The dark blue glow radiating from the magic crystal seemed to possess a hypnotic power of its own. Its incredibly pure brilliance successfully left Mr. Kevin, the staff, and every pair of eyes in the guild lobby gaping in disbelief.
It was not only them who were shocked. Kylen was also astounded as he stared at the glowing chunk that Arvin had just pulled out from his dimensional storage space.
Kylen blinked his eyes a few times before turning to look at his husband.
"D-Darling..." he called out in a slightly stuttering tone, still unable to tear his gaze away from the crystal. "W-Why haven't you ever shown that magic crystal to me before?"
"I only take it out when it is truly needed." Arvin answered casually, as if he had just pulled out an ordinary rock he had picked up from the side of the road.
Arvin shifted his attention back to the Guild Master, who was still standing frozen in a state of shock.
"So, what price will you offer for this magic crystal?" Arvin asked, his calm yet firm voice shattering Mr. Kevin's reverie and demanding certainty. "Remember your promise. I will not forgive you if you dare to cancel our transaction after I took this out and showed it to you."
The subtle reprimand instantly yanked Mr. Kevin back to reality, and he immediately stepped closer to the magic crystal. With hands trembling slightly from enthusiasm, he touched and examined it.
Within mere seconds of appraisal, the Guild Master's expression instantly shifted into sheer amazement at the quality of the magic crystal he was touching.
This magic crystal is absolutely insane! Mr. Kevin screamed in his heart, his eyes sparkling. This is an exceedingly rare S-rank magic crystal. Its price is undoubtedly astronomical!
As a merchant guild leader in the capital, Mr. Kevin was a figure who highly upheld professionalism and honesty in business. He had absolutely no foul intentions to deceive, especially not when the customer standing before him right now was a descendant of the Vedegra family.
Mr. Kevin withdrew his hand from the crystal and looked at Arvin with the utmost respect.
"Young Master Arvin, if you are willing to part with it today, the guild will purchase this magic crystal for 17,000,000 Rems." Mr. Kevin decided with a firm and highly serious tone.
That incredibly fantastical figure for a single transaction spontaneously sent a shockwave through everyone in the guild lobby.
Kylen, who was standing by Arvin's side, was also unable to hide the shocked expression on his face after hearing the crazy price offer that had just been uttered by Mr. Kevin.
"Insane! This is the first time I have ever heard such a fantastical price just for a magic crystal!"
"Where could he possibly acquire a magic crystal so pure and expensive?"
Hearing the uproar, murmurs, and shocked stares from the people around him, including the reaction from his spouse, Arvin actually felt deeply curious about how much nominal value 17,000,000 Rems truly held in this Flamort Kingdom.
"Could you briefly explain the currency in this kingdom to me, Mr. Kevin?"
"Of course, Young Master! With pleasure!" Mr. Kevin answered enthusiastically. "I will explain it to you in detail so that our transaction proceeds transparently."
With a professional smile, Mr. Kevin began to outline the monetary system operating in the Flamort Kingdom. He explained that the main currency used was the Rem.
"The denomination system is tiered according to the material type of the coins, Young Master. As a basic reference: One small copper coin is equivalent to 1 Rem. One large copper coin is equivalent to 10 Rems. One small silver coin is equivalent to 100 Rems. One large silver coin is equivalent to 1,000 Rems. One small gold coin is equivalent to 10,000 Rems. And the highest tier, one large gold coin, is equivalent to 100,000 Rems."
To provide a more concrete picture for Arvin, the man offered a few comparisons. "For example, the price of warm bread sold by merchants in the market ranges from 64 to 82 Rems. Meanwhile, the rental cost for the most expensive inn in this entire capital is only around 35,000 Rems per night."
Hearing that explanation, Arvin instantly understood and immediately ran the calculations in his head. He concluded that the 17,000,000 Rems he obtained from this single chunk of crystal was far more than enough to cover their living expenses for the duration of their stay in the Flamort Kingdom.
"Very well, the price you offer is reasonable. I accept your offer." Arvin decided without hesitation.
Because the transaction had reached an agreement, Arvin and Mr. Kevin shook hands, witnessed directly by dozens of pairs of eyes that still could not believe a transaction worth tens of millions of Rems had occurred so briefly right before them.
To maintain the legal validity and formality of the transaction, a guild staff member promptly ran over to bring a contract parchment. Both Arvin and Mr. Kevin signed the magic crystal's transfer of ownership document using a quill that had been dipped in special magic ink.
However, just as the payment calculation process was about to commence and the guild staff prepared to bring out 17 large gold coins, Arvin raised his hand to issue an additional instruction.
"I do not want the payment solely in the form of 17 large gold coins." Arvin interjected calmly. He needed smaller denominations to easily use for daily transactions on the streets. "Please provide the payment in the form of 15 large gold coins, 190 small gold coins, 90 large silver coins, and 100 small silver coins instead."
Although momentarily surprised by the request, Mr. Kevin remained professional. He nodded respectfully and immediately ordered his staff to fulfill what his customer desired without asking many questions.
After only a short while, the guild staff returned carrying a wooden tray filled with the money, then placed it upon the reception desk.
"This is the entire sum from the sale of the magic crystal, Young Master. We have adjusted the total exactly to the denominations that you requested." Mr. Kevin said politely. "Once again, thank you very much for entrusting a transaction of this magnitude to our guild."
"I also thank you for your swift service, Mr. Kevin."
Arvin raised his left hand and aimed it right above the money on the tray. In the blink of an eye, millions of Rems vanished, stored in his dimensional storage space, leaving behind only 2 large gold coins worth 200,000 Rems.
"Our transaction is complete, and the money on that tray is for the tax." Arvin said, bringing the meeting to a close. "We will take our leave."
"B-But that amount is far too large for your transaction tax!"
"I will not take no for an answer!" Arvin stated firmly. "As a foreigner conducting business here, it is my duty to pay the appropriate taxes as mandated by the Flamort Kingdom!"
Arvin's argument left absolutely no room for debate. And finally, the man decided to accept the tax payment.
"Very well, Young Master, I shall accept it." Mr. Kevin replied respectfully. "Thank you very much. I wish you a pleasant journey."
"Yes, thank you."
After expressed his gratitude and accomplished his goal of securing funds to cover their living expenses during their stay in the Flamort Kingdom, Arvin turned around, followed closely by his spouse. The two of them walked side by side toward the guild's double doors.
Behind the two of them, everyone, from the merchants and the staff to the Guild Master himself, could only remain in stunned silence. They stared intently at the backs of the nobles, harboring a sense of bewilderment mixed with an overwhelmingly profound awe.
Everyone in the lobby was still struggling to understand the mindset of a young nobleman from the Vedegra bloodline who had actually chosen to marry several men as life partners in his household.