"150,000?"
George's eyes lit up instantly.
He hadn't expected that his small pouch, expanded to two cubic meters using the Undetectable Extension Charm, could fetch 150,000 J in a magic shop.
150,000 J was a significant amount in this world. Most magical items in the shop were priced well below 100,000 J, with few exceeding even 50,000 J.
For ordinary people, 150,000 J was enough to live comfortably for several years.
Although George could easily create hundreds of such pouches in a single day, he quickly dismissed the idea. Supply and demand dictated value; if he flooded the market, the price would plummet, and he might draw unnecessary attention.
Money was sufficient as long as it served its purpose. At this stage, his focus remained on staying low-key and learning magic.
He couldn't help but appreciate how convenient some magic from the Harry Potter universe was. The Undetectable Extension Charm alone had indirectly granted him financial freedom in this world.
"200,000, or I won't sell it," George said, clutching the small pouch closer.
The shopkeeper didn't hesitate. He swiftly retrieved a box from beneath the counter, counted out a thick stack of bills, and handed it to George.
"Alright, 200,000 it is. Here's 212,000 in total. Please count it."
Selling the pouch for 200,000 was still a great deal for the shopkeeper. He could easily resell it for 300,000 or even 400,000, making a substantial profit.
"You didn't even try to bargain?"
George pretended to look disgruntled, though inwardly, he wasn't bothered. After all, creating such a pouch was effortless for him.
"How about this, dear customer? Today, everything in my store is 20% off for you," the shopkeeper added hastily, fearing George might change his mind.
"Now that's more like it."
Satisfied, George handed over the pouch and began browsing the shop.
The store wasn't large, but it was packed with an impressive array of items—enchanted swords, armors, magical trinkets, and books about the fundamentals of magic.
George wasn't interested in weapons or armor. His small cat form made wielding such items impractical, and even in human form, he disliked close combat. Magic suited him far better.
His attention gravitated toward magical tomes, journals, and tools.
The journals offered insights into the magical world's guild dynamics, providing a deeper understanding of the kingdom and Fairy Tail.
The magical books covered the fundamentals, including classifications of magic and its history.
The magical tools came with a wide range of functionalities, from mundane utilities to combat applications.
"How much for these Gale Chant Glasses?"
George's gaze settled on a magical item of particular interest. According to the label, wearing the glasses while reading would enable a user to skim through books at a speed of five pages per second, significantly accelerating the learning process.
He needed to study this world's magical system from scratch, which required reading many books. These glasses could greatly enhance his learning efficiency.
"You have a great eye, dear customer! This is one of the finest magical tools in my shop, priced at 50,000 J. But for you, it's 40,000 J with the discount," the shopkeeper said enthusiastically.
"Pack these glasses along with the books and journals I selected."
Without haggling further, George swiped his paw dismissively.
Ten minutes later, the shopkeeper presented a package nearly half his height.
"The total is 80,000 J. With the discount, it's 64,000 J. If you need, I also have a magical cart—"
"No need," George interrupted, cutting short the shopkeeper's pitch. After paying, he cast a levitation charm on the package, hooked it with his tail, and flew out of the shop.
On the bustling streets, townsfolk curiously glanced at George as he passed by, but no one stopped or stared.
To the people of this world, George's peculiar appearance—a small, talking, flying magical cat—wasn't particularly extraordinary.
He found a decent inn, paid for three days upfront, and settled in with his newly acquired items.
While his feline form made it easy to camp in the woods outside the city, he saw no reason to skimp on comfort.
He had money, after all. Why rough it in the wild when he could enjoy prepared meals and a soft bed? His body was a cat's, but his soul remained human.
The next few days, George planned to delve into the magical books and journals to better understand Fairy Tail's guild and its world. He needed to approach joining the guild cautiously, armed with knowledge.
If he discovered that Fairy Tail wasn't a good fit, he could always consider other guilds.
After all, this world was brimming with magical guilds. Several rivaled Fairy Tail in renown. There was no need to tie himself down to a single choice.
"Let's test if these glasses truly work."
Sitting on the inn's bed, George adjusted the Gale Chant Glasses, which were slightly oversized but usable.
He opened a thick tome introducing the types of magic in this world and channeled a bit of magic into the glasses.
Magical arrays flared up on the lenses. As he looked through them at the book, the words seemed to imprint themselves directly into his mind without any conscious effort to read.
He flipped to the next page—and the process repeated seamlessly.
As long as he flipped the pages fast enough, he didn't need to worry about absorbing or processing the information.
What would've taken days to read, George finished within an hour using the glasses.
His brain felt slightly dizzy afterward, though.
The shopkeeper had warned him not to use the glasses for more than two hours a day, or the mental strain would become overwhelming.
But George, with his psychic abilities, felt confident he could push it to three or four hours.
Despite the limitation, George considered the glasses invaluable. A task that used to take days now took mere hours.
After the cooldown, he could use the time to practice and internalize the magical knowledge he'd just absorbed.
"When I'm skilled enough, I'll definitely learn how to craft these magical tools!"
Removing the glasses, George resolved to one day create similar items himself.
If he'd had such a study aid at Hogwarts, he could've devoured every book in the library before graduating, becoming the most knowledgeable wizard in the magical world.