End of the Magic Era

More importantly, even the stores that hadn’t been very close to the Gilded Rose were coming to ask for its help…

The Mosh Family, which was best at creating alchemy support tools—especially measurement tools, sent two Heaven Rank experts for negotiation, and ordered 50,000 Universal Cores.

Undercurrents were rising during the three days. The Gilded Rose still hadn’t released its new product yet. Only the informed families had learned of the news, and only the families who had been working with the Gilded Rose got products.

That was Faleau’s way of strengthening their partnership. Those families got products three days earlier than others. So, by the time the Gilded Rose officially released the Universal Core, they would already have new magic tools for sale, and could occupy the market faster. One step ahead could mean every step ahead.

In only three days, the Gilded Rose had a dozen more partners. All of them had signed rigorous long-term contracts.

In the Mosh Family, Reed Mosh read the report in his hand carefully.

“The Universal Core will be a paradigm-shifting product when it’s released. It can be used in magic tools, alchemy puppets, and alchemy arrays. It can even be used in the alchemy tools of our family.

“The very same tools that we have already perfected, if added with a Universal Core, are improved by 48% in the worst case. Also, multiple Universal Cores can be applied to it.

“Instead of using the Universal Cores directly, the Gilded Rose is selling them. This Faleau is truly a genius. This can ensure the Gilded Rose’s development in the Odin Kingdom…”

Nearby, another Artisan was deep in thought.

“I heard that the Sky City purchased 10,000 Universal Cores at once. They must’ve discovered that more than one core can be installed in the same device. Most of the cores they bought must’ve been applied to the Sky City itself. Their main city, which hasn’t appeared in 10,000 years, must be even more horrifying than before…”

On the third day, a tremendous amount of orders flooded in. Three days were enough for the alchemists to ascertain that the Universal Cores were much more effective than the Gilded Rose’s description claimed.

Even though they didn’t know how the cores were made or what they were made of, they didn’t hesitate to purchase the Universal Cores. After all, their competitors were buying them too. Nobody wanted to be left behind…

On the fourth day, when the Gilded Rose officially released the Universal Cores, the spacious streets became crowded again. People from various families and stores were waiting here.

In the first three days, Faleau declined all the families except those which had been cooperating with the Gilded Rose. As a matter of fact, the Gilded Rose already had a storage of more than 30,000 pieces. By the time the team developed manufacturing facilities, the productivity would definitely be multiplied…

The news that they released in secret had been learned by those who should know. Those who didn’t know were incapable of buying the Universal Cores.

At 12 P.M., Faleau appeared at the gate of the Gilded Rose, and put on a smile at the crowd outside.

“I believe many of you already know what the Gilded Rose is going to sell today. We’ve added a simple introduction on the invitations we sent out yesterday.

“Today, the Gilded Rose is releasing a crucial component called the Universal Core, which can be applied to most magic tools, alchemy puppets, and alchemy arrays. They can also perfect alchemy items, and let them possess unimaginable abilities.

“I’m not telling you about the performance, because I believe you trust your own measurement. I’ll only talk about sales and pricing.

“From today on, the Gilded Rose’s store in Neverwinter City and its 21 branches outside will sell the Universal Cores simultaneously.

“Their price is 80,000 purple gold apiece. Bulk purchases will enjoy a discount. However, our productivity is limited, and only 80,000 Universal Cores are available on the market in the first month.”

The release meeting was quite shabby. However, nobody thought that it was wrong. They didn’t care even if Faleau barely introduced the Universal Cores.

After the sale was announced to begin, people from all organizations and stores crammed the Gilded Rose. Everybody bought the Universal Cores with whatever money they had.

Faleau had stated that only 80,000 pieces were available in the first month. If they were slow, they would be left behind by others for a whole month.

If everybody used the Universal Cores, those who used them first would be ahead of others at every step, not to mention that many people had insider information. The Sky City, which had been cooperating with the Gilded Rose, had already bought 10,000 pieces. Considering the other cores that had already been sold, probably only 60,000 were left…

The 30,000 Universal Cores in stock were sold out in only three hours. The other buyers would have to wait for restocking.

More importantly, the Gilded Rose was not accepting any orders, because the productivity was unstable, the success rate was low, and the raw materials weren’t enough…

Due to all these reasons, the Gilded Rose could only regretfully announce that, to avoid violating the contracts with its partners, it could only refuse new orders until more products were available…

Nobody looked well after they left the Gilded Rose. They got few of the products. Even the biggest buyer only bought 100 Universal Cores, so they had every reason to be angry. However, their passion for purchasing the Universal Cores wasn’t quenched. They wanted the products even more badly.

Unfortunately, no goods in the Gilded Rose were available, and there was nothing they could do…

“The Gilded Rose is not taking new orders. God damn it. Why would they refuse purple gold? I’ve only bought 10 Universal Cores. Apart from the one that the Gilded Rose gave me for tests, I only have 10.

“Also, I heard that many people bought a huge number of Universal Cores. The Sky City alone claimed 10,000 pieces…”

“Alright, stop complaining. I’ve already investigated. The Gilded Rose started internal sales three days ago. All the buyers were the Gilded Rose’s good partners. They were only charged 50,000 purple gold apiece.”

“Damn it, those people are truly lucky. They bought so many Universal Cores so cheaply. There’s nothing we can do. The Gilded Rose considers its partners first instead of the greatest income. Very few stores in the Odin Kingdom do that…”

“We must blame ourselves for despising the Gilded Rose, and refusing to work with the outsider…”

“Damn it, I heard that a material supplier got 300 Universal Cores. Damn it, why would a material supplier need the Universal Cores?”

Hearing the last complaint, a few people had glittering eyes and left quickly. After they left, they immediately rushed to investigate material suppliers that cooperated with the Gilded Rose. When they found out the answer, they immediately sent representatives to purchase the 300 Universal Cores at prices that were much higher than the Gilded Rose’s retail price…

The Gilded Rose’s new product immediately ignited all the businesses that were related to alchemy. Any store that wasn’t aware of the Gilded Rose’s Universal Cores would have to shut down…

Unlike what happened when the Gilded Rose released new products before, everybody cheered for it this time, and nobody spoke ill of it. It wasn’t because of the Universal Cores’ good quality, but because the Gilded Rose didn’t harm anyone’s interests by presenting the Universal Cores.

Even though it was widely acknowledged that the Universal Cores should be applied to magic tools, the corporations that were fighting in the magic tool market didn’t hate the Gilded Rose at all.

It was because the competition was still among them, and the Gilded Rose had nothing to do with it. The Gilded Rose didn’t enter the market of magic tools at all, and in fact expanded the market in general.

Who would go to the Gilded Rose for trouble? None at all. Rather, they would try to make friends with the Gilded Rose.

After all, the Gilded Rose didn’t take orders for the Universal Cores. Nobody knew when the cores would be available. Many people had sent representatives to the Gilded Rose, and wanted to be informed upon the delivery of Universal Cores.

However, too many people were doing that. Some even sent managers who had the power to directly purchase items there. Only the fastest of them could get the products.

Therefore, what mattered the most was to make friends with the Gilded Rose. After all, the long wait couldn’t compare to the insider information.

The specific hour wasn’t needed. As long as they knew which day the cores would be available, they could just wait at the Gilded Rose to purchase the goods.

In such an atmosphere, the Gilded Rose’s expansion became a lot easier. It signed contracts with 13 material suppliers in the Odin Kingdom, and acquired supply of all materials. Also, rigorous terms had been stipulated in the contracts. If the suppliers stopped supplying materials, they would almost go bankrupt…

In half a month, as the Universal Cores were sold consecutively, the Gilded Rose’s third batch of branches was established. After they were opened, the Gilded Rose’s annual plan of establishing 40 branches would be completed. Its sales network would cover all the important cities in the north of the Odin Kingdom.

In three years, its market share of potions would definitely be the biggest in the north of the Odin Kingdom, and its position could hardly be challenged. By then, it would be much easier to enter the magic tool market. Also, the Gilded Rose would have already developed a star product in that aspect by then.

It was possible to produce True Spirit Magic Tools at this moment, but the cost was just too high. If Lin Yun were to take action in person, he could make peak True Spirit Magic Tools, but those tools couldn’t be sold. They were too costly to manufacture. Making one or two of them was pointless, and would only attract unnecessary attention from competitors.

When everything was going on, something happened in one of the Gilded Rose’s branches…

“Idiot, sell your Universal Core to me, or you won’t leave League City…”

“Are you insulting me? Idiot, everybody knows that the Gilded Rose’s Universal Cores are 50,000 purple gold apiece, yet you charged me 100,000? Damn it, you’re challenging the dignity of a Heaven Rank expert…”

“Get the hell out of here. Here’s 5,000 purple gold for your Universal Core…”

Five minutes later, Wolkrie Carter looked at the Universal Core in his hand with a smile. Then, he waited not far away from the Gilded Rose’s store. After 10 minutes, his eyes glittered again…

10 minutes later, Wolkrie gained another Universal Core.

“Hahaha. The Universal Cores are already 100,000 purple gold apiece on the market. They’re so tiny, yet so valuable.

“80,000 purple gold is too expensive. Those idiots were stupid enough to pay all their money for this, and I’m the one who gets them in the end.

“I’ve only paid 50,000 purple gold for more than 60 Universal Cores. If I sell them, I will earn more than 6,000,000 purple gold. That’s easy money.”

Greed flashed in Wolkrie’s deep eye sockets. In the dark corner of the street, he looked like a ghost in human skin.

Wolkrie was quite infamous in League City. He had never been a good guy, but he was exceptionally gifted in magic. He was found to be strongly intimate with fire elements, which meant that he had been touched by the law of fire before he was born. That was a positive effect, and led to his terrifying talent.

Unfortunately, Wolkrie had been surprisingly naughty and disobedient since he was five. He killed a servant of his family brutally with magic when he was 13.

Then, he committed all kinds of evils, including breaking into houses and molesting girls in the middle of the night, and torturing whomever he found disagreeable. He didn’t have the dignity of a mage at all. He was just a strong mobster.

If the Carter Family hadn’t been one of the most powerful families in League City, Wolkrie would’ve been killed. As a matter of fact, he had been attacked plenty of times over the years, but he survived every time. Before he reached the Heaven Rank, when he was hunted by a Heaven Rank mage, he had the audacity to hide in the area of ordinary people and spread his aura throughout the region.

To escape, he caused the death of a dozen mages and dozens of ordinary people, which gave his pursuer a headache. The mage couldn’t slaughter ordinary people in a city, or he would be doomed.

The mage left, and Wolkrie came out again. After he reached the Heaven Rank, he became even more unbridled, and did anything he wanted to. Nobody dared to offend him.

Unfortunately, as a Heaven Rank, he was incapable of making money despite his strength. He didn’t know the first thing about alchemy, either. The Carter Family had little support for him. They wouldn’t have supported him at all had it not been for his strength.

As he was a Heaven Rank mage, it was too risky and profitable for him to work as a bandit.

If he were to beat and threaten other mobsters, they couldn’t offer much purple gold to him, either, at least not enough for a Heaven Rank…

This time, the Gilded Rose’s Universal Cores were quite heated on the market, so an idea occurred to Wolkrie. It wasn’t appropriate for him to rob the Gilded Rose, and it was too risky. However, he could forcefully buy the cores from those who had shopped in the store…

Those who had paid 80,000 purple gold for the core had to sell it to Wolkrie for several hundred gold coins. Also, the guy was a talented robber. He knew exactly what kind of person he could rob, and how much he should give them.

The victims were all weak, and didn’t have powerful backgrounds. Some were even lone mages. Wolkrie wasn’t scared of those people at all.

After robbing and reselling for a few days, Wolkrie had earned more than 10,000,000 purple gold.

At this moment, Faleau received a report on that. Reading the information, he frowned hard with a strong headache.

That wretched guy. At the time when the Universal Cores were the most popular, he was robbing the Gilded Rose’s customers.

As a Heaven Rank, Wolkrie was truly shameless to do such a thing. Also, he was selling the Universal Cores he looted at much higher prices. Many people were already waiting for his stock.

That was truly a problem. The man didn’t cause trouble to the Gilded Rose. He didn’t even commit the robbery near the Gilded Rose’s stores.

He had given every victim purple gold, so it was only forceful buying at worst. Also, he was from the Carter Family, which was one of the most powerful families in town.

If the Gilded Rose left the matter alone, more and more people would do the same. Then, the Universal Cores would be meat that everybody could eat. Maybe someone would even plan to rob the Gilded Rose later.

Negotiating with the Carter Family wouldn’t end well, either. If they insisted that the deals between the parties were agreed upon, the Gilded Rose would have no right to intervene. It couldn’t impose any pressure, either…

Faleau was quite upset. This was truly a tricky matter. He thought for a moment, and decided to send someone to talk to the Carter Family first. After all, the Gilded Rose had already sold the cores before the latter were looted. The Gilded Rose was in no position to care about what happened afterwards.

The person that the Gilded Rose sent out came to League City, and the Carter Family was informed immediately.

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