Chapter 498: Lucky Sprite Shop
Karl, the new store clerk of the Lucky Sprite Shop, stood behind the counter, slightly disheartened by the lack of customers today.
The bustling business they had experienced during the early days of the Twelve Academies Competition seemed to have dwindled, leaving the shop quiet and empty.
As he glanced at the shelves stocked with an assortment of magic scrolls, Karl couldn't help but sigh.
"Today has been slow, even though we just received new stocks of magic scrolls..." Karl muttered, his voice filled with a tinge of disappointment.
The Lucky Sprite Shop was renowned for its Beast Summoning Scrolls, which were in high demand among the Arcanists visiting Roaring City. The shop had managed to establish connections with skilled Beast Crafters, enabling them to procure high and low-quality scrolls.
They were able to serve those rich and poor Arcanists with their wide range of selections.
Furthermore, two entire shelves were dedicated to displaying the array of Beast Arts-related scrolls, while other shelves held scroll-making materials and alchemy dry ingredients. Of course, their shop also carried a limited selection of Arcane Weapons, which were stored away due to their negative effects.
He may have a talent in Beast Arts but he hadn't had a chance to receive a Beast Totem. Because of that, he couldn't enter the Titan's Will and use his Magic Zone.
'This sucks... How will I earn my 5,000 zen like this.' Karl muttered as this was his only way to receive a Beast Totem, he had to purchase it in the black market. Since he was already a bit too old for the Academy, he could only try to become a rogue Arcanist.
Just as Karl was beginning to lose hope, the tinkling sound of the bell hanging on the door broke the silence.
Cling~ Cling~
A customer had finally arrived. Karl's eyes lit up as he saw a teenager enter the shop, clutching a grimoire. The young man possessed a striking appearance, with short red hair and a flawless complexion.
'A Summoner and he also looks like a noble... I'll finally earn something for today.' Karl mused silently to himself.
Putting on a friendly smile, he greeted the customer, allowing him to explore the shelves without interruption.
Karl knew from experience that customers often preferred to browse before approaching the counter. He didn't mind waiting since noble customers would normally spend huge sums of money.
After some time, the young man finally spoke up, his voice polite yet curious. "Do you also purchase Magic Items? I have a few things here that I wanted to sell."
Realizing that the customer had come to sell rather than buy, Karl wryly smiled but nodded nonetheless. "While we don't purchase all Magic Items, we can appraise them and offer you a fair price. If we can't buy them here, I'll be happy to recommend another shop."
The young man seemed pleased with Karl's response and promptly retrieved five Magic Items from his belongings. They were three Formation Nodes, an Amulet, and a Crystal.
Karl's eyes widened as he evaluated the appearance of the items. "These are remarkable, sir! I may not be an Arcanist but I felt the atmosphere turning heavy... Please allow me to call for our shop's appraiser. These items are beyond me."
The young man nodded as he already expected this to happen after noticing that Karl was not an Arcanist.
Karl then excused himself for a moment and hurriedly went to the back of the shop, where the elderly and wise Mystic Arts Practitioner, could be found.
"Sir Emory," Karl called out respectfully, "I have a customer with some valuable Magic Items for appraisal. Your expertise would be greatly appreciated."
The old man, with his long white beard and calm demeanor, nodded in response. He followed Karl to the front of the shop, his steps slow but purposeful.
Sir Emory was known for his mastery of Appraisal Spells, as well as possessing a collection of Mystical Items that aided him in assessing magical artifacts.
He probably has the best appraisal abilities in the city if the Orders of various Factions aren't included.
As Sir Emory approached the counter, his eyes scanned the items laid out before him. He didn't even bother looking at the customer.
With a gentle touch, he began to invoke his Appraisal Spells, delving into the essence of each Magic Item to unlock their secrets. The shop fell silent as everyone awaited Sir Emory's findings.
After a few moments of deep concentration, Sir Emory's face lit up with understanding.
"Three Wind Vortex Defense Formation Nodes, Amulet of Swift Steps, and Crystal of Elemental Shield."
Emory muttered as he revealed the names of each item. After some consideration, he put a value on them.
The three Wind Vortex Defense Formation Nodes' value was estimated to be around 7,500 zen each. The Amulet of Swift Steps and the Crystal of Elemental Shield were recognized as Noble Rank High-Grade items, each with minor side effects, and he estimated their combined worth to be 18,000 zen.
Karl and the young man listened attentively. Karl was already breathing heavily since these prices were incredibly high for him. Overall, the items in front of him were worth 40,500!
He was only dealing with Scrolls in Mortal Ranks after all.
"These are decent Royal Rank Items... We can't purchase them all. At most, we can pay you 20,000 zen but the rest would be items here that you may be interested." Emory said as he looked at Karl.
"I will let you handle the negotiation...
"Yes, Sir Emory..." Karl said while holding his necklace. This necklace could save him from spells or pressure coming from Arcanists. So he didn't mind negotiating alone.
With that, Sir Emory returned to his quiet corner of the shop, leaving Karl and the young man to proceed with the transaction.
"Twenty thousand zen and items from this shop worth 20,500 zen don't sound bad. But I'm not sure if you have items that I'm looking for." The young man muttered.
"Our humble shop may appear small, but we hold a respectable reputation in these parts, Sir." The store clerk remarked, a warm smile gracing his lips. "May I inquire as to how I should address you? My name is Karl..."
"I am Eustace Skye..." The young man replied, his voice carrying an air of confidence.