Chapter 407: Guarantor

"Sein coins, 94.9% purity, weight one-quarter ounce," the female clerk said, operating the machine.

With a soft whir of gears and the ticking of dial hands, she quickly obtained the precise readings for the Sein coins.

She looked up at Gao De and said calmly, "The Jin Jin Quehua coin has a standard purity of 95% and weighs 0.26 ounces. According to principal regulations, a one percent handling fee is charged per exchange."

"You have eighteen Sein coins in total. You can exchange them for sixteen Jin Jin Quehua coins, seven Silver Dragon coins, and seventy Copper Stone coins."

"As for the Three-Leaf Silver coins, I'm sorry, but our bank does not exchange any currency other than gold coins, sir. Please take them back."

With that, the female clerk gently pushed the six Three-Leaf Silver coins to the edge of the counter, smiling politely.

Finally, she issued a receipt and handed it to Gao De, saying softly, "Sir, please double-check for any errors."

Gao De took the receipt, did a quick mental calculation, confirmed there were no issues, and nodded slightly. "Verified. Please proceed with the exchange."

"Understood. Just a moment," the clerk said, immediately moving with practiced efficiency.

She turned toward the row of tall safes behind her, skillfully dialing the combination locks. The doors opened, revealing compartments filled with various coins, gleaming with alluring metallic luster.

The clerk precisely grasped and swiftly extracted the exact quantities of Jin Jin Quehua coins, Silver Dragon coins, and Copper Stone coins, arranging them neatly on the counter.

Then she picked up the seal and stamped the center of Gao De's receipt with the bank's official mark.

This was the receipt.

Only then did she place the receipt and coins together before Gao De.

Gao De carefully secured the coins and the receipt, then stepped out of the bank, feeling a quiet sigh.

Did nothing, and lost another gold coin.

But Jin Jin Quehua currency is highly recognized across the Nora Continent and widely accepted.

Once you reach other nations, you won't need to exchange currency again—even in the Holy Empire, it holds the same value.

After all, it's the oldest dynasty on the entire continent.

Bard was still waiting at the door.

"Since you're back, let's meet again another time," Gao De said with a smile, preparing to take his leave.

"It's nearly dark now. Why not rest at my place tonight? You saved my life—let me cook you a proper meal. And since you've just arrived in Holde Town and don't know the place, I can be your guide tomorrow. I've lived here since birth—I know every corner!" Bard exclaimed eagerly.

Gao De saw the sincerity in Bard's expression—he truly wished to express his gratitude.

He thought for a moment. The offer of a guide had indeed appealed to him. He didn't refuse, and nodded. "Alright, then. I'll come to your place and taste your cooking."

"Wonderful!" Bard exhaled in relief, his voice brimming with genuine joy.

Following Bard, they walked down a wide street, turned into a narrower alley, and finally stopped before a three-story residence.

The house was built of neatly laid dark brown stone bricks, its three-tiered structure clearly defined.

Its overall appearance resembled an apartment from his past life: three floors, each separated by a narrow belt course, with one apartment on each side.

On the first floor, evenly spaced arched windows were embedded in the walls, their iron grilles finely cast. The glass, though aged, had been polished to a clear shine.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor.

The layout mirrored the first floor, with two distinct apartments on either side.

The left apartment was Bard's home.

The door was made of thick solid wood, its paint slightly peeling. Beside it hung a small kerosene lamp, its base dusted with a thin layer of grime.

Bard pulled out his key, inserted it into the lock, and with a soft click, opened the door, inviting Gao De inside.

The room was empty. In the dimness, furniture shapes loomed faintly, exhaling the scent of aged wood.

Bard moved confidently to a small table in the corner, lit the kerosene lamp, and warm yellow light rippled outward, dispelling the darkness and illuminating his belongings:

A slightly chipped wooden table, several worn chairs, and a few faded paintings on the wall.

As he adjusted the wick to brighten the flame, he turned to Gao De and said:

"I'm not married. I live alone. My parents are farmers from a small village below. They saved nearly their entire lives to buy me this apartment in Holde Town."

You're a gold digger.

Gao De silently thought, unkindly.

Bard led Gao De to the dining table and reached into a cabinet to retrieve a ceramic cup with fine cracks.

The cup was old, its glaze chipped, yet meticulously cleaned.

Bard lit the stove, boiled water, and sprinkled in tea leaves.

Then he lifted a nearby milk jug and slowly poured a thin layer of milk into the cup. The milk spread across the bottom, glowing a soft white.

Next, he picked up the teapot and poured steaming hot black tea into the cup. The tea and milk instantly blended, forming a rich amber hue.

This was the local custom: black tea with milk, served to guests.

"Rest for a while. Have some tea. I'll prepare dinner," Bard said.

Gao De nodded, lifted the cup, and took a small sip of this world's "milk tea."

Honestly, it tasted surprisingly similar to a certain kind of milk tea from his past life.

Bard spent nearly an hour in the kitchen.

Gao De didn't sit idle. His gaze wandered around the cramped room.

Soon, he noticed several brand-new books neatly arranged on a shelf against the wall—local history and geography texts. He casually picked one up and began reading.

Only when Bard emerged carrying steaming food did he stop.

"I bought these just to decorate. I haven't even read them much," Bard said, slightly embarrassed as he saw Gao De flipping through the books.

Among commoners, buying a few expensive books to display at home, adding a touch of culture, was common.

Gao De looked at Bard's meal and couldn't help but admire—the cooking of a single man was indeed impressive.

In under an hour, Bard had prepared an extraordinarily rich dinner.

A stack of buttered wheat bread, freshly fried, releasing a fragrance of toasted grain mingled with caramelized crust. The butter, already softened on the plate, was smooth and creamy, perfect for spreading.

Next to the bread sat a bowl of stew.

Gao De glanced at it and knew it was made from root vegetables—carrots, onions, potatoes—chopped and simmered in a large pot, with salted pork bones added for flavor.

There was also a roasted lamb chop, arranged on an elegant porcelain plate, golden and glistening—the centerpiece of the meal.

"It was sudden today. I didn't have time to prepare ingredients. The market and butcher shops were already closed by now. It's a bit plain," Bard apologized.

"It's already excellent," Gao De smiled, picked up a piece of bread, spread butter on it, and put it in his mouth.

Instantly, the aroma of wheat, milk, and a faint saltiness exploded in his mouth.

Seeing Gao De eagerly devouring his meal, Bard's face lit up with a radiant smile.

He was a simple, honest commoner.

"Earlier you said becoming a formal resident of Holde Town requires a local noble to act as your guarantor. Could you tell me which nobles here might be willing to serve as one?" Gao De asked the question he cared about.

Bard, mid-spoonful of stew, froze. He gently set the spoon back in the bowl, frowned slightly, and fell into thought.

He pondered carefully for a long time before speaking cautiously: "You might try approaching Knight Gerard Wells." The Jin Jin Quehua Dynasty's noble ranks differ little from those of other nations.

Or rather, other nations' noble systems were copied directly from Jin Jin Quehua.

Excluding the monarch, the dynasty's noble hierarchy consists of six ranks:

Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Knight.

As for knights, strictly speaking, they are not noble rank—they are military vassals, loyal to local lords.

But generally, people still treat knights as the lowest tier of nobility.

Because they can own land and enjoy certain noble privileges, including acting as guarantors to help foreigners gain citizenship.

"Knight Gerard Wells's son is a town sentinel. Last year, while on patrol, he encountered a powerful earth-vein creature. Though he killed it, he suffered severe injuries and must take expensive magical medicine daily. That's a huge expense—even his family's wealth can't sustain it. And he has only this one son. So for the past six months, Knight Wells has been desperately trying to earn money for his son's medicine," Bard explained.

He paused, then added: "Because he's so short on funds, he's already acted as guarantor for several foreigners this past half-year."

Though he didn't say it outright, the meaning was clear: pay up.

In a one-to-one version!

Simple, blunt, but effective.

Anything that can be solved with money isn't truly difficult.

"How much roughly...?" Gao De understood, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, pressing further.

"Two hundred Jin Jin Quehua coins minimum," Bard said without hesitation. "Don't think it's expensive—it's actually fair. The guarantor process looks simple, but the risks are huge."

"According to our rules, if the person you guarantee commits a crime, you're also punished. If you accidentally guarantee a foreign spy, you could lose your career and fortune."

"So normally, nobles are reluctant to act as guarantors for outsiders."

"I see," Gao De nodded slightly, acknowledging.

Two hundred Jin Jin Quehua coins minimum—based on this world's gold purchasing power, that's equivalent to two hundred thousand yuan in his past life.

A massive sum.

But then he thought: in his past life, hiring a smuggler to get a U. S. green card cost even more—and carried massive fraud risk. Here, with Knight Wells, once you paid, it was guaranteed.

Thinking this way, Gao De felt much better.

He didn't have that much money on him.

But he hadn't forgotten—the backpack he carried contained numerous valuable transcendental materials brought from the Northern Frontier.

After dinner, Bard tidied up the bedding.

Gao De would spend the night at Bard's home.

Early the next morning, after a simple breakfast, Gao De set out with Bard.

Holde Town was large, its streets winding, shops lining every corner. Without a local guide, Gao De, unfamiliar with the place, would find movement difficult.

Their first stop today was Green Magic Materials.

According to Bard, this was the largest magic materials buyer in Holde Town.

Wizards from the town who killed earth-vein creatures in the Sword Mountain Range usually sold their transcendental materials here.

At the entrance of the Magic Materials Shop, Bade wisely did not follow Gao De inside, but waited outside.

Gao De stepped into the Magic Materials Shop; the interior light was dim, lending it a certain atmosphere.

Wooden shelves were neatly arranged, filled with various packaged magical materials: magical plants, metallic-gleaming ores, and extraordinary substances harvested from geopulse creatures.

After stating his purpose to the staff, Gao De was led by them into a small private room.

In the center of the room stood a large wooden table, surrounded by several carved chairs. Soon, the shop's "appraiser" entered.

The appraiser was thin and gaunt, yet his eyes were sharp as a hawk's.

"What extraordinary material are you selling? Show it," the appraiser said bluntly, his voice hoarse.

Gao De did not delay; he took out the extraordinary materials he had prepared the night before for sale today and spilled them onto the table.

These materials were of many types, most small in size and light in weight.

"Two-ring Ice Plain Giant Snake fangs," the appraiser picked up two sharp, pale-blue fangs, made his judgment without lifting his eyelids, and said directly: "We'll offer you 33 Jin Jin Quehua coins."

"This is second-rank Ice Soul Stone."

The thin appraiser continued making judgments and quoting prices in sequence.

All of these were second-rank extraordinary materials.

Extraordinary materials from four-ring geopulse creatures might be harder to obtain, but with the strength of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe, acquiring some from three-ring geopulse creatures was effortless.

Yet Gao De had not chosen to bring any third-rank extraordinary materials.

The reason was simple: the materials' rank far exceeded his own mage rank; he could not yet control them.

After appraising a string of second-rank materials, the appraiser's gaze suddenly fixated on two thumb-sized, blue-glowing stones.

"Blue Rock Frost Stone—this is a third-rank magical mineral?!" His previously impassive face twitched slightly. He picked up one stone, examined it closely, then lifted his head in surprise to glance at Gao De, as if trying to excavate some explanation from his expression.

Gao De merely nodded slightly.

The extraordinary materials he brought from the Northern Frontier were mostly second-rank; only the ores he chose to carry were third-rank—if his luck was good enough, a one-ring mage might not only obtain a third-rank magical ore, but even a fourth- or fifth-rank one.

This was acceptable.

Each rank of magical material had a relatively stable price range.

For example, the market average price for second-rank materials was 65 gold per unit; the Magic Materials Shop typically offered half that, or 32.5 gold.

The market average price for third-rank materials was as high as 300 gold; even halved, it still amounted to 150 gold.

Here in Holde Town, due to its warmer climate, these Northern Frontier magical materials were rare.

Most materials sold above their average price; after totaling everything and rounding up, the final purchase price reached 562 gold.

The bulk came from the two Blue Rock Frost Stones—those two alone totaled 320 gold, accounting for more than half the total.

"Deal," Gao De nodded slightly, satisfied with the offered price, then listed a series of materials: "I also need some materials: one set of Moon Moth wings. Deduct these from the total before final settlement."

This trip, he intended not only to sell, but also to buy.

He still carried eight one-ring spell formulas, but had not yet constructed the spell models because he lacked the required magical materials for the spell potions.

Now that he had arrived at a shop with such a complete variety of magical materials, why not immediately replenish them? Once he brewed the spell potions, he could master all eight spells at once.

These eight one-ring spells were all common universal spells, so the required magical materials for their potions were also common; a large shop like Green Magic Materials would have ample stock, with no shortages.

But the prices? They were anything but affordable.

—Here, the trading rules were clear-cut: when selling, purchase prices were halved; when buying, prices were full market rate.

To brew a one-ring spell potion typically required two one-rank primary materials and three to five zero-rank auxiliary materials.

The market average price for one-rank materials was 14 gold; for zero-rank materials, it was 3 gold—so the material cost for one one-ring spell potion was roughly 40 gold.

The cost of materials for eight spell potions reached 307 gold.

Mages are such money-burners! (End of Chapter)