Derrick left the shop in a better mood. He had gotten everything he desired and still had a staggering 10 892 gold coins. He also had the pleasure of humiliating a wench on top, which was the cherry on top. His next step was to solve his issues of transportation.He roamed around the street and delved even deeper towards the center of Terra. It appeared carriages were in high-demand for such a prestigious location. The thought of him spending way more than his budget crossed the mind of Derrick, and he had to say he was scared. He wanted the lion"s share to go towards obtaining more subordinates.
After a walk that lasted a few minutes, he came in front of a large establishment that had its private street. It was gorgeous, with large french windows and marble columns. A large sign, carved in what seemed to be red oak, hung above large iron doors.
"Moving Lux u0026 Co. … Seems like I"ll have to rethink my budget…"
He stepped on the red carpet that led to its entrance and was amazed by the sight greeting him. It was a gigantic showroom, with all their models on display. He could see all types of vehicles, from utility to luxury, from work to pleasure. There was even a counter at the near end that boasted it could personally build your dream transport.
Derrick had to say he was a little overwhelmed. He didn"t expect this industry to be so prosperous.
A freshly dressed man noticed the newcomer and politely greeted Derrick. He didn"t judge the necromancer by his appearance, which spoke volume of his experience. He had seen every type of n.o.ble, and he wasn"t fazed by someone wearing a cheap black cloak.
"Greetings, Sir. My name"s George. How may I be of a.s.sistance today?"
Derrick didn"t waste time and went straight to the point.
"Can you show me utility carriages? Either magic-powered or manual, it doesn"t matter"
George obliged and led Derrick to a black counter. He couldn"t identify the material and it piqued his curiosity.
The salesman saw his interest, but didn"t indulge him. After all, they weren"t here to discuss materials.
He took out a large and pristine brown ledger and turned its white pages until it arrived to the section Derrick was interested in. He then turned the book around and presented it. The information was neatly displayed and realistic drawings accompanied them.
[Basic Enchanted Merchandise Carriage]
[Grade : Rare]
[Maximum Speed : 20 KMH]
[Load Capacity : 500 kilograms]
[Description : Made of enchanted iron and comprised of a magical core powering its four wheels]
[Price : 250 Gold Coins]
[Price for a non-enchanted version : 50 Gold coins (Doesn"t include the horses)]
[Advanced Enchanted Merchandise Carriage]
[Grade : Rare]
[Maximum Speed : 30 KMH]
[Load Capacity : 700 kilograms]
[Description : Made of enchanted iron and comprised of a magical core powering its four wheels]
[Price : 500 Gold Coins]
[Price for a non-enchanted version : 100 Gold coins (Doesn"t include the horses)]
Derrick was flabbergasted by their capacities. The mining operations and overall activities of Akata would be greatly enhanced. Without pausing a beat, he immediately placed his order.
"Do you have 2 basic enchanted merchandise carriages and 1 advanced one?"
George was taken aback, but promptly nodded. He didn"t think this customer would disburse such a sum.
Derrick was pleasantly surprised by the prices. They weren"t trying to rip an arm and a leg.
"I"ll take them"
A smile appeared on the salesman, and he waited for Derrick"s payment, which arrived shortly after. A sale of this magnitude wasn"t extraordinary, but it was still a decent payday.
George went to the back and brought a magical pouch containing the merchandise. After a short inspection, he satisfyingly left. He hadn"t solved his expertise problem, but he could always ask at this next destination.
Once outside, he was met with a suffocating heat indicating that half a day had already gone by. It was time to finally go back to the Slave Market.
***
After he pa.s.sed security and entered the hideous building, Derrick found the familiar first floor that was still filled with people. He had to say he would probably never get used to a scene like this.
His first step was to find cheap slaves to fill the new mines. Even though they looked devoid of emotions, he hoped that offering them freedom after a period of time would reignite their will to live. If it didn"t, he would simply have free labor. It was a win-win either way as he needed population.
His first reflex was to go towards a seller of orcs. They had great bodies and their strength were incomparable to humans. They would make great miners.
"System, use Potentus on this group of orcs"
[The a.s.sessment is in progress… Done! There is no individual that will reach the Master level in any domain]
He was a bit disappointed, but he couldn"t always. .h.i.t a jackpot.
The slave trader noticed his interest and approached him.
"I see you"re interested in this group hehe… There are 40 orcs in total, all adults. They sell for 1 gold coin each"
It was a short and fat man with crooked teeth. While talking, he spit a few times in the direction of Derrick, which simply wanted to break his neck. He was plainly repulsing.
"They are malnourished. 30 Gold coins in total, take it or leave it"
The necromancer was interested, but only for the right price. Moreover, even though he had transporting accommodations, there was a limit.
The fat man grimaced at the reply, but he couldn"t deny the observation. With the unnatural strength of orcs came their large appet.i.tes. Feeding them decent meals would quickly bankrupt any trader, which was why they were cheaper than other races.
After reflecting a bit, the trader finally agreed. He had to get rid of his "stock" while there was still profit to be made.
Derrick shook his potty hand and paid him. He told him he would come back later to finalize the contract and take them away.
This was a great start, and he continued looking on the floor, scanning various groups. Alas, it was in vain. n.o.body had hidden potential. It seemed like the traders easily recognized talented individuals.
With a sigh, he headed to the fourth floor, meeting the extra layer of security.
He arrived in the large hall with a single central counter. Yankov was still sitting behind it, writing in his black ledger. He heard the footsteps and lifted his head. When he saw the young man with golden hair and green eyes, a smile crept on his face. He clearly recognized Derrick.
Without even waiting his arrival, the small man spoke.
"How can I help you Mr. Tarlin?"
"It seems like you remember me, so I"ll cut to the chase : Enchanters and Researchers"
"Budget?"
Derrick grinned at this sentence. There was no way he didn"t have the funds this time with 9862 gold coins remaining.
"9000"
Yankov chocked and his eyes were bigger than saucers. That was a ridiculous budget for slaves! Derrick also precised his demand.
"Researchers for teleportation and transportation if possible"
He had been greatly startled by the teleportation device and what its possibilities meant. It would be a game changer if he managed to acquire the technology.