In the early morning, the Mercenary Luo An left the Lieshi Territory, carrying a Crimson Bristle Piglet.
Looking at the piglet that was rooting around in his arms with its eyes open, Roman couldn't help but marvel at the powerful beast pen.
Although magical beasts don't grow fast, with the +20% growth speed bonus, no one would guess that this little guy was born just yesterday.
Unfortunately, he was penniless now, so he could only sell one of them first to get some starting capital to lay the foundation for future development... The border was harsh and barren, but there were always some local products that were sought after by people in the capital.
And as the most prosperous territory nearby, the market in Cracked Stone City was naturally bustling with people.
Many merchant guilds in the kingdom would also buy a small piece of land in this small place and open a small branch.
It was still dim, but it was already bustling with activity here, though almost no one pushed open the heavy doors of those merchant guilds.
According to his memory, Roman chose a merchant guild he had never visited before.
"Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild..."
He gently pushed open the wooden door studded with copper nails, and with a creak, someone immediately came forward to greet him.
"Hello, sir, this is the Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild. How can we help you?"
The receptionist had an impeccable smile on her face and did not show any contempt for the visitor's shabby attire.
On the contrary, the guard leaning near the door tightened his grip on his longsword, staring at Roman with vigilance.
He had seen many people dressed like this, but they would never easily step into such a merchant guild, unless they had ulterior motives and wanted to make a quick buck...
"I want to sell something. Do you accept magical beast piglets here?"
The appraiser with a monocle behind the green wooden counter accidentally poked through the parchment he was writing on with his quill.
The apprentice, wiping glass bottles and decorations, secretly glanced at the customer, then pretended to be nonchalant and continued wiping.
The receptionist's smile grew wider, and she led Roman further inside.
The guard leaning by the door directly shut out the outside noise for Roman...
"Please, Mr. Luo An."
Eldon, the manager, whose pupils occasionally flashed with shrewdness, pointed to the refreshing black tea on the table.
Roman took a small sip; it had a lot of sugar and honey added to it, so it wasn't bitter at all, with a rich, sweet aftertaste.
Roman, who hadn't tasted anything sweet in a long time, quietly took another small sip.
"According to our appraiser's conclusion, your cub is indeed a magical beast Crimson Bristle Pig."
Eldon first briefly confirmed Roman's goods.
"But after all, it's just a cub, and its value is still lower than that of an adult magical beast. It needs to eat and drink, and the risks during its growth are so great."
"However, our Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild greatly appreciates adventurers like you and is willing to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with you, so our Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild's offer is..."
Eldon's eyes sparkled.
"One gold coin, plus an entry-level membership card for the Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild."
Black!
Too black!
Roman gently shook his head, showing no expression.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the other party's sandwich-style negotiation tactics, but this price reduction was simply too ruthless.
It was no different from robbery!
"An adult Crimson Bristle Pig can grow to at least five hundred catties. The value of its flesh, bones, and skin alone is more than one gold coin, and the feed invested in it is a drop in the bucket compared to the returns."
"If it's lucky enough to grow a magic crystal core..."
Eldon smiled, his voice rising slightly.
"Mr. Luo An, you make a good point, but as you know, luck is never reliable. We can't increase the price based on a vague possibility."
"If you are willing, we can purchase the flesh of this Crimson Bristle Pig at a high price after it matures. If there is a magic crystal core, our offer will be even higher than the market price."
Eldon saw through him.
He had already guessed that the shabbily dressed young man in front of him was in great need of money.
That seemingly calm but actually anxious look in his eyes, and the subtly trembling tone that he tried hard to control.
Since the other party was desperate, he could afford to be patient.
"But Mr. Eldon, the value of a Crimson Bristle Pig is not entirely in its flesh, bones, or anything else. It can be a powerful fighting force. An ordinary knight's squire would have to pay a heavy price to deal with such a magical beast in the Black Forest."
Roman took a deep breath; he really needed money right now.
"Of course, Mr. Luo An, you make a very good point, but what would we have to pay to tame it? To feed it? What would I have to pay if I hired two loyal, young, and reliable squires?"
Roman took a sip of the still refreshing black tea, but this time it wasn't as sweet.
He couldn't accept this price and could only try to negotiate with the merchant guild he had visited before.
But that would entail the risk of exposure; more people would know that he had luckily picked up a magical beast cub and exchanged it for money.
"The Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild appreciates clever and capable young people, Mr. Luo An. I'm increasing the price for you based on my personal judgment, or more accurately, making an investment."
Eldon's voice suddenly deepened.
"Two gold coins."
"The Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild will purchase this Crimson Bristle Pig cub for two gold coins."
Roman looked up; this was the highest price he had anticipated.
"At the same time, we will also give you a membership card for the Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild."
The maid next to him refilled Roman's empty teacup with black tea.
"What's the price?"
Roman was tempted.
That was two gold coins!
With this large sum of money, the watchtower, blacksmith shop, wheat fields... this series of buildings would quickly meet the upgrade conditions!
The extra gold coin, converted into food, would be enough for a commoner family to eat for five whole years!
"Mr. Luo An, as I said, this is an investment."
Eldon leaned back comfortably.
"I'm increasing the price in my personal capacity, not as Eldon, the manager of the Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild's Cracked Stone branch."
"All I ask is that when you acquire valuable goods or need to purchase items in the future, you think of Eldon and the Jin Sui (Golden穗) Merchant Guild first. That will be enough."
Roman nodded emphatically; he had no reason to refuse.
"Then, a pleasant transaction."
"Oh, and if you need to select goods, the Jin Sui (Golden穗) entry-level membership card offers a 5% discount."
Roman's eyes lit up; he needed to convert these funds into supplies!
..."Tell me, what did that fellow who called himself Luo An buy?"
Eldon wiped the emerald-encrusted ring on his finger, his eyelids slightly lowered, quietly awaiting the answer.
"sunlight magic crystal... Black iron ingots... Fire Lizard tail fat... magic crystal stones... Chicks... And a lady's long dress?"
"What does he need all of these for?"
Eldon rubbed his furrowed brow, unable to find any connection between these items, let alone their relationship to the Crimson Bristle Pig.
But that wasn't important.
His quarterly turnover was finally secured, and he no longer had to worry about that damned performance.
Even buying this Crimson Bristle Pig cub for two gold coins was worth it.
He happened to know a beast tamer who would certainly have an extraordinary interest in the magical beast cub he possessed.
This transaction was undoubtedly a profit for him.
And... a fellow who could get a first-order magical beast cub was certainly not simple; he might have secrets worth digging into.
After all, how could a magical beast like the Crimson Bristle Pig only give birth to one offspring per litter?
Thinking of this, Eldon contentedly picked up a cup of black tea.