37 Fair Trade?

"Hahaha!" Berger laughed exaggeratedly at Adam's folly. "We have a deal!"

Seeing Berger, Blackie also began laughing while pointing his tiny paw at Adam. The little puppy would do anything to tease this stupid human.

Adam had a bad feeling well up in his heart as he saw the gnome and the puppy laugh at him. "W-What's wrong?"

The old gnome viciously ridiculed him. "You want to trade a mere rank 1 spell for a new potion recipe? You fool!"

"Woof!" Blackie nodded.

"W-Wait a minute! You mean to say a new recipe is much more precious than a rank 1 spell?" Adam asked nervously.

"Of course it is!" Berger scolded the youth. "The price of a rank 1 spell in the market is almost always 10 platinum pieces. Whereas the price of an unknown recipe is many times more than that."

Adam clenched his fists till his knuckles were white, cursing himself silently. He looked at the old gnome and asked with a fawning smile, "Honorable sir, I seem to have made a mistake. Can we still—"

POW!

"Hmph, stupid boy!" Berger smacked the youth with his pipe. "Although I advocate fair trade, you won't learn from your mistakes if you never face the consequences."

"Woof woof!" Blackie crossed his front paws and nodded with a serious expression.

Adam massaged his swollen temple with tearful eyes. He wished he could have researched a little more about the prices before coming here.

He clasped his hands and looked at Berger pitifully. However, with his clown-like appearance, he looked anything but pitiful.

"Good sir, please just—"

POW!

Berger scolded, "Next time think twice before running your mouth!"

Adam could only helplessly nod. The two parties then initiated the 'fair trade'. Berger received the new recipe for the healing potion and began reading it. The excitement in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

Whereas, Adam received the Rank 1 Spell: Hide.

This was a spell from the School of Illusion. Essentially, this spell rendered one person or an object invisible to a target. Since this was a rank 1 spell, it was only effective in front of one person.

The duration of the spell was three minutes. It required only two spell components - model and physical. Meaning, the caster only needed to construct the spell model and initiate hand motions. No material sacrifice was needed.

As Adam was reading the description of the spell from the scroll, he heard Berger praise. "Truly innovative! The usage of common ingredients to concoct a magical potion is really fascinating. I have learned much!"

Adam's lips twitched and he wondered if he disclosed some of the knowledge regarding evil and demonic potion recipes that he'd absorbed from the memories, would the grumpy gnome still praise that powerhouse?

Some of the herbalism knowledge that Adam had absorbed from the memories truly sent chills down his spine. He couldn't believe that such diabolical practices in herbalism were even possible.

He threw this matter to the back of his head and asked, "Sir, what do you think? Will you buy these ten healing potions from me?"

Berger didn't reply. One by one, he checked the contents of all ten vials and then deeply looked at Adam, causing the youth to feel a little nervous.

"Is this really your first time concocting potions, boy?"

"Of course!" Adam replied without hesitation. "I can even brew one in front of you if you don't believe me. But my success rate is less than 40%. Also, you'll have to provide me with ingredients free of cost."

40% success rate for a beginner… Berger was speechless. In the end, he could only sigh and think to himself, This boy, he's a genius after all. No wonder that herbalist chose to impart her knowledge to him.

He waved his hand and stated, "No need. I believe you. I'll buy all ten of them at market price. 5 platinum coins a piece. We have a deal?"

"Deal!" Adam replied excitedly.

Soon, the transaction was made. Berger took all the healing potions. He was planning to study them thoroughly. For a master herbalist like him, a lot of information could be gleaned by physically analyzing the potion.

Who knew? He might even be able to improve on the new potion.

Adam, on the other hand, looked at the pouch full of platinum coins with glee. This was more money than he'd ever seen or made before. Just from a single batch of potions, he had already recouped the investment he had made earlier.

After staring at the coins for a bit more, he looked up a the old gnome and asked, "Sir, do you have Horned Black Sheep's fleece?"

This was the material component one needed to sacrifice to cast the Rank 1 spell: Dinky Illusion.

Adam had received this spell as well as a book about the Spirit World from Berger the last time he was here.

Berger nodded. "5 gold pieces for 10 grams."

Shit! So expensive! Adam cursed inwardly. He then looked at the old gnome in a flattering manner and asked, "Great Sir, can you give me a dis—"

POW!

Berger flew into a rage. "You stingy human, get lost!"

"Ugh!" Adam tried to dodge the grumpy gnome's pipe shot, but he got hit anyway. He rubbed his forehead and muttered, "C-Calm down, calm down. I was just asking…"

With a pained expression, he took out 5 platinum pieces and handed them to Berger. "I'll take 100 grams."

"Hmph!" Berger snorted and kept the money.

He then waved his hand and an indiscernible magic circle manifested at the tip of his fingers. Following that, a glass jar flew out of one of the shelves and popped itself open. Then, exactly 100 grams of black colored fleece shot out of it and flew inside an empty paper bag.

The paper bag then magically landed on Adam's hand. As the youth looked at the fleece inside the bag, he couldn't help but sigh.

5 platinum coins for just this… Learning magic is truly expensive. He decided to go back home and brew more potions for sale. Otherwise, his income would not be able to keep up with his terrifying rate of expenditure.

He thanked the old gnome and then ran back to his dorm room. After Adam had left, Blackie transmitted a mental message to Berger.

Berger smiled warmly and rubbed Blackie's ears. "You've noticed it too, haven't you, old friend?"

"Woof!" Blackie nodded vigorously, his tongue sticking out.

Both Berger and Blackie had already noticed the pure nature of Adam's soul. But this wasn't what caught the old gnome's interest. After all, every once in a while, there would always be a few Magi who were born with an extremely pure soul.

The old gnome had lived for a long time and had come across lots of things. Very few things could move him.

What truly caught Berger's interest was the strange affinity that Adam had with the creatures from the Spirit World!

This was directly proved by Blackie. The little puppy never interacted with other people, and even if he did, it would always be in a negative manner. But in the presence of Adam, Blackie felt at home.

Berger's eyes shone with hints of excitement and anticipation. "Let's see how everything unfolds. I wonder what path you will choose..."