Above the mage

Chapter 37 [The Arcane Lock]

"Something came up, and I haven't been out for a while," Gao De explained with a helpless smile, then asked, "Do you still accept basic spider venom potions?"

"Of course." Pierre nodded with a smile, and also sent a message to God.

"Recently, for some unknown reason, the number of wild beasts outside the city has increased significantly, and they have become much more aggressive. Even the frequency of appearances of creatures from the ley lines has increased considerably, so more people are going out hunting."

"The demand for basic spider venom has increased significantly recently, and it's almost in short supply."

The basic spider venom potion was originally applied by hunters to arrows and weapons to deal with ferocious beasts. Its intense paralyzing effect made it a powerful weapon against low-level leyline creatures and wild animals.

With increased hunting activity, sales of basic spider venom potions naturally rose.

This is good news for Gaode Maps.

A thought flickered in his mind, and he handed Pierre a set of basic spider venom potions that he had brought.

Pierre took the potion, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, then nodded in satisfaction. "Your goods are still in such good condition."

He put away the basic spider venom potion and took some coins from the drawer under the counter, handing them to Gao De.

"Did you give too much?" Gao De did the math and found that Pierre had actually given him 1 Sean gold coin plus 15 clover silver coins, which was 35 silver.

This is 2 silver more than the originally agreed purchase price of 33 silver.

It wasn't a huge amount, but Gaode had no intention of taking advantage of such a small sum.

"Didn't I tell you that there's been a shortage of basic spider venom potions lately, so the price has increased by 10%? Naturally, I have to raise my purchase price as well. Do you think I'm taking advantage of you?" Pierre explained.

Knowing that it wasn't an overpayment, Gaode accepted it without hesitation.

"By the way, is your promise to repair magical items still valid?" After the transaction was completed, Pierre stopped God and asked again.

Gao De's eyes lit up. "Could there be business?"

Repairing magical items not only earns you some extra money, but also allows you to indirectly learn about magic, making it a win-win situation.

"Yes, after I released the news, a few days ago someone actually came to inquire about the situation," Pierre nodded, not in a hurry to sit down, "but you haven't come during this time, so I didn't know what your situation was, and therefore I didn't agree immediately."

"But he still left me an address," the old man leaned closer to Gao De and said, "The price that person offered was unusually high."

"How tall?" Gao De asked instinctively.

Pierre extended his right hand and then opened it.

"Five Sean Gold Coins?" Gao De was slightly surprised.

Pierre nodded emphatically. "Were you startled? I was startled when I heard it too."

"A first-level spell item?" Gao De asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Pierre shrugged, "otherwise, how could they possibly charge such a high repair fee?"

A level 0 extraordinary item is only worth 12-15 gold coins. If the repair fee is 5 gold coins, it's better to buy a new one.

Only a first-tier extraordinary item could command such a high repair fee.

"Can it be fixed?" Pierre asked.

Repairing a level 1 extraordinary item is not as difficult as repairing a level 0 extraordinary item. Pierre was unsure if God's abilities were sufficient, which was one of the reasons he did not agree at the time.

"Yes," Gao De nodded, "but it will take time, and..."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "It costs more!"

Repair fees are generally around 10% of the item's value, which is a reasonable price. The average price of a first-level extraordinary item is 65 gold.

Furthermore, it would be virtually impossible to find a second person in Hogan City capable of repairing a first-level extraordinary item.

Scarcity drives up prices, so a reasonable price increase is justified under these circumstances.

Pierre, being knowledgeable about the market, naturally didn't think Gao De was overcharging. In fact, he nodded in agreement, saying, "5 gold for repairs is high, but for repairing a first-level extraordinary item, the price is indeed too low."

"It's good that it can be repaired. I can help you negotiate the price. How about you come to the shop again the day after tomorrow?" the old man said with a smile.

"Then I'll trouble you," Gao De said, of course, without any objection. "I'll come to the store again the day after tomorrow."

"Boss, do you know of any spells in the 0th and 1st rings that can protect a box and prevent outsiders from opening it?" After hesitating for a moment, Gao De still asked.

We absolutely must find a way to open the magical wooden box left behind by the sorcerer Seda.

Although asking directly like this might reveal some information, he felt he could bear that risk.

Furthermore, if you deliberately try to hide it, you may not be able to fool others; on the contrary, it will make others think more about it.

Moreover, after spending some time together, Gao De and Pierre had developed a small amount of trust.

Of course, the most important thing is that through his several encounters with Pierre, he vaguely sensed that this little old man was not as simple as he seemed on the surface. He was definitely not just a small grocery store owner. He had a wide range of knowledge and was the most likely person he knew to be able to answer his questions.

Not to mention, the wooden sign at the entrance of the grocery store lists Pierre's extensive "business" scope: part-time item recycling and treasure appraisal.

It doesn't seem like there's much of a problem in considering the spell box left behind by the sorcerer Seda as a treasure.

"Protect a box and make it impossible for outsiders to open it?"

Pierre did not disappoint God. After frowning his slightly graying eyebrows and thinking for a moment, he gave his answer: "Based on your description, the only thing I can think of is the Arcane Lock."

"Arcane Lock?" Gao De raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the first-circle spell Arcane Lock," Pierre explained in detail. "Arcane Lock can be cast on a door, a box, or other closed container to magically lock it in place, greatly enhancing its security."

Unless there is a corresponding unlocking spell or powerful magical means, it will be almost impossible to open.

"This means that conventional physical methods, including picking locks and violent banging, will be ineffective against containers that have been locked by arcane magic."

"Because of this effect, the arcane lock also serves to protect the container," Pierre explained.

"Of course, there may be other spells that can achieve the effect you described. After all, I only have a slight understanding of the most common and universal spells," the old man shook his head slightly and sighed, "There are just too many spells."

"Is there any way to open the arcane lock?" Gao De was almost certain that the wooden box left by the mage Seda was locked with an arcane lock, and he couldn't help but frown, feeling helpless.

The [Tracking Mark] spell alone had already rendered him helpless, so the Arcane Lock, a first-level spell, would undoubtedly leave him even more helpless.

"If you want to open the Arcane Lock without knowing the unlocking spell set when it was cast, the only way I can think of is to use a dispelling spell, which can directly remove the spell's effect."

"The other is the Striking spell, which can temporarily suppress the effects of the Arcane Lock for a short time," Pierre said, shrugging. "However, dispelling the spell is a 3rd-level spell, so forget about it."

(End of this chapter)