A mountain of gold.
"Exactly 4.5 billion Gold, if I remember correctly."
An unimaginably large amount of money.
When Kane was Ray Hatzfeld,
He used this gold to achieve tremendous growth.
"I can't believe, all of this will be gone soon"
[Debt: -5 billion Gold]
To properly manage the territory, the family's debt had to be repaid first.
"But that money isn't the main thing."
Kane reached for the booklet lying in front of the mountain of gold.
[???]
Type: Magic Grimoire
Grade: ???
Description: ???
The only information available was that it was a Magic Grimoire. Everything else was marked with question marks.
[Blue Tiger's Breath (D-) has been activated.]
He tried to appraise it with mana.
[Appraisal level too low to view information]
[A professional appraiser is needed]
It ended in failure.
"This message still shows up just like before. No need to check further."
When Kane was Ray Hatzfeld, he used a professional appraiser to find out the information.
But now, he knew what this book was.
There was no need to go through a professional appraiser.
He grabbed the book and tore it apart.
Ding!
A message popped up with a notification.
[You have mastered 'Masherin's Magic Engraving (S)']
"To earn money and grow, this is the best."
[Masherin's Magic Engraving]
Type: Magic Grimoire
Grade: S (Growth-type)
Description: A magical engraving book written by Masherin, one of the continent's top three engravers and craftsmen. Unlike regular engravers, Masherin used magic engravings on not only accessories but also buildings.
Effect: 80% chance to engrave options of B grade or higher, acquisition of crafting skills
With a satisfied expression, Kane closed the information window.
'Now all I need is a blacksmith.'
To grow, gold was necessary.
To earn a lot of gold, growth was needed.
He pondered if there was a way to achieve both simultaneously.
Soon, he came to a conclusion.
He decided to acquire the 'Crafting' skill.
He was confident that by making luxury items for the nobility, he could make a fortune.
Of course, the skill he had just acquired was not an ordinary 'Crafting' skill, it was one of the best in the continent and a growth type.
'This time, why not brand everything from accessories to weapons and buildings?'
Nobles were crazy about luxury items.
The more expensive, the better.
The rarer, the better.
They had a strong tendency to want more.
Luxury items that only they could purchase.
That's what they wanted.
Ray Hatzfeld had succeeded in branding accessories.
Using this, he amassed an enormous fortune.
He became incredibly wealthy.
From then on, even the king of Hatzfeld couldn't treat him carelessly.
"With this, I'll turn Rehinar into the second imperial city of the Fresia Empire."
It was a colossal dream.
A barren land where mutated monsters frequently appeared.
A territory bordering enemy lands!
Turning it into the second imperial city was a monumental task.
But all of this was merely a necessary step to build up Rehinar and eventually overthrow Hatzfeld.
"Let's start by collecting the achievement rewards."
Kane began putting the mountain of gold into a spatial pocket.
As he infused mana into the pocket,
It quickly sucked in the gold.
[You have acquired a total of 4.5 billion Gold.]
An amount of money hard to even touch in reality.
It was possible because he was inside the game.
[Achievement unlocked.]
[You have completed the unaccepted quest 'From 0 Gold to 4 Billion Gold'.]
[As a reward, you have received a '4-star or higher character selection ticket'.]
A 4-star or higher character selection ticket.
It was an incredibly valuable reward.
The use of this selection ticket had already been decided.
Mikhail Pervatz.
Kane wanted him by his side no matter what.
'I've collected all the rewards, now it's time to repay the borrowed money.'
Kane opened the territory management system.
Just as he was about to repay the borrowed money,
His finger paused.
"Oh, I forgot. The system charges exorbitant fees, doesn't it?"
If you use the shop window to sell items, you only get half the price.
The same goes for fees.
They take a huge cut.
Unless it's urgent, using the real market is much more profitable.
"I'll have to go back to the family and repay the money directly."
His business in the Nest of the Abyss was done.
He immediately returned to his companions.
* * *
Two Days Later…
Kane and the Blue merchant group arrived in the trade city of Philaec.
Camilla couldn't take her eyes off the surroundings, fascinated by everything she saw.
"Wow. It's so different from Rehinar. There are so many people!"
"Just like the Young Master, this is your first time here too, right, Camilla?"
"Yes, Chief Administrator."
"Take it all in. It will be a valuable experience for you."
Daniel spoke like a grandfather giving advice. As he said, Camilla was busy looking around the entire time they were moving.
The sight was completely different from Rehinar.
The city was filled with brick buildings.
The roads were well-maintained.
Instead of torches, magical lamps were installed everywhere.
It was a highly developed city.
In comparison, Rehinar seemed almost like a village.
"Where would you like to go first, Your Grace?" Daniel asked.
"Daniel, you go sell the mana stones. I'll take these guys to the slave market."
"Are you sure you'll be alright without me?"
"Of course."
Kane spoke confidently. This city was full of merchants.
If you weren't careful, you could easily be swindled.
"Are you saying you can negotiate a satisfactory deal?"
"Absolutely."
"Hm. Unlike fighting, trading requires excellent negotiation skills."
Daniel didn't dismiss Kane's confidence as youthful arrogance.
He just wanted to point out that trading was different from fighting.
"With about 50 people and considering they have 1st-class mana, you should get at least 600,000 gold per person."
"Isn't that a bit too simple as a wager?"
"If you manage to get 600,000 gold per person, I'll forget about all the advanced money you've taken."
"Good wager. Let's do it."
Daniel wanted to see Kane's trading skills.
How would Kane fare in this trade city, where countless people were making deals?
If it became obvious he wasn't skilled at trading, he might not get even 100,000 gold per person.
"See you at the inn after the trade.""
"Got it."
Kane and Camilla disappeared with the slaves.
"Chief, is it really okay to let the Young Master go alone?"
"Shouldn't one of us at least accompany him?"
"If he meets some scoundrel, he might not even get 100,000 gold."
The price of slaves varied greatly.
There wasn't a fixed price.
In other words, haggling was always an option.
In response to the elders' concerns, Daniel replied.
"If the Young Master's trading skills are exceptional, he'll get more than 600,000 gold. Even if he doesn't, it doesn't matter. So what if he isn't a great trader? He already excels in so many other areas."
If the Young Master turned out to be skilled in trading too, it would be a great fortune.
If Kane mastered martial arts, strategy, and trading,
It would be a blessing for Rehinar.
"Just hope he doesn't go to the Black Crow Exchange."
"If he goes there, he'll not only come up short but also lose all his money… That must not happen."
"With Camilla with him, surely he won't go there?"
The Black Crow Exchange was notorious even within the Fresia Empire.
It was a place where even nobles dared not tread lightly.
A place infamous for its roughness, with no exceptions for noble heirs.
* * *
"Your Grace. How about that slave trader over there?"
"Not my destination."
Kane walked briskly ahead.
He stopped in front of a massive building.
"This is a gladiator slave market, isn't it?"
"There's no better place to sell these guys at a high price."
"N-Not this, this place is dangerous. If you lose in negotiation, you won't get a single coin."
"Negotiation? If it comes to that, I'll just fucking destroy the place."
"…Ah."
Camilla realized her mistake.
She had momentarily forgotten Kane's nature.
The Young Master was not someone who adhered to common sense.
'I was foolish to think he'd engage in normal trading.'
She understood belatedly.
Kane had one purpose for coming here: coercion.
"Let's go in."
Kane entered the building.
The huge entrance was immense, almost castle-like.
At that moment, a man stepped in front of him.
"What brings you here?"
A large, bald man looked down at Kane.
He appeared to be about 210 cm tall.
"I don't like being looked down upon."
"Can't help it if you're short."
"And you speak curtly."
"Even if you're a noble, you're just a customer here."
"Gillip still lacks judgment. What's the point of having such an idiot as a gatekeeper?"
"You seem to know my boss's name, but you don't want to… Urk?"
The large man wobbled sideways.
He didn't understand what was happening.
Then he met Kane's eyes.
"You?"
"It's going to hurt."
Kane's fist collided with the large man's face.
With a thud, the man fell to the ground.
"For his size, he's too weak."
Kane stepped over the unconscious man.
"Your Grace, is it alright to leave him like that?"
"It's fine. I know the boss here well."
"Even though you've mostly stayed within the family estate?"
"Let's just say we're quite close. He can't refuse a favor from me."
"When did you establish such connections?"
"A long time ago."
Kane smirked.
He recalled old memories.
Gillip Aches.
He was the head of the Black Crow Exchange, a stubborn guy who often tried to double-cross him.
"I happen to have a good stick in my hand."
Cedric's spear, bearing the emblem of the Blue Tiger, was perfect for use as a club.
Passing through the corridor, they reached the main area.
It was bustling with people.
In the center, a slave auction was in full swing.
Camilla looked around in amazement when a guide from the exchange approached.
"What's your business?"
"They're all so ill-mannered," Kane muttered.
The guide who heard him chuckled.
"Do you not know what kind of place this is?"
"Isn't this a slave market?"
"It's not just any slave market," the guide sneered.
The man had a long scar across his left eye and looked just as rough as the one Kane had knocked out at the entrance.
"They still think they're the best around."
"Did you come here to pick a fight?"
"Isn't it obvious why I'm here? I'm here to trade slaves."
"Are all those people behind you slaves?"
The guide's eyes lit up. Roughly fifty slaves. It wasn't common for someone to bring so many to sell.
"I thought you were a naive young master, but I guess not."
"I need to store the slaves for a bit. I'll pay the storage fee after I sell them."
"The usual rule is to pay upfront, but I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other, so I'll make an exception."
The guide still spoke informally, but then he glanced at the woman behind Kane and said, "Aren't you selling that woman? I bet she'd fetch at least a million gold at auction… Ugh!"
The guide stopped mid-sentence and swallowed hard. Kane's spear tip was suddenly at his throat.
"Watch your fucking tongue," Kane warned.
The guide nodded involuntarily. He had encountered countless people in this place—knights, mages, rough mercenaries, and assassins. He had seen and dealt with many dangerous situations and people, so he was not easily scared. Yet now, he nearly wet himself from fear.
"Consider yourself lucky our paths had crossed before."
Kane lowered his spear and disappeared into the crowd.
Camilla turned to the guide before following Kane.
"Please take good care of the slaves."
She, too, disappeared from sight.
Left alone, the guide rubbed his throat and muttered to himself.
"I thought I was going to die…"