Klein approached the stall, his gaze fixed on the grumpy vendor. The man, whose thick leather apron was stained with various vegetable and mineral dusts, looked up, his eyes sharp and assessing.
"Excuse me, sir," Klein began. "I have a quantity of these for sale. Could you tell me the precise market value of a Dark Spider Fang?"
"Dark Spiders, huh?" the vendor grunted. "Typical common loot. You just came from Mara's basement, kid?"
Klein didn't flinch. "I just cleared her cellar. I have a hundred of these, give or take, and I need to know if they're worth the hassle."
The vendor scoffed, as he darted his gaze from Mara's inn to Klein. "One hundred. That's cute. Listen, boy, this isn't like buying a loaf of bread. Market value fluctuates, but the real value of a [common] component like this is determined by demand, and the demand for Dark Spider Fangs is consistently low."
In Another World, items and loots like the [Dark Spider Fangs] are ranked from [Common] to [Cataclysmic.]
The ranks are as follows, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, Divine, Cataclysmic
Then, the vendor leaned a thick elbow on the counter, his eyes focusing on Klein. "Mara already told you they're common, and she's right. A tanner uses them for a specific kind of weak solvent, and a low-grade potion brewer uses the toxin sac. That's it. There's no scarcity. So, what you're holding there is bulk material, not an artifact."
"But I can give you twenty-five copper coins for one fang," the vendor continued. "And I'm being generous because I'm short on stock today. Now, twenty-five copper is my price to buy one. And If you sell me the entire hundred, I will be expecting a bulk discount from you."
Klein's mind, fueled by the cold logic of the game, instantly ran the numbers.
One Fang = 25 Copper (C).
One hundred Fangs = 2,500 Copper (C).
He knew from the index, that the conversion rates in Another World is that, 1 Gold Coin (G) = 100 Silver Coins (S) = 10,000 Copper Coins (C).
His current inventory held 40 Gold Coins (G), which was the equivalent of 400,000 Copper Coins (C).
The entire haul of Dark Spider Fangs was only worth 2,500 Copper Coins (C).
"So, to clarify," Klein said, keeping his voice level. "One hundred fangs would be worth twenty five silver coins to you, total?"
The vendor chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "You catch on quick, kid. Yes, about twenty-five silver coins. Maybe twenty-eight if you catch me after a good meal. Why? What are you weighing that against?"
"Mara gave me a reward worth forty gold coins," Klein explained. "The pouch that holds the gold is currently full. I can't loot the fangs without dropping the forty gold."
The vendor's eyes widened slightly, a genuine spark of respect replacing his cynicism. "Forty gold, huh? Mara actually paid out? Good for her, maybe she's turning in a lot of profits. Don't be an idiot, kid!"
The last thing Klein was being was an idiot, Klein only wanted to confirm what Mara told him before making any decisions.
The vendor slammed his hand on the counter, making a few small gemstones rattle. "Forty gold is four hundred thousand copper! You'd drop four hundred thousand copper for two thousand five hundred? That's the difference between a roof over your head for a year and a single bad dinner at the tavern. Keep the gold, kid. Seriously. You've just hit the lottery for a new adventurer."
Klein nodded. His calculation was confirmed. The fangs were worthless in comparison. Mara's disgust was correct, the initial rush of excitement over his [Penny Pouch] being full had nearly led him to an amateur mistake.
"You're right, I'll stick to the gold."
Klein paused, then leveraged the vendor's brief moment of respect. "Since you seem to know the economy here, where does an apprentice mage find quests that offer better experience, or perhaps items of real value, without leaving the safety of Aethel town? I'm looking for high-reward, low-combat risk."
Klein was looking for more sanctuary locations, that would offer him a better chance of leveling Up than the mere cellar of Mara's inn.
The vendor stroked his beard, considering the request. "High reward, low combat, huh? Mages are useless until [Adept] rank, no offense."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping. "The Wym Forest is just outside Aethel Town's northern gate. Normally, adventurers battle it out over there, but it's currently marked as a temporary Sanctuary Zone because of a massive civil construction project going on there. No hostile actions are permitted within its borders while the workers are there, and it's also crawling with tougher beasts, tougher than the dark spiders."
"And where there are tougher beasts, for some unknown reason, there are usually esteemed individuals who need help with mundane tasks—escorts, deliveries, guarding workers. The pay is usually decent because they want people who look tough. Check the area near the North Gate. Look for someone who is clearly dressed for travel but seems anxious."
Klein thanked the vendor and left the stall, as he walked toward the North Gate. The vendor's intel was perfect. A temporary Sanctuary Zone meant high-level area safety, which meant high-level NPC requests for new players, meaning high EXP and gold potential without risking his low HP. He needed a safe method to grind to Level 10, and this was it.
....
The North Gate was a wide, stone archway guarded by two bored-looking soldiers in shiny, impractical armor. Just past the checkpoint, outside the last line of town defense, a small, heavily loaded carriage waited. Standing beside it was a woman who perfectly fit the vendor's description— dressed for travel, but visibly anxious.
She was middle-aged, dressed in expensive, tailored velvet robes embroidered with silver thread—clearly an academic or a wealthy merchant, definitely not an adventurer. She kept glancing nervously at the thick, green expanse of the Wym Forest stretching beyond the muddy track.
Klein approached her, his simple wooden staff serving as his only credential.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Klein said, his voice polite and professional. "I'm Klein. I couldn't help but notice your carriage is ready, but you seem hesitant to start your journey."
The woman—whose face was intelligent but lined with worry, jumped slightly, startled. She quickly assessed his cheap mage gear. Her eyes lingered on his face, noting his youth, then returned to his staff.
"Oh! Yes, I am Dr. Evelyn Morrow," she replied, smoothing her robes. "And yes, hesitant is precisely the word. I need to reach the Silverpeak Research Station, deep within the Wym Forest. I have very sensitive documents and equipment here, vital to my work on ancient runes."
"The Wym Forest is beautiful this time of year," Klein observed neutrally.
Dr. Morrow lowered her voice, "Beautiful, yes, and currently a Sanctuary Zone due to the construction of the new railway line. That means no direct hostility between adventurers, but the threat of monster aggression is still present."
She wrung her hands. "But the simple truth still remains, that high-level bandits, disillusioned adventurers, and opportunistic monster hunters know that the zone designation means easy targets are traveling through. They can't kill you, but they can certainly rob you blind the moment you step outside the boundary, or they can use non-hostile methods like traps and sabotage to get what they want. They know I carry valuables, and they know a scholar like me travels with a lot of heavy luggage. I need a deterrent, Mr. Klein. Someone to stand watch. Someone who looks like they know how to fight."
Klein smiled slightly. "I assure you, I know how to fight. And I'm looking for a low-risk opportunity to prove my capabilities."
"Low risk, yes," Dr. Morrow sighed. "My route takes us all the way to Silverpeak, which is deep within the forest, about two days of steady travel. My usual escorts canceled at the last minute—they suddenly decided the pay wasn't worth the fear of ambush from fellow travellers, even with the Sanctuary status."
"And what is the pay?" Klein asked, getting down to the transaction.
"I am offering fifty gold coins upon safe arrival at Silverpeak," she stated. "And if we arrive within the two-day deadline, I will offer a Scroll of Minor Teleportation, which is a rare commodity for a young mage like yourself."
Klein mentally processed the offer. Fifty gold was a major step up from Mara's Forty gold, and the [Scroll of Minor Teleportation] was invaluable for future use. Most importantly, the entire mission occurred inside a Sanctuary Zone, protecting his Level 2 avatar from being instantly deleted by a higher-level player. This was the perfect safe grind.
"The terms are acceptable, Dr. Morrow," Klein confirmed. "Fifty gold, plus the bonus reward, for an escort to Silverpeak."
Dr. Morrow visibly relaxed, pulling a small leather bound map from her satchel. "Wonderful! We must leave immediately. But there's one more condition that my former escorts balked at, Klein."
Klein raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"Because of the sensitive nature of the cargo—ancient runes, which are prone to degradation—we cannot travel on the main, muddy track. It causes too much vibration. We must take the old Pilgrim's Path. It's quieter, smoother, but runs much closer to the perimeter of the forest where the high level monsters reside the most."
She tapped the map. "It's a two-day walk. I need you to stay within five meters of the carriage at all times. If you leave that radius, I consider the escort failed, and you get nothing."
The Pilgrims' Path was actually better for Klein, with more high level monsters to battle. He didn't need to fear, with his [Infinite Mana] he could spam his Level 2 Mana Bolt all day if he had to.
"Understood, Dr. Morrow. I will stick to the carriage," Klein assured her. "Let's load up and begin the journey to Silverpeak. I'm ready."
Dr. Morrow smiled, "Excellent! I'll handle the loading, you just watch the path ahead. The Wym Forest awaits."
Klein turned toward the northern opening of Aethel Town, his wooden staff clenched in his hands. His mind was already calculating the most efficient way to maintain security while maximizing EXP gain on the journey. The first major hurdle had been cleared. The Draken Tower and the $10 million felt one step closer.