Alex was shocked by the amount that he was supposed to pay for the apartnt. Although it was a nice space, it was still an apartnt in a building with many others.
Even a lavish mansion in Balon City wasn’t so expensive! Although he wasn’t short on money and didn’t like haggling over prices, Alex would not allow himself to be ripped off so brazenly.
"Are you sure that’s the actual price? It’s too expensive, rember that I’m only a student and not really working yet." Alex complained.
The middle-aged man made a difficult face after hearing Alex’s words.
"To tell you the truth, kid, this apartnt actually costs way more than that, and there are several other people who are willing to pay more just to have it. Finding a place in a good neighbourhood is difficult these days.
I only set the price low because you are a student and need a place close to your magic university. If you find it too expensive, then I’m sorry that I can’t help you." He said with a sad face as if he was seriously considering Alex but he was secretly snickering in his mind.
’Tks, tks. You mages can easily make hundreds of millions from killing magic beasts or doing random jobs, and besides, you’re a student at a magic university, not just anyone can attend a magic university, but you want to pity you? Big chance, pay it get lost!
If you’re so poor, why don’t you just stay on campus?’
Alex frowned, he had a feeling that the man was lying and most likely insulting him inwardly but he just couldn’t prove it.
He was about to speak when they heard a knock on the door.
"Oh, must be one of the other people who also want to get this place, I’ll go talk to them and tell them that soone else already took it.
Make your choice fast, kid. Others are willing to pay more, but I’m considering you since you’re a student." The man said with a friendly smile and walked towards the door.
Alex stared at his back with mixed feelings. Could he be telling the truth? Were houses in the capital city so expensive?
anwhile, the man had a sly grin on his face as he went to check who was at the door.
Opening the door with a click sound, the grin on his face instantly vanished upon seeing who was standing opposite him.
A man who seed to be in his early fifties with so grey hair on his head, but still retained the vigour of a middle-aged man.
"S-sir Harold, why are you here?" The middle-aged man who was introducing the place to Alex previously instantly panicked after seeing the other party, his voice shaking and a nervous smile hurriedly plastered on his face.
The other party, whose na was Harold, didn’t reply imdiately and walked past the middle-aged man and entered the apartnt.
"I heard that a student ca to look for an apartnt and you’re attending to him, I hope you aren’t trying to rip off another kid because of your jealousy for mages," Harold said with narrowed eyes.
Alex heard what they were saying and walked over. Imdiately after the middle-aged man who was showing Alex the place saw him, his panic almost turned into horror, and he rushed over to Alex and pulled him to the side.
"Ahem, kid, on second thought. I totally relate to you and see you as a younger version of myself. How about I lower the price for you at my own loss? One hundred million Zen yearly rent and twenty million Zen for tenancy and agreent fee? What do you think?" He whispered quickly as if a killer was chasing him.
Alex was stunned by how much the price dropped after this Sir Harold guy showed up It was so cheap that Alex almost didn’t believe his ears.
But this person tried to scam him earlier, Alex wasn’t a fan of letting such things go so easily.
"Hmm, I don’t have that much. 20 million Zen yearly rent and 2 million for the other fees." Alex said strongly, a piercing glint in his eyes.
The eyes of the middle-aged man almost popped out after he heard the price that Alex ntioned. He looked like he was on the verge of breaking into tears.
"Kid, don’t be like this. I could be a friend of your father’s so take as an uncle and don’t put in a difficult position. The lowest I can go is 80 million Zen monthly rent, the other fees remain the sa." He said through gritted teeth.
Alex was now sure that this person was still trying to make so profit out of him, despite how frightened he was; it was unacceptable!
"20 million Zen, that’s as far as I can go. If you don’t agree, I can go talk to that man over there." Alex said, and there was a glance at Sir Harold, who was standing by the door.
The face of the middle-aged man collapsed completely, and a look of despair settled on his face after he saw Alex glancing at Sir Harold.
After gritting his teeth so much that his gums almost bled, he squeezed out the words "fine!" With so much difficulty.
Alex was surprised that he agreed to take 20 million Zen out of the original 500 million Zen; maybe he should have said he would only pay ten million Zen or even less?
Behind them, the man called Harold looked like he was about to burst into laughter, but held himself back and just watched the show between Alex and the middle-aged man.
"How would you like to pay?" The middle-aged man asked, no longer as spirited as before; he looked like he had suddenly aged a few decades in a span of seconds.
"I’ll pay with a Union card," Alex replied, pulling out the black card he had just received earlier today.
Both the middle-aged man and Harold were shocked to see the card, so this kid was an explorer?
While Harold thought that it was impressive, the middle-aged man wept bitterly at his loss; he was sure that Alex would have been able to pay the original price he had ntioned had Harold not shown up.
He couldn’t help but curse him while he told Alex to wait and he would go arrange the necessary papers.
After the middle-aged man left, Alex was left alone in the living room with Harold, and he walked over.
"Hello, thank you for helping ," Alex said while bowing politely.
"Oh, I didn’t do much, I just stood here and watched; you were the one who put that guy in his place, you have sharp negotiating skills," Harold said with a laugh.
Alex chuckled along; he knew that Harold didn’t do anything, but his presence had helped Alex avoid getting scamd, regardless.
After all, he would have most likely ended up paying 300 million and thought that he got a bargain since he didn’t know the usual price.
After they cald down, the two introduced themselves.
Alex said he was a student of Brandvel Magic University.
Harold introduced himself as the leader of the Blue Cross explorer group, and Alex could call him old man Harold. He was a resident of this building too, and his apartnt wasn’t far from this one.
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