Chapter 50 Costs and Benefits

Chapter 50 Costs and Benefits

Noah Sherlock had a very small frame for a High School Student.

With a cute face and an unimposing expression always displayed, he was always known to be a harmless yet fragile classmate.

As a result, he wasn't particularly bothered in class.

However, he was also a smartass who was recognized as a teachers' pet, so not too many people really liked him.

Since Noah was a smart student who always aced everything he set his heart to, he made a lot of people appear bad in comparison.

All of this culminated into a somewhat average Karma Points for him.

When his turn came to choose his Skills and Class, he could only afford three Skills.

Shadow Magic (B-Tier)

Phase (C-Tier)

Projection (C-Tier)

His Class on the other hand was pretty average as well. He got the [Thief] Class, which dealt in stealth and agility.

It was quite hilarious how he ended up following the path of his Class to the letter.

Noah was able to leave the Royal Estate thanks to this particular ability set that he obtained, so he didn't particularly dislike his Skills and Class.

Not only did the [Thief] Class automatically improve the effects of any Stealth-Based Skill by 50%, but it also had an innate ability of camouflage if one was still for long enough.

It perfectly suited his needs.

With [Projection], he could make people see illusions. Wirh [Phase], he could pass through matter—so long as there was no interference.

And, while he hadn't properly learned how to use his [Shadow Magic] Skill, he could turn his shadow tangible and loosely control it to do his bidding.

All in all, these abilities were incredibly useful when Noah ventured into the outside world to learn more about the world he had been summoned into.

There was a secret he had kept close to his chest—one that no one else knew.

He was a coward!

'I don't want to fight any Dragons! I just want a normal life!'

Unfortunately for him, he had no means or independent resources in this new world.

He was dependent on the Royal Council and the wealth of the United Human Alliance to survive.

That had to change!

And so, by coating himself in his Shadow, this increasing his height and appearing more intimidating, he ventured into the town and observed the commerce.

He was able to ask questions, and the people readily answered him thanks to his intimidating presence.

The information he could obtain was limited, since one needed money before they could learn the more intricate details of this world.

As a result of his need for money, he began to sell some of his personal items.

This allowed him to have his own disposable income, and it helped him learn more information.

But it wasn't enough.

Noah needed more money.

As a result, he cast his gaze on his classmates and their possessions.

In this world, they transacted using coins.

There were Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Coins.

One Bronze Coin was enough to buy a low-budget meal. Two or three would get you something nice, and five was bound to leave you with a full belly.

At least, for the regular folks.

As a result, an average man spent about Ten Bronze Coins to survive a day.

This was, of course, not accounting for accommodation and other similarly important factors.

100 Bronze Coins translated into a Silver Coin, which was pretty much the average weekly wage of a working adult in this world.

100 Silver Coins translated into 1 Gold Coin.

With a Gold Coin, you could get a good house for a year. Rarer did commoners get to use Gold Coins, so it was reserved for merchants and high-class individuals in society.

As for the Platinum Coins... they were only used by the richest of Merchants and Nobles, or Royals.

100 Gold Coins translated to 1 Platinum Coin, and with just one of it... one could build a house, buy good land, and deal with top-end business.

A single Platinum Coin could make an average man set for life.

"Two Gold Coins seems like a lot."

"Seems? It is a lot!" Noah responded to Rey in disbelief.

"You sold an entire sac of my Monster Cores, right? They're about a few hundred in a sac. That translates to about 600 Gold Coins."

"Y-yeah. A total of 680 actually."

That was 6 Platinum Coins and 80 Gold.

"And how much did you get that enchanted necklace?" Rey asked with narrowed eyes.

"About... 180 Gold Coins..."

That meant he had 5 Platinum Coins left.

"I don't know if you studied the process of making Enchanted Items, but they usually utilize Monster Cores."

"Y-yeah. I heard that." Noah answered.

The fact that he heard it, and was stuttering about it, told Rey that he didn't completely understand the process.

"For example... your Enchanted Necklace will primarily use the Monster Core of a Monster who relies on Invisibility. The Core will be converted to the essence of the Necklace, while being powered by a Mana Crystal to activate its effect."

Of course, other minerals like Adamantite—which had great Mana conductivity—would be used as well.

"The point I'm making here is that Monster Cores are very essential in making Enchanted Items. As a result, it doesn't make any sense that the Monster Core of a C-Tier Monster will only be valued at 2 Gold Coins despite its scarcity in the Capital."

When considering the transportation cost necessary to bring C-Tier Cores from the other regions which had them, and the other conditions of commerce—such as time and certainty—it was clear that whoever had a direct source of Grade 6 Monster Core straight from the Capital, was encountering a sweet deal.

Such a merchant could either resell for a much higher price, or make his other products for a cheaper rate.

No matter how one sliced it, they would be in an immense advantage.

"That's why the Cores should have been more expensive..."

"W-what are you saying exactly?" Noah asked Rey, his brows raised in genuine curiosity.

Rey smiled at him, a small sigh escaping his lips.

"You've been scammed."