Transaction

Transaction

After getting out of the carriage, Karl put on a Homburg hat with a stiff curled brim and a grosgrain ribbon, then straightened his clothes.

Unlike his formal attire from the morning, he was dressed more casually now.

"Sir."

The driver helped carry down the mantel clock wrapped in black cloth.

"Your item."

"Thank you."

Karl thanked him politely, reached out to lift the mantel clock, and headed toward the bustling market.

"What strength!"

Watching Karl's departing back, the driver looked astonished.

It had taken quite a bit of effort for him to carry the thing down from the carriage. He estimated it weighed several dozen pounds.

Yet Karl handled such weight with ease. Could he be a Knight Squire?

Or...

A distinguished knight?

But someone like that should have his own carriage.

Badi Goods Store.

Karl had long heard of this place, but this was his first visit. His father, however, had been a regular here.

When many respectable families in the city found themselves short on money, they would bring things they did not need for the moment here and exchange them for Crowns or Gold Pounds. Once their finances improved, they could buy them back and tide themselves over in the meantime.

It was similar to a pawnshop.

However, most items were sold outright and never redeemed, so there were many secondhand goods here.

The various secondhand rings, necklaces, watches, and other jewelry sold by the store made up roughly seventy-five percent of all its merchandise.

There were also some artworks and luxury goods.

Thus, many people called this place "the middle class's treasure warehouse." Whenever they had spare money, they would come here to hunt for bargains.

"People call me Old Nick. I've worked at Badi Goods Store for over thirty years, and I've never misjudged an item."

Nick had a white beard, a bald head, cloudy eyes, and a face full of wrinkles. He looked utterly unremarkable, so it was no wonder people doubted his skill.

Looking up at Karl, Nick grinned.

"First time here?"

If it were not his first time, there was no reason he would not know him.

"Mm."

Karl nodded, set the mantel clock on the table, removed the black cloth covering it, and gestured for the other man to inspect it.

"How much can you offer?"

"Oh!" At the sight of the mantel clock, Old Nick instinctively sat up straighter, his expression turning serious.

"Good stuff."

"This outer layer is actually all gold!"

The mantel clock before him was nearly half a meter tall. Shaped like a spire, it was exquisitely crafted from gold, wood, and porcelain.

Gold and wood were one thing, but porcelain was already rare, and porcelain used on mantel clocks was even rarer. The materials blended together seamlessly, making it an exceptionally rare work of art.

Old Nick took out a magnifying glass and examined the mantel clock inside and out for a long while before looking up at Karl.

"How much are you planning to sell it for?"

"You're asking me?" Karl sat opposite him, his expression calm as he concealed the tension in his heart. "Shouldn't you be the ones naming a price?"

"Yes."

Old Nick nodded.

"That is the usual practice, but I'm afraid the price I give will disappoint you."

Karl frowned. "Let's hear it."

He did not believe it could be that cheap.

Old Nick raised one finger and spoke slowly.

"Ten Gold Coins!"

"There are not many artworks worth a hundred pounds. This mantel clock is finely crafted, and it is a large piece, which makes it quite rare. But some of its internal parts are damaged, so this is the most I can offer."

"Heh..." Karl was speechless.

"Old Nick, are you joking? Ten Gold Coins probably aren't even enough to buy the gold used on this clock."

The mantel clock was not merely coated with a layer of gold paint. Some of its internal components were cast entirely from gold.

Ten Gold Coins?

What a ridiculous joke!

"Yes."

Old Nick did not deny it. He merely turned the mantel clock around, lowered the concealed back panel, and pointed at the engraving on it.

"Do you know what this is?"

"This..." Karl had only given the mantel clock a cursory look. He knew nothing about the engravings inside and had not even noticed this back panel.

Now that he looked closely, his brows instinctively furrowed.

"A ritual to worship a Deity?"

"That's right."

Old Nick grinned.

"What's engraved here is a scene or ritual of mortals worshipping a Deity, which means this item is a sacred artifact."

"The key is..."

"It worships an evil god!"

"The Moon Goddess, the Goddess of the Moon. I've lived this long, yet I've never heard of such a Deity."

There were Deities in this world who held authority over the moon, but no Deity was referred to solely as the Moon Goddess.

Worshipping an evil god was a grave crime. If the church discovered it, even being remotely connected to it could cost someone their life.

Forget worshipping an evil god. Even worshipping a righteous god would bring plenty of trouble in this country unless it was the Lord of Dawn.

And the fact that the engraving of a religious ritual had been hidden in such a concealed place meant there was clearly something suspicious about it.

Watching Karl's expression grow increasingly gloomy, Old Nick smiled.

"You can report it to the church, or sell this thing to me for ten Gold Coins. The choice is yours."

Karl's eyes contracted.

No wonder!

No wonder he had offered ten Gold Coins. He was threatening him!

"Old Nick."

Karl pursed his lips and spoke slowly.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I am a noble. This item was a trophy my grandfather acquired on the battlefield. It is perfectly normal that I don't know its background."

"A noble?"

Old Nick froze. He truly had not expected that.

In the instant he was distracted, Karl suddenly reached out, clenched his five fingers into a fist, and slammed it at the clock's back panel.

Bang!

The metal back panel was smashed into a warped shape. Though it did not shatter, the engraving on it became so blurred that it was impossible to tell whether it depicted a ritual to worship a Deity.

"I know Badi Goods Store isn't afraid of a noble's status, but if you think you can bully me, it won't be so easy."

"Now!"

Karl leaned forward and stared directly at him.

"How much?"

"..." Old Nick's cloudy eyes flickered as he looked at Karl, then he suddenly broke into a grin.

"Don't get angry. Let's talk this over properly."

The result of talking it over properly was fifty Gold Coins.

Only after Karl walked out of Badi Goods Store did he realize that his back had broken out in a cold sweat at some point.

When the wind blew over him, he could not help tightening his clothes.

"I never expected selling things brought over from another world would cause this kind of trouble."

He touched the few small items remaining in his pocket, shook his head lightly, and temporarily gave up on selling them.

He would return and inspect them carefully first. In any case, he had enough money now.

Just as he hailed a carriage and prepared to leave the market, a burst of clamorous shouting came from behind him.

"Latest news! Latest news!"

"Grand Duke Gumbisis has tragically died of illness while campaigning against Coburg. Grand Duke Saxen is suspected to be taking over the expeditionary army..."

"Major news..."

Grand Duke Gumbisis was dead?

Karl's heart jolted.

The Grand Duke was only in his fifties and a renowned Legendary Knight. His body was as strong as a tiger's, and even blades might not be able to wound him. How could he suddenly die of illness?

More importantly, Grand Duke Saxen, who was replacing Gumbisis, had once served as the City Lord of Signo City. If it was true, would he conscript the city's commoners? The nobles?

"Forget it. There's no use thinking too much about it now."

"I'll rest up and secure the Baron Nobility Title first. According to Kolon, the Day of the Burning Moon is coming soon. Black City will also enter its monthly safe period, so I'll need to make a trip there then."

(End of Chapter)