Chapter 11: Chapter 11. Mountainous Debt
Eight Days Later,
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows as I woke up, greeted by the now-familiar sight of my ever-growing resources.
Magic Core: 412,982 units.
The upgraded talent, Unyielding Prosperity, had worked wonders, delivering a consistent 30% turnover on the items I'd designated. However, there was still that nagging thought about my debt. The system's warning had been clear last night—it wasn't a matter to be ignored any longer.
I sat up, stretching, and decided to finally clear things up.
"Time to settle this," I muttered.
Opening the system's trade panel, I sold magic cores at the standard 8 gold coins per unit. Gold flooded into my balance, but as I watched the magic core count drop, I felt a twinge of concern.
When the number reached 270,984 units, the system's notification finally popped up:
[Debt Cleared.]
I let out a relieved sigh. "How high was that debt, anyway?" I grumbled, shaking my head.
With that weight off my shoulders, I headed to the training grounds to clear my mind.
---
The clash of wooden swords echoed through the air as I sparred with one of the guards. Each strike against his shield sent vibrations up my arm, a reminder of the strength I still needed to build.
Mid-session, I spotted Lucia approaching, her pace brisk and purposeful. Her expression gave her away—she had news.
"Ace," she called, waiting for me to finish the bout.
"Lucia," I greeted her, lowering my practice sword. "What's the update?"
"A new group of merchants has arrived in the trade square," she said, a note of excitement in her voice.
I raised an eyebrow, considering the implications. Bulk traders were rare, and they often presented opportunities too good to pass up.
"Perfect timing," I said. "Come with me."
---
Back at my quarters, I unlocked the storage room, revealing crates upon crates of magic cores—20,794 units in total. The faint glow of the cores filled the room with an ethereal light.
"These," I said, gesturing toward the crates. "Take all of them to the trade square."
Lucia's eyes widened slightly. "All of them? You're planning to sell everything?"
I nodded. "At 8.5 gold coins per unit. It's a bulk rate, but it's fair for this many cores. And make sure to negotiate well. We don't want any buyers trying to push the price lower."
She gave a firm nod, her confidence returning. "Understood. I'll handle it."
---
The trade square buzzed with activity as merchants from various regions displayed their goods. Exotic spices, rare fabrics, and finely crafted tools were laid out for buyers to inspect.
Lucia's arrival with the crates of magic cores immediately drew attention. The soft glow emanating from the crates caught the eyes of several merchants, who approached with curiosity.
"Magic cores for sale!" she announced, her voice clear and commanding. "Top-quality stock, available at 8.5 gold coins per unit for bulk buyers."
A merchant with a sharp gaze stepped forward, inspecting one of the cores. "Eight and a half? That's quite a discount from the usual price. What's the catch?"
Lucia smirked. "No catch. These cores are from Ace's personal supply—top-tier quality, guaranteed. The discount is for bulk purchases only. If you're not interested, I'm sure someone else will be.
Another merchant, a rotund man with a shrewd demeanor, spoke up. "How many are you selling?"
"All of them," Lucia replied. "20,794 units."
The crowd stirred. Deals of this scale weren't common, and the merchants knew an opportunity when they saw one.
Negotiations ensued, with several buyers vying for the stock. Lucia, ever the sharp negotiator, managed to secure the sale at the full asking price.
By the end of the trade, every crate had been sold, and she returned with a substantial haul of gold.
---
Six days later, the town buzzed with excitement as Shina and her caravans returned. Her arrival had become something of an event, with townsfolk gathering to greet her and her entourage.
It wasn't until evening, after she'd finished selling her goods in the market, that she paid me a visit.
She entered the reception hall with her usual confident stride, her eyes bright with success.
"Shina," I greeted her, motioning for her to sit. "It's good to see you back. How was the trip?"
"Profitable, as always," she replied, settling into a chair. "Your mana potions were the highlight of every trade stop. Buyers couldn't get enough of them."
I leaned forward, intrigued. "What about mana crystals? Have you encountered any interest in those?"
Her expression shifted, a mix of longing and frustration. "Mana crystals are a dream," she admitted. "They're incredibly rare, and most merchants don't even get to touch them, let alone trade them. If you can source them, Ace, you'd have an unrivaled market."
I nodded thoughtfully. "Then let's make it happen. For now , I'll provide you with 50,000 magic cores and 7,000 mana potions for your next trade. The expected return is 1.1 million gold coins. Do you think you can handle it? Like usual, you can keep the surplus".
Her eyes widened slightly, but then she grinned. "Handle it? Ace, I'd be honored. This would be a game-changer for my caravan.."
We sealed the agreement, and Shina left with her caravan, her excitement evident.
---
As I watched her leave, a thought lingered in my mind. Shina was doing an excellent job as a middleman, but her lack of capital meant she couldn't truly compete as an independent merchant.
If I wanted to expand further, I'd need to take the reins myself.
The solution was clear: establish my own chamber of commerce.
I spent the next few hours planning and eventually founded the Candlelight Chamber of Commerce. The name reflected my vision of bringing light to the dark corners of the trade world, illuminating paths that others feared to tread.
The first order of business was securing a steady supply of mana crystals. The system allowed each lord to purchase a limited quantity—1,000 units per lifetime—but that wasn't nearly enough.
I'd need to strike deals with other lords, offering them incentives to sell their quotas to me. It was a daunting task, but the rewards would be worth it.
As I stood in my office, gazing at the sky thinking of the future... A smile ran across my face .
The future of Candlelight was bright, and I was ready to make it shine even brighter.
---
Mana Crystals
Price: 800 Gold Coins per Unit
Description: A cluster of rare, glowing crystals infused with magical energy. These crystals can amplify and stabilize magical abilities, allowing for more efficient use of mana.
Special Effect: Increases mana regeneration by 20% and amplifies mana within a 1m x 1m radius by 10%. (Scales with quantity.)
---
With the foundation of Candlelight laid, I wait for the first prey to take the bait!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone