Buying eggs

"Why don't these eggs have prices?"

After reaching the third floor, Lin Ke finally discovered what had made his Luck bloodline stir, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

So it was an egg. That made things easy.

"These eggs cost a thousand gold coins each."

Puxin seemed quite knowledgeable. "Some of these are monster eggs whose bloodlines have already been awakened by their parents. Others are ordinary beast eggs, and some might even be dead... What you get depends on your choice."

Lin Ke understood. This was a bit like gambling on uncut jade in his previous life.

You might spend a thousand gold coins and get a Giant Dragon egg, one whose bloodline had even been awakened by its Giant Dragon parents.

Or you might bring home an egg that had been dead for ages, or an unfertilized one, and throw a thousand gold coins down the drain.

"This is the best place to see whom the Goddess of Luck favors... Though Her Holiness the Goddess of Luck fell to the great [Astrologer] Taishir long ago."

As Puxin spoke, he steered the conversation back to himself. "Take me, for instance. Perhaps I'm someone favored by the Goddess of Luck. I bought an egg and hatched the level-two Demon Serpent I keep at home."

His tone was full of a middle-aged man's swagger.

"But Baron, buying a level-three monster only costs seven hundred gold coins," Lin Ke asked, putting on an innocent expression.

"Young Master Lin Ke, you're still little. You don't understand. Here, as long as you don't lose money, you've made a profit."

Puxin frowned in displeasure, but said nothing more. Instead, he turned to Furon. "Madam, as the lord of this city, I can buy you three... two eggs. Please, choose whichever you like..."

You're a bit stingy for someone trying to pick up a woman... Lin Ke sneered inwardly. Before Furon could refuse, he said, "Yes, please! Thank you, Baron! These can be my birthday presents. Mother, shall we pick one each?"

Who wanted to give you anything, you annoying little brat!

Hearing Lin Ke's words, Puxin raised his eyebrows, but ultimately did not refuse.

After all, to a mother, pleasing her son was much the same as pleasing her.

"Little Lin Ke! How could you make the baron spend so much?" Furon was rather angry. She felt that Lin Ke had never acted like this before.

"But the baron is my uncle, and he wants to give me a birthday present... Can't I accept it?" Lin Ke widened his clear, innocent eyes slightly and looked at his mother.

Furon's heart softened, and she surrendered.

Puxin's expression darkened, but he merely narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

Meanwhile, Lin Ke made faces at Puxin's son, as if to say, Look, I'm going to play the egg-guessing game!

Seeing this, Puxin's son spoke up. "Dad, I want one too!"

Puxin's eyes widened, and he was about to refuse when Lin Ke turned back to look at him, tugging on Furon to make her turn around as well.

In front of a lady, a man could not be ungentlemanly or mistreat his child.

"Pick, my... Ahem. Go pick one."

Puxin had already decided how he would punish his son once they got home. He would have to do it behind the back of that old hag of a wife of his who always protected the boy.

And so, the three of them went to choose their eggs.

Lin Ke approached the large wooden crates, which had runes for things like "freshness" and "vitality" flowing across them.

He walked along the row before finally stopping in front of an unremarkable wicker basket containing ten eggs.

Lin Ke touched them one by one. When his finger reached an egg with pale yellow markings, the Luck bloodline in his mind gave a violent throb.

Lin Ke's eyebrows twitched, and he was about to choose that egg when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Puxin's son approach, staring intently at the egg Lin Ke was choosing.

Trying to snatch it out from under me?

Lin Ke immediately understood what the child was thinking.

Back in kindergarten, the tastiest food had always been whatever was in someone else's bowl.

Puxin's son certainly took after his father.

"This one's good..."

Lin Ke murmured just loudly enough for Puxin's son to hear, then pointed at an egg that was pale blue all over and looked quite pretty.

But just as he was about to pick it up, Puxin's son rushed over, snatched it away, and shouted, "Dad, I want this one!"

Then he ran off with the egg in his arms, seemingly afraid that Lin Ke would fight him for it.

Idiot... Lin Ke smiled, then picked up the "lucky" egg he had chosen.

Furon also looked through the eggs before finally choosing a multicolored one that looked very pretty.

"Baron Sandir, perhaps Little Lin Ke and I should pay for our own." Furon approached with her egg, still feeling embarrassed and conflicted.

Seeing Furon's conflicted expression, Puxin's eyes shone even brighter. He waved a hand expansively. "It's fine! It's only three thousand gold coins!"

As the lord of a city, he certainly had far more opportunities to line his pockets than someone in a remote castle.

Meanwhile, Puxin had already decided to visit some commoners' shops later for a round of extortion... No, tax collection.

"After you, madam."

After turning the idea over in his head, Puxin gestured for her to proceed.

Furon nodded slightly.

The group immediately headed downstairs.

Apart from Furon, who was a little embarrassed, everyone was in high spirits, though they were happy for different reasons.

John and Nix had wanted to pick eggs too-they were children, after all-but the exorbitant price had scared them off.

Finally, Puxin told the female shop manager expressionlessly to put the eggs on his account, and the group left.

"Madam, where will you be staying tonight?"

Once outside, Puxin asked with a smile, paying no attention whatsoever to the eggs they had just bought.

Here it comes! Lin Ke listened with a calm expression, ready to jump in with an answer at any moment.

Usually, when the purchasing party came, Puxin never even gave them a glance. After all, Furon never accompanied them.

And on her previous visit, she had left in a hurry shortly after arriving, without even staying in the city.

In fact, the purchasing party usually stayed at an inn when they spent the night in the city. Even when someone like First Madam Antova came, only the steward of the baron's residence would come to make arrangements.

Why was Baron Puxin so bold this time, completely unafraid of Garros...? Lin Ke pondered inwardly.

Furon, however, answered directly. "We can stay anywhere. Your steward should have made arrangements, yes?"

Alas...

Sometimes Lin Ke thought his mother was adorably innocent. At other times, he wished he could give her a little more talent in both intelligence and emotional awareness.

"Yes! Of course! I've also prepared a lavish dinner, and I hope you'll join us, madam."

Puxin had finally bared his fangs.

Lin Ke's vigilance instantly reached its peak.

Something's wrong!

That bastard father of mine would be back soon. How did this insignificant Puxin dare?

Wait, no.

Could it be...

A possibility suddenly occurred to Lin Ke, and he frowned deeply.

"Wouldn't that be too much expense, Baron Sandir?"

Furon also felt that Puxin was being a little too enthusiastic. She did not think much of it, however, merely worrying that she would cause him trouble.

After all, Puxin was a distant cousin of Garros. It was perfectly normal for him to be welcoming toward his cousin's wife.

Welcoming was the only word that occurred to Furon.

"It's no trouble, Madam Furon. By the way, there's an auction this afternoon. Would you be interested in attending?"

Puxin wanted more opportunities to show off his wealth. After all, his combat strength fell far short of Garros's.

"Little Lin Ke?" Unable to decide, Furon instinctively looked at her clever son.

Hearing her, Lin Ke looked up from his thoughts, narrowed his eyes, and smiled. "Sure!"

Whatever he threw at them, they would deal with it.

There was still a supremely powerful expert holding the fort back home. If this fellow angered him, he would have that socially anxious old master come over and unleash Divine Thunder Apocalypse.

A level-two Demon Serpent guarding his house? What a joke.

P.S. Monthly tickets, recommendation votes-you know what to do, right? (*￣3￣)