Wizard, I Have Another World

Chapter 6 Trading

After getting off the carriage, Karl put on his Humboldt hat with its stiff brim and ribbon and straightened his clothes.

Unlike his formal attire in the morning, his outfit at this time appeared more casual.

"gentlemen."

The coachman helped lift the clock, which was wrapped in a black cloth:

"Your things."

"Thanks."

Karl thanked him politely, reached out to pick up the clock, and strode toward the bustling market.

"What incredible strength!"

The coachman looked surprised as he watched Karl's departing figure.

It took him a lot of effort to lift the things off the car; I estimate they weighed several tens of kilograms.

It's so heavy, yet the other person seems so relaxed. Could he be a knight's squire?

or……

Is he a noble knight?

But such a person should have his own carriage.

…………

Buddy Goods Store.

Carl had heard of this place before, but this was his first time here, whereas his father was a regular visitor.

When many respectable families in the city were struggling financially, they would often exchange some items they didn't need for cash for crowns or gold pounds, and then buy them back when they had more money to tide them over.

Similar to a pawnshop.

However, most of these are dead loans that cannot be redeemed, so there are many second-hand items here.

The store sells a variety of secondhand jewelry, including rings, necklaces, and watches, which account for about 75% of all its merchandise.

There are also some works of art and luxury goods.

Therefore, many people call this place a "treasure trove for the middle class," where they come to shop for things when they have extra money.

"People call me Old Nick. I've worked at Buddy's for over thirty years and I've never made a mistake."

Nick, standing before me, had a white beard, a bald head, cloudy eyes, and a face full of wrinkles. He looked rather unremarkable, which explains why people would question his abilities.

Nick looked up at Carl and grinned.

"Is this your first time here?"

If it weren't for the first time here, there's no reason why I wouldn't recognize myself.

"Um."

Karl nodded, placed the clock on the table, removed the black cloth from it, and gestured for the other person to appreciate it:

"How much are you willing to pay?"

"Oh!" Upon seeing the clock, old Nick instinctively sat up straight, his expression turning serious.

"nice one."

"This outer layer is entirely made of gold!"

The clock in front of me is nearly half a meter tall, shaped like a spire, and exquisitely crafted, made of a combination of gold, wood, and porcelain.

Gold and wood are one thing, but porcelain is rare to begin with, and even rarer to use in a clock. Moreover, the combination is so perfect that it is an extremely rare work of art.

Old Nick took out a magnifying glass and examined the clock inside and out for a long time before looking up at Karl:

How many are you planning to sell them for?

"Ask me?" Karl sat opposite him, his expression calm, a facade masking his nervousness, and asked in return:

"Shouldn't it be up to you to say how much?"

"Yes."

Old Nick nodded:

"That's how it's usually done, but I'm afraid the price I'm offering might disappoint you."

Carl frowned: "Tell me about it."

He didn't believe it could be that cheap.

Old Nick held up one finger and spoke slowly:

"Ten gold coins!"

"Artworks worth 100 pounds are rare. This clock is exquisitely crafted and large, making it quite rare. However, some parts inside are broken, so this is the price I can offer."

"Heh..." Karl was speechless.

"Old Nick, are you kidding me? Ten gold coins probably wouldn't even be enough to buy the gold used on this clock."

The clock is not just coated with gold paint; some of its internal parts are made entirely of gold.

Ten gold coins?

What a joke!

"Yes."

Old Nick did not deny this, but simply turned the clock around, lowered the hidden back panel, and pointed to the engraving on it, saying:

"Look what this is?"

"This..." Karl simply glanced at the clock, unaware of the engravings inside, and hadn't even noticed the back panel.

Upon closer inspection, his brows furrowed instinctively.

"Sacrifice to the gods?"

"That's right."

Old Nick grinned and said:

"The scene depicted on it is a scene or ritual of mortals worshipping gods, indicating that this item is a sacred object."

"The key is..."

"They are worshipping an evil god!"

"Moon goddess, moon goddess, I've lived for so many years and I've never heard of this deity."

There are deities in this world who possess authority over the moon, but no single deity is specifically referred to as the Moon Goddess.

Worshiping evil gods is a grave sin, and if the church discovers it, even if one is only slightly involved, it's uncertain whether one can save their life.

Let alone worshiping evil gods, even righteous gods, unless they are the Lord of Dawn, will cause a lot of trouble in this country.

Moreover, it would be strange if there wasn't something fishy about hiding the images of deities in such a concealed place.

Seeing Carl's increasingly gloomy expression, old Nick smiled and spoke:

"Report it to the church, or sell it to me for ten gold coins. You can choose."

Karl's eyes narrowed.

No wonder!

No wonder they offered ten gold coins; they were blackmailing me!

"Old Nick."

He pursed his lips and said slowly:

"I forgot to introduce myself. I am a nobleman, and this item is a war trophy that my grandfather obtained from the battlefield. It's normal that you don't know its background."

"noble?"

Old Nick was taken aback; he really hadn't expected that.

In the instant he was stunned, Karl suddenly reached out, clenched his fist, and slammed it down on the back of the clock.

"Bang!"

The metal backplate was twisted and deformed from being smashed. Although it did not break, the engravings on it became blurred and indistinct, making it impossible to tell whether it was a sacrificial ceremony.

"I know that Baddie's Trading Company is not afraid of noble status, but if you want to bully me, it won't be that easy."

"Now!"

Karl leaned forward, looking directly at the other person:

"How much?"

"..." Looking at Karl, old Nick's cloudy eyes flickered, and suddenly he grinned:

"Don't be angry, let's talk this out."

The result of a proper negotiation was fifty gold coins.

When Carl walked out of Buddy's, he realized that a layer of cold sweat had appeared on his back.

A gust of wind blew, and he instinctively tightened his clothes.

"Who would have thought that bringing things from another world to sell would cause such trouble?"

Karl touched the few small items remaining in his pocket, shook his head slightly, and temporarily gave up the idea of ​​selling them.

Let's go back and check it carefully first; we have enough money anyway.

Just as he called for the carriage to leave the market, a commotion came from behind.

"Breaking news! Breaking news!"

"Grand Duke Cambyses unfortunately died of illness during the campaign against Coburg, and the expeditionary force was apparently taken over by the Grand Duke of Saxony..."

"Breaking news..."

Grand Duke Cambyses is dead?

Karl was startled.

This grand duke was only in his fifties and was a renowned legendary knight with a physique as strong as a tiger. Even swords and blades might not be able to hurt him. How could he have suddenly died of illness?

The key question is: the Grand Duke of Saxony who succeeded Cambyses had previously served as the lord of Signoria. If this is true, would he conscript the city's people and nobles?

"Forget it, there's no use thinking about it now."

"First, I need to get my energy back and secure the baronial title. According to Cologne, the Scorching Moon Festival is approaching, and Black City will enter its monthly safe period. I'll have to go there then."

(End of this chapter)