Perfect Match

"Spell-like abilities?!"

After slowly putting down the glass statue in her hand, the woman's face showed an expression of disbelief.

At this moment, she finally understood why the finished product she integrated using transmutation magic was always less stable than the original.

It wasn't a problem with the spell, nor was it a problem with the materials...

It was the lack of a method that could perfectly fuse everything without affecting those sensitive materials.

Zuo Si smiled and nodded, "Exactly! Even if I gave you the complete set of techniques, it would be difficult for you to produce this energy storage device according to the process. Even if you could, the cost would be several times higher due to the use of too many advanced spells or materials, making it not worth the effort."

"Damn it! Does that mean all my previous efforts and financial investments were in vain?"

The woman's tone clearly revealed her strong unwillingness.

As the most renowned merchant of magic items in Caledon, what she couldn't stand the most was losing money.

Of course, this personality might also be related to the bloodline flowing within her.

After all, Jotuns were most famous for being outstanding and cunning planar merchants, often tricking ignorant individuals into parting with their last copper coin.

Anyone who made them lose money would surely be held in resentment for a long time.

"That depends on your next choice.

In fact, the cost of this energy storage device is much lower than you imagine, but the materials required are exceptionally complex.

If you can provide me with materials and a workspace for free, I can produce a large number of finished products in a short period.

However, in exchange, I require half of the profits from the sale of these devices, or an equivalent value in scrolls, books, and magic items.

Also, during my stay in Caledon, I can borrow your workspace and alchemical equipment for free.

By the way, you should have your own Mage Tower, right?"

Zuo Si calmly presented a cooperation proposal.

After escaping the Floating City Tower, he realized how much convenience that place, which he had always regarded as a cage, had brought him.

Whether it was the rich collection of books in the library, the inexhaustible supply of materials in the warehouse, the various rooms with special functions, or the monsters and slave artisans imprisoned in the basement cells, all of them now required a massive amount of money to obtain.

Many things couldn't even be bought with money.

Therefore, Zuo Si wanted to use this cooperation to temporarily secure a place for magical experiments.

Otherwise, if he messed around in an unprotected hotel room and accidentally caused a chain reaction, the entire hotel and everyone in it might be blown to the sky.

"Of course, I have my own Mage Tower. But you have to tell me first, how low is the cost of producing an energy storage device?" The woman was clearly tempted.

Because only through cooperation could she recover her previous losses and even make a substantial profit.

Zuo Si picked up a pen and wrote down the names of over thirty materials in the Common Tongue of Faerun on a blank piece of paper, then handed it directly to her.

"Here, the costs are all listed. Take a look."

The woman quickly took it and glanced at it, immediately exclaiming, "How is this possible! According to the materials listed here, the cost of producing an energy storage device is less than 2000 gold coins?"

"To be precise, it's only 1800 gold coins," Zuo Si said meaningfully. "And you can sell it for over 20,000 gold coins. Even if you only get half, that's a net profit of 9100 gold coins. You provide the materials, and I'll make them. This is a foolproof business. So, what's your answer?"

"My answer is of course yes! Any merchant would find it impossible to refuse such a win-win cooperation. Let me reintroduce myself, my name is Aisha, a Sorcerer and a merchant specializing in buying and selling magic items, as well as the sole designated member of Aurora Magic Shop in Caledon."

The woman took the initiative to introduce herself.

In a city like Caledon, filled with chaos, murder, and power shifts, proactively stating one's name was a gesture of goodwill.

The other party, upon learning the name, could often use the ubiquitous Thieves' Guild to find out rumors associated with that name and judge whether they were trustworthy.

"My name is Soth, a traveler who has just arrived in Caledon from out of town. It's a pleasure to meet you, beautiful Ms. Aisha."

Zuo Si also immediately stood up, placed one hand on his chest, and bowed slightly in response.

He had always been generous in showing his most humble and polite side to those who possessed great power and could bring him additional benefits.

In fact, the real cost of producing an energy storage device was less than 300 gold coins.

More than four-fifths of the materials on that list were prepared for embezzlement and lining his own pockets.

Most importantly, Zuo Si also planned to freeload the energy reserves of her Mage Tower to improve his various professions.

After all, how much magical energy it would take to produce an energy storage device would be up to him.

As long as it didn't exceed the female Sorcerer's psychological expectations, the possibility of being discovered would be very small.

Aisha, unaware that Zuo Si was contemplating how to "take advantage" more effectively and safely, asked enthusiastically, "If the materials are sufficient, how many of these devices can you produce per day?"

"Six!"

Zuo Si gave a relatively conservative number without hesitation.

He understood the principle of scarcity driving value and knew that magic items costing tens of thousands of gold coins were destined to be affordable only to a select few.

If too many entered the market at once, it would inevitably lead to a price crash, as well as a series of troubles and serious consequences.

"Very good! Give me two days to procure the materials, and I'll come find you again in two days."

Aisha was clearly very satisfied with the efficiency of producing six energy storage devices per day.

This meant that she could earn back her previous losses within two days at the most.

Only 20,000 gold coins for one?

What a joke!

For a powerful magic item like this, with no restrictions and usable by ordinary people, if it doesn't sell for a high price of 25,000 to 30,000 gold coins, then that merchant has failed miserably.

What's more, the Aurora Magic Shop's motto is: "We don't seek the best, only the most expensive."

Of course, she would never tell Zuo Si the real price, intending to calculate the profit share based on a selling price of 20,000 gold coins each.

It had to be said, in a way, the sorceress and Zuo Si were a perfect match.

Because both of them were thinking about how to take advantage of the other at the first opportunity.

As for who actually got the better deal, that remained to be seen.

Regardless, both of them got what they wanted, a true "win-win."

After watching Aisha leave the "Happy Hour" inn, Zuo Si immediately drew some energy from his mana pool and established a brand new mana core using [Mimicry].

As such, in his [Class] column, besides the most basic [Planeswalker] and the [Creator] obtained from the Floating City Tower, he now also had [Wizard].

Due to the high Intelligence bonus of 19, he gained two first-level spell slots upon reaching Wizard level 1.

As for those zero-level spells, whose mana consumption was so negligible that wizards called them "cantrips," he could cast them many times a day.