I was an apprentice in Ferren

Chapter 104 Selling the stolen goods

The person behind him was naturally DuPont.

A week had passed, and DuPont naturally came to the black market in White Rock City to collect the money, and also to see if there was a chance to teach that fat bastard who had dug his own grave a lesson.

With the paladin Deva absent, he has a chance to sell his previous stolen goods here and recoup his investment for a few hundred gold coins.

Although the trouble he encountered last week was very likely related to the black market, he still had 1800 gold coins to collect, so he was not going to be scared off by a few scoundrels.

With the added deterrent effect of my previous intervention, these guys should back down.

After all, even the black market has its pride.

Just like how no one dares to rob him in the black market, if he openly cheats customers and their safety is not guaranteed, his reputation will be ruined as soon as a little word gets out, and he will never be able to do business again.

When the carriage stopped at a mansion on the edge of the city, DuPont quickly held his breath and hid at a distance. Benjamin, being a mage, naturally didn't have much sense of security. The relatively good security in White Rock City, coupled with his status as a mage, didn't make him think that anyone would dare to follow him. He swaggered over and knocked on a door painted brown, where he was led inside by a pretty but aloof elf.

Damn it, that old bastard is quite the ladies' man.

After noting down the guy's address, DuPont pulled up his hood and turned to leave.

Although he didn't know how long Benjamin would stay, it was still dark and he had no chance to make a move. He might as well finish his business and check back later in the evening.

DuPont's first stop was a blacksmith shop, but when they saw a dessert shop, they couldn't tear themselves away.

Contrary to DuPont's previous understanding, the bakery in Harua was a bakery, while there were dedicated dessert shops selling cakes and pastries. Seeing DuPont dressed like an adventurer, the elven girls here were very enthusiastic, and the cheapest Basque cake, which cost only 3 silver coins and was only half the size of a palm, made DuPont grin.

Although he could easily afford it, this little bit of food would only take him two bites.

Seeing DuPont's hesitation, the elven girl showed no impatience, but simply smiled and explained, "Sir, everything here is made with Eternal Island cheese, zero-degree fresh cream, highland eggs, and white sugar. We use professional molds custom-made by a mage for our ovens. Even nearby churches and colleges order desserts from us, guaranteeing that every bite will bring you happiness!"

Having some spare cash, DuPont generously took out five silver coins to taste them, then scooped up a mouthful with the complimentary wooden spoon and put it in his mouth. His eyes lit up immediately.

It has a delicate and sweet taste, and a rich milky aroma. It is really no worse than the cakes he buys in cake shops on Earth.

I don't even know if it's because I've been eating too much whole grains these days, but they taste even better than pastries on Earth.

Perhaps it was because he hadn't eaten anything good before, DuPont chuckled self-deprecatingly, glanced at the coins, and took out twenty gold coins: "Take one of each."

The elven girl beamed upon hearing this, but still asked with some concern, "Guest, our desserts don't have a long shelf life. The weather is hot now, and without a special refrigerated display case, they might spoil by tomorrow."

“It’s alright,” DuPont patted his waist. “I have a storage bag.”

DuPont headed to the lower town amidst the girl's surprised and admiring gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.

I had been living aimlessly on Earth for over twenty years, but in less than a month since I came to this world, I've actually been living better than before, and I'm willing and able to afford such luxuries.

This Ferren is truly a paradise for professionals.

After finishing his dessert and tossing it aside, DuPont quickly headed to the blacksmith shop.

Compared to the annoying dwarves in Beer Town who reek of alcohol, the human shopkeepers here were much friendlier. They even offered a high price of 180 gold for a +1 light crossbow, bringing my total earnings to 420 gold.

However, DuPont didn't sell the enchanted, sharp dagger. It was a unique and conspicuous enchantment that he had snatched from Johnny, and he could still use it himself, so he decided to keep it for now.

When DuPont passed by the bakery he had visited before, he noticed that the owner and the sales clerk seemed listless. Even when buying something, they would just give a perfunctory greeting and were no longer enthusiastic. DuPont couldn't help but think of the sheriff who had hanged himself.

Could it really be such a coincidence? They swept up all the remaining goods in the bakery, spending only 1 gold and 5 coins. DuPont generously gave them 2 gold and waived the change. Amid the mother and daughter's thanks, he waved his hand, his face, hidden by his hood, revealing a rather interesting expression.

Compared to expensive dessert shops, the profit margin of this bakery is naturally much thinner. Even if the net profit is 50%, the mother and daughter would normally earn at most 8 silver coins. It can be said that much of the profit is earned by selling their labor.

He originally thought that the sheriff's 3600 gold coins in 10 years was obviously too little, and that he must have some other secret stash of money. But seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to make money, the sheriff's 3600 gold coins in 10 years was really impressive. He must have made a lot of money through illicit means.

But why doesn't he use that money to take care of his ex-wife, when he clearly still cares about her?

Since the person is dead, there are no answers. DuPont stopped thinking about these things and decided to patronize their business whenever he passed by.

Upon arriving at the magic shop again, which was almost closing time, the shopkeeper girl, who had been reading a book, was quite surprised to see DuPont arrive. She hurriedly called out, "Grandpa, the customer you've been thinking about has arrived!"

A voice echoed from upstairs. The person in question hadn't arrived yet. DuPont looked at the other person and asked, "A magic book? What level have you reached?"

"Second Ring Road, I've been learning the 'Mysterious Step' lately." The girl wasn't shy at all; she simply got up and closed the door, then asked, "Are you DuPont?"

"Hmm." DuPont had revealed his secrets last week in order to obtain information about the black market, so it wasn't surprising that he was recognized. However, this question was quite interesting: "What, you recognize me?"

"I've heard that a genius has emerged from Northwest Academy. He advanced from a Level 2 mage to a Level 4 mage in less than a month. However, some people say that you may have been hiding your information. But the teachers in the academy are not fools. How could you keep it a secret for long? It is currently estimated that you have learned at least three second-circle spells in a month. This is no small achievement. Even some high-level mages may not be able to learn so quickly."

"Second-circle spells aren't really that complicated, but third-circle spells are a real hurdle," DuPont said modestly. Just then, the shopkeeper came downstairs and greeted DuPont, "How's it going? Have you had dinner yet?"

"You haven't eaten yet, so why are you planning to treat me to Baishicheng's specialties?"

"..." This sentence almost made the old man choke on his breath. After a few seconds, he called to the waiter, "Go to the tavern next door and have them send over four of their signature dishes."

DuPont feigned surprise upon hearing this: "Oh, I was just asking, you actually invited me?"

"A little expense for a meal is nothing for such a distinguished guest. Besides, hosting a genius is something worth promoting for our little shop." The old man said, pointing to the private room: "Shall we go in and discuss this further?"

"Sure, but what if a thief comes before your granddaughter gets back?"

"Heh, they're probably tired of living. Items in the magic shop have special magical marks before they're sold, just like dragon treasure. Even if they're lost, they'll still leave a special mark, which is only erased when they're sold."

“This is no small project.” DuPont said, then a question came to mind: “Can ordinary mages learn this? Schools haven’t taught it yet.”

“Formal mages can learn this to prevent their magical items from being stolen by thieves. For other items, you’ll need the Synchro ability.” As he spoke, the old man took out a box: “Of course, items like coins and low-level scrolls are generally not worth binding. Only dragons would have the time for that. But as long as you put them in special magical items, you can avoid that. Add a spell trap, and you can be virtually foolproof.”

“Oh.” DuPont nodded. “By the way, today I plan to buy 2 Fireball scrolls, 1 Dispel Magic scroll, 10 Hand of Flames, 5 Disguise scrolls, and 5 Abdominal Sound scrolls.”

"Fireball: 100 gold each, Dispel Magic: 90, Hand of Flames, Disguise, and Abdominal Sound scrolls: 10 gold each, totaling 490 gold coins." The old man scribbled and calculated on a piece of paper with a quill pen, a satisfied smile appearing on his face: "Looks like you got a good price for that item?"

"Perhaps," DuPont replied ambiguously. "But do you have anything here that enhances stealth?"

"Yes, an elven cloak." The old man said, summoning the Mage's Hand and bringing back a bright green cloak, but when he put it on, the cloak automatically changed to the brown of a chair.

"It enhances stealth, rain protection, and color-changing effects. It automatically adjusts to your body shape when worn, and works even better with Elven Boots. You won't have the comical situation of being stepped on during combat because it's too long. It's a piece of equipment that both rangers and thieves love. However, one thing to note is that this item does not increase saving throws." The old man took off the cloak: "Honest and fair, 500 gold coins."

This price is good; it will retain its value as long as it doesn't break. However, DuPont, who knows how to bargain, looked disgusted: "A regular cloak can also keep out the rain. This is only so-so, yet it's so expensive. Do you have any items with a better price-performance ratio?"

"This is nothing. Magical items are never cheap." The old man said, taking out another cloak: "The Elf Ranger Captain's Cloak. It has the same effect as this one, but adds 2 points to all resistances. It costs 3000 gold coins. Why don't you take this one?"

(End of this chapter)