Chapter 10

Beth's POV

“This is the place.”

Rey and Noah stood in front of a massive building—one of the biggest in the area.

Of course, it wasn’t more than three storeys, but it was very wide.

It was clear that a lot of activities went on in this building, and it wasn’t for the faint of heart.

“You actually did business here?!”

Rey was shocked that someone as timid as Noah had the gall to trade in such an intimidating structure.

“W-well, I was approached by an affiliate who brought me here.”

“A-ahh… that’s true.”

According to Noah’s story, he was initially just looking for a place to sell the Monster Cores when he was approached by a guy who told him he’d help him sell the goods.

This man then escorted Noah to the imposing building and guided him through the necessary procedures.

‘That guy must be the one behind the scam’ Rey figured, connecting the dots.

The company must have dealt directly with the so-called Affiliate, who in turn dealt with Noah.

He probably pretended to be the seller and got to bargain with the real buyers. As a result, he was able to gain a lot of profit while relaying a smaller price to the gullible Noah.

‘That’s how those sorts of people make their money.’

“Shouldn’t we be looking for the guy, then?” Noah asked Rey.

“Nah! There’s no need for that. People like that are very slippery.”

Besides, it was a waste of time.

There was no real law in this place except the Unspoken Rules. As long as the seller and buyer came to a consensus about the price of an item and it was sold, that was the end of the matter.

Pursuing anything outside that would only be pointless.

“Now that we know exactly what we’re dealing with, we can make a more informed decision.”

The fact that no ‘Affiliate’ had approached them yet proved his point.

‘We look dangerous and capable, so they won’t even dare.’

Noah's uncertainty and discomfort must have made him an easy target for the guy who deceived him.

“Well, the past is in the past. Let’s go.”

Rey took the first step, and Noah slowly trailed behind him.

As they entered the store, Noah couldn't help but gawk at its grandeur once again.

Rey glanced back, a puzzled look on his face. "Why are you staring? You've been here before, right?"

Noah hesitated, then admitted, “W-well… not really…”

Once again, Rey was told something that Noah conveniently left out when he was explaining himself.

"What? You just waited outside while the Affiliate did everything?"

Noah shifted uncomfortably. "He seemed trustworthy! And I was really overwhelmed by the whole situation. Looking back, I see how naive I was, but at the time..."

Noah did his best to justify his actions, but all Rey heard were excuses.

Pathetic excuses.

‘Man, my guy got played,’ Rey thought, shaking his head.

In any case, the main store was very large, and several products were available for sale—all Magically Enchanted.

‘Noah must have gotten his Invisible Necklace from this place…’

Rey didn’t even want to ask Noah if he had asked the ‘Affiliate’ to get it for him because he could already tell that was the case.

‘The guy probably lied about the price as well.’

Once again, Rey whispered “The past is in the past” to himself as he walked on.

As Rey approached the counter, his eyes scanned the bustling room to study it thoroughly.

There were tons of cashiers, so no one needed to wait in line.

Rey strode up to the counter, his hand resting firmly on its surface as he subtly adjusted his posture to appear more imposing.

“I’m here to sell some products.” He said in a blunt tone.

His voice was deep, and his eyes glowed behind the black Orichalcum mask.

“I see. Please proceed to the far end of the counter and speak to the attendant there.”

The woman behind the counter said with such a dull monotone that Rey was convinced his intimidation did not work at all.

‘Oof! This is a little embarrassing…’

The workers in the store had likely encountered all manner of customers—some difficult, some unpleasant, and some far worse.

Rey realized that his mild efforts at intimidation probably didn't faze them at all.

Besides, the Unspoken Rule existed, so it probably wasn’t the smartest move to stir up conflict in such a prominent establishment.

He awkwardly retreated from the counter, opting to follow the instructions he had been given.

“I want to sell some items. It’s very lucrative, so I’d like to discuss with a higher-up if possible—”

The man behind the counter, wearing glasses and engrossed in his notes, interrupted Rey, "Please specify the type of sale: Wholesale or Retail."

Rey nodded, understanding the protocol.

"Wholesale," he confirmed.

“Please note that Wholesale begins with over a thousand pieces. There’s Bulk Retail if that’s what you are—”

“I know what Wholesale means. Don’t insult my intelligence any further.” Rey snapped, his eyes glowing behind his mask.

“I-I apologize.”

Rey understood that the man was just following the procedure, but he had been looking for a way to assert dominance all day.

Right then seemed like a perfect opportunity to do so, and it actually worked.

‘Whew! Looks like I’m not the one at the short end of the stick.’

“What kind of items are you selling? Raw materials or finished products?”

“Raw materials.”

“Could you specify the—”

“Monster Cores.”

“Could you name the Gra—”

“As I said earlier, I’d like to speak to a higher-up.”

Once Rey said this, he folded his arm. This showed he wasn’t willing to proceed with further questions.

"This is standard procedure, sir. Please cooperate and answer the necessary questions," the man insisted, his tone firm.

‘Nah! I don’t think so…’

In sale, there was something called bargaining power.

The one with the higher bargaining power got to call the shots and determine the price.

The sale usually benefited them the most.

‘If I play along with these questions, I'll be giving away what little leverage I have,’ Rey thought to himself, determined not to be taken advantage of.

To maintain relevance and protect his interests, Rey needed to assert his importance and not succumb to pressure.

‘I don’t want to get duped too.’