Aiden received the blade, free of charge. However, he had to purchase a suitable sheath, which was hard given its strange shape and flawed build. In the end, he had to spend fifty bronze coins on a sheath that adapts and maintenance for the blade.
"That's strange," the shopkeeper muttered after a short yelp. "The whetstones just cracked. You'll have to wait while I get more from the storage."
"There is no need," Aiden said. "I'll take care of it."
The shopkeeper seemed reluctant and hesitant, but still gave him the sword in its black leather sheath. As he carried it, it was lighter than before, which he guessed would be one of the wonders of the sheath.
Aiden then left the shop under the concerned eyes of the clerk, who couldn't help but feel that she sent another seeker to his death. She sighed and tried to let go, and carried on to place the sword's box in the storage room. However, she couldn't find it.
On the streets of Argan, Aiden felt invincible with a sword strapped to his back. However, it also brought unwanted attention from thugs and rogue seekers, so Aiden tried to hurry his pace to his next destination.
Aiden arrived at a large establishment. This building, unlike the others, was carved out of fine stone walls spiraling toward the sky.
Its exterior was hand-painted by artisans that brought the entire building to life, with murals depicting tales of wealth and glory.
After asking around, Aiden learned that the best place to sell his gems would be The Grand Arcanum — an auction house that buys and sells everything.
As soon as he walked inside through the front doors, Aiden saw eight long lines of people standing in front of a booth. Each booth had a clerk to appraise the items and give them a price.
Everyone was haggling, and most had to swallow their pride and accept the appraisal. Aiden stood at the door as more people rushed inside to find a spot, while he looked around for something else.
"Excuse me," Aiden called to a man in uniform sitting at a desk next to the door, who looked like a receptionist. "Do you wor—"
"Welcome to The Grand Arcanum!" the man said with enthusiasm, almost jumping from his chair. "My name is Yulong. How can I help you today?"
"That's an unusual name," Aiden muttered with surprise. "What does it mean?"
"Ah, my name?" Yulong was taken aback. "I hail from the Midworld, and my family is a direct descendant of an ancient clan. All of our names are rather odd for the region."
Aiden didn't think the young, chubby man with a mustache would reveal so much, but was pleasantly surprised to see him chatty.
"It's good to meet you, Yulong," Aiden said with a nod. "I think you should be the receptionist?"
"I'm the general affairs officer, here to address the needs of our patrons," Yulong said with pride, but his belly protruded farther than his chest. "You can ask me anything, dear guest!"
"Thank you," Aiden said with a smile. "How come no one else is making use of your services?"
Yulong deflated in seconds, as if someone had pulled the plug on him. Aiden chuckled to himself while the chubby man played with his mustache and lamented his fate.
"Most people are eager to sell their items than to ask around," Yulong explained while looking at the rushing crowd. "They don't realize that knowledge is the most precious thing on the market."
"And what knowledge do you have to offer, almighty one?" Aiden asked with a smile. Yulong seemed to regain some of his confidence as he even gestured for Aiden to sit on the empty chair beside his desk.
"For starters, no one knows the current market trends," Yulong explained. "If you ever come across a violet flower, then it would fetch a good price. A recent rise in the stealth potions market has increased the demand for what we call the Voidstem Flower."
"Violet flowers?" Aiden muttered with surprise. "I think I've seen a few."
"Then, I suggest going back to snatch them," Yulong said with a smile as he slipped a card over the table. "I would personally buy them from you."
"I didn't know you could buy things," Aiden said with surprise as he looked at the golden card with the two strange characters engraved on it.
"I cannot do so here in plain view, but an exchange between friends is harmless," Yulong said with a sly smile. "I get the sense you have something to ask me."
"I do," Aiden said as he placed the card away in his pocket. "Can I sell desire gems here even though I'm not a seeker?"
"Oh, that is difficult," Yulong said with a raised brow. "Desire gems are a valuable resource that is controlled by the city. Seekers are one of the few professions that have the license to trade them."
"I figured it would be like that," Aiden said with a sigh. "Well, thank you for the help, Yulong. You saved me a lot of time."
Aiden began to rise when the young man grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the chair. Yulong looked around with shifty, beady eyes before leaning close enough for Aiden to feel his breath.
"As I said, a trade between friends is harmless," Yulong said with a wink, but his cheek did most of the work. "Meet me in the back. We can finish our conversation there."
Aiden watched Yulong bolt through the crowd after making some excuses about needing the bathroom, for some unseen ears to hear. As he disappeared into the crowd, Aiden chuckled and rose.
He found a road leading to the back of The Grand Arcanum, which turned out to be more luxurious than the front. Lush green gardens lined the two sides of the road, while canopies hung overhead.
"Halt!" said the four guards at the gate. "Please identify yourself before entering!"
"Uh, does this work?" Aiden asked while showing them the golden card, and they gave him a curt nod and opened the gate.
Aiden walked into the back auction house, which turned out to be long corridors adorned with flowers and paintings. After a few steps, a giant arm grabbed Aiden and pulled him into a room.