The Wizard Has A Biochip

After the platform finally stopped, I calmly pulled on the horse’s reins and stepped down.

The moment my feet touched the ground, my eyes swept across the entire environment.

My first reaction was pure astonishment.

That market was enormous.

Much larger than any other one I had visited.

If I had to compare it...

I would say its size was equivalent to several football fields combined into a single underground space.

The cavern ceiling was so high that it almost disappeared into the darkness.

Large glowing crystals were embedded in the walls and ceiling, illuminating the entire place with a soft white light.

At the center of the market was a long row of buildings constructed entirely from stone.

They were sturdy, elegant, and clearly belonged to the most influential families.

Surrounding that central area was a huge circle of wooden cabins.

Despite being called "cabins," they were quite spacious establishments, functioning as small independent shops.

The movement was intense.

I had barely taken a few steps.

— Sir!

I looked down.

A group of children had run toward me.

— Do you need a guide?

Another quickly raised a hand.

— I only charge one magic crystal!

Soon others began speaking at the same time.

— I know all the shops!

— I can show you the best prices!

— Sir, come with me!

I smiled politely.

— That won’t be necessary.

The children showed small expressions of disappointment.

But none insisted.

After visiting so many markets throughout those months, I already understood that system well.

The guides practically survived on visitors’ tips.

In some markets, they were hired by local families.

In others, they worked independently.

I immediately remembered the little boy transformed into a dog whom I had met in the Black Forest.

I could still recall the excitement with which he wagged his tail just for receiving a single magic crystal.

I continued walking.

In truth...

All markets followed practically the same pattern.

Central shops.

Independent stalls.

Signs indicating the different sectors.

After walking around a few times...

Anyone could memorize the place.

My destination was obvious.

The largest Engineering Shop in the market.

As soon as I entered...

An elderly man with completely white hair approached me.

His posture conveyed decades of experience.

He smiled cordially.

— Greetings, sir.

I responded with a slight nod.

— I want to sell a batch of Explosive Fire Crystals.

I went straight to the point.

— I believe the quantity justifies a different price.

The old man showed no surprise.

He simply made a respectful gesture.

— Please.

— Follow me.

We walked toward the back of the shop.

There was a small private room there.

As soon as we entered...

He carefully closed the door.

Immediately, I felt a slight ripple of mana pass through the room.

My Magic Sense identified an isolation formation being activated.

No sound would escape from there.

The old man noticed that I had detected it.

He smiled.

— Our shop takes confidentiality very seriously.

— We also use some of the best security measures available.

I nodded in satisfaction.

Avoiding curious eyes was exactly what I wanted.

I quickly observed the room.

Two extremely comfortable sofas occupied opposite sides.

Between them was a small wooden table.

On top of it rested two steaming cups.

The aroma resembled a mixture of tea and refreshing herbs.

The old man politely pointed.

— Please.

— Have a seat.

I settled onto the sofa.

I picked up one of the cups.

Before drinking, I merely brought it close to my face.

The scent was pleasant.

Slightly sweet.

Without any suspicious odor.

I took a small sip.

The liquid was surprisingly refreshing.

Without wasting time, I placed the small chest on the table.

I slowly opened the lid.

The red crystals immediately reflected the light in the room.

The old man’s eyes widened.

For several seconds, he remained completely still.

— Extraordinary...

— Your achievements as an Engineer are truly impressive.

— I spent practically an entire year working inside an experimental laboratory.

— I ended up producing a considerable quantity.

I pushed the chest toward him.

— Make your evaluation.

He nodded.

He carefully removed an elegant monocle from his inner pocket.

The moment he placed it over his right eye, small runes began glowing across the lens.

It was clearly an evaluation device.

The old man began his inspection.

The process took quite some time.

I used the opportunity to continue drinking the tea while discreetly observing the room’s magical formation.

Almost twenty minutes later...

The old man slowly removed the monocle.

He pointed toward the contents of the chest.

— All the Explosive Fire Crystals are very well preserved.

— And the quality is consistently high.

— I can offer nine hundred magic crystals.

I nodded immediately.

It was exactly the value I expected.

— A fair price.

The old man carefully closed the chest.

He discreetly called an employee, who carried it to the back of the shop.

A few minutes later, he returned carrying nine second-level magic crystals.

He placed them carefully on the table.

I picked them up one by one.

I quickly analyzed them.

All authentic.

I stored them in the pouch attached to my waist.

At that moment...

My stock of Explosive Fire Crystals had finally run out.

All the merchandise I had produced during my experiments had been converted into wealth.

The old man smiled again.

This time, his attitude became even more respectful.

He took out a small silver metallic card from a drawer.

He held it with both hands before offering it.

— Sir...

— I believe you are a very talented Engineer.

I remained silent.

He continued.

— We would like to offer you some special benefits.

— With this card, you will receive a ten percent discount on all products and services from this shop.

— Furthermore...

— If you produce other engineering devices, our family would be pleased to purchase them.

I quickly observed the card.

It didn’t appear to contain any tracking marks or suspicious spells.

Even so, the Biochip performed a complete scan.

[Bip!]

[No hostile magical signature detected.]

I took the card.

I stored it inside my clothing.

— I will consider your proposal.

The old man smiled with satisfaction.

— We hope to see you again soon, sir.

I slowly stood up from the sofa.

The old man walked beside me to the shop’s exit.

As soon as we crossed the doorway, he gave a small bow.

I looked at him casually.

— As you know, I have just finished a long period of research inside a laboratory.

I crossed my arms.

— Is there somewhere around here where I can obtain the latest news about the Erna Kingdom?

The old man remained completely still for several seconds.

He seemed to carefully consider the answer.

Finally, he replied calmly.

— If you want information...

He pointed toward a street farther north.

— Go to Trumy’s Shop and Grocery.

He paused briefly.

— That old man’s temperament is... peculiar.

He smiled strangely.

— But you will hardly find anyone better informed than him.

I memorized the direction.

— Understood.

— Thank you.

I said goodbye to him and led my horse through the crowded streets of the market.

It didn’t take long for me to find the establishment.

An old wooden sign hung crookedly above the door.

Trumy’s Shop and Grocery.

I slowly pushed open the door.

The bell attached above it produced a small metallic sound.

My gaze immediately swept across the entire interior.

What a mess.

Crooked shelves.

Open boxes.

Vials scattered across the floor.

Books stacked in completely random ways.

Some objects were partially buried beneath others.

It looked as if a hurricane had passed through the place.

I immediately activated the Biochip.

— Biochip.

— Analyze visible items.

[Bip!]

Blue lines began moving across my vision.

Object after object was identified.

However...

After a few seconds...

The Biochip displayed several unusual messages.

[Unknown object.]

[Composition unidentified.]

[Insufficient database.]

I discreetly raised an eyebrow.

Interesting.

There were many materials here that even the Biochip couldn’t recognize.

That meant only two possibilities.

Either they were extremely rare...

Or they belonged to fields of knowledge I had not yet studied.

I smiled faintly.

Even so...

Something else caught my attention.

Despite the complete disorder...

The Biochip detected no counterfeit items.

Not even one.

All those objects were authentic.

That immediately increased my interest in this shop.

That was when a hoarse voice echoed from behind the counter.

— Who is it?

A few seconds later...

An extremely thin old man appeared.

His face looked like that of someone on the verge of death.

Deep eye bags.

Pale skin.

Slow movements.

Even so...

His eyes remained full of life.

I calmly approached.

— The owner of the Engineering Shop recommended this place.

— I would like to obtain some recent information about the Erna Kingdom.

The old man’s lips barely moved.

Even so, his voice came out clearly.

— The rules remain the same.

— First, buy something from my shop.

— Then I will answer your questions.

I shrugged.

— Fine.

I quickly looked around.

— Then I will choose any object.

The old man let out a dry laugh.

— No.

I shook my head negatively.

— I am the one who chooses what you are going to buy.

I remained silent for a few seconds.

Then I smiled.

— Now I understand why your shop is so empty.

The old man rolled his eyes.

— Keep complaining.

— That will certainly increase my customers.

I snorted softly.

— Do whatever you want.

He disappeared behind a massive shelf.

The wood creaked dangerously.

For a moment, I was absolutely certain everything was going to collapse.

I continued watching.

Finally, I heard his voice.

— Found it!

He returned holding an old black scroll.

Its edges were completely worn out.

The ink had almost faded away.

I picked up the scroll.

The inscriptions were completely unknown to me.

Before I could even ask...

The old man opened a huge smile.

— A fragment of the diary of the Great Mage Redfo.

He raised one finger.

— Only one thousand magic crystals.

— A true bargain.

— Imagine...

— Maybe this is precisely the part containing his inheritance.

— Who knows, perhaps you might become a Great Mage in the future?

I looked at the scroll again.

If that truly was part of a Great Mage’s diary...

A thousand crystals would practically be free.

But...

I didn’t trust it for even a second.

I discreetly held the scroll.

— Biochip.

— Analyze this page.

[Bip!]

[Document compatibility detected.]

[Page from Karn’s Diary: 99%]

[Page from Morkz’s Diary: 50%]

[Page from Redfo’s Diary: 1%]

...

1740 Words