Heir of Synthesis: The World Mage

When he got within less than three meters, everyone’s vision became sharper and clearer. At that instant, Dandara saw Priam and smiled.

”Oh, Boss Priam, hello! Would you like to buy a divine pill? Since you’re my Boss now, I can give you a big discount! I know an incomparable Mage like you doesn’t need such a thing, but I believe the people by your side will. I haven’t found any of them yet, so if you find them, you can give one to them. What do you think?”

Priam laughed lightly. This girl had activated merchant mode again, and she really knew how to talk.

”What kind of pill is this? What’s the price?” Priam asked directly.

She sighed lightly. Obviously, she didn’t want to reveal her secrets to anyone. But she had lost the bet earlier and accepted that she would answer anything he asked.

”There isn’t a real name, because I named it myself. As for the price, I sold it to others for ten Red Prisms, with no negotiation at all. But for you, I’ll charge only seven. What do you think?”

She looked ”sincerely” at Priam, still avoiding saying precisely what it was made of.

Her gaze was a little pleading, as if asking him not to dig too deeply into it.

”Hahaha, do you think I’m an idiot? Just now, you were charging only five Red Prisms. Now you want to sell it to me for seven, and you still have the nerve to raise the price?”

Her eyes jumped. How had he heard that? She had said that price a few minutes ago. He could only have heard it when he was already very close, which couldn’t have happened.

”Ah? Boss Priam... don’t be angry. I probably announced the wrong price. Since that’s the case, I’ll punish myself and give it to you for only five, no... three Red Prisms! What do you think?” she said hurriedly.

Priam almost laughed. She really made up the prices on the spot. Since there was no one else there selling the same thing, the prices changed according to the customer.

”I’ll buy one.” Priam was extremely curious to know what that pill was and didn’t care about the price. He could ask her directly... but he didn’t want to force her to say what she didn’t want to.

After receiving three Red Prisms, Dandara was delighted and quickly gave him a pill.

Priam held it carefully. Its shell was slightly open, and there was a layer of powder over it.

Priam analyzed its contents with his senses, becoming surprised when he recognized precisely what was inside. They weren’t expensive materials, but useless things in the Divine Plane that also existed in the Mortal Plane.

”You really have talent. Demoness of the Pond Fruit, infected by powder from the Poisonous Flower of the Stormy Mountain. You learned the basics of Alchemy and managed to refine the ingredients and unite them in a crude, but functional way.”

Priam praised her honestly. Knowing Dandara’s story, she must have studied and learned a little of everything she could. She was truly hardworking.

”This pill is simple, but very sensitive. Any trace of physical movement in the ground will make it react a little, and that way, it’s possible to sense where the puppets are from a safe distance. Not bad, not bad.”

Priam hadn’t thought of this before because he didn’t need to worry about detecting the puppets.

Besides, he didn’t have practical abilities with the earth element. But a Mage specialized in that could sense even the tiniest physical movements in the ground. This pill had the same effect.

”Boss Priam is erudite and easily sees through my simple methods,” Dandara said. She hadn’t expected this little trick of hers to be discovered so easily.

She was truly clever and had prepared herself, studying all the sect’s past entrance tests. This current place had already been used many times before. So, she reflected and found a good method to make money in advance, in case it was here again.

”I worked hard to get as many resources as possible and then spent them on myself... after all, I was certain that no one with good intentions would accept me into a faction, even if I passed the sect’s test. This was the only way I found to become someone.”

Dandara finished lightly while smiling, but her voice showed a certain bitterness and helplessness.

”There are no easy or difficult paths to becoming stronger. Relying on your own intelligence to make money isn’t shameful. Now, I’m even more satisfied that I was the first to recruit you.” Priam laughed.

Dandara took a deep breath, feeling strange.

Normally, those Super Geniuses were always arrogant and looked down on people who did what she did. Besides, everyone underestimated her for being half-beast. But she couldn’t feel anything similar coming from him.

She had lived for ten years in the great city controlled by the sect. She had seen all kinds of Mages, even those born in the Mortal Plane. All of them were the same in those aspects.

As for Priam... she felt a gaze and a way of acting completely different from anything she had ever known. It was as if he wasn’t from this world and had a mentality completely outside the box.

”Boss’s behavior is always extraordinary and incredible. I’m also happy that we met, and that you recognized me...” Dandara said lightly.

”What did you say?” Priam asked, confused.

”I said that Boss Priam’s posture is extraordinary, worthy of a hero,” she repeated innocently.

Priam smiled. ”Ah. Actually, I heard that the first time, but I always like hearing compliments more.”

Dandara was stunned for a moment, clearly not used to that way of speaking. Looking at his smile, she shook her head.

”Boss is really interesting.”

”Hehe, I prefer to live life only listening to kind words several times, while pretending not to hear the bad ones. That extends to everything in life. If I give value to bad things... which are almost always what we see the most, there’s no way to keep a good mood while facing life’s challenges,” Priam said, indifferent.

”That way of thinking is innovative,” Dandara replied, truly stunned.

At that moment, Priam thought of something, and his eyes shone.

”Oh! I have some tips for you. Watch me closely.”

Dandara was confused by that, but soon after, she could see a person approaching them.

Priam moved toward him.

”Hello, you were lucky to meet me.”

”Does Lord Priam need something?” asked a young man, confused. Obviously, he recognized him and treated him with respect. Everyone in that line from before knew well who Priam was now, and they would also like to enter his faction, if they had the opportunity.

”Of course. Seeing your situation, I can say you must have taken quite a beating. But I have a divine pill that can bring you luck and avoid calamities, allowing you to pass this part of the trial without problems. I bought this pill from an alchemist specialized in the earth element. Back then, I spent 20 Red Prisms, but I realized that, with my power, I don’t need it. So, I want to trade it. What do you think? Want to keep it?” Priam asked.

He opened his hand and made the young man perceive the earth element affinity in the pill. Then, he explained how it could sense the puppets. Any Mage, upon using their senses, would understand that he was telling the truth.

”You’re selling me this?” The person immediately made some calculations. Astutely, he said, ”This seed is second-hand now, so I’ll offer, at most, 15 Red Prisms.”

”But... doesn’t that mean I’ll lose five?” Priam asked.

”Let’s forget it, then. I’ll keep moving forward. Maybe this region with puppets ends soon,” the man said, pretending he was going to leave.

”Fine, fine, I’ll accept the loss!” Priam said with a pained expression.

That astute individual left excitedly with the pill. His appearance was like someone who had just made a fortune.

Dandara in the back was stunned. Priam had just earned 15 Prisms and, subtracting the three he had spent buying it from her, his profit was still incredible.

Priam approached Dandara, then smiled lightly.

”Everyone likes buying cheap things. The important part is knowing how to take advantage of that. Although there are many other factors in business, this is definitely one of the simplest. If you improve your marketing techniques, your profit will certainly multiply. Making the customer want something and still leave satisfied is always a good tactic.”

This was a common sales technique from Earth, one that was sometimes done without any dignity. Some places gradually increased the price of something, only to later offer a big discount, and the buyer would think they had paid little, when in truth, they had paid more than they should have.

Dandara nodded lightly, staring fixedly at Priam. She hadn’t thought of that before, so it was a great tip.

”I’m moving forward. Don’t stay here too long, or you might lose the chance to pass to the second test. I don’t want to lose you from my faction.” Priam said goodbye lightly, taking steps away.

Dandara nodded exaggeratedly.

”Yes! I won’t disappoint you!”