Chapter 55: Business Is Business, Friendship Is Friendship
Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Business Is Business, Friendship Is Friendship
"It’s too expensive!" Selena kept saying as she looked at the three items she had picked out.
Even though she was doted on at home—and her family gave her extra care because of an attack she’d suffered in her youth—
the price of one million Magic Stones was still something she couldn’t afford. Even with her parents’ wealth, it would be difficult.
One million Magic Stones... An Official Wizard’s entire net worth was only a few thousand Medium Magic Stones, and even they could end up in the red from their research and experiments.
"Have you made your choice?" Andre asked, looking at Selena.
"It’s too expensive! Lower the price!"
Selena looked up at Andre, a troubled expression on her face.
"With your family background, they’ll probably equip you with Witchcraft Artifacts once you become an Official Wizard, won’t they?"
Andre asked curiously, seeing the troubled look on Lina’s face.
Selena’s family had two Morning Star Great Wizards in its ranks. With such a powerful background, they surely wouldn’t skimp on Witchcraft Artifacts for her.
"Even if I become an Official Wizard, the most the family will give me is a Magic Staff. As for defensive Witchcraft Artifacts and other tools, I’ll have to earn the Magic Stones to buy them myself."
Selena pouted upon hearing Andre’s words.
"If you can’t produce the Magic Stones now, then I’m afraid I’ll have to get back to selling my things."
Andre waited for another moment. When Selena still couldn’t decide, he pretended to start packing his things away to hurry her along.
Finally, Selena gritted her teeth and held on to the Radiant Ring Pair.
"How much?" Selena clutched the Radiant Ring Pair in her hand, staring daggers at Andre.
If Andre dared to name an exorbitant price, she felt like she would bite him.
"Seeing as this is our first time doing business, I’ll give you a discount. 100,000 Magic Stones. That’s not a high price at all."
After a moment’s thought, Andre quoted a relatively cheap price.
When Selena heard that, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"How much? 100,000 Magic Stones? 80,000!"
Selena countered Andre with a number she could accept.
"80,000 Magic Stones? The Witchcraft sealed inside this Radiant Ring Pair can cast a Shield of Radiance that blocks three Level 1 Witchcraft attacks. The Shield of Radiance is perfect for you. 100,000 Magic Stones is a very cheap price."
When Andre saw Selena pick up the Radiant Ring Pair, his expression immediately changed, and he gave her a fawning look.
But when he heard her counteroffer, the smile on his face froze instantly. ’That’s not how you take advantage of someone!’
As for Selena, her already unhappy expression soured the moment she heard Andre’s words.
"80,000 Magic Stones!" Selena pulled the hand holding the Radiant Ring Pair back slightly, her attitude firm as she stared at Andre.
"80,000 Magic Stones? Why don’t you go check the market inside the academy? Compared to those guys, my prices couldn’t be any lower."
"Those guys sell tools like this Radiant Ring Pair for at least double the price. This is a defensive tool."
Andre rolled his eyes. ’I’m a seller with a conscience. If this were one of those guys at the market, you’d be lucky if they didn’t double the price.’
"Not for 80,000 Magic Stones!" Andre reached out to take the Radiant Ring Pair back from Selena’s hand.
"90,000 Magic Stones!" Seeing that Andre truly wouldn’t budge and was about to take the ring pair back, Selena quickly took a step back and added 10,000 Magic Stones. But Andre still refused to yield.
"You won’t even give way on 10,000 Magic Stones!"
Selena pouted, trying to use the pouting tactic that was always unfailingly effective with her family.
But to Andre, Selena’s pouting wasn’t worth a single Magic Stone.
After the two faced off for another moment, Selena glared at Andre, gritting her teeth.
"Fine, 100,000 Magic Stones it is! You’re so stingy! I’d like to see what kind of wife you’ll manage to marry in the future."
Seeing that Andre still wouldn’t yield, Selena felt like she was having a mental breakdown.
She even resorted to personal attacks against Andre.
"That’s none of your business. 100,000 Magic Stones."
Andre held out his hand, demanding the Magic Stones from Selena. Resigned, Selena opened her Storage Ring, took out 1,000 Medium Magic Stones, and tossed them on the ground before turning to leave. Before she left, she snorted coldly at Andre to express her displeasure.
"A great start to business!" Andre paid no mind to Selena’s attitude. He had figured that selling out his current stock within a month would already be incredibly fast.
Now that he’d already sold one item, Andre felt that he’d been quite lucky recently.
"Time to go, time to go. Let’s see how much I can sell today."
Andre packed everything up and started heading toward the market.
「An hour later.」
Andre arrived at the market.
By this time, many Wizard Apprentices had already gathered there. Some were displaying their recent harvests on the ground to sell, while others were picking out materials they needed.
From time to time, fierce arguments over prices would erupt from the crowd.
Andre, however, kept walking toward the center of the market, which was the trading area for Official Wizards.
When Andre reached the Official Wizard trading area, many of the Wizard Apprentices who were there trading on behalf of Official Wizards looked at him in surprise.
The area they were in was usually frequented by old-timers who had been stuck at the High Level Wizard Apprentice stage for ages, or by people like themselves who were doing business on behalf of the great Wizards.
’What could someone as young as Andre be selling here?’
Under the gazes of several Wizard Apprentices, Andre thought for a moment, then laid a few of his lower-value Witchcraft Tools on the ground and began to wait for customers.
The moment Andre laid his items on the ground, the eyes of the nearby Wizard Apprentices lit up.
These Witchcraft Tools were all good stuff, even though they were all inscribed with Level 0 Witchcraft.
But these kinds of tools, which could cast Witchcraft just by being activated, had always been a hot commodity among Wizard Apprentices, as they could significantly increase one’s personal strength.
Before a single customer could even show up at Andre’s stall, a few of the nearby Wizard Apprentices exchanged a look and bought up all the Witchcraft Tools on display.
"How many can you all take?"
Andre asked with a smile, looking at the Wizard Apprentices.
The Wizard Apprentices instantly felt that something bad was about to happen.
"What do you mean?" a stout man to Andre’s left asked.
"I have many more," Andre said, then proceeded to lay out another pile of Witchcraft Tools.
This time, the quantity was three times what he had just put out.
"This many... Did you inherit the estate of some great Wizard?"
The stout man gasped as he looked at all the Witchcraft Tools Andre had displayed.
If he hadn’t inherited a great Wizard’s estate, how else could he have obtained so many Witchcraft Tools?