I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 69 Selling Goods
Upon entering the city, many children, having eaten their fill, were playing around and acting out legendary heroes. Vendors selling snacks were enthusiastically hawking their wares. Farmers who had come to the city to sell vegetables were selling their surplus produce at low prices and hurrying home. The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air with an enticing wheat scent, making DuPont's stomach rumble.

It looks a bit like a baguette, but here they call it a baton bread.

The freshly baked baton bread was soft and chewy. The slightly chubby bakery girl, who cost 20 copper coins, packed five of them and a bottle of boiled milk for him in a paper bag. She was a little embarrassed after receiving his praise, and only reluctantly pointed him in the right direction after being called over by the proprietress.

"Both magic shops are located on Shining Road Pedestrian Street, the most bustling street in the east of the city. The other one is near the library in the north of the city. Their signs are very large, so you'll find them when you get there."

As he watched the bustling crowd, observing their smiles and listening to their casual conversations, DuPont was momentarily taken aback.

These people lead a rather relaxed lifestyle, a stark contrast to the intense, competitive environment of the academy—they are practically two different worlds.

Is this the difference between ordinary people and adventurers?

However, this is not right. Lavoisier is tall, powerful, and has unfathomable strength, but in addition to his main job, he also has to personally command the battlefield on the front line of another world. He is so busy that he has to use simulation to complete his work at the academy, and his interpersonal relationships are in some crisis.

In contrast, Man Shi's life is much simpler. After retiring, he spends his time hunting and cooking, working entirely according to his own interests. If he doesn't want to work, he can go out and find women for a month or two. He can just quit any job he wants, since he doesn't rely on it to make a living anyway.

Therefore, to live freely, one must first not have a complicated job, secondly, possess high-level strength and have a substantial amount of savings, and then one can live according to one's own wishes.

I don't know how long it will take me to achieve this goal...
As he pondered, DuPont arrived at the magic shop bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Pushing open the door, the hinges creaked like an old cat stretching, and the silver bells hanging above the shop jingled without wind. A complex aroma, a mixture of herbs, aged parchment, and some kind of animal fat, filled his nostrils, and the dim light made him squint.

"May the Mystic Lady guide you, handsome mage." The speaker was a young and beautiful female apprentice. She looked at DuPont with a friendly smile: "Are you here to buy scrolls or magical items?"

“I’m here to sell something.” DuPont wasn’t wearing his apprentice badge, and his face was covered except for his eyes: “A ring that can release a false life once a day, and other valuables.”

Hearing DuPont's words, the female apprentice lost interest; she didn't get a commission from selling things: "Grandpa, someone's come to sell something!"

As the girl called out, a hoarse cough came from the second floor. An old man wearing a raven feather cloak and a monocle made of lizard bone on his nose slowly lowered his head. Behind his lens, a silver pupil was slowly rotating; it was a prosthetic eye inlaid with runes.

"I didn't expect to get business so close to closing time." The old man walked slowly, his carefully maintained silver badge indicating his status. He nodded unsurprised when he saw DuPont's attire and pointed to a private room inside: "Come in and let's talk, sir."

DuPont wasn't worried about any unexpected trouble. A legitimate store wouldn't just rip you off. Upon entering the private room, a pale yellow magic lamp automatically lit up, and a silencing rune flashed, protecting the privacy of those inside. After DuPont sat down, he took out the ring. The old man glanced at it with his arcane eye and immediately smiled broadly: "Guest, could you tell me the origin of this ring? This isn't Harua's craftsmanship."

“A dead heretic is my spoils of war,” DuPont confessed frankly. A merchant from a magic shop connected to the Church of Woking had probably seen tens of thousands of magical items, so there was no need to lie to him.

Not to mention that the other party also has a rune eye with the Appraisal skill, so trying to find a bargain or fool someone is basically a pipe dream.

"False Life is a relatively uncommon survival spell, but it is still quite practical. However, the creator's skill level is not high, and he can only use the most basic spells. Furthermore, the owner did not maintain the ring, and there are some obvious marks on it. If nothing unexpected happens, this ring can only be used for a maximum of six months before all the magic inside dissipates."

As the old man stroked the ring, he looked at DuPont's face with his intact eye. He noticed that the man looked very young, but his expression showed no tension. He simply nodded and said, "You're right, but I think this ring can have its lifespan extended after repair, and it will definitely fetch a good price."

"420 gold coins." The old man said it in exact amounts, a confident smile on his wrinkled face: "Believe me, other shops won't offer a higher price than mine. Instead of making a wasted trip, just sell it to me."

“A second-ring scroll isn’t cheap,” DuPont frowned. “This price is a bit low.”

“You’re right, but the key is that False Life isn’t a very popular spell. If this ring could be exchanged for a daily Fiery Ray or Invisibility spell, I would definitely offer a higher price. But this thing is neither high nor low, and it was taken from the hands of a dead person. Rich people won’t buy it, and poor people can’t afford it, so it can only be sold at a very awkward price.”

As the old man spoke, he summoned the Mage's Hand, a blue magical hand that placed two teacups on the table. He then picked up the white ceramic teapot and filled both cups with tea. The refreshing aroma of the tea was invigorating. He picked up a teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile, "Of course, considering this is your first time here, I'm willing to offer 430 gold coins as a token of our friendship. Even if you go out and inquire, this price will still be valid when you return."

"That's fine then, I trust your judgment." DuPont said, pushing the ring in front of the old man, but without touching the teacup. After getting the money bag containing the coins, he casually tossed it, nodded, and put it directly into his spatial bag.

The old man smiled after looking at it and said, "Aren't you going to order some?"

“No need,” DuPont replied indifferently. “A hundred taels of gold per pound, even with the belt, four pounds and three ounces isn’t a difficult figure to measure.” The old man, however, was somewhat surprised: “I didn’t see any thieving methods here. May I ask which gang you’re from? What big shipment has arrived this time?”

“You’re overthinking it,” DuPont denied, taking out the health amulet: “This thing is in near-perfect condition. I need a reasonable price so that we can have a long-term partnership in the future.”

To DuPont's surprise, the old man's expression changed drastically upon seeing the necklace. He knocked on the door with his cane, and soon the shop assistant returned and knocked on the door, but did not enter: "Grandpa, the shop is closed."

"Alright, go upstairs. I have something to discuss with this guest."

(End of this chapter)