Chapter 74: Connecting the Dots
"How much is it?" Aur asked, looking at the watch with satisfaction.
"About that, you see, since these equipments aren't mass-produced, their price is very high—"
"Get to the point." Aur rubbed his ears, looking at the butler with an annoyed expression.
"Very well, young master, it will be twenty middle-grade mana crystals," the butler said with a smile. However, Aur frowned when he heard the price.
"These little devices cost this much?" Aur said with a little disbelief.
"You know it is made up of premium—"
"I will take it for fifty low-grade mana crystals," he interrupted the butler with a smile.
"Isn't that a little greedy?" the butler said with a business smile. This kid was too greedy.
"Forty low-grade mana crystals," Aur replied.
"This kid is a tough nut to crack…" the old butler rubbed his forehead with a frown on his face.
"Alright, it can be arranged in one middle-grade mana crystal; however, it won't go lower than that. This is my final price," the butler said with a serious tone. There was still his polite smile on his face, but it seemed tinged with rage, hidden behind the smile.
"I will take four of them. Can I get them for my legs as well?" Aur nodded his head.
"Yes, you can," the butler grumbled. "You have really made me take a huge loss," he added with a miserable expression.
Aur just smiled while staying silent.
The butler glanced at Aur from the corner of his eyes and nodded his head while going back in.
Aur looked at the items in the shop with a glint in his eyes, restraining himself from moving his hands.
"These aren't so easy to get. If it was these shops, they would have long been ransacked," Aur consoled himself internally with a sigh.
The old man soon came back with four boxes.
"By the way, old man, how much is the limit for their weight?"
"Oh, it is two tons, young master. However, I wouldn't recommend using more than 200 kgs. Actually, these could be used as a weapon as well, but—"
"I understand." Aur nodded his head as he dipped his hand into the pouch as if taking out something.
Four middle-grade mana crystals appeared in his hand, and he handed them to the old man with a reluctant expression.
"There go all my savings…" Aur grumbled with pity as he was about to leave the shop.
"Wait, young master," the butler hurriedly stopped him.
"Hmm?" Aur paused and turned back. "What is it?"
"If you are short on mana crystals, we can give you a small loan if you want," the butler said with a smile on his face.
"Oh," Aur was stunned as his eyes brightened with glee. "Really?"
"Yes, really, young master," the butler nodded his head with a smile.
"How much can you give me?" Aur hesitated with a sincere expression on his face. "And how much do I have to pay back?"
"Oh, you only have to pay back twenty-five percent per month, like the market setup," the butler seemed to be calculating in his head. "And how much would you like?"
"I would like a hundred middle-grade mana crystals," Aur stated straightforwardly, causing the butler to be stunned.
"Huh?" He inhaled his saliva and looked at Aur with disbelief written on his face.
"I want a hundred middle-grade mana crystals. I promise I will return it to you with interest in half a year at most," Aur stated again as he stared at the butler with his crimson eyes.
"But—"
Suddenly, the butler's eyes widened as the air gathered toward Aur in the surrounding two metres around him.
"This… this is," the butler looked at this tentatively.
The water in a glass near Aur also broke, and the water from it floated up.
"The five elemental magic is one of the spells from it; you have already imprinted the spell?" the butler rubbed his eyes as if he was seeing things.
He was also a peak wizard apprentice and knew about the difficulty of actually imprinting one of the spells of the five elemental magic.
"Isn't this kid from the new batch? Hmm…" The butler had a contemplating expression.
"Master Aur, 'we' will give you a hundred middle-grade mana crystals as a loan."
Aur stopped using his spell as his crimson eyes stopped glowing with four lights, and the water fell to the ground with a splash.
"Thank you for helping me. I will never forget this favour if I can become an elder." Aur bowed his head with a sincere expression, causing the butler to be satisfied.
"However, a hundred middle-grade mana crystals is a large sum. Can you wait for a week?" the butler said while gulping his saliva.
"Yes, I can." Aur nodded his head in an understanding expression. "I will take my leave then."
"Wait, young master, take these with you for now." The old man gritted his teeth as he threw back the four middle-grade mana crystals that Aur had previously given.
"Take this for now; it will be counted for the hundred middle-grade mana crystal that we will loan you."
"Alright."
With that said, Aur headed back to his own dorm instead of going to the gym since he had the weights now, he didn't actually need to go there.
As he entered his dorm, Lucy was there, laboriously working hard to clean every nook and cranny of the place.
"Young master." Lucy's face beamed with a smile when she saw Aur.
Aur directly ran up to her and tightly hugged her.
"Umm, young master?" Lucy asked with confusion, however, Aur gave her a simple answer by staying silent.
After a long time of hugging her, Aur suddenly whispered in her ear, "Thank you," his hot breath stinging her skin, which made Lucy shiver.
Before they parted, both smiling at each other.
"What happened to you, young master?" Lucy asked with an uncertain expression.
"I fought with my family, and now we have parted ways," Aur said with an expressionless face.
"Huh, what happened?"
"It was a family argument. I have come to believe that nothing in this world loves me anymore," Aur shook his head with a sigh.
Lucy had a concerning expression on her face; however, she was internally smirking, "Finally, my chance has come."
She suddenly hugged Aur as well, tightly holding him like a koala.
"Young master, I am with you," Lucy consoled him.
"Thank you; I appreciate it," Aur smiled as he hugged her back, with her soft knockers touching Aur's chest, Lucy slightly blushed.
"I am going to train; you don't have to do such a cleaning job."
"No, this is my duty, young master," Lucy firmly denied with a stern expression.
"Okay." Aur warmly smiled as he returned to his room.
As the door closed behind him, Aur's face turned cold, devoid of any warmth he had shown before.
He sneered as he casually shrugged, before he started to meditate while taking out a casual middle-grade mana crystal from his bag.
"I have finally connected all the dots now. If anyone even wants to see through this, it will undoubtedly take a thorough investigation and time," Aur thought as he closed his eyes.
Although Aur might not be the most intelligent person in the world, he knew how to scheme. He was very experienced in this, having gained such skills in his previous life already.