The Wizard's Biological Chip Can Process Everything-Chapter 76: Manual for creating the Automaton Golem! I WANT AN ARMY OF GOLENS!
I looked at the vendor for a few moments, watching his expression shift from disdain to genuine interest.
Without taking my eyes off him, I raised my arm forward and extended my hand in a firm gesture.
—My name is Eduard," I said with a faint smile.
He blinked a few times, as if rearranging his thoughts, then accepted my greeting, gripping my hand firmly.
—Nice to meet you, my name is Victor," he replied, his eyes still analyzing the device on the counter.
As soon as we released our handshake, Victor picked up the instant healing device and spun it between his fingers, assessing its structure with a sharp gaze.
He smiled, clearly impressed.
—Good work," he admitted. —I can offer you... eight magic crystals per unit."
I raised an eyebrow and leaned slightly against the counter, crossing my arms.
—Eight crystals? No." I shook my head and kept my voice steady. —I’m a student of Miguel.
As soon as I mentioned the professor’s name, Victor frowned.
His eyes narrowed slightly and then, as if something had clicked in his mind, a slow smile spread across his face.
—Wait," he said, leaning forward slightly. —Were you the one who bought a laboratory some time ago?"
I nodded.
—Yes. Why do you ask?"
Victor chuckled softly and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.
—I buy products from several alchemists," he explained.
—And some of them talked about it. An engineering laboratory that was being acquired caught the attention of a small group of alchemists, one of whom was part of that circle. The information simply spread, you know how it is."
I made a small sound of understanding and nodded.
Of course, in a place like this, any news among practitioners and magic engineers quickly became a topic in the right circles.
After a moment, I looked straight at him and said with a confident smile,
—I may not be as talented as Mateo, but at least I can produce some of these healing devices. Do you want to buy them?"
Victor crossed his arms, analyzing the healing capsule in his hands once more before finally nodding.
—Yes, I’m interested," he said, placing the device back on the counter. —But my offer remains the same: eight magic crystals per unit."
I let out a short laugh and shook my head, placing my hands on the counter.
—Come on, Victor. You and I both know this is worth more than eight crystals." I paused dramatically before continuing. —Fifteen crystals and we have a deal."
Victor narrowed his eyes and snorted, uncrossing his arms and leaning slightly forward.
—Fifteen? That’s not realistic," he said, gesturing with his hand.
—I need to resell this and still make a profit. If I pay fifteen, I’ll have to sell at an absurd price and no one will want to buy."
He sighed thoughtfully, then looked at me again. —I can raise the offer a bit. Nine magic crystals."
I smiled and leaned back, slowly shaking my head.
—Victor, Victor..." I said in an almost playful tone.
—Do you think I’m a fool? This device is a superior piece of magical engineering compared to common health recovery potions and holds great value. Nine crystals don’t even come close."
I raised a finger, emphasizing my point.
—Thirteen crystals. And consider it a discount because I could get more from other buyers."
Victor groaned and massaged his temples.
—You don’t make things easy, do you?"
He sighed and then tapped the counter.
—All right, I can go up to ten crystals. But that’s my limit."
I made a thoughtful expression, as if considering it, but deep down I knew I could push him a little further.
—Ten is an insult," I said, shaking my head. —I could just walk out of here right now and find another buyer in the trade district. Someone who recognizes the true value of this."
Victor clenched his teeth and looked at me, clearly weighing his options. I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
—Eleven crystals," he offered, his voice slightly tenser.
—Almost there," I replied with a smile. —Twelve crystals, and I promise to supply more of them. What do you say? A good deal for both of us."
Victor exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them with a bitter smile.
—You’re good at this, kid." He extended his hand. —Deal. Twelve crystals per unit."
I shook his hand firmly, satisfied. —It was a pleasure doing business with you, Victor."
He chuckled softly. —I should’ve charged an entry fee just for you stepping into my shop."
Victor slid the twelve magic crystals across the counter, and I quickly picked them up, feeling their satisfying weight in my hands.
But instead of handing over just one or two devices, I began pulling more flasks from my bag, one by one.
Two... three... four... seven in total.
I watched Victor’s face lose all color.
His jaw dropped slightly, and he grabbed the counter as if his legs had suddenly gone weak.
—By all the demons of the abyss..." he muttered, eyes wide. —You have seven of these?! And here I thought I’d be profiting from just one!"
I let out a short laugh.
—Surprise."
Victor ran a hand over his forehead, exhaling heavily before breaking into an impressed grin.
—Eduard, my friend, you truly are blessed with talent in engineering. This is insane!"
He picked up one of the devices and spun it between his fingers as if still processing what had just happened.
Then suddenly, his eyes gleamed with a new idea.
—Listen, since you can create these devices..." He leaned over the counter and whispered. —If you can get me a concentrated energy bomb from Mateo, I’ll pay a good price."
I raised an eyebrow, but he continued.
—But if you bring me one made by Miguel..." He paused dramatically, pointing a finger at me.
—I won’t just pay you well, I’ll do everything I can to get you whatever you want. Anything!"
I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head before slamming my palm against the counter, the sharp sound echoing through the shop.
—Victor, come back to reality," I said, mocking him. —Stop daydreaming. These flasks are the only thing you’re getting from me."
Victor suspirou, derrotado, mas logo soltou uma risada.
—Hey, don’t blame me for trying!"
He gathered the seven devices and began making quick calculations.
After a few seconds, he opened a small chest behind the counter and pulled out a handful of magic crystals, placing them on the table.
—Seven devices at twelve crystals each... here are your eighty-four magic crystals, plus the twelve I already gave you.
My eyes gleamed when I saw the pile of crystals before me.
I carefully gathered them, feeling their weight.
This was, without a doubt, one of the best deals I had ever made.
—It’s a pleasure doing business with you, Victor," I said, storing the crystals away.
—The pleasure is all mine, engineer," he replied with a smile.
—And if you change your mind about that bomb... you know where to find me."
With a casual wave, I started to leave the shop, satisfied with my sale.
But then something caught my attention and made me stop abruptly.
On one of the shelves filled with items, a large book with thick leather binding stood out. The golden title gleamed under the ambient light.
Manual for the Creation of the Automaton Golem.
My heart pounded.
My eyes locked onto that ancient tome as if it had been made especially for me.
Behind the counter, Victor let out a low chuckle.
—Ah, so you noticed."
I took a deep breath, composing myself, and returned to the counter, pointing at the book.
—That wasn’t there when I walked in," I said suspiciously.
Victor shrugged, a smug smile on his lips.
—My shop is somewhat... magical. Besides buying items, I obviously sell them as well. And well, I figured you might be interested in this engineering manual.
Inside, I was practically on fire.
The possibility of learning about Automaton Golems was a huge leap in magical engineering!
But I kept my expression calm and controlled, suppressing my burning desire.
—How much?" I asked casually.
Victor laughed again, shaking his head.
—Ah, Eduard, Eduard... A book like this? Rare, advanced, and extremely useful for a promising engineer like you?" He made a dramatic gesture. —Seven hundred magic crystals."
I almost burst out laughing.
—You’ve got to be joking." I crossed my arms, staring at him.
—Victor, I’m still a level one acolyte. I need to advance before I can even properly study this manual. Besides, the reagents for this are already expensive on their own! Do you really think I’m going to spend that much right now?"
Victor sighed and scratched his chin.
—All right, all right. How much are you offering?"
—Three hundred and fifty crystals," I replied without hesitation.
He clicked his tongue and shook his head. —You’re trying to rob me, Eduard."
—The difference between us is that I’m an engineer. I know exactly the cost of the parts and materials for any project in this manual. You can put an outrageous price on it, but in the end, it’s just knowledge with no real application for anyone outside my field. Three hundred and fifty is a fair price.
Victor fell silent for a moment, then sighed and nodded.
—Fine. Three hundred and fifty crystals. But do you have that amount right now?"
I smiled.
There was no way I could reveal absurd quantities of crystals like that.
Maybe I was being paranoid, but I felt that if I started flaunting large sums, my life would be in danger —even inside the tower.
So I lied.
—I promise to pay you, but I don’t have that amount on me at the moment. As soon as I advance to level two, I’ll come back to buy it."
Victor immediately frowned.
—So you want me to hold the book without payment? What if someone else wants to buy it?"
—Simple, tell them it’s already been sold," I replied.
He tapped his fingers on the counter thoughtfully before narrowing his eyes at me.
—In that case, the price goes up to four hundred crystals."
My expression hardened.
—Victor, that price is already approaching the cost of an entire laboratory."
He shrugged.
—Welcome to the world of merchants."
I sighed heavily, knowing I was stepping into dangerous territory.
But one thing was certain—I needed that book.
...
1762 Words
