However, just as Lynch’s gaze was drawn to the ring and his heart began to pound...
Suddenly.
He keenly noticed the corners of the Elf shopkeeper’s mouth curl up slightly, a clear look of excitent and smugness in his eyes.
’I know that look all too well.’
It was the exact sa expression those fishing fanatics get when their bobber sinks, right before they hook a fish.
’Whoa there. I almost fell for it.’
Lynch was instantly on alert.
He was an old hand at fishing himself.
He knew full well that if he showed too much eagerness for the Soul Servant Ring, the shopkeeper would jack up the price on the spot, sharpen his knives, and fleece him for all he was worth.
’No, I have to suppress this feeling.’
Lynch simply recalled last night’s nightmare for a mont, and his gaze imdiately cleared. His heart beca as calm as still water, devoid of all desire.
He casually glanced at the ring, then indifferently looked away. "This ring is kind of interesting, I guess. But boss, I’m just a dirt-poor Undead apprentice. One more or one less garbage Skeleton Soldier doesn’t really an much to ."
"Besides, I have to focus on improving my ditation efficiency for the upcoming academy-wide exams. By the way, boss, how much for these Focus Potions? Is there a bulk discount?"
As he spoke of the Focus Potions, a hint of longing appeared in his eyes.
The Elf shopkeeper was slightly surprised. It was as if the fish had taken the bait, only to inexplicably slip the hook at the last mont, leaving him baffled.
But he was, after all, a seasoned rchant. He maintained his elegant smile.
He imdiately placed the ring back in its wooden box in an unhurried manner, his voice gentle and pleasant. "Valued custor, our Focus Potions are five Gold Coins a bottle. If you purchase twenty or more at once, I can give you one extra bottle for free."
While speaking, his eyes were secretly observing Lynch’s gaze, body language, and minute changes in expression, as if trying to figure out what Lynch was really thinking.
After all, the profit margin on Focus Potions was too slim. If he could sell that Soul Servant Ring that had been collecting dust in his inventory, the profit would be far more substantial.
"Too little." Lynch frowned in dissatisfaction. "Over at Copperbeard’s Wind, it’s buy twenty, get three free."
"Valued custor, all the Focus Potions in Saint Roland City are distributed by the Alchemist Association, so the prices are all more or less the sa." The Elf shopkeeper looked troubled. "We’re just making a small profit for our hard work..."
What followed was a round of haggling.
In the end, the human and the Elf reached a deal: buy twenty, get two free.
And from beginning to end, Lynch never once glanced at the Soul Servant Ring lying quietly in its wooden box.
After paying, Lynch wore a satisfied expression. He picked up the large bag of Focus Potions and started walking out of the shop.
The Elf shopkeeper maintained his elegant smile the entire ti and never ntioned the ring again.
However, just as Lynch’s foot crossed the threshold...
A flicker of bewildernt once again crossed the Elf shopkeeper’s eyes.
He couldn’t help but doubt himself.
’Did I misjudge him? Or is this kid more cunning than a fox?’
But it was clear that if he just let him walk away, all the chum he’d painstakingly laid out today would have been for nothing—just food for the fish.
To lure Lynch back, the purchase prices he had quoted for those miscellaneous items were so high he was making almost no profit.
As his thoughts raced, the Elf shopkeeper finally lost his composure. "Custor, please wait a mont," he called out.
Lynch paused his steps slightly.
’Hook, line, and sinker,’ he rejoiced inwardly.
But when he turned back, his face was a mask of confusion. "Yes, boss? Is there sothing else?"
’Sigh...’ The Elf shopkeeper sighed to himself.
It wasn’t that he lacked patience, but this Soul Servant Ring had been dead stock in his shop for far too long.
There were simply too few Necromancers these days. In all of Saint Roland City, only the Hurst Royal Extraordinary Academy had any, but every single one of them was as poor as a... ahem, how to put this? Their purchasing power was limited.
Therefore, even if it ant earning a little less, he had to sell it as soon as possible to free up his capital.
The Elf shopkeeper imdiately took out the Soul Servant Ring again, smiling elegantly. "This ring isn’t actually that expensive. Look at this design, this style... it perfectly suits the noble aura of a Necromancer like yourself."
’Heh, we’re at this stage and he’s still trying to probe ?’
’Boss, man, your desperation is showing. Don’t you have any self-awareness?’
Lynch laughed inwardly.
An Elf was an Elf. Even a crooked Elf rchant’s negotiation skills and patience were a cut below those of human swindlers, to say nothing of the infamous goblin rchants.
While he was grumbling internally...
Lynch let a hint of interest show on his face. "Oh? Now that you put it that way, I am a little interested. How about this: if it’s under two hundred Gold Coins, I could buy it for fun. Who knows, maybe my exam scores will actually look a tiny bit better."
"T-Two hundred?!" The Elf shopkeeper’s elegance finally cracked. His smile stiffened. "How is that possible? Custor, your price... it’s below my cost! It has to be at least... uhm, eight hundred!"
He had originally wanted to say a thousand, but the words died on his lips when he saw Lynch’s "take it or leave it" expression. He forced himself to say eight hundred instead.
"Eight hundred is too expensive." Lynch shook his head. "Boss, I’m still just an apprentice. Where would I get that kind of money? Three hundred, tops."
After another round of haggling, the price was finally set at five hundred and eighty Gold Coins.
Seeing the Elf shopkeeper’s no-longer-elegant, even exasperated expression—as if he wanted to roll up his sleeves and punch soone—Lynch knew the ti was right.
Once the price was settled...
He took the Soul Servant Ring from the wooden box, adjusted it slightly, and slipped it onto his finger.
A cool sensation imdiately spread from his finger to his brain, refreshing his mind.
’So it really does slowly restore Spiritual Power.’
But that was just a bonus. The important thing was... after a quick inspection, he found that he had indeed gained an additional contract slot. He could now use his Summoned Skeleton skill to contract another Skeleton Soldier from the Netherworld.
"What a treasure," Lynch rejoiced inwardly.
But now ca the practical problem.
After buying the Focus Potions, he only had a little over two hundred and fifty Gold Coins on him.
"Boss, I didn’t bring that much money with today. Here’s my student badge, and this big bag of Focus Potions I just bought. I’ll leave them here as collateral. In three days, I’ll co back with six hundred Gold Coins to redeem them. The extra twenty Gold Coins can be the interest." Lynch proposed this credit plan without so much as a blush.
For a mont, the Elf shopkeeper’s expression flickered. After a mont of deliberation, he sighed helplessly and put on his professional smile again. "Alright. But if I don’t see those six hundred Gold Coins in three days... don’t bla for going to your academy to have a little chat with Ms. Annabella of the Undead System."
Heh.
’This shopkeeper is pretty well-inford. He even knows who the real shot-caller of the Undead System is right now.’
But it didn’t matter. Lynch had no intention of welching on the debt anyway.
After completing the collateral procedure...
Lynch, wearing his newly acquired Soul Servant Ring, left the "Blackthorn" shop.
But he was still short three hundred and fifty Gold Coins.
His head started to ache.
This was no small sum. It wouldn’t be easy to earn that much money in such a short ti through conventional ans.
’Looks like I have no choice but to activate that plan I’ve been brewing for a long ti.’
His pace quickened, and he soon blended into the bustling crowds of Saint Roland City.
「An hour later.」
Lynch stopped in front of a shop.
[Copperbeard’s Wind: The Honest Blacksmith Shop].
Beneath the sign hung a symbol of a crossed hamr and tankard.
Before even entering, he could hear the rhythmic CLANG CLANG CLANG of a hamr striking iron from within.
Lynch pushed the door open and went inside.
The shop’s interior was quite spacious. On one side, shelves displayed all sorts of weapons and armor; the other side was a smithing workshop.
There, a Dwarf, standing just over four feet tall with a thick, fiery red beard, stood before the forge.
His bare, muscular torso was knotted with muscle. He swung a huge iron hamr in his right hand, striking an iron ingot with loud CLANGS.
This stout and sturdy fellow was the shop’s owner—Muradin Bronzebeard.
Hearing the door...
Copperbeard looked up. When he saw it was Lynch, he imdiately tossed the huge iron hamr aside with a loud CLANG, making the very ground seem to tremble.
He rushed up to Lynch in just a few steps, tilted his head back, and roared aggressively, "Well, if it isn’t the Lynch kid! If ya didn’t show up soon, I was gonna haul hamr over to yer academy to collect my debt!"
His booming voice was loud enough to make one’s ears go numb.
But Lynch remained perfectly calm. He unhurriedly took out a heavy money pouch and casually tossed it in his hand.
The clear, pleasant jingle of Gold Coins rang out.
Dwarf Copperbeard’s angry expression instantly lted into a beaming smile. "Aiya, I knew it! Lynch, lad, I could tell you were a capable young man! How could ya possibly welch on a debt?"
As he spoke, he reached for the pouch.
But with a flick of his wrist, Lynch made the pouch vanish into his sleeve as if by magic.
Copperbeard’s smile froze, his beard bristling with anger. "You brat, what’s the aning of this?"
Lynch ignored him, instead beginning to stroll leisurely around the blacksmith shop. His eyes scanned the surroundings as if he were inspecting his own private woodland.
Copperbeard followed at his heels, muttering nonstop, "Are ya gonna pay up or not, kid? Just give a straight answer."
Finally.
Lynch stopped walking.
On a rack before him sat several oak barrels from which the faint scent of ale wafted.
He turned around, a sincere smile on his face.
"Brother Copperbeard, I’m here today to make you rich."
...
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