Chapter 6: The Transaction
Chapter 6: The Transaction
Stepping off the carriage, Karl adjusted his Hamburg hat with its stiff brim and satin ribbons, straightening his attire. Unlike his formal morning wear, he now appeared more casually dressed.
"Sir," the carriage driver greeted him.
The driver helped unload a black cloth-covered grand clock from the carriage. "Here are your items."
"Thank you," Karl politely acknowledged.
With his arm extended, Karl lifted the clock and strode towards the bustling market.
'What strength!' the driver exclaimed, watching Karl's departing figure with astonishment.
Earlier, when unloading the items from the carriage, the driver had exerted considerable effort. He estimated the weight to be several dozen pounds.
The ease with which Karl carried such a heavy item led the driver to wonder if he was a knight attendant or perhaps even... a noble knight.
But such individuals would typically have their own carriages.
...
Badi Trading House.
Karl had heard of this place but was visiting for the first time today, unlike his father, who was a regular customer.
When times were tight for many respectable families in the city, they often brought items they didn't need at the moment to exchange for crowns or golden pounds. They would then buy them back when their finances improved, a temporary solution to their financial woes.
It was similar to a pawnshop.
However, the majority of the items were never redeemed, resulting in a significant collection of second-hand goods.
The trading house sold various second-hand rings, necklaces, watches, and other jewelry, accounting for approximately 75% of their total inventory.
They also offered a selection of artworks and luxury items.
Thus, many referred to the place as the 'Middle-Class Treasure Trove,' and those with spare money would come to browse and purchase items.
"They call me Old Nick, and I've been working at Badi Trading House for over thirty years. I've never made a mistake in my appraisals," said the man before him, with his white beard, bald head, cloudy eyes, and wrinkled face, not particularly impressive in appearance, which might explain why people doubted his skills.
Old Nick looked up at Karl and smiled, revealing a gap between his teeth. "Is this your first time here?"
If it weren't his first visit, he would have recognized Nick.
"Yes," Karl nodded, placing the clock on the table, removing the black cloth, and gesturing for Nick to examine it. "How much do you think it's worth?"
"Oh!" Upon seeing the clock, Old Nick instinctively straightened his body, and his expression turned serious. "A fine piece."
"The outer layer is entirely made of gold!"
The grand clock before them stood nearly half a meter tall, resembling a spire with exquisite craftsmanship. It was a blend of gold, wood, and porcelain.
While the combination of gold and wood was impressive, porcelain was a rare material, even more so in a clock, and the integration of these elements was seamless, making it an extremely valuable artwork.
Old Nick took out a magnifying glass and carefully examined the clock inside and out for a long time before looking up at Karl.
"How much do you intend to sell it for?"
"You're asking me?" Karl sat across from him, his expression calm, masking his inner tension. "Shouldn't you be the one to name the price?"
"Yes."
Old Nick nodded. "That's the usual practice, but I'm afraid the price I offer might disappoint you."
Karl frowned. "Let's hear it."
He didn't believe it could be that inexpensive.
Old Nick extended a finger and spoke softly. "Ten gold coins!"
"Artworks worth a hundred pounds are rare, and this clock is exceptionally well-crafted and sizeable. However, some of its components are damaged, so I can only offer this price."
"Heh..." Karl was speechless. "Old Nick, you must be joking. Ten gold coins might not even cover the cost of the gold used in this clock."
The clock wasn't merely coated with gold paint; some of its internal components were cast in gold.
Ten gold coins?
What a joke!
"Yes," Old Nick didn't deny it. He turned the clock around, revealing a hidden back panel, and pointed to the engravings. "What do you see here?"
"This..." Karl simply glanced at the grand clock, not understanding the engravings within, and even missed the back panel.
Focusing his gaze, his eyebrows furrowed instinctively:
"A divine offering?"
"That's right."
Old Nick grinned, "The engravings on this depict scenes or rituals of mortals worshipping deities, indicating this item is a holy artifact."
"The key point is..."
"It's worshipping an evil deity!"
"The Moon Goddess, the Goddess of the Moon. In all my years, I've never heard of this deity."
In this world, there are deities with dominion over the moon, but none are solely referred to as the Moon Goddess.
◇6◇9◇Book◇
Worshipping an evil deity is a grave sin. Once discovered by the Church, even a slight connection could mean life or death.
Not to mention worshipping an evil deity, even worshipping a righteous deity, as long as it's not the Dawn Lord, can cause many troubles in this country.
Moreover, hiding the engravings of a divine offering in such a concealed place, if there's no foul play, that's not normal.
Seeing Karl's face growing darker, Old Nick smiled and spoke, "Report it to the Church, or sell this to me for ten gold coins. The choice is yours."
Karl's eyes narrowed.
No wonder! No wonder he offered ten gold coins; he was blackmailing me!
"Old Nick."
Karl pursed his lips and said slowly, "Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier. I am a noble, and this item was my grandfather's war trophy from the battlefield. It's understandable that I don't know its background."
"A noble?"
Old Nick was taken aback; he hadn't thought of that.
Just as he was lost in thought, Karl suddenly stretched out his hand, clenched his fist, and smashed it towards the back panel of the clock.
"Bang!"
The metal back panel was deformed by the force of the blow, though it didn't shatter. The engravings became blurred and unrecognizable, making it impossible to discern if it was a divine offering ritual.
"I know Badi Trading House doesn't fear noble status, but if you want to bully me, it won't be that easy."
"Now!"
Karl leaned forward, staring directly at him:
"How much?"
"..." Old Nick's cloudy eyes flashed as he looked at Karl, then he grinned, "Don't be angry. Let's talk this over."
The result of their negotiation was fifty gold coins.
After leaving Badi Trading House, Karl realized that a cold sweat had broken out on his back at some point.
As the wind blew, he tightened his clothes.
'I never expected that selling items brought from another world would cause such trouble.'
Karl lightly shook his head as he felt the few remaining small items in his pocket, temporarily abandoning his plans to sell them.
He decided to inspect them carefully later; after all, he had enough money.
Just as he was about to hail a carriage to leave the market, a commotion erupted from behind.
"Breaking news! Breaking news!"
"Duke Gambises has passed away during his campaign to Koburg, and the conquering army is rumored to be led by Duke Saxony..."
"Major news..."
Duke Gambises is dead?
Karl was shocked.
The duke was only in his early fifties and was a legendary knight renowned for his robust physique, capable of withstanding sword and knife attacks. How could he suddenly pass away?
More importantly, Duke Saxony, who is said to have taken over, once served as the lord of Signo City. If this is true, will he conscript the city's commoners and nobles?
'Never mind, thinking about it now is useless.'
'First, secure the baron title, and according to Colom, the Scorching Moon Day is approaching. It's also time for the monthly safe period in Black City, so I'll have to make a trip there.'
(End of Chapter)
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