need to tell me more about the situation on the grasslands, such as the locations of the settlements and the general condition of the various forces." She wasn't worried about being lied to since, as a Songstress, distinguishing these things was quite easy for her.

The leading man, seeing her step in front, slowly raised the axe from the table and placed it aside after glancing at Tilan.

"Alright, since you're sticking to our pricing, I'll tell you about the intelligence on the grasslands."

"Follow me." He then led a few people out of the storage tent back to the settlement exit. They sat down on an open space where both sides could see each other, and he began to describe the various factions in the western grasslands.

The wind was chilly, and the early spring air was still slightly cold. Both parties began to count the goods and move what they wanted to exchange to the middle of the open space. Then they sat aside, listening to the sturdy man narrate the storms and conflicts that had unfolded on the grasslands.