Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 55: A Man Who Is Both Handsome and Wealthy
This great Earth Ring hadn’t been created by just anyone—it was made under the careful guidance of his mentor, Harrington.
Merlin nodded approvingly. “It’s an excellent piece. I really like it.”
Hearing Merlin’s praise, Henry King felt a surge of pride. Yet almost immediately, a twinge of unease followed—why had Merlin stopped there? Why hadn’t he asked about the price?
At that moment, Allison stepped forward from the side, carrying a dozen or so bottles of potions. “Junior Merlin, take a look at these,” she said with a gentle smile. “These are potions I’ve crafted myself. If any of them catch your eye, I’ll sell them to you at a fair price.”
Merlin’s eyes swept over the bottles laid out in neat rows. He hadn’t expected Senior Allison to be an accomplished alchemist. Casually, he picked up one of the bottles and asked, “What kind of potions are these?”
“All right,” Allison began, her voice both proud and instructional, “the one you’re holding is a Flame Potion. Throw it, and it will erupt into a raging sea of fire, roughly equivalent in power to a second-tier spell. The others are Ice Potions, Gale Potions, Mist Potions…”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she picked up a yellow bottle. “Of course, the most valuable one is this. This is a fourth-tier Lightning Potion. Toss it, and it will release a strike of fourth-tier lightning.”
She tapped the bottle gently. “These potions, of course, need magical energy to activate, but since they’re single-use, the required magic is minimal. They’re similar to spell scrolls. The advantage is that you can control the timing of the potion’s explosion based on how much magic you infuse.”
Merlin’s interest piqued. This was essentially a magical grenade! Disposable, yes—but he could buy in bulk without worry.
“All right, junior,” Henry King said, trying to gauge Merlin’s reaction. “If you’re not satisfied with the alchemy equipment I’ve presented, I can fetch more from the warehouse. We still have a fair number of third-tier alchemical tools.”
Merlin shook his head in mild surprise. “No, these are all quite fine. There’s nothing I find unsatisfactory.”
“Really?” Henry King’s eyes lit up. “Then tell me, which one catches your eye? Do you want to know the price? For instance, this Earth Ring—I’d only ask eight thousand gold coins for it.”
He hurried to promote his creations. Alchemical equipment was expensive, yet third-tier items rarely exceeded such prices. The value of alchemical gear rose with the magical potency embedded within.
Eight thousand gold coins—roughly equivalent to eight hundred thousand in cash on Earth.
Merlin’s expression instantly shifted. He couldn’t help but ask, “Senior, did you say… eight thousand gold coins?”
Henry King quickly added, “Junior, do you think that’s too expensive? Actually, I could let it go for seven thousand…”
In truth, alchemical equipment didn’t sell easily. Low-tier items were barely marketable, easily outclassed by competitors, while high-tier equipment was prohibitively expensive.
“No, no, no, you’ve misunderstood, Senior,” Merlin hurried to clarify, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. “I mean—it’s far too cheap. Only eight thousand for this? You said seven thousand just now?”
He picked up the Earth Ring and slipped it onto his hand. Honestly, he had expected such equipment to cost tens of thousands, perhaps even hundreds of thousands. He never imagined it would be only a few thousand.
In his previous life, novels had always portrayed even the lowest-tier alchemical gear as something ordinary people could never afford, obtainable only by the protagonist blessed with extraordinary fortune.
Clearly, this world operated by a very different set of rules.
“Too… too cheap?” Henry King had never heard anyone describe alchemical equipment as ‘too cheap.’
Allison, on the other hand, was positively enchanted, hearts practically sparkling in her eyes. Good heavens! How could this man be so handsome, yet casually declare a few thousand gold coins as cheap?
“This item is meant for me!” Merlin declared internally.
“Junior Merlin, you truly have an eye for quality!” Henry King’s spirits soared—he had never imagined his work would find such an eager buyer. Just as he moved to clear the rest of the equipment from the table, Merlin suddenly placed a hand on his arm.
“Senior, what are you doing?”
Henry King looked at him, puzzled. “Junior, haven’t you already selected your alchemical gear?”
“I find them all quite satisfactory,” Merlin replied calmly. “Let’s do this: if the price is fair, wrap them all up for me.” From his bag, he retrieved a magical crystal card, then turned to Allison.
“Senior, I’ll take all the potions you’ve made as well.”
“What?” Both Henry King and Allison felt their hearts leap into their throats.
“Junior… I didn’t hear wrong, did I?” Henry King stammered, fumbling at his ears in disbelief. He was beginning to wonder if he was hallucinating.
Allison’s pulse raced. These potions, if sold, could have earned her a fortune—but now, she would simply hand them all to Merlin.
“You heard correctly. If the price is reasonable, I’ll buy them all.”
Henry King’s breath hitched. He dashed to the doorway, bellowing, “Stop tinkering with your little projects! Our most distinguished guest has arrived, and you don’t even know it! Quick, come and attend to Master Merlin properly!”
Merlin froze in surprise. The Steam & Stars Alchemy Workshop erupted into a flurry of activity. Before he could fully register what was happening, he was seated in a plush sofa, the world around him buzzing with energy.
Tea, freshly brewed and gently cooled, was placed before him. Young, attractive female alchemy students presented baskets of carefully washed fruit, slicing them delicately and skewering them on bamboo sticks before setting them elegantly at his side.
Some of the bolder students, cheeks flushed crimson, even shyly asked if he might desire a massage.
Merlin quickly waved them off. “No, no, that won’t be necessary. Senior, Senior… what exactly is going on here?”
Seeing Merlin’s expression of calm bemusement, Henry King felt his heart swell with joy. Rubbing his hands together, he said, “Master Merlin, you may call me Henry. All of this is simply the courtesy owed to a distinguished guest of the Steam & Stars Workshop.”
Did alchemists make money? Certainly. Every piece of alchemical equipment, potion, or tool could fetch a hefty price. Yet alchemy was also an expensive craft—the cost of raw materials, the loss from failed experiments, and other expenditures added up quickly.
And ordinary alchemists struggled to sell their creations unless they focused on items that were in demand.
Now, with Merlin—a veritable ‘big spender’—arriving, Henry King and his team had no choice but to cater to him. Money, after all, commanded respect.
“All the alchemical equipment and potions have been packed for Master Merlin,” Allison announced, approaching with a spatial ring in hand, bowing respectfully as she offered it.
Merlin inspected the ring and asked, “How much for this spatial ring?”
“No charge,” Allison replied with a smile. “Consider it a gift from the Steam & Stars Workshop.”
Spatial rings were valued by cubic volume: one cubic meter was worth ten thousand gold coins, and each additional cubic meter added another ten thousand. Depending on size, the price could be considered either reasonable or extravagant—but Merlin didn’t mind either way.