Currently, Arvin was standing in front of a magnificent three-story building that dominated the corner of the main street of the trading district. Its architecture was solid, made of white marble with tall pillars that radiated an aura of wealth and power.
He looked up, confirming once again the place he was about to enter. Above the double entrance doors made of thick mahogany, writing was carved in gold ink: "Astoria Kingdom Merchant Guild - Capital Main Branch".
This is the place! The biggest money circulation center in this kingdom besides the Astoria kingdom's treasury.
Without wasting time, Arvin stepped into the building.
Cool air immediately greeted him, contrasting with the street air which was starting to get dusty. The guild lobby interior was very luxurious. The floor was made of polished marble, crystal chandeliers adorned the ceiling, and the hustle and bustle of merchants and nobles could be heard in every corner.
However, the crowd suddenly receded slowly. The arrival of a handsome academy student wearing the Astoria Academy Special Exit Permit Uniform—which signified high social status—had attracted everyone's attention. His dark blue robe with gold stripes sparkled under the crystal lights.
All eyes were on him. Whispers began to be heard, guessing which family this young master came from.
Arvin ignored their stares and walked straight to the main reception desk.
"Welcome to the Merchant Guild. I am Yonna, the receptionist who will serve you," greeted a young woman with a trained professional smile. "Is there anything I can help you with, Sir?"
"I came here wanting to sell something," Arvin answered to the point. "Is an academy student like me allowed to conduct transactions here? Or do I need to bring my guardian?"
Yonna smiled kindly. "Of course, it is very much allowed, Young Master. Our guild is open to anyone who has commodities. If I may ask, what do you want to sell to us? Spices? Silk? Jewelry? Or ancient artifacts?"
Arvin didn't answer with words. He just raised his right hand over the reception desk made of sturdy teak wood.
"This is what I want to sell!" Arvin answered briefly.
Thud!
A medium-sized chunk of magic crystal came out of a dimensional rift and landed on the table, making the heavy sound of the magic crystal touching the wood echo. The magic crystal was about 97 cm high and 65 cm in diameter. Its color was a very clear dark blue, emitting a glow of pure mana light that mesmerized anyone who looked at it.
"T-This..." Yonna's eyes widened, her mouth opened but no sound came out.
Instantly, the appearance of such a large chunk of pure magic crystal caused an uproar throughout the guild lobby. The merchants who were busy bargaining fell silent, staring at the reception desk with hungry and disbelieving gazes.
Yonna, realizing this was beyond her capacity, immediately bowed respectfully. "Please wait a moment! This item... its value is too high. I will call Chairwoman Hilda to appraise it directly!"
Arvin nodded in agreement. "Go ahead. Don't be long."
Yonna rushed off, half-running towards the stairs leading to the second floor, where the guild chairwoman's room was located.
A few moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard descending the stairs. Hilda, the Chairwoman of the Astoria Kingdom Merchant Guild, a middle-aged woman with gold-chained glasses and a stern aura, came down with Yonna.
As soon as she reached the lobby, Hilda's steps stopped. Her eyes were fixed on the blue chunk on her reception desk. As a veteran merchant, she could recognize the quality of goods with just a glance. And the item in front of her... was a pure magic crystal.
Hilda swallowed, trying to calm her heartbeat. She approached Arvin.
"Young man..." Hilda greeted, her voice trembling slightly with enthusiasm. "Is this the magic crystal you want to sell?"
"Yes," Arvin answered flatly. "So, will the guild buy this magic crystal?"
"Of course we'll buy it!" Hilda snapped quickly, afraid of losing the valuable item. "But... this is a rare item. How many magic crystals do you have?"
Arvin looked at Hilda with a probing gaze. He didn't answer immediately.
"Before I answer your question, Chairwoman Hilda, I will ask first!" Arvin crossed his arms, radiating a dominant aura. "How much cash is available in this Merchant Guild's vault right now?"
Hilda frowned. She never expected an academy student to dare question the liquidity of the largest guild in the kingdom. It was a subtle insult.
"What is the meaning of your question, Young Man?" Hilda's tone sharpened. "Are you underestimating the Merchant Guild? We serve transactions in this kingdom every day."
"I'm not underestimating." Arvin cut in casually. "I just don't want to make a futile transaction. If your money isn't enough, what's the point of me bringing out my goods? Just answer my question! My time is tight."
Hilda sighed harshly, holding back her emotions. This kid is so arrogant.
"Fine," Hilda answered curtly. "Currently, our liquidity is very healthy. There are more than 30 Large Platinums and more than two million Golds in the main vault!"
Hearing those numbers, the lobby visitors held their breath. That was a crazy amount.
Arvin nodded slowly, as if the amount was just 'decent'. "Then, what is your estimated price for the magic crystal on this table?"
Hilda examined the crystal for a moment, taking out her mana measuring tool. The needle on the tool immediately went all the way to the right.
"S-Grade quality..." Hilda muttered. She thought fast. "A magic crystal this pure and this big... we will buy for 150,000 Golds. And that is the maximum price the guild can offer you! You won't get a better price elsewhere."
Arvin smiled thinly. A fair price.
"Good. One last question!" said Arvin. "Will you buy all the magic crystals I offer at that price?"
The question he threw made Hilda even more annoyed. This kid kept doubting our guild's financial ability. However, as a professional merchant, she restrained herself.
"Of course we will buy them all!" Hilda stated firmly. "Crystals this pure are highly needed to make military magic equipment, magic weapons, or even serve as energy sources for street lighting in the capital and palace! How many do you have? Two? Three?"
Arvin smirked. "Alright. You asked for it."
Arvin stepped back towards a wider area of the lobby. He spread his arms.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
One by one, chunks of magic crystals fell onto the marble floor with heavy sounds that shook the building. Not one, not two.
Arvin brought out nine more chunks of magic crystals with the exact same size and quality as the one on the table. A total of ten giant chunks now glittered in the middle of the lobby, turning the room into a dazzling treasure cave.
"Let's do the transaction!" Arvin said casually.
Silence...
Total silence fell over the guild lobby. Everyone, from guild employees, rich merchants, to Chairwoman Hilda herself, was stunned in a state of severe shock. Their jaws seemed to unhinge.
10 giant S-Grade crystals. Total value... 1.5 million Golds.
"T-This..." Hilda's knees went weak. She held onto the reception desk. "W-Where did you get all these magic crystals? This is equivalent to the kingdom's mining output for ten years!"
Arvin's gaze turned cold instantly.
"Isn't that a taboo thing for the Merchant Guild to ask its clients?" Arvin reprimanded sharply and full of dominating intimidation.
Hilda flinched, realizing her fatal mistake. Asking the source of a client's goods was a severe breach of the code of ethics.
"I-I'm sorry..." Hilda squeaked.
"Listen carefully." Arvin stepped closer, his voice quiet but full of threat. "Even if you force me to say it, I will never say where I got them. And if anyone here dares to spy on me after this transaction to find out..."
Arvin's eyes flashed. "...I will not hesitate to hunt you down and torture you until I'm satisfied before killing you. Understood?"
The threat was no joke. A killer aura he had mimicked from Gaile emanated faintly.
Arvin looked at Hilda's pale face, then pressed her. "Finish this transaction quickly! The total is 1.5 million Golds. Just pay using 5 Large Platinums (equivalent to 500,000 Golds). Then just pay the rest using 1,000,000 Golds and put them in chests!"
"I... I need your identity card for recording a transaction of this magnitude." said Hilda trembling.
Arvin reached into his robe pocket, took out a academy student identity card, then handed it to Hilda.
Hilda took the card. When her eyes read the name written there, the Guild Chairwoman's expression changed drastically. From shock to pure horror.
Name: Arvin Vedegra
Status: First Year Academy Student
Class: 1-A