Edric Windwalker, playing as Carl the Merchant, stepped into the building. He made his way to the counter, where a clerk promptly greeted him.
"How can I help you?" the clerk asked.
The clerk was a woman with a thick layer of makeup coating her features. Instead of enhancing her appearance, the makeup only seemed to diminish it, leaving her looking slightly below average. Edric wasn’t one to concern himself with the way others looked. He gave no thought to appearances, not in the slightest.
Approaching the counter, he spoke calmly. "I am here to register my name as a new first-grade merchant."
The clerk, looking up from her desk, raised an eyebrow. "A first-grade merchant? Then your honor must be a noble, correct?"
Edric nodded, his tone unwavering. "Yes, I am a noble."
Anyone can register as a merchant, but only nobles can attain the rank of a First-Grade Merchant. While the title comes with a few minor privileges, its primary purpose is to create a clear distinction between noble and common merchants. In the Bloodstone Kingdom, Silver Island, and even the Flicker Empire, noble status isn't just a mark of prestige; it is an unshakable pillar of society, deeply ingrained in the very fabric of people's worldview.
Because of this deeply ingrained culture—where nobility is revered and those without a title are looked down upon—many merchants, or rather, nearly all who can afford it, choose to purchase a title from the Bloodstone Family’s Office of Titles.
This office specializes in selling noble titles, though without any accompanying fief. It provides an opportunity for the wealthy—those 'unfortunate' enough to be born outside noble bloodlines—to obtain a title of their own. Of course, the price is astronomical, turning it into a lucrative business for the kingdom. After all, they are selling nothing more than a piece of paper, sometimes for a fortune worth millions of silver!
The identity Edric had carefully crafted was indeed that of a noble—but a minor one; with Kaelith helping, it was easy to fake the identity of a noble of the darkwind family.
Minor nobles who were not directly bestowed their titles by the king were typically not officially recognized in most regions. However, many associations and businesses across the kingdom—especially those with national reach—tended to acknowledge titles conferred by figures other than the king himself.
As Edric handed over his documentation, the clerk gave them a brief glance, her scrutiny minimal at best. Not that it mattered—falsifying these papers wasn’t particularly difficult. These were only preliminary checks, after all. The real investigation would come later, when the Chamber dispatched officials to verify the truth of Edric’s— or rather, Carl’s—claims. While the Chamber’s background checks weren’t overly rigorous, they weren’t entirely superficial either. Simply presenting forged documents wouldn’t be enough to escape their notice.
After completing the registration and handling the preliminary procedures, Hedrick left the building and rented a hotel room, planning to stay there for some time.
He planned to purchase a mansion in the city eventually, but for now, he chose to stay in a hotel for a few days. He wanted time to explore, to find the perfect location and the right estate to call his own.
Given his abysmal talent as a mage and the system’s guarantee of 1,000 XP regardless, he wasn’t particularly worried about wasting time. There was no pressing need for him to train. Practicing swordsmanship, for instance, would take years of grueling effort to earn a mere few thousand XP—something the system would grant him effortlessly in just a few days.
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Perhaps, in the end, his real reason for lingering over such trivial matters was simple: exhaustion. He was tired. Tired of everything. Tired of ensuring the future of the Windwalker family’s next generation, of dodging assassins, of relentless training, and of playing yet another false identity.
In this city, he could finally have some peace. Of course, he was still living under a false identity, but that was unavoidable. He would only feel comfortable revealing his true self when he was certain—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that he was strong enough to crush any enemy who dared stand against him.
...
Days passed in a quiet routine.
Edric returned to Windwalker Castle each day to recharge his clone, and beyond that, he spent his time in Adventurous City. The city was large and vibrant, and he was beginning to grow fond of it. Every evening, he ventured out to various places—theatres, bars, restaurants—enjoying life as a noble. And that was all.
After all, he was only human. He had spent far too long trapped by circumstances. Now, his time was his own to explore, discover, and experience new things.
...
More than two weeks later!
Over the last three weeks, Edric had fully integrated himself into the shadows of Adventurous City.
The agents sent by the Chamber confirmed everything Edric had claimed. There were no flaws in his story; how could there be? Edric himself, with Kaelith's assistance, had meticulously set everything up, even using magic to ensure its perfection. A superficial glance would never reveal a thing. Of course, the Chamber didn’t just take a superficial glance. However, they didn’t dig too deep, either.
As a result, nothing was uncovered. With his considerable wealth, Edric paid the required bond, and that was the end of it. Just like that, he was officially inducted into the Chamber of Commerce as a First-Grade Merchant, gaining access to a vast network of influential figures—nobles, power brokers, and those who shaped the flow of wealth in the kingdom.
One of the key reasons Edric sought membership in the Chamber was the unparalleled access it provided to rare magical tomes. The Chamber frequently hosted auctions, private sales, and exclusive galleries—events that Edric, with his growing interests, was eager to attend.
But it wasn’t just magic books that drew him in. These auctions and markets offered everything: rare weapons, invaluable intelligence, ancient maps, artifacts, etc. If something existed in this Kingdom and had a price, chances were, he could find it there.
Edric’s need for substantial funds stemmed from his desire to participate in high-class auctions. To that end, he had obtained maps detailing bandit camps and trade routes, hoping to plunder them for wealth. Unfortunately, before he could act, those bandits were wiped out—depriving him of an easy source of money. Not that they would have had much to begin with.
Still, if he wanted to compete in these high-stakes auctions, he needed a fortune. Relying solely on the Darkwind family’s resources wouldn’t be enough. He would have to secure his own wealth, one way or another.
These auctions attracted the wealthiest individuals, often from all corners of the kingdom. The sums of money these attendees casually spent could dwarf the entire bandit population’s loot.
Auctions, especially the larger ones, were held on a national scale, utilizing advanced magical remote video call technology. This allowed the events to reach far beyond local borders, drawing participants from all corners of the kingdom. It was yet another reason Edric sought more wealth—if he wanted to compete with the kingdom's elite, he would need astronomical amounts of coin. The stakes were high, and only those with vast fortunes could hope to claim the most coveted items.
However, the fact that auctions were held on a nationwide basis wasn’t a disadvantage. For Edric, it was actually preferable. The key advantage lay in the frequency of auctions. With nationwide auctions, there would be more opportunities, even if each individual auction tended to be more expensive. More auctions meant more chances to participate, to bid, and to acquire what he needed.
He looked forward to participating in his first auction in this life. With a few million silver at his disposal, he hoped to purchase something that would aid him on his journey.
But before that, Edric called upon the system.
Today was the day the new system tasks should arrive!
In his mind, he called out, "System!"