The city of Moldun sprawled across the land like a dormant dragon.
While not the biggest city on the continent, it was blessed with prosperity and flourished with activity. The city itself was surrounded by four smaller cities, one in each cardinal direction.
These cities were aptly named North Moldun, East Moldun, West Moldun, and South Moldun.
Collectively, they were all considered as Moldun, but merchants made the distinction between each one. This was because each city specialized in some type of trade, which in of itself was a form of self-advertisement.
For instance, one of East Moldun’s specialties was its vast supply of alchemy-oriented shops, partially due to it being close to a nearby mountain range. People who were looking for alchemy related wares traveled to East Moldun for cheaper prices and more advanced materials.
Although East Moldun specialized in alchemy, other cities still hosted alchemy shops of their own. Each city would host a collection of branch shops, which sold its wares at a slight surplus.
Thousand Cures, a more prominent alchemy shop, had many established branches all over Moldun. On the second floor of the Thousand Cures headquarters, an old man lost himself in a state of shock at the contents on the table.
A dark red cloth covered the moderately sized table, which was where the elder inspected goods and conducted business transactions.
Currently, five lustrous orbs were displayed on the cloth. While the orbs themselves were impressive, they were not the reason for his shock.
Sitting opposite was a small and unassuming youth, wearing oversized clothes. The sleeves drooped over his hands, while his face was expressionless.
The boy was unreadable, unfathomable, and patiently waiting for the verdict of their business transaction.
His clothes showcased various rips and tears, clearly showing their use and his lack of wealth. In fact, he was almost thrown out of the store, but as the employee was about to tell him to leave, he pulled out just one of the five orbs.
The employee, caught in an awkward situation, immediately changed his attitude. The once dominating stance flipped into a one of servitude.
He dipped and bowed before the boy, leading him to the second floor, where he then fetched the store manager to handle this higher-level transaction.
Initially, the store manager was quite annoyed, but his interest was piqued once he inspected the orb.
It was an upper B rank monster core, belonging to an Awan Snake.
He sat down at the table where the boy was already waiting. Multiple business strategies and sales tactics flashed through his head, trying to figure out the cheapest way to acquire this monster core.
It was easy to assume that the boy chanced upon the monster core accidentally, likely ignorant of its true worth. With this in mind, the manager assessed that he would propose an initial starting value that was a tenth of its market price.
Just as he was to speak, the youth across from him fumbled through his pockets, revealing four additional orbs. None of them fell short of the Awan Snake’s monster core.
The manager’s heart thumped in his chest as he watched the boy place them in a row on the table.
Despite his looks, this must be a runaway young master from one of the head families. Taking out five B rank cores without care in this manner…. There’s no way I’ll be able to swindle this kid.
The old man wiped the sweat off his forehead.
I almost committed a grave mistake!
Naturally, he would have never guessed that the boy wasn’t some young master. Instead, he was as poor as they come!
The shop manager cleared his throat and began the business transaction with more honest intentions.
“Ahem. Let’s see here, young man.”
He leaned closer and inspected the monster cores one by one.
“High B rank Awan Snake. High B rank Obsidian Beetle. High B rank Inferno Falcon. Mid B rank Bewitching Snap Plant. Mid B Rank Three-tailed Tiger.”
The old man straightened upright after announcing each of the different cores and their grade. He truly did have a wealth of experience and a trained eye to be able to assess each core so efficiently.
“That’s quite a collection, is your intent to sell or trade for equivalent value? If you’re looking to sell, then our policy for B rank cores is to buy at 20% below market price. However, since you’ve brought out five at once, we can come to an agreement to purchase them 10% below market price for all five.”
The manager attempted to curry favor with the youth’s nonexistent formidable background.
The boy simply sat and half-listened. He stared at the cores, lost in a reverie.
One of these cores, the Awan Snake, was obtained on his own before meeting two traveling partners. The partners being a cheerful pair of father and son, Chenda and Chenbo.
The other cores were obtained during the few months of protecting them.
Chenda died, and there was nothing he could do. An eternal memory etched into his mind. A reminder of what it meant to get close to someone.
Initially, the plan was to follow Chenbo into an Academy, but that changed on the night of Chenda’s death.
Distraught and heartbroken, Chenbo pinned his father’s death on the boy for failing to protect them. A rift formed between them, a chasm of emotions that only time could heal—if it was even possible.
In a way, Chenbo wasn’t entirely wrong to blame him. His luck had always been abysmal, and he could tell that the father and son were in a constant state of danger due to his presence.
He could sense it, his mere existence attracted danger.
The boy fled, away from Chenbo—away from loss.
He vividly remembered the night his own parents died and knew the exact pain Chenbo experienced.
However, the mountain range was dangerous, and the boy still cared for Chenbo’s safety. It was one thing to leave him alone with Chenda, but it was another to leave him completely alone.
Chenbo would unquestionably die, torn apart by beasts beyond his ability to handle.
The boy returned under the cloak of twilight, secretly hiding nearby. Thus began his long watch. A lengthy escort mission until Chenbo left the mountain range.
An entire month passed by. All the while, the boy kept out of sight, maintaining a constant distance as Chenbo wandered his way out of the mountains.
The boy took minimal risks and killed off any beast that was C rank or higher, leaving only D rank beasts alone for Chenbo to dispatch.
He took short naps while Chenbo slept and ate, but one could hardly call them naps. Sleeping with one eye open and a heart full of vigilance was the norm each time.
He absolutely couldn’t let Chenbo die.
After exiting the mountain range, Chenbo chanced upon a group of traveling merchants. These merchants were heading away from East Moldun, and Chenbo decided to join them.
The boy stopped protecting Chenbo at that moment and went the opposite way, towards East Moldun.
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Chenbo’s plan was to attend an academy, and that never changed. If anything, his hunger for strength intensified during the silent and mournful journey out of the mountains.
Chenbo buried the last vestiges of his youth and carefree attitude within the depths of the mountain range—where his father would eternally rest.
Despite everything, the boy still wished for Chenbo to have a fortunate life and hoped that he would find the woman of his dreams.
Since the boy was no longer protecting Chenbo, his traveling speed increased substantially. Only a single day was needed to reach East Moldun, where he quickly realized that he had no money.
So here he sat, across an unsettled old man.
“The market value for each high B rank monster core is 500 mid rank spirit shards. The value for each mid B rank monster core is 200 mid rank spirit shards. This comes to a total of 1900 mid rank spirit shards at market value.”
The boy finally glanced at the merchant after hearing the monster cores’ worth.
These cores are priced with mid rank spirit shards?
He couldn’t tell if that was the true value of the monster cores, but he had a feeling the old man was doing honest business.
He didn’t dispute the prices and tried deducing the worth of different cores.
Combining the information from the old man and Chenda, it appeared that C rank monster cores were worth low rank spirit shards, while B rank monster cores were worth mid rank spirit shards.
Could it be that A rank monster cores are worth high rank spirit shards?
He made a mental note to confirm his findings later at some point.
While traveling with Chenda, he learned that 100 low rank spirit shards was equivalent to a single mid rank spirit shard, while 100 mid rank spirit shards was equivalent to a single high rank spirit shard. Finally, above high rank was the peak rank.
In general, whenever something went up another rank, the difference was vast.
For example, the difference between a high D rank beast and a low C rank beast was much larger in comparison to the jump from mid D rank to high D rank. The same logic applied when comparing a high C rank to a low B rank. The power difference between the two was on a completely different scale.
“Then I’ll sell them for 1710 mid rank spirit shards.”
Instantly doing the math in his head, the boy interrupted whatever the manager was going to say next. It was time to finish the transaction and part ways.
“Of course, of course.”
The old man gave a genial smile and waved his hand in the distance. A young woman came rushing forward before giving a small bow.
“Yes manager.”
“Prepare 1710 mid rank spirit shards in a bag of holding for our patron here.”
He waved her away just as soon as she came.
“Please excuse me.”
She bowed once more and sped off to the back room.
No more than a minute passed by before the attendant returned with a small bag. The manager received the bag from her, turning to the boy.
“Please accept the bag of holding as a small token of our appreciation.”
The boy nodded and received the bag.
“Is there anything else we could do for our esteemed customer?”
The old man rubbed his hands together with a plastered smile.
“Which hotel is good to stay at?”
The boy stood up and placed the bag in his pocket.
He never forgot the time Chenda mentioned hotel prices. Five low rank spirit shards for a night seemed reasonable for the current him, and he wanted to experience the city to its fullest.
The manager was quickly absorbed in thought. Overthinking was a trait engrained within his cautious nature, and this caused him to analyze the boy’s innocent question to a fine degree.
No, not that one. Too low class. A young master like him is probably out for experience and probably only wants the best. If I make a bad recommendation, then I’ll come off poorly and there will be no way to get in his good graces.
Thoughts like these were currently racing in his mind when he realized that the boy was getting impatient.
It can’t be helped.
The old man shook his head.
“I’m afraid the hotels in East Moldun won’t meet our esteemed customer’s expectations. I can only suggest… the Flowering Lotus in Central Moldun!”
The manager declared with a glint in his eyes. His aura and demeanor burst forth as if he were a famous critic.
In reality, he was betting on one thing and one thing only… that the youth was out to have fun like most other young masters.
It was easy to assume that only a wealthy heir would be able to easily sell B rank cores without batting an eye. But the real question was why?
Why would someone, coming from a powerful background, exchange these precious monster cores for even more money? Most likely because they ran away without bringing any money.
Now the most important question is, why would they run away? To have fun of course! This young master seemed just about the rebellious age and probably wanted to experience a moment of freedom.
The old man felt like he had the youth all figured out, which was why he was able to declare the Flowering Lotus with such confidence.
The Flowering Lotus was a hotel chain that was run by Madam Lexene, who was a prominent figure in Central Moldun. The hotel chain exclusively employed only female workers, so one could imagine its popularity amongst men.
There, he would be able to have fun to his heart’s content in ways that any young man would be able to do, whether it was drinking, gambling, or even satiating his lust. It was impossible to tell just what the boy was after, but the manager wagered that he would find it at the hotel.
After all, he was a growing teen with plenty of money.
“The Flowering Lotus… okay. Thank you.”
The boy tilted his head in a nod and walked away.
“Ah! Let me see you out esteemed customer.”
The manager rushed forward. This was his last chance to showcase his usefulness.
“As you know, each city within Moldun has its own speciality, and East Moldun’s speciality happens to be alchemy. North Moldun specializes in craftsmanship. South Moldun specializes in agriculture. West Moldun specializes in combat.”
The boy remained silent while the manager continued to ramble on.
“Central Moldun is most popular as it specializes in entertainment! This is also why they have the best hotels.”
The walk was short and after describing a few more locations of interest, the exit was already upon them.
“Thank you for your patronage and we hope to see you again.”
The manager gave a short bow and smiled amicably while waving.
The boy nodded once more and walked westward towards Central Moldun. His thoughts filled with anticipation. He reminisced about the time Chenbo described his experiences.
“The hotel? Haaaaah, soft and comfortable beds. Food delivered to your door by a pretty maid. Sometimes you can even have a beautiful view out the window, but that depends on the hotel’s location and the room. One day, we’ll definitely stay at the best hotel together.”
Chenbo’s words lingered in his head, at least most of them. Naturally he couldn’t let Chenbo’s descriptions go to the grave—he had to try it out.
The boy soon found himself walking along the side of a massive road, at least ten carriages wide. This was the main route for merchants and travelers to take between East and Central Moldun.
A parade of exotic beasts stretched for miles in either direction, each with a carriage in tow. These were all passengers commuting to or from East Moldun.
Despite the vehicles blocking most of the road, it was still safe to walk along the side due to a massive stone divider that lined the edge.
The youth wasn’t alone walking towards Central Moldun. Instead, he melded into the massive shuffling crowd that stretched as far as the eye could see.
The sea of bobbing heads outnumbered the carriages on the road a hundred to one. Only upper-class individuals held the privilege of traveling the main road.
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A stout beast, rippling with muscle, snorted aggressively as it pulled a modest cabin adorned with a harmonious collection of jewelry and precious metals. Despite its simple appearance, a keen eye would be able to determine that the carriage was worth at least twice as much as any other on the road.
Inside sat a refined woman, casually inspecting her nails while listening to a man give a report.
Her black hair was cut short, and she exuded a cold aura of professionalism and power. Her attire sold her appearance, a fitted business outfit with black-rimmed spectacles that complimented her sharp eyes.
“It’s suggested that we’ll see an increase in revenue over the next few months due to the tournament taking place in Central Moldun. The Stoneguard clan is willing to concede control over the northern plots, as well as the Blackridge clan in the south. Advisor Huo is recommending that we…”
The speaker’s style was similar to his master’s.
Adorned in an immaculate butler uniform, the man looked no older than 20 years of age with his clean-shaven face and short, brown hair that was slicked back to perfection.
Despite his lack of maturity, words flowed endlessly in a practiced cadence. He had ample experience in giving these types of reports.
The woman rolled her eyes as she listened to specific portions of the report, occasionally making a casual comment. She settled her bored gaze outside the window, watching the horde of pedestrians amble about their day.
These people are useless.
Her thoughts hid behind deep-set brown eyes.
The very concept of wasting time was appalling. A simple calculation of the monetary loss accrued by walking was enough to lose her appetite.
It bewildered her greatly. Despite how affordable it was to rent a carriage; these people still chose to walk.
How do these people even survive?
In her eyes, the low-class people at the side of the road would forever remain as pedestals for others with greater ambition. She shook her head, withdrawing her gaze from the window.
What? Wait!
Her eyes shot back to the side of the road.
Just a glimpse, an instant, a small passing glance, but it was enough for her to imprint the image of that boy’s face within the depths of her soul.
Eyes wide, she poked her head out the window, a futile attempt to scan the fading crowd. She peered backwards as her heart raced onward, but the unique countenance was long gone, buried within the sea of bobbing heads.
She returned to her seat in frustration and crossed her arms pensively.
Noticing her peculiar actions, her servant paused.
“Madam Lexene?”
He called out to her uncertainly.
He knew better than to be on this woman’s bad side. In fact, he knew better than anyone else in the world.
His eyebrows furrowed inward, and his breathing went shallow. Best to appear invisible in times like these.
Madam Lexene was in deep contemplation. Her eyes darted from side to side as if she were indecisively making multiple life changing choices.
It was an emotional state the man had never witnessed before.
He could tell when she was in a foul mood. Should that happen, there would be no escape. All her frustration, anger, and negative energy would be pushed onto her servants even if they weren’t at fault.
However now, he was uncertain.
Should he continue the report? Should he let her be?
If he failed to finish the report by the time they arrived in Central Moldun, it could be considered as him neglecting his duties, which would result in punishment. However, her condition appeared unstable, and there was a chance that interrupting her train of thought would result in even more severe consequences.
The servant took a deep breath and sighed internally. Sometimes, there was simply no winning.