paranoianovel Chapter 28 The Money-Giving Boy
Chapter 28 The Money-Giving Boy
Hick sneered inwardly: Just as I thought.
His gaze swept over the heavy bag of magic crystals, but a playful expression appeared on his face, his voice carrying a cold sneer:
"For an ordinary first-level apprentice, your Moreno family is willing to spend 2000 magic crystals... It seems that your patriarch's feelings for this young master are truly touching."
Rizzo's expression stiffened slightly, his eyes flickering, clearly weighing whether or not he should reveal the truth.
Seeing the other person's appearance, Hick became even more certain of his guess.
Even if that brat is very favored, if he only wants revenge, this price is still outrageously high.
That's a full two hundred thousand gold coins! The Moreno family isn't just the Moreno family head's personal property...
"If Commander Riso finds this difficult..."
Hick said indifferently:
"Then please return. As for the Moreno family's gift, I thank you."
Riso felt a pang of anxiety, knowing that without demonstrating sincerity, this trip would be fruitless.
"Lord Hick, regarding this matter..."
He gritted his teeth and gave a wink to the knights beside him. The knights understood, immediately bowed, and quickly retreated to a distance.
Hick remained unmoved and casually waved his hand.
Dila and the apprentices on guard immediately stepped back, maintaining a safe distance.
Immediately, an invisible spiritual force emanated from Hick, precisely constructing a barrier that isolated sight and sound, enveloping him and Riso within it.
To be honest...
Riso lowered his voice and spoke faster.
"The key lies with our young master... who possesses an extremely important medal. We hope you can retrieve it. If you accept the commission for 2000 magic crystals, I will explain this later."
"A medal?" Hick's eyes sharpened. "What kind of medal?"
"I can tell you the design of the emblem, but its specific function..."
Hick understood; this was the core reason for the other party's hesitation.
"Why not explain its function?"
Hick's voice carried an undeniable pressure.
"How do I determine whether this deal is profitable or not? 2000 magic crystals? What if the trouble it involves is far more than that?"
Rizzo's face darkened completely.
Before setting off, he thought Hick was just a lucky kid who had been chosen by a second-level wizard.
However, what he saw and heard after arriving at the Wizard's Tower, especially the prestige and cunning displayed by Hick, completely overturned his understanding.
Now, face to face, Riso felt as if he were not negotiating with a young wizard apprentice, but rather with a real wizard who was well-versed in the exchange of interests and ruthless calculation!
The insight and pressure in those eyes sent chills down his spine.
After a brief silence, Rizzo knew there was no turning back.
"That medal..."
He took a deep breath and practically forced the answer out through clenched teeth.
"This means that one can directly enter the Wizarding Academy in Anse Plains without any examination and freely choose a mentor to become their disciple!"
The Anse Plain, located in the territory of the Kingdom of Sep, the northwestern neighbor of the Kingdom of Siante, is the largest plain in that vast country.
The reputation and power of that wizarding academy are comparable to, or even surpass, those of the Silent Forest!
These thoughts flashed through Hick's mind in an instant, and everything suddenly became clear.
No wonder! The value of a disciple who has direct access to a powerful wizarding academy cannot be measured by mere magic crystals.
For them, 2000 magic crystals was an absolute steal!
"3000 magic crystals!" Hick announced the new price decisively. "I'll take this job!"
Before Rizzo could recover from his shock, he quickly added:
"2000 magic crystals, paid now! The remaining 1000, we'll pay after that guy named Krall breathes his last and we get the award!"
Rizzo's face instantly turned extremely ugly.
He originally thought that adding another 500 magic crystals would be enough to reach an agreement, but 3000?! That's far beyond his bottom line!
He was about to start bargaining when Hick's icy gaze pierced him like a tangible object, completely blocking any way out:
"Remember, Commander," Hick's voice held a detached, controlling air, "this matter, only I can accomplish. No one else? No one!"
Riso swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
He understood the blatant threat in Hick's words—he wouldn't let me do it?
Then this matter will never be resolved!
Given the methods and power that Hick has demonstrated in the Wizard Tower, Riso has no doubt that he is absolutely capable of making it impossible for anyone who tries to get involved in this matter to move an inch in the Silent Forest, or even to disappear silently!
Cold sweat silently soaked through Rizzo's lining.
After thinking for a while, Rizzo gritted his teeth and said:
"3000 magic crystals it is, but that medal must be handed over to us."
Seeing that Rizzo had agreed to the offer, Hick immediately changed his tune and smiled:
"That's for sure. We'll hand over the medal in one hand and the magic crystals in the other."
Seeing Hick, who had just displayed the demeanor of a wizard, now transformed into a pedantic merchant, Riso was speechless.
After the two finalized the details of the deal, Rizzo led his men back to the convoy on the other side.
As Hick watched Rizzo and the others walk away, all he could think was, "What great people! What incredibly great people!"
Even if they hadn't come to commission me, I would have killed that guy Klar myself. But the Moreno family came to make the deal, so now I've essentially made 3000 magic crystals for free.
It can be said that this has contributed to the development of his own experiments.
"Master Hick—! Master Hick—!!"
A sudden burst of urgent and slightly panicked shouts shattered Hick's reverie about the experiments to come.
He turned slightly to the side and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw Heaton running excitedly toward him, his arms bulging with something, and the package kept bulging out strange shapes as he ran.
"stop!"
"Stop! Don't come any closer!"
Dira and the surrounding apprentices reacted extremely quickly, locking onto Heaton almost instantly.
Several faint but dangerous magical lights shone from their fingertips or the tips of their staffs, their icy auras locking onto Heaton, a clear warning.
The air in the room suddenly became tense!
Heaton was so startled by the sudden turn of events that he stumbled and froze on the spot, at a loss for what to do, his face turning pale.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Hick waved his hand and said casually:
"Alright, everyone disperse. Let him come over. This kid isn't capable of harming me."
Upon hearing this, Dila and her apprentices slowly dissipated the magical energy they had gathered, and their guarded postures relaxed slightly.
But wary eyes remained fixed on Heaton, as if scrutinizing a moving, unstable element.
Looking at Heaton, who was so loyal to his predecessor, Hick could only sigh with regret.
Lacking both knightly and wizarding talents, Heaton, in the original owner's eyes, was utterly useless except for his loyalty.
This is why even Dila, who has been with him for three years, doesn't recognize Heaton.
The original body had already abandoned this boy who grew up with it, even though he was extremely loyal!
"But for me now, loyalty is more important than talent!"