Annan had thought he was rich, but everything he had earned over the past two years amounted to less than a tenth of Wilhelm's outrageous asking price.
"We don't have that much money..."
To turn Free City into a War Fortress, Annan had spent an entire day buying up supplies and had emptied the treasury.
"That's all right. Given our history of cooperation, you can buy on credit!" the voice on the other end said "generously."
"I don't think credit is the issue. You know Free City was founded less than two years ago. If it's a little boy who's only just learned to walk, then you're a lady of mature charms... Uh, what I mean is..."
"I understand. You could consider renting instead. It's only a hundred thousand gold coins per use."
Only...
But Annan really did need to spend that hundred thousand gold coins. If they could not reach the Graypeak Mountains within two days, there was no point in their operation.
"All right. I'll rent it."
The Merchant said the support staff they were sending could arrive within an hour.
Annan had spent a hundred thousand gold coins and still had to thank them for being such good trading partners—Free City's credit did not even come with interest.
Olmedo urged Annan to ask for another Small Arcane Power Core. That would let Free City, whose range had expanded to 1,500 meters, take every building except those at Harbor and in the farmland.
Annan traded a debt of six hundred thousand gold coins for a Small Arcane Power Core and an Alchemist. The Alchemist arrived at dusk.
"I'm Kini Whiteman, an Alchemist. Where's the Arcane Power Core? Take me to it." The Alchemist rattled all this off the moment he arrived.
Annan led the way, asking the Alchemist