Chapter 12: How Much Is This Armor Worth?

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Robb said, “I say, can you stop daydreaming and answer the question I asked you! How much is this armor worth?”

Robb did not know what the prices of goods in this world were like. After all, even different servers in the same game had different prices, let alone different worlds.

“Aye?” The merchant’s mind cleared, and he quickly composed himself and sat up straight. Then he said in all seriousness, “My apologies, Mr. Robert. I accidentally lost myself in the work, for the workmanship of this wyvern leather armor is truly superb… oh, I could swear I have never seen such exquisite craftsmanship in my life. This is the workmanship of at least a craftsman whose skill in making leather armor is above the master level…”

Robb thought to himself: This businessman had a good eye. However, he was still a small merchant who worked at the border. He had probably not seen much of the world. This was clearly made by a grandmaster leather-making technique, but he said it was “above the master level,” which meant that his appraisal ability was only at the master level. He could not understand any better equipment.

Robb tapped the table. “You’re half right, but not quite right. The armor is indeed ‘above the master level,’ but to be precise, it was made by a ‘grand master leathersmith.'”

“Grandmaster… Grandmaster… Grandmaster?” The merchant was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped to the table. There were only two or three Grandmaster Leather Makers in the entire continent, and they were rare. This Clergy called Robert in front of him actually casually threw out a piece to buy a servant.

Robb said: “Well, now, how much will it fetch?”

The merchant wiped sweat from his brow. “It may have been made by a Grandmaster craftsman,” he said quietly, “but it was made from the hide of a wyvern. As you know, wyvern hide is not a top-grade material, and while it is of a higher grade than something like boar hide or lizard hide, it is of a much lower quality than the leather of a real dragon, behemoth, or thunder elephant. As a result, it does not make a true artifact.”

Robb nodded. “That’s right. It makes perfect sense.”

The merchant said, “It won’t catch the eye of the richest people, only some middle-class nobles and adventurers. This group can’t afford a lot of money, so… if this leather armor has an engraving made by the craftsman himself, proving which famous grandmaster made it, it should be worth five hundred gold pieces.”

Robb cut him off. “There’s no need to look for the engraving. The man who made it wasn’t a famous craftsman. He was an eccentric recluse who didn’t like to communicate with people. He wasn’t unknown, unknown to the world… he didn’t leave any brand marks on the leather armor at all.”

“Oh, nameless armor. That would only be worth two hundred gold pieces at most,” the merchant said. “And two hundred might not sell, because the buyer would wonder if it was really made by a grandmaster craftsman. As you know, most ordinary people have an even worse ability to appraise treasures than I do. They can only judge its value by looking at who made it. A merchant with as good an eye as mine can only tell that it was made by a master or above, but not by a grandmaster… so…”

“I see,” Robb said with a smile. “All this talk about what’s useful and what’s not. Actually, you’re the one who’s trying to figure out what price you’ll buy it from me at. You’ll make the most out of it, won’t you? So you want to keep it down to a master’s price to buy it, then take it to Saint’s Capital and sell it at a grandmaster’s price. Then you’ll make a killing.”

The businessman’s face flushed. “Sorry. It’s a businessman’s instinct.”

Robb said: “So, how much do you want to buy it from me?”

The merchant chuckled. “A hundred gold pieces.”

Robb said, “Then you take it to Saint’s City, resell it for two hundred gold coins, and make a hundred. That’s good business.”

The merchant blushed slightly. “Mr. Robert, I still have to pay for the transportation, don’t I? If you carry it to the Holy Capital to sell it yourself, it will be a long journey and you’ll have to look everywhere for a buyer. It will take up a lot of your time, won’t it?”

As he said this, he looked a little guiltily at Robb’s expression and thought: It seems he has to raise the price again.

However, Robb did not. Although he was mocking the merchant for making so much money, he had no intention of bargaining. To him, such wyvern leather armor was a piece of cake. He could not be bothered to waste his precious time on such a small thing. Time was supposed to be used for lazing around, not for doing things.

He said bluntly, “How about this? You offer a hundred gold coins and this little girl, and this wyvern leather armor will be yours.”

“Aye? Really!” The merchant was delighted and quickly decided. “Then it is settled.”

He seemed terrified of Robb’s contrition. He waved a quick hand at the two servants, who gave the little girl a shove. She scuttled behind Robb and stood still behind him like a shadow.

[Robb acquired a maid]

Robb used the motion of turning his head to scan the little girl’s face. He was visibly relieved to see her. Her eyes were full of delight, as if she were pleased that she had been sold to Robb.

Robb realized that being a Priest of the Light Church was really useful. Even buying a servant made the servant feel very happy. He might as well keep this identity in the future. There was no need to expose it himself unless he had no choice.

The merchant went back to his room. Presently, he brought out a bag and placed it in front of Robb. He opened it. It was full of bright gold coins. “Here are a hundred gold coins. Please count them.”

“There’s no need to count them.” Robb put the purse away and smiled. “I don’t think you’d dare try anything funny with me.”

“No one lies to a priest of the Light!”

“Well, it was a good deal.” Robb stood up. “I’m going back to the church. I expect you’ll be leaving soon to make a lot of money in Saint’s Capital. Goodbye.”

The merchant gave a dry laugh. “Mr. Robert, there’s something I really don’t understand. How did you… conjure up this wyvern leather in my little room? And where did that big roll of wyvern leather go? This couldn’t have been made at the last minute, could it? There’s no way it could have been done in time…”

Robb lowered his voice and said mysteriously, “I’ll only tell you. I won’t tell anyone else. Just now, after I entered the small room, I immediately used a teleportation scroll. A hundred miles away, I met my Grandmaster friend and gave him the wyvern skin. Then he gave me a wyvern skin armor that had already been made. Then I teleported back.”

“Wow, I see.” The merchant’s eyes burned again. “Then… then can you still go to him to help make something in the future? I… I’m willing to buy it for the long term!”

Robb laughed out loud. “That depends on my friend’s mood. Let me tell you, he’s a very lazy man. He’s long since disdained making these worthless trinkets.”

“Oh, really? What a shame!”