"Silver Marrow Water."
Nemesis placed this bottle on the table as well.
"It’s one of the Earth Techniques from the Moon Hunter Series, used for enchanting weapons."
"You can also soak bullets in it. It’ll slightly strengthen the enchantment effect."
"This bottle is good for about fifty or sixty uses."
Richard looked at the three items on the table.
Eagle Hook, Moon Bathing Silk, and Silver Marrow Water.
If sold separately at market price, none of these items would be cheap.
Combined, their total value was still a little short of the price he had quoted.
But he didn’t try to negotiate for more.
"Deal."
Nemesis nodded lightly.
"The consultation terms will be the same as Aries’s."
"Three remote consultations, covering nothing beyond explaining the Technique itself."
"Fine."
Richard pushed the second, transcribed copy of the [Moon Nail · Reflection] manual to the center of the table.
Nemesis took the manual.
The Eagle Hook, Moon Bathing Silk, and Silver Marrow Water were pushed over to Richard’s side of the table.
But Nemesis wasn’t finished with her business.
She took out a small pouch and set it on the table.
When the mouth of the pouch was loosened, a brilliant Golden Light spilled out from within.
It was a pouch of Sovereign gold coins.
Richard glanced at it, estimating there were about thirty-some coins in the pouch.
Nemesis looked at Aries.
"Aries, those few Evil Beings Materials you laid out today."
Nemesis’s gaze swept over the pile of items on the table.
"One canine tooth from a Soul-Devouring Beast, two medium-sized Shadow Eater Scales, and that clump of dark green fiber."
"I’d like to trade this cash for all of them."
She pushed the pouch of Sovereign gold coins toward Aries.
"Calculated at market price, this should be enough."
Aries answered almost instantly.
"It’s enough."
He used his remaining right hand to pull the pouch of coins toward him.
The deal he had just made with Richard got him a Technique and an introduction, but no cash.
The deal with Prometheus had given him a bottle of stabilizer and a queuing voucher, also with no cash.
This deal with Nemesis was for cash.
For him, right now, cash was the most practical thing he could get.
He needed to talk to an alchemist about a prosthetic limb, and every Sovereign would help cover a piece of that cost.
Richard had one more item he hadn’t brought out yet.
He took a small, oil-paper packet from a hidden compartment in his chair and placed it on the table.
He peeled back a corner of the oil paper, revealing a semi-solidified object slightly smaller than a longan fruit.
"A medium-concentration Ether Condensate," Richard explained. "It can be used for nurturing Marvels or as a catalyst in Alchemy."
"I have no use for it myself at the moment. I was wondering if any of you are interested."
He didn’t mention where it came from, and no one at the table asked.
Aries spoke first.
"...Hermes, all my cash is earmarked for the prosthetic limb."
There was a hint of apology in the voice from beneath the Red Copper Mask.
Richard nodded, showing he understood.
The ball of flame above Prometheus’s head flickered.
"I have a few chunks of it on hand already."
The reply from under the Red Gold Mask was blunt.
"For the Furnace Fire lineage, this is a common byproduct of daily Alchemy. We’re not short on it. Save it for someone who truly needs it."
The pan of Nemesis’s tilted Balance Scale swayed almost imperceptibly.
"Sorry, I’ve already put out everything I brought today."
The space on the table belonging to her was now empty.
The Eagle Hook, Moon Bathing Silk, and Silver Marrow Water were now with Richard, and the pouch of gold coins had gone to Aries in exchange for the Evil Beings Materials.
"Maybe next time."
"Alright, next time then."
’It’s fine to hold onto it anyway. I’m not in a hurry to sell it.’

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