<strong>An hour ago;</strong>
After Gideon left the academy, he went on a city tour. At one of the tourist attractions, the Castle of Maria, he encountered a tour guide who appeared to be looking around for the customers but couldn't find one.
Feeling pity for her, Gideon hired the woman for 1000 credits. Of course, he didn't hide his soul power in case she might think of duping him later.
Eventually, about 15 minutes ago, they came to the most popular tourist destination of Moon City, the Crescent flea market also known as the Thief's market.
It is a place where second-hand or smuggled goods are being sold almost at half of the cost of the first-hand ones. Such markets are also located in other places. But, what makes this special?
It's because of the antique stores that sell unidentified items at a cheap price. Several individuals over thousands of years became lucky in acquiring relics, meat & bones of platinum-grade beasts, and powerful weapons. That's why people visit here from all over the place to try their luck.
Of course, some stores do sell identified relics and meat at a reasonable price. So, there will be customers who would want to buy them without trying to gamble.
Because of the sheer number of tourists, the security is also tight but from time to time, some guys manage to steal things from the vendors and successfully escape.
Like countless visitors, Gideon was also here to take a look around and try his luck. He bought a few unidentified items like a sword, an amulet, and a bracelet before he stumbled upon a rundown store, which says that it is there since the third epoch. That means more than seventy thousand years old.
Despite how amazing it sounds, there were no people outside the store at all. The tour guide stopped him from entering. "Mr. Gideon, this shop is dangerous. I don't recommend going in there. If you don't believe me, look over there."
Gideon looked where she was pointing the finger. There was actually a board placed on the left side of the door. On the board, a notice was written in big letters that this store sells cursed items and the owner will not be responsible for anything.
He thought for a bit and waved his hands with a smile, "Thank you, Ms. Grace but it is not like I planned to buy anything. The temptation is too hard to fight. I will be only looking at them."
From their conversations, the tour guide learned that Gideon is a high school kid and thought that he might not know what he is signing up for. So, she tried to warn him once again but as Gideon was stubborn in his decision, she stayed outside the store while he stepped inside.
As soon as he stepped inside, a surprise was waiting for him in the form of a doll-like girl.
"Ella?" Gideon let out a scream of surprise.
"Hmm?" Estella and some old guy (probably the owner) looked in his direction. "Gideon? What the hell are you doing here?" She furrowed her brows in displeasure.
Seeing that she was alone without any guards at the moment, Gideon let out a grin and walked towards her, "Just looking around for the tour. I didn't expect to meet here of all the places. We must really be destined together."
Estella rolled her eyes as she heard that nonsense so many times. She could no longer bother herself to even scold him once again and placed her attention back on the golden necklace displayed before her. "So, where were we? Yes, 16.5 million credits." She asked the owner.
"No, as I have already mentioned to you, I won't take less than 20 million." The owner was firm on his stance.
"18 million. This is the highest I can over. The overall price will be 50 million. Deal?" Estella continued to bargain.
It was the first time Gideon saw this side of Estella. She was rich enough to pay such an amount with her eyes closed. So, it was a surprise for him.
What he didn't know is that Estella loves bargaining from a young age. Her wealth doesn't matter here. It's a hobby, which will make her feel better when she gets it at a price she quotes.
"No means no," As the owner of the store continued to be stubborn, Estella pulled out her trump card. She nodded, "Alright, I won't be buying them."
Next to the cursed necklace, there are two boxes placed. One of them contained a cursed dagger that she earlier bought for 28 million after bargaining for 10 minutes to reduce it from 30 million. The other contained cursed earrings, which she bought for 4 million credits.
Now, because of the necklace, she put off the entire deal and prepared to walk out.
The moment she turned away and stepped towards the exit door, the owner panicked and hurriedly stopped her. "Wait. 20 million including removing the purification."
Gideon saw a smile appear on Estella's face. She was facing him. So, only he spotted it. And it only lasted a second. She controlled her expression before turning around to face the owner, "Removal of curse from all the three items."
The owner fell into silence for a moment before he reluctantly nodded, "alright. But, it will take time."
"Not a problem. I can wait," replied the moon clan's heiress as she shrugged her shoulders. She handed him a badge with Moon written on it, and the Espurr beast was craved below the name. It was a fiery red cat with a crescent moon gem embedded in its forehead.
Surprisingly, the Sun City also has the same overlord in the region, although this Espurr beast has a gem in the shape of a sun embedded in its forehead.
Anyway, the badges given at the entry of the cities at Arcana World were a little bit different from the ones issued at the portal points in the world of Gaia.
For example, Estella comes from the nation of Athledon. When she used a portal point at Lunaris city to travel to the Arcana World, she was issued a badge with a one-legged crane engraved on it.
In that badge, she can use the credit card or prepaid cards to store the credits in that iron badge before entering the portal. And in the Arcana world, as modern technology is banned, the governments thought of a new method where they could use that universal digital currency here.
As a result, each city has separate badges that are issued at the offices located at the entrances. In that office, the manager would have the authority to transfer credits from the iron badges of the countries to the copper badges of the Arcana world's cities.
Once entering the city, Estella could freely transfer credits from her copper badge to other identical copper badges belonged the same city.
The only risk here is that, unlike the iron badges, the copper badges are ownerless and are completely identical. So, if one steals the badges, then, all the credits in it belonged to the thief and the owner couldn't even prove that it is theirs.
Back to the present, Estella transferred 5 million credits to the owner in advance and took the receipt with the names of the items along with the stamp and signature recorded on it.
Ignoring Gideon, she exited the store and started walking. Gideon followed her from behind after transferring 1000 credits to the tour guide and sent her away.
"C'mon, Ella. Don't you think you are too much?" Gideon started complaining as Estella refused to speak. He then brought out the topic of her desertion, "We were supposed to participate in the world league as a duo but you blew me up and left without even apologizing. For an heiress of the Moon Clan like you isn't a big thing but for a poor guy like me, it is a missed opportunity."
Gideon's strategy worked and she stopped in her tracks to look at him. She's arrogant and might even have evil thoughts from time to time regarding Claire, but she still knows when she was wrong. Looking at him, she said, "Alright, It's my fault."
Gideon let out a big smile, "Then, as compensation, for the next hour, I need you to treat me equally and let me tag along with you."
"Eh?" Estella was a little bit taken aback and stared at him suspiciously, wondering what is going on in his head. In the end, she felt that it doesn't matter and nodded.
"Okay then, where are we going?" He asked with a pleasant smile.
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