Ray and Shirley slurped some smoothie while staring at the floating castle in the sky. People who passed by them on the street only smiled and chuckled. Almost all newcomers stared at the floating castle for a while.  Ray stared with melancholy, as if recalling the happy memories of the past when he first partied with his high school friends. Shirley just stared in awe.

That was just one of the typical stores of the Blue Diamond Business Association. The cheapest equipment they sold were iron tier.

However, if one wanted to shop there, they would have to fly up.

"Want to take a look up there?" Ray pointed at the floating castle.

"Really? If you can fly as a level 7 then I became an arch-mage at level 1."

Ray almost spit out his drink. "I'm actually level 7. Here, I'll give you a piggyback ride."

Seeing Shirley hesitate, Ray added: "don't you want to know the worth of those stones, they'll give you a really professional answer."

With a sigh, Shirley jumped onto Ray's back. Light particles slowly congregated onto Ray's back and formed a pair of wings of light. Ray drank a bottle of blue potion and flew off.

He took some time enjoying the icy, minty flavor. If it didn't taste good, it shouldn't cost a gold coin. A small family can survive for a year on a gold after all.

After landing at the entrance, Ray drank another potion.

"We are here now. Can you please stop strangling me?" Ray coughed.

Shirley opened an eye. Seeing the solid ground, she jumped off. "Erhm, that was a little slow. Try harder next time."

"Are you scared of heights or something? You were holding onto me like an octopus." Ray chuckled.

"Hey, you young couple can flirt somewhere else." A warrior in gold armor opened the gate. Gold armor, gold sword, gold helmet. Just made out of gold, not gold tier. Still cost a fortune though.

"We are not a couple." Shirley glared at Ray.

Ray pretended not to see. "We are here to buy some equipment."

"Right. But first of all, how did you guys get up here?"

"We flew of course."

"pfft, whahaha, that's a good one. If a level 7 could fly, then I became an arch-mage at level 1." The man laughed. "Anyways, since your level is too little, you have to show me some money if you want to get in."

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Ray took out two greater magic stones. The guard made a welcome gesture.

Entering the gate was a path to the castle door. The pleasant aroma of the garden gave Ray a sense of relaxation and peace. He did not recognize a single kind because they had no medicinal uses. A single plant probably cost at least a gold though. The sea of flowers was a perfect show off of Blue Diamond's wealth.

Ray ticked his tongue as he stepped onto the coal black GravitiStone floor. His body felt like a feather due to the material effect. Of course, the owner could also increase weight. In other words, if he was a robber, the shop owner could squash him instantly without a fight. The cream white EternitiWood walls maintained a comfortable temperature. Basically the A/C of the game world.

"Hi, I'm Edmond, welcome to our shop today." A mid-aged man greeted Ray.

"Hi, I'm looking for a storage ring and a cauldron." Ray smiled back.

"This way please."

However, the first items placed in the shelves interested Ray already.

"The 'noob's guide' combo..." Ray murmured as he stared at the butter yellow staff, the white cloak, and the three azure blue beads. Those were the starting items Ray used in Starlight Road I.

Edmond noticed Raymond's pause and quickly returned to the counter. "This staff..."

"Made of blessing tree wood, fires light orbs after injecting mana." Ray interjected.

"So young yet so knowledgeable. Are you interested sir?" Edmond smiled.

Ray thought for a while but shook his head. "Bring the lightning beads please if you don't mind."

 "Of course. And for the cauldron and storage ring, what tier would you like them to be?"

"Iron is fine."

After choosing a pot-sized aged-clay cauldron, a storage ring with a dimensional space of a cabinet, and those three lightening beads, Ray started to bargain with Edmond.

"The cauldron with 'potion brewing for dummies' are 1200 gold together. These lightning beads cost 900 gold total. The cauldron would be 1000 gold."

"What?!" Shirley squeaked in disbelief. "These beads are just one use items."

"I don't have enough gold. Do you accept trading?" Ray ignored Shirley. Ray knew exactly the worth of those beads. One timer items made by level 30s were not to be taken lightly.

"Of course." Edmond nodded.

Ray handed Edmond two greater magic stones.

Edmond frowned a bit. "You know the official exchange rate is one to one thousand gold right?"

"What?!" Shirley squeaked even louder. She grabbed Ray's collar. "You blew seven thousand gold in one spell?"

"Erhm, excuse me, but both of us know the market exchange rate is always between 1500 gold to 1800 gold." Ray ignored the violent shaking.

"Well, it was worth a try. We have a deal." Edmond shrugged.

Shirley didn't buy anything. In fact, she still criticized Ray long after they left Blue Diamond.

"You lied to me about the stone price!"

"What do you mean knowledge always have a tuition fee attached to it? I want to split the loot again!"

"I can't believe you are wasting money like that. Are you going to rob another poor lone girl later or something? No, seriously, you totally robbed and abducted me. You know what, I'm not even going to say anything anymore."

Sometimes later...

"So where are you heading now?" Ray asked while picking herbs at the Adventurer's market.

"Find the villagers I guess..." Shirley replied absent-mindedly.

"They probably passed by my home town. Want to get more information there?" Ray asked.

"K." Shirley replied.

"Seventy silver total." The rogue behind the stall chewed on a straw.

"Seventy? The edges are dry. I'll buy for fifty." Ray offered. 

"Fifty? Are you crazy? Who cares if it's dry? Sixty is the lowest I can go."

"hmm... Sixty... we have a deal if you add one more Fletti grass."

Watching this, Shirley could only rob her head.