I want gold

"Good afternoon, Young Master Astarion," the receptionist greeted Astarion once again. However, he ignored her as before.

"Freaking first-class people," the receptionist muttered under her breath, her annoyance barely concealed.

Exiting the building, Astarion made his way to his parked car. Without a moment's hesitation, he settled into the passenger seat and directed his driver, "Take me to Nexus Tower."

"Yes, sir," the driver responded promptly, starting the car and merging into the flow of traffic.

With a bit of time now on his hands, Astarion decided to engage with something he had previously postponed. "Status window," he thought in his mind, and almost instantly, a floating panel materialized in front of him.

Before and During the inheritance ceremony, he actually wanted to check out this new system function , but Astarion had chosen to ignore it back then. Now, that he have some free time he wanted to check it out.

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Name: Astarion Van Vastaril 

Age: 19 years, 10, months, 29 days, 4 hours, 3 minutes, 2 second

Personality: Cunning, greedy, cruel, ambitious etc.

Strength: Below average 

Agility: Below average 

Healing ability: Above average

Intelligence: 95/100

Charisma: 97/100

Bloodline: Vastaril bloodline(Weakened and impure state)

*Bloodline ability: Increase healing speed

Destiny aura: Villain

Mythical energy reserve: Enough mythical energy to manifest Doesn't

Brain capacity: 500 years/80 years is currently being used.

 Skills: Business management(adept stage), Survival instinct(Master level), Assassination skills(apprentice stage).

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"Hmmm, not much has changed," Astarion mused internally as he scrutinized the updated status window.

He had requested Sol to develop this skill five years prior, inspired by a novel he had read. At the time, Sol had fulfilled this request, revealing the rather dismal state of Astarion's physical condition.

Far from being just below average he was below-below average, he had been significantly weaker, placing him at the lower end of the spectrum.

Over the past five years, through rigorous exercise and various strength-enhancing methods, he had managed to progress to just below average—a modest improvement, yet disappointing considering the effort invested.

The only notable updates were the additions of the new "Destiny Aura" and "Bloodline" features.

"Sir, we've arrived at Nexus Tower," the driver announced, bringing Astarion's attention back to the present. As he mentioned this, he smoothly brought the car to a stop at their destination.

Astarion exited the vehicle, his gaze immediately lifting to take in the sight before him. Towering above, the Nexus Tower stood as a colossal structure, reaching 100 floors into the sky.

It was a landmark positioned at the city's highest point, dominating the surrounding skyline with its imposing presence.

It's important to note that these towers belong to the Nexus Clan, one of the four great clans. In every major city across developed and developing countries, you can find a Nexus Tower.

There's usually just one in the capitals of undeveloped countries. The primary function of these towers is to sell various items and serve as intermediaries, assisting others in selling their goods.

Essentially, you can purchase almost anything within the Nexus Tower, making it akin to a legal and official version of the black market in this world.

"Welcome back, Young Lord Astarion," greeted some attendants as he walked in, their voices laced with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Your visit today has brought us great fortune," another chimed in, attempting to flatter him.

These attendants rushed over to fawn over him, which was a common occurrence. Although the Nexus Towers are supported by the Nexus Clan, the staff are under strict instructions to lavish praise or in simple words bootlick on members of other significant clans to encourage purchases.

They even keep a list of all notable members from various clans to ensure they know who to particularly impress.

Not long after his entrance, the manager of the Nexus Tower approached, his demeanor apologetic. "Young Master Astarion, my apologies for any delay. Please, follow me to the VIP room for further discussion," he said, gesturing respectfully towards a more private area for them to talk.

As Astarion followed the manager into the VIP room and took a seat, the manager offered him refreshments with a courteous tone. "Young Master Astarion, would you like some tea, coffee, or perhaps something to eat?" he asked, ready to cater to his guest's needs.

"No, manager. I'm here to make a purchase today," Astarion replied, his voice cool, accompanied by a faint, enigmatic smile.

"Oh, in that case, please let me know what you would like to purchase," the manager responded. He signaled to some attendants, who promptly entered the room with a tray of snacks and two cups of coffee, placing them on the table.

"Firstly, I'm interested in acquiring some gold coins," Astarion stated, getting straight to the point.

The manager, now holding a cup of coffee, took a sip before asking, "Could you specify how many gold coins you're looking to purchase? This way, I can ensure we meet your request."

"I'm not looking for a specific number. I want as many gold coins as 5 billion Cresto can buy," Astarion clarified.

The manager's reaction was immediate and uncontrollable. Upon hearing the amount, he spat out the coffee he had just sipped, causing it to spray out forcefully and drench one of the attendants standing nearby.

"W-W-What did you just say, Young Master Astarion? My apologies, but I must have misheard you. Did you mention 5 billion Cresto worth of gold?" the manager stuttered, disbelief etched on his face.

"That's exactly what I said," Astarion confirmed, unfazed by the manager's reaction.

"Please wait a moment, Young Master. I need to fetch my superior for this," the manager said as he hurried out of the room.

Thinking to himself excitedly, "I'm going to be rich!" he dashed to the elevator. He knew that if he could secure this deal with Astarion, he would earn a commission of 50,000 Cresto, thanks to the 0.001% cut managers receive from such transactions.

He had no doubts about Astarion's sincerity. Members of the four great clans, regardless of their status within their families, took great pride in their reputation and wouldn't make jokes that could tarnish it.

Soon, the manager returned with his superior, Tower Master Alex, to the room where Astarion was sitting, casually enjoying the snacks that had been brought in.

Tower Master Alex was a large, muscular man with blond hair and blue eyes. Upon entering, he greeted Astarion, "Hello, Young Master Astarion. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long."

Astarion, who was in the middle of eating a chicken wing, replied without hesitation, "Yeah, you really did make me wait too long."

Alex felt embarrassed and awkward, as this was the first time someone had responded so bluntly to his greeting. Usually, people would give him some face, saying things like, "No, no, you didn't make me wait too long."

"Now that you're here, shall we discuss business?" Astarion suggested, moving on from the small talk.

"Of course, Young Master. Business is what the Nexus Towers are all about," Alex replied, eager to proceed with the reason for their meeting.