About thirty seconds later, the brown-haired receptionist returned with a middle-aged man dressed in formal black attire, a pocket watch dangling from his chest and a monocle perched on his nose, exuding the air of an appraiser.
The man's eyes sharpened the moment they landed on the bone chains in the parcel.
"Sir, this way, please." He said respectfully, gesturing toward a side area of the counter.
Adam nodded, picked up the parcel, and followed him.
As he left, the guild hall erupted in murmurs. What had been speculation was now confirmed: the black chains were indeed from a Invisible Hound.
"That cub following him must be newborn, right?"
"Once grown, it'll be a level 45 difficulty monster!"
"Invisible Hounds are cunning and dangerous. Even tamed, they're likely to turn on their master once strong enough."
"That guy, taming such a beast, maybe he's a Beast Summoner."
"I'd bet Tamer."
The hall buzzed with varied theories. Discussing a mysterious strongman was far more engaging than the forest's oddities.
Some adventurers stayed silent, lost in thought, but most pegged Adam as someone not to cross.
If Adam overheard, he'd be pleased.
What was disguise?
Leading others to misjudge your capabilities. The Invisible Hound cub was a layer of misdirection.
Peeling back that layer revealed just enough to make the deception convincing.
In a simply decorated, quiet room, Adam set the parcel on a table and sank into a sofa, waiting as the man began his appraisal.
"Please, take your time. It'll be a moment." The man said, placing a cup of tea before Adam respectfully.
"Go ahead." Adam replied with a nod.
The man sat across from him, donning white gloves before gingerly lifting the bone chains for inspection.
"The sheen and hardness are exceptional." He murmured. "These are from an adult Invisible Hound."
His eyes gleamed as he ran a hand over the chains, then paused at the severed ends. "The cuts are a bit rough, but that's minor. Some polishing will fix it."
Setting the chains down, he raised both hands toward them, chanting softly, "Magic Detection!"
A faint blue glow pulsed from his palms.
Hum!
[Detected second-tier spell Magic Detection, requires level 8–14. Conditions met.]
[Spend 1 skill point to learn?]
Adam blinked at the prompt on his status panel, surprised to find the man was a magic caster.
"No." He thought silently.
Magic Detection was a weak spell among detection magic, only capable of gauging an item's magical strength or spotting magic-infused gear on a person.
It had little combat value.
Moments later, the man canceled the spell, a trace of regret on his face.
"After a Invisible Hound's death, the bone chains lose some magic, especially during removal, which causes further loss." He explained. "Special methods can minimize this, but these chains are still well-preserved. The price will be slightly lower, though."
He looked at Adam respectfully, awaiting his response.
"Can you sell them quickly?" Adam asked, a pang of regret echoing the man's.
"Of course." The man nodded eagerly. "These are prime magical materials, easily crafted into magic weapons."
"If you're not in a rush, we can find the best buyer in three days for the highest price, with a ten percent commission."
"Or we can buy them directly for a lower price, no commission."
Each option had its merits.
Adam considered briefly. "How much if you buy them?"
"One chain for 360 gold coins, so 720 for both." The man replied promptly, sitting up straighter.
Adam's eyes flickered. The price exceeded his expectations.
Given the value of magic items in this world, it was reasonable.
He nodded agreement.
The man's face lit up, and he hurried out, returning in two or three minutes.
In his hands were two money pouches, one noticeably plump, the other much thinner.
"720 gold coins. Since carrying that many is inconvenient, I took the liberty of requesting a platinum coin exchange." He said, sliding the pouches to Adam. "Here are 34 platinum coins and 40 gold coins."
Platinum coins?
Adam frowned slightly. He'd heard of them but never seen one.
The ratio, 34 platinum and 40 gold, seemed off.
"Rarf…" The cub, sensing Adam's shift in mood, bared its sharp teeth at the man.
The man paled, hastily explaining, "Platinum coins have a different exchange rate from gold, silver, or copper in the kingdom, or rather, in all nations."
"Twenty gold coins equal one platinum coin. In smaller countries, the rate can be even higher."
"Platinum coins also take priority in transactions. If you prefer gold, I'll exchange them back immediately."
His voice carried a hint of panic, his body leaning back as he eyed the cub warily, fearing an attack.
Platinum coins, huh.
Adam didn't respond right away, instead picking up a platinum coin from the pouch.
Its color resembled silver but felt heavier and thicker than gold.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. The coin's back didn't bear the Re-Estize Kingdom's crest but an image of a dragon's head.
Dragon!
Adam's gaze sharpened.
In this world, dragons were extraordinary beings.
Platinum coins?
The Platinum Dragon Lord, perhaps?
***
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