Above the mage

Chapter 313 Guarantor

"Sean gold coin, 94.9% purity, weighing one-quarter of an ounce." The female worker operated the machine.

With a slight whirring of gears and the ticking of the dial, she quickly determined the exact reading of the Sean coin.

She looked up at Gao De and then said slowly, "The standard purity of the Golden Bird coin is 95%, and its weight is 26 percent. According to the principal regulations, a 1 percent handling fee will be charged for each exchange."

"You have a total of 18 Sean Gold Coins, which can be exchanged for 16 Golden Bird Flower Coins, 7 Silver Dragon Coins, and 70 Copper Stone Coins."

"As for the three-leaf clover silver coin, I'm sorry, our bank does not exchange coins other than gold coins. Please take it back, sir."

At this point, the female staff member gently pushed the six three-leaf clover silver coins to the edge of the counter, with a polite smile on her face.

Finally, she wrote out a slip of paper, handed it to Gao De, and said softly, "Sir, please check if there are any problems?"

Gao De took the slip of paper, did a quick mental calculation, and knew there was no problem. He nodded slightly and said, "It's confirmed. Please redeem it for me."

"Okay, just a moment." The staff immediately got to work efficiently.

She turned to face the rows of tall safes behind her, deftly manipulating the combination locks. The doors opened, revealing compartments filled with various coins, gleaming with an alluring metallic luster.

The female staff member accurately grabbed and quickly took out the corresponding number of gold coin, silver dragon coin, and bronze stone coin, and stacked them one by one on the counter.

Then, he picked up the seal and firmly stamped the note for Gaode with a gold bank-specific stamp.

This is the receipt.

Once everything was ready, she handed the note and the money to Gao De.

Gao De carefully put away the coins and the note before walking out of the gold shop, with a slight sigh.

I didn't do anything, and another gold coin is gone.

However, the currency of the Golden Flower Dynasty is widely accepted in the Nora continent and is basically universally accepted.

When you travel to other countries, there will be no need to exchange currency, and this will be the case even in the Holy Empire.

After all, this was the oldest dynasty on the entire continent.

Bud was still waiting at the door.

"Now that you're back, let's meet again sometime." Gao De smiled and prepared to take his leave.

"It's getting dark, why don't you come to my house for the night? You saved my life, so at least let me cook you a good meal. Besides, you're new to Hold'em and don't know anyone here. I can be your guide tomorrow. I've lived in Hold'em since I was born, so I know this place very well!" Bard said eagerly.

Looking at Bard's expression, Gao De knew that he genuinely wanted to express his gratitude.

He thought about it and was indeed moved by the other party's words of guidance, so he didn't refuse and immediately nodded and said, "Okay, then I'll come to your house and try your cooking."

"Great!" Bard breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Gaode had agreed, his voice filled with genuine joy.

Following Bad, we walked along a wide street, then turned into a slightly narrower alley, and finally stopped in front of a three-story house.

This is a traditional house built of neat, dark brown bricks and stones, with a distinct three-section structure.

On the first floor, a row of arched windows are evenly spaced in the wall. The window frames are carefully crafted from cast iron, and although the glass is somewhat old, it has been wiped clean and bright.

Climb the steps to the second floor.

The layout here is similar to that on the first floor, with one apartment on each side clearly distinguishable.

The house on the left is Bud's home.

The door was made of heavy solid wood, with the paint slightly peeling off. A small kerosene lamp hung beside the door, with a thin layer of dust on the lamp base.

Bud took out his key, inserted it into the lock, and with a soft click, opened the door, welcoming Gao De inside.

The room was empty, and in the dim light, the outlines of the furniture were vague, faintly exuding the smell of old wood.

Bud walked skillfully to the small table in the corner, lit the kerosene lamp, and the warm yellow light rippled outwards, dispelling the darkness and illuminating his belongings.

A wooden table with peeling paint, a few old chairs, and several yellowed paintings on the wall.

As he adjusted the wick of the kerosene lamp to make the light brighter, he turned to Gao De and began to explain:

"I'm not married yet, and I live alone. My parents are farmers from a small village. They saved up most of their lives to barely buy me this house in Holden."

Huo, you're also a freeloader.

Gaode mentally complained inappropriately.

Bud led Gao to the dining table and reached into the cupboard to take out a ceramic cup with tiny cracks.

The cup looked quite old, with a mottled glaze, but it was wiped clean.

First, Bad lit the stove, boiled water, and sprinkled in tea leaves.

Then, he picked up the milk jug next to him and slowly poured a small layer of milk into the cup. The milk spread out at the bottom of the cup, turning a warm white color.

Immediately afterwards, he picked up the teapot and poured the steaming hot black tea into the cup. The black tea and milk instantly blended together, creating a beautiful amber color.

This is a popular local way of drinking tea: black tea with milk, served to guests.

"Take a rest and have some tea. I'll go prepare dinner," Bard said.

Gao De nodded, picked up the cup, and took a sip of the otherworldly "milk tea".

To be honest, the taste is quite similar to a certain brand of milk tea from my previous life.

Bud spent nearly an hour busy in the kitchen.

Gao De didn't wait around; his gaze swept around the somewhat cramped room.

Soon, he noticed several very new books neatly arranged on a cabinet against the wall in Bud's house. They happened to be some local history and geography books, so he picked them up and started reading.

He didn't stop until Bud came out carrying steaming hot food.

"I bought these to decorate; I haven't even looked at them much myself," Bard said somewhat embarrassedly, seeing the books Gaode was flipping through.

For ordinary people like them, it's common to buy a few expensive books and display them at home to add a touch of culture to their houses.

Looking at the meal prepared by Bard, Gao De couldn't help but sigh, "Single men's cooking skills are indeed quite good."

In less than an hour, Bader had prepared an extremely lavish dinner.

A stack of wheat bread with butter, the bread should have been freshly pan-fried, the aroma of wheat mixed with the aroma of caramelization. The butter was placed in a dish beforehand and softened to the right degree, delicate and soft, making it easy for Gaode to spread on the bread.

Next to the bread was a bowl of stew.

Gao De glanced at it and knew that it involved cutting root vegetables like carrots, onions, and potatoes into small pieces, putting them in a large pot to stew, and adding salted meat and bones to enhance the flavor.

There was also a roasted lamb chop, placed on an exquisite porcelain plate, its color golden and translucent, the main dish of the evening.

"Things happened so suddenly today that I didn't have time to prepare ingredients in advance. It's so late, and the market and butcher shops are all closed, so it's a bit makeshift," Bud said apologetically.

"That's already very good." Gao De smiled, picked up a piece of bread, spread butter on it, and put it in his mouth.

In an instant, the aroma of wheat, milk, and a hint of saltiness exploded in my mouth.

Seeing Gaode devour the food he had prepared, Bud's face broke into a bright smile.

He was a very simple and honest commoner.

"You just said that to become a formal resident of Holder Town, you need a local nobleman to act as your guarantor. Can you tell me which noblemen in the town are most likely to be willing to act as my guarantor?" Gao De asked, voicing his concerns.

Bard, who was putting a spoonful of soup into his mouth, stopped abruptly upon hearing this, gently placed the spoon back into the bowl, frowned slightly, and fell into deep thought.

He thought about it seriously for a long time before cautiously saying, "Perhaps you could try asking Sir Gerald Wells."

The nobility hierarchy of the Plantagenet dynasty was not significantly different from that of other countries.

Or rather, it should be said that the aristocratic hierarchy systems of other countries were actually "copied" from the Plantagenet dynasty.

Leaving aside the monarch, the aristocratic hierarchy of a dynasty was divided into six levels:

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Knight.

As for knights, strictly speaking, they were not a noble class, but rather military vassals of nobles, loyal to the local lord.

However, under normal circumstances, people still regard knights as the lowest rank of nobles.

Because they could also own some land and possess some of the privileges of the nobility, including acting as guarantors to help people from other countries obtain citizenship.

"Sir Gerald Wells' son is a sentry in the town. Last year, while on patrol, he encountered a powerful leyline creature. Although he eventually killed it, he was severely injured and needs to take expensive potions every day."

"This is a huge expense, so much so that even with Sir Gerald's wealth, he can't afford it. But he only has one son, so for the past six months, Sir Gerald has been trying every possible way to earn money for his son's potions," Bard explained.

He paused briefly, then continued, "Because he's short on money, he's already acted as a guarantor for several people from out of town in the past six months."

Although the words weren't explicitly stated, the meaning was quite clear: use money to buy it.

A flawless version after careful inspection!

A simple, direct, but practical approach.

Things that can be solved with money are not considered difficult in comparison.

"Approximately how much do you need?" Gao De understood immediately, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together as he inquired further.

"Starting at 200 Goldfinch coins," Bard said without hesitation. "Don't think it's expensive; this price is actually quite fair. The process of becoming a guarantor may seem simple, but the risks behind it are substantial."

"Because according to our regulations, if the person who is sponsored for citizenship commits a crime, the guarantor will also be punished. And if you accidentally sponsor a foreign spy for citizenship, you may even lose your future and your family fortune."

"Therefore, under normal circumstances, nobles are not very willing to act as guarantors for others."

"I see." Gao De nodded slightly, indicating that he understood.

Starting with 200 Golden Bird Flower Coins, based on the purchasing power of gold coins in this world, this is equivalent to starting with 20 yuan in the previous life.

A very large number.

But then he thought back to his past life, when he had to hire a scalper to get a US green card, it would have been even more expensive and he would have had to bear a huge risk of being scammed. At least with the Gerald Knight, as long as he paid, it was guaranteed to work.

Thinking about it this way, Gao De immediately felt much better.

He certainly didn't have that much money on him.

However, don't forget that his backpack also contained many valuable extraordinary materials brought from the North.

After dinner, Bud tidied up the bed.

Gaode will be spending the night at Bad's house tonight.

The next morning, after a simple breakfast, Gao De went out with Bud.

The town of Holden is quite large, with a maze of streets and numerous shops. Without a local guide familiar with the area, it can be quite inconvenient for Gaode Maps users who are unfamiliar with the place.

Our first stop today is Green Magic Supplies Store.

According to Bard, this is the largest magical material purchasing center in Holder Town.

The extraordinary materials obtained by the town's mages from killing leyline creatures in the Sword Mountain Range are usually sold here.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Magic Materials Store, Bard wisely refrained from following Gao De inside and instead waited outside.

Gaode walked into the Magic Materials Store. The lighting inside was slightly dim, creating a unique atmosphere.

The wooden shelves were neatly arranged and filled with all kinds of packaged magical materials, including magical plants, minerals that shimmered with metallic luster, and various extraordinary materials taken from ley line creatures.

After Gaode explained his purpose to the staff, he was led to a small private room.

In the center of the private room stood a large wooden table, surrounded by several carved chairs.

Soon, the "appraiser" from the Magic Materials Shop walked in.

The appraiser was thin and bony, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"What extraordinary materials do you want to sell? Show them to me," the appraiser said bluntly, his voice slightly hoarse.

Gao De didn't dawdle. He took out the extraordinary materials he had prepared last night, ready to be used today, and poured them onto the table.

There are many types of these magical materials, and most of them are small in size and light in weight.

"The fangs of a second-ringed ice field python," the appraiser said, picking up two sharp, bluish-white fangs. Without even raising his eyelids, he said, "I can offer you 33 Golden Bird Coins."

"This is a second-tier Ice Soul Stone."

The gaunt appraiser made judgments and offered prices one by one.

These are all second-tier extraordinary materials.

While obtaining extraordinary materials from fourth-ring ley line creatures might not be so easy, with the strength of the Zhenbing Tribe, acquiring extraordinary materials from third-ring ley line creatures would be a breeze.

However, Gao De did not choose to bring Tier 3 extraordinary materials.

The reason is simple: the grade of the materials far exceeds his own mage level, and he is not yet able to control them.

After examining a series of Tier 2 materials, the appraiser's attention was suddenly drawn to two thumb-sized, bluish stones.

"Blue Froststone, this is a third-tier magical mineral?!" His previously calm expression shifted slightly. He picked up one of the stones, examined it carefully for a moment, and then looked up at Gao De in surprise, as if trying to find out the reason from his face.

Gaode simply nodded slightly.

The extraordinary materials he brought from the Northern Territory were mostly second-tier, except for the ores, which he chose to bring as third-tier. If he was lucky enough, a first-ring mage could obtain not only third-tier magic ore, but even fourth- or fifth-tier magic ore.

This is acceptable.

Each grade of magical material has a relatively stable price range.

For example, the average market price for a second-tier magic material is 65 gold per piece, and the purchase price offered by the magic material market is usually half of the average market price, which is 32.5 gold.

The average market price for Tier 3 materials is as high as 300 gold, and even if it is halved, it is still 150 gold.

In Holder Town, where the climate is warmer, these Northern magical materials are considered rare.

Most of the magical materials were priced above the average price, and after calculating and rounding up, the total purchase price reached a staggering 562 gold.

The bulk of the cost came from the two pieces of Blue Froststone, which together were worth 320 gold, accounting for more than half of the total price.

"Deal," Gao De nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with the price offered. He then rattled off a list of magical materials: "I also need some other magical materials, a set of Moon Moth wings. You can deduct the price of these materials before settling the final bill."

On this trip, in addition to shipping out goods, he also needs to purchase a batch of goods.

He still had eight first-level spell recipes in his head, but he hadn't built the spell model yet because he couldn't gather all the magical materials needed for the spell potion.

Now that we've arrived at this place with a complete range of magical materials, why not hurry up and replenish them?

Once he concocts the magical potion, he will be able to master all eight spells.

These eight first-level spells are all very common and universal spells. Therefore, the magical materials needed for the corresponding spell potions are also very common. Large stores like Green Magic Material Store have sufficient stock and there is no shortage of goods.

However, the price is anything but affordable.

Here, the rules of the trade are clearly defined: the purchase price is halved when goods are shipped, but the original price must be paid when goods are purchased.

A potion for a first-level spell typically requires two first-tier main ingredients and three to five zero-tier auxiliary ingredients.

The average market price for Tier 1 magic materials is 14 gold, while the average market price for Tier 0 magic materials is 3 gold. That is, the material cost for a single potion for a Tier 1 spell is around 40 gold.

The cost of the magical materials needed for eight magical potions is as high as 307 gold.

Monks are really expensive!

(End of this chapter)