Ch15: Money!!

The next day, Archaes set out with a purpose. Clutching the hard but light metal ingot he had found in the ruins, he visited every blacksmith in Syphilis, hoping to learn more about its properties.

"Do you recognize this metal?" he asked one blacksmith after another, holding up the ingot. Each one examined it closely, tapping it with hammers, testing its weight, and scrutinizing its surface. But all he received in return were shrugs and speculative theories.

"It's too light to be iron, but too hard to be anything common," one blacksmith mused.

"Could be some sort of alloy, but I've never seen anything like it," another offered.

"Maybe it's a relic from an ancient forge, techniques lost to time," suggested a third.

Disappointed but undeterred, Archaes decided to shift his focus. He made his way to the grand auction house at the center of the city, clutching the seven gemstones he had collected from the ruins. He didn't trust the shopkeepers to give him a fair price, and an auction seemed like the best way to ensure he received their true value.

The auction house was a bustling place, filled with merchants, nobles, and curious onlookers. Archaes approached the counter and presented his gemstones to the clerk, a sharp-eyed woman who examined each stone meticulously.

"These are fine specimens," she said after a thorough inspection. "I'll have them authenticated, and they'll be included in our auction two weeks from now."

Archaes nodded, relieved to have a date. "Thank you," he said, as the clerk handed him a receipt.

Leaving the auction house, Archaes felt a mix of anticipation and impatience. Two weeks seemed like an eternity, but he knew it would be worth the wait. He could feel Corax's weight settle on his shoulder, the crow's presence a comforting reminder that he wasn't alone.

"Two weeks, Corax," he said, glancing at his feathered friend. "We just need to be patient. In the meantime, we can continue to explore the city and maybe find more clues about that metal."

Corax cawed softly in response, and Archaes smiled. Together, they walked through the vibrant streets of Syphilis, the anticipation of the auction giving him a renewed sense of purpose.

Archaes sat in his small rented room, counting his remaining money. "930 brass coins," he muttered, mentally calculating how long it would last him. The upcoming auction was his best hope for a significant influx of funds. In the meantime, he decided to experiment with the bottle of mana-infused water he had created during his travels.

Over the next two weeks, Archaes spent hours each day testing the properties of the liquid. He dipped various materials into it, from cloth to wood, observing the effects. "This stuff really does affect everything," he marveled as a piece of cloth became sturdier and a wooden stick gained an unexpected resilience.

One day, he applied a small amount of the liquid to his arm, where a minor cut had been bothering him. "Let's see if this really has healing properties," he said to Corax, who watched intently from his perch. To his amazement, the cut began to close up, healing faster than it would have naturally.

"This could be revolutionary," Archaes said, excitement in his voice. "Not just for reinforcement, but for healing too."

Experimenting further, he combined the liquid with his Flash Fire ability. Carefully, he infused a metal rod with the mana-infused water, then activated Flash Fire. The rod heated up, glowing softly. "It works," he exclaimed. "I can heat objects with just a bit of magic and this liquid."

Each discovery filled him with a sense of accomplishment and hope. The versatility of the mana-infused water seemed boundless. Archaes documented his findings meticulously, jotting down notes in a small, worn notebook.

"Reinforcement, healing, heating," he listed the abilities out loud, "What else can this do?"

By the end of the two weeks, he felt prepared for whatever the future held. The auction was just around the corner, and with his newfound knowledge and the proceeds from the gemstones, he was confident he could take on whatever challenges lay ahead.

As he lay in bed the night before the auction, he felt a rare sense of optimism. "We're ready, Corax," he said, stroking the crow's feathers. "Tomorrow, everything changes."

The next day, Archaes donned his finest clothes and made his way to the auction house. As he approached the grand entrance, he showed his permit to the guards, who nodded and allowed him to pass through the ornate gates.

Inside, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation. Archaes marveled at the opulence of the hall, filled with well-dressed attendees and sparkling chandeliers. He found a seat and settled in, his heart pounding with excitement and a hint of nervousness.

An anchor climbed onto the stage, capturing everyone's attention. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to tonight's auction. We have an array of exquisite items for your consideration."

The auction began, and Archaes watched as the early items were presented. He quickly realized that the prices being thrown around were not in brass coins, but in silver coins.

"Ten silver coins," the anchor announced for a delicate, jeweled tiara.

Archaes did a quick calculation in his head and nearly fainted. "That's a hundred thousand brass coins," he whispered to himself. The enormity of the wealth on display was overwhelming.

"Next item, a rare potion of invisibility," the anchor declared. "Starting bid at twenty silver coins."

Archaes clutched the edges of his seat. "Two hundred thousand brass coins," he thought, his mind reeling.

Item after item went by, each with prices that boggled his mind. He realized just how different this world was from the one he had lived in. His gemstones were coming up, and he hoped they would fetch a price that could propel him forward in his journey.

"Lot number twenty-three," the anchor announced. "A set of seven rare gemstones."

Archaes held his breath as the gemstones were brought onto the stage. They glimmered under the lights, looking even more beautiful than he remembered.

"Starting bid at fifty silver coins," the anchor began.

The bidding started slowly, but it quickly picked up pace. "Fifty-five silver coins," one bidder called out.

"Sixty," another countered.

Archaes watched in awe as the bids climbed higher and higher. "Eighty silver coins," a voice from the back shouted.

"Eighty-five," someone else immediately followed.

"Going once, going twice, sold for eighty-five silver coins!" the anchor declared, slamming the gavel down.

Archaes let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Eight hundred and fifty thousand brass coins," he whispered in disbelief. The realization hit him like a wave—this money could change his life.

With his gemstones sold, Archaes left the auction house with a sense of triumph and newfound hope. He was no longer the poor street urchin struggling to survive; he was now someone with resources and possibilities. As he walked back to his inn, his mind raced with plans for the future, his heart lighter than it had ever been.