The Crystals' Galleria (1)

 Anna led the duo inside, since Alejandro had stayed behind to give them privacy. His task was to monitor them during their trip, not shadow everything they did. Plus, he was sure they were in very capable hands. When the newly formed trio crossed the threshold, Lloyd and Alexander became fascinated by the shop's interior. The space was far more expansive than its exterior suggested, its stark white walls and floors devoid of any distracting hues, thus creating an illusion of boundless space. As for the layout, it was an exercise in minimalist elegance, with a single-room, open floor plan dotted with strategically placed display tables, each showcasing an array of exquisite products. The clean lines and clutter-free space reminded Lloyd of an Apple Store, a comparison that made him smile. The clientele present appeared to be nobles or individuals of significant wealth, reinforcing the notion that this was a haven for those with fat wallets.

"I haven't seen you around before, is this your first time in Gruzia?"

 Anna's sudden question was for the both of them, as she had quickly noticed that Alejandro was a local. It also made sense given the reputation of her establishment, as she was sure that the locals would recommend them. What really intrigued her, however, was the fact that he appeared to be an official soldier. If that was the case, then why was he accompanying foreigners?

"That's correct. I'm Merchant Lloyd, and this is my bodyguard, Alexander. We wander the continent and follow wherever our business takes us, and it just so happens that we've ended up here for our next project."

 Christopher was starting to master his fake identity and the art of being as vague as possible. Given the possibility of frequently visiting this place, he aimed to establish a solid first rapport and maintain a cloud of mystery around him. After all, connections were a must if he was to succeed. When Anna heard him, she was stunned. She had expected the small man to be the extra, not the other way around. These customers were starting to become far more interesting.

"Fascinating! Well, Merchant Lloyd, I suppose you came here to buy magic crystals, right?"

"Indeed. My budget's limited to 50 gold coins at the moment, but it's because it's a preliminary venture to gauge profitability. If successful, I plan to invest significantly more."

 He sounded resolute yet slightly amateurish, further stoking Anna's doubts. Was he really an experienced merchant? Her instincts were usually on point, and they were currently screaming that this man was a complete novice. But she couldn't confirm it just yet. He had also just stated that he might become a big client, making it in her best interest to treat him well until she could truly assess his 'value'.

"Very well. Your budget is quite limited, but we still offer a few products that should suit you."

 She then guided the duo to a glass-encased display that held a perfectly spherical crystal, its bluish hue softly luminescent. It was an object of mesmerizing beauty, which captivated him immediately.

"This is a low-grade magic crystal that's been refined for immediate use. All you need to do is insert it into a receiver, and it will supply power for a limited duration. Here's the specification sheet."

 She then pushed a small metallic button on the side of the case, causing a holographic screen to appear above it.

[Low-grade Magic Crystal] [Status]: Refined | [Power]: 1 | [Lifespan]: 1 (In years and under full load) | [Price]: 10 gold coins.

 The information was fairly simple to understand, with the exception of the power category. But just as he wanted to inquire about it, a sudden buzz reverberated through his skull.

[The book 'Elementary Magic: The 101 Things You Should Absolutely Know!' has been absorbed! Its content is now available.]

 A torrent of knowledge then suddenly assaulted his brain, making him nearly faint from dizziness and over stimulation. Luckily, his body had stopped wavering instants before crumbling to the ground, saving him from a potentially nasty fall. However, this short episode caused the manager to panic.

"Are you alright?!"

 After all, she had just witnessed her customer go from being seemingly fine to the brink of passing out. If he truly was an important figure, such an incident could escalate to the higher-ups and tarnish her store's reputation. But next to the flustered Anna was a relaxed Alexander, who was more contemplative than worried. Was this related to his skill?

"I'm terribly sorry, I was just feeling a bit light-headed. I should've eaten properly this morning."

 Lloyd played it casually while telepathically communicating with the General, who grinned when his suspicion was confirmed.

"I'm fine now, so let's continue."

 Anna didn't appear convinced, but she relented nonetheless since the client was king. Meanwhile, another long prompt had appeared next to the gem, albeit only for the engineer to see this time.

['Power' is the quantitative measure indicating the output of magic crystals. In this instance, a 'Power' of 1 is equivalent to the continuous maximum strength exerted by 1 average individual. It is also a linear measure, meaning that a 'Power' of 5 equals the continuous strength of 5 men, etc. As for a crystal's grade, it is used to determine its longevity and power. This category is divided into 5 levels: Low, Medium, High, Epic, Unique. A 'Unique' grade crystal could, for example, last thousands of years and have an output that eclipses the size of a small city in Arcadia. Lastly, a crystal's refining status determines its value, as only master craftsmen can refine them while preserving their integrity.]

 This explanation left him in awe. Such an item on Earth would have had every nation fighting over it, regardless of consequences. It was simply revolutionary, even more so than the invention of the Atomic Bomb.

 However, his sudden and quite apparent excitement left Anna further confused. This man had gone from being fine, to nearly fainting, to gleefully smiling? What the hell was happening?!

 When Christopher noticed her incredulous expression, he knew that he had to explain his erratic behavior.

"I apologize, but I just realized that my project will definitely work with these. How many magic crystals of higher grades do you also sell?"

 She was taken aback by his immediate inquisitiveness, but she masked it well and answered his question, convinced that her interrogations would be settled in due time.

"We have 80 medium grade, 10 high grade and 1 epic grade. The prices, per unit, are 50 gold coins, 1 platinum coin, and 1000 platinum coins respectively. If I do not have what you want, I can also put in a special request at our headquarters."

 Ouch! The store's inventory was decent, but way out of his budget… At least for now.

"What about raw materials? Is it possible to purchase some here? Or is someone else selling them?"

 The manager was once again puzzled. Requests for raw materials were extremely rare and usually only made by refining masters. For anyone else, it was akin to burning money. However, her intuition strangely told her that she might be on the cusp of an extraordinary opportunity, a weird twist if he proved to be a complete beginner.

"Of course, but I should warn you that buying raw materials will not guarantee the final product that you see behind this glass. Only Masters can achieve these results."

 Her response further broadened Lloyd's smile, a single thought now dominating his mind.

[The <Transcendent Eyes> skill is activating...]