Coveted After Becoming a Monster [Quick Transmigration] 103

Chapter 103

The surroundings were noisy, with the sound of hawking constantly echoing. The long street was crowded with all kinds of vendors.

There were those selling food, those selling strange stones and exotic items, and those selling medicinal herbs. There were even some who kept living creatures in iron cages, only furtively lifting a corner of the thin cloth when someone approached.

And amidst the clamor, the idle chat of the three of them seemed particularly inconspicuous.

“This cake tastes pretty good,” Li An said, holding up the cake in her hand and passing it to the side.

Anoska lowered her head slightly and took a bite. It was unknown whether she had tasted it or not, but she immediately nodded in agreement.

Li An turned her head to look at Elisa and instructed, “Remember to buy a few more to take back later.”

Elisa immediately nodded and was about to turn back to buy them, but Li An grabbed her shoulder and forcibly pulled her back.

“What’s the hurry? We’ll buy them on our way back,” Li An said helplessly.

But Elisa hesitated, and finally squeezed out, “I’m afraid… I’m afraid we’ll run out of money.”

Li An was stunned and couldn’t help but touch the money pouch in her bosom.

It wasn’t that she was stingy and insisted on spending Elisa’s money, but the gold coins Anoska had given her were simply impossible to spend!

The currency system of this world was established by the Holy See. One gold coin was equal to one hundred silver coins, and one silver coin was equal to one hundred copper coins.

And the common people mostly used copper coins for transactions. For example, the large cake in Li An’s hand only cost one copper coin. According to the previous currency system, if Li An gave them one gold coin, they would have to give her nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine copper coins.

A normal family couldn’t even earn that much in a year. How could they find so many for Li An?

When Li An had first taken out a gold coin, the person had been so scared that they had knelt on the ground and repeatedly said that they didn’t want money, that the humble one would treat the Excellencies to a meal.

Fortunately, Elisa had brought some copper coins, which had saved them from the problem of eating for free.

Therefore, on this journey, Li An had money but couldn’t spend it. It was Elisa who had been paying.

At this thought, Li An looked at Anoska with a faint look.

The other person’s gaze couldn’t help but shift elsewhere. The person who had always been so thorough in her dealings had actually not anticipated this.

Looking at Anoska’s guilty and evasive appearance, Li An lost her temper and could only say, “Then we’ll just buy less…”

Before she could finish, she heard a hawking sound from not far away. Li An’s eyes lit up. She didn’t hear what the person was selling, only that it cost two gold coins. She held Anoska with her left hand and pulled Elisa with her right, pulling the two of them into the crowd.

The crowd was surging, and it was impossible to see what was on the stall. Only the sound of ridicule could be heard from the surroundings.

“Hilda, are you crazy for money? You dare to sell this kind of thing for two gold coins.”

“Yeah, don’t be ridiculous. What kind of sucker would spend two gold coins to buy your junk?”

Then, an unwilling and old female voice sounded, “It’s the magic crystal of a great lord of the demon race. My ancestor was lucky enough to obtain it when he followed the Knight Commander to attack the demon castle. We’ve never been willing to sell it. If it weren’t for my granddaughter…”

“Come on, who can’t tell it’s a magic crystal? But what’s the use of a magic crystal to humans?”

“If it’s sold in the demon castle, it’s worth at least a thousand gold coins!”

When these words fell, Li An, who had squeezed her head in, finally saw the object on the stall. It was only half the size of a palm, and its whole body was purplish-red like a gem, emitting a faint, strange light.

A great lord’s magic crystal?

Li An tilted her head and looked at Elisa.

The other person immediately answered like a good student facing an exam, her words clear, “Magic crystals are born in the bodies of the demon race and will only drop when they are killed. It is said to be the source of the demons’ power.”

The attention of the people around was all on the stall, so no one paid attention to this side, which also made Li An listen at ease.

“It is said that the demon race will devour each other and absorb the power of the other’s magic crystal, so in the demon castle, the price of magic crystals is extremely expensive.”

“But unfortunately, the power in the magic crystal belongs to the evil attribute and is useless to humans. Every time it is brought back, it can only be used as a trophy to show off one’s military achievements.”

“However, occasionally there will be traveling merchants who buy them and secretly transport them to the demon castle to sell at a high price.”

Elisa tilted her head and thought for a moment, then replied, “But this is strictly forbidden by the Holy See.”

Li An finally nodded and praised her like a child, “Elisa has been studying hard these past two days. Keep it up.”

Elisa immediately showed a look of joy. If she weren’t still in the crowd, she would have wanted to bow to Li An on the spot.

Anoska on the other side hadn’t said a word before. Only after Li An’s praise did she get close to Li An and whisper in her ear, “An’an can also test me.”

Li An’s ears were the most sensitive. How could she stand someone blowing air next to them? She immediately trembled, and her left hand almost let go, but Anoska held it tightly.

Li An couldn’t help but turn her head to warn her.

The other person just blinked at Li An, her expression innocent, as if she really didn’t have any bad intentions.

She held Li An’s hand and, after shaking it gently, said in a drawn-out tone, “I also want to be praised by An’an.”

Hearing this, even if Li An had a temper, it disappeared without a trace. She could only give Anoska a reproachful look and praise her in a low voice, “Anoska is also very well-behaved.”

Only then was the other person satisfied. She turned slightly to the side and pressed close to Li An.

While they were talking, the conversation over there had not stopped.

“How about this, Hilda? I’m willing to pay one silver coin for your magic crystal. Fern has called me uncle for so many years, so it can be considered a small contribution to him.”

Hilda said firmly, “I said, it must be two gold coins.”

“Hilda, you’re simply ungrateful!”

Amidst the noise, a pink-haired head suddenly squeezed in and said, “I’ll pay two and a half gold coins!”

When the voice fell, the surroundings fell into a moment of silence, and everyone looked at the person who had spoken.

“Who is this?”

“A fool, right? The person wants two gold coins, and she offers two and a half.”

Hilda also looked up, showing a blank expression, “What are you talking about?”

“I said I’ll pay two and a half gold coins for your magic crystal,” Li An said, pulling the two of them in and jumping in front of the other’s stall.

Then, she added, “But I have one condition. You have to give me copper coins in change.”

As she spoke, she took out three gold coins and waved them in front of Hilda.

The questioning voices disappeared, replaced by greedy and fervent gazes. Some people even moved their feet and approached.

Anoska under the long robe snorted coldly, and an invisible wave suddenly rose.

Those with ill intentions all showed a look of fear and even took the initiative to retreat, so that the stall that had been crowded just now was now only left with Li An and the other two.

“It’s a magician.”

“What? How can there be a magician in our place?”

“You forgot, the Saintess’s carriage just entered the city.”

“Could it be that they are the Saintess’s people?”

A look of fear and respect flashed in everyone’s eyes, and no one dared to have any ideas about the three gold coins anymore.

Hilda also showed a look of surprise and said repeatedly, “I’ll sell, I’ll sell.”

“Then the copper coins?” Li An asked.

“We can exchange them at the Beck Bank,” Hilda replied easily.

Hearing this, Li An was stunned for a moment, and then she slapped her forehead. How could she have forgotten about the bank?!

If she had known earlier, she would have gone to the bank to exchange them. Why did she have to spend an extra half a gold coin to buy something?

She looked at the side with a puffed-up face.

Anoska blinked, her expression even more innocent.

That’s right, Her Excellency the Saintess had lived in the Holy See for a long time and could only go out during this period of the year. It was normal for her not to think of the existence of a bank.

Li An suddenly turned her head and glared at Elisa.

The other person was even more bewildered. She looked up at Li An and said, “I lived in a village with my adoptive mother when I was a child. When I grew up, I returned to the palace, and when I was a little older, I came to the Holy See. I’ve never seen a bank.”

Li An: …

Alright, this was also a pitiful person.

Wait, since she had never been out, how could she have copper coins?

Li An frowned, and the other person, as if afraid that Li An wouldn’t believe her, stammered and explained, “That was the money my father gave me. Before I came to the Holy See, he summoned me once and said that everything in the Holy See needed to be taken care of, so he gave me some gold coins and told me not to lose face for the Kingdom of Isola.”

“But,” Elisa’s tone changed, “he said it was gold coins, but by the time it reached my hands, it was only a bag of copper coins.”

Li An: …

Li An’s lips twitched. She raised her hand and patted Elisa’s shoulder, “If you have a chance to go to the Kingdom of Isola, have your teacher get it all back for you.”

“From now on, Her Excellency the Saintess is your backer. If it’s not ours, we don’t want it. If it’s ours, we have to get it back even if it’s at the ends of the earth,” Li An said with determination.

Elisa’s eyes turned red. She glanced at Anoska, then at Li An, and nodded heavily.

Anoska, who had been arranged for in a few words, didn’t speak. She just gently shook Li An’s hand, as if it was some kind of hint.

Li An ignored her, just patted her hand and mouthed, “Your student.”

But Anoska ignored her, just tilted her head and whispered in Li An’s ear, “I’ll come find An’an tonight.”

Li An’s lips twitched. She wanted to laugh but couldn’t. She could only helplessly emphasize, “Your student.”

While they were talking in a low voice, the person opposite them couldn’t hear. They thought Li An was going to back out and quickly packed the magic crystal and stuffed it into Li An’s hand, saying in a hurry, “Let’s go to the Beck Bank now.”

Li An’s attention was pulled back, and she quickly said, “Alright, alright.”

Even though she knew the method, the old woman opposite her was really pitiful, and she had also provided a solution for the three of them who had no common sense. There was no need for Li An to burn the bridge after crossing it. She would just treat it as helping the other party, so she didn’t back out.

The people around were still discussing, but no one dared to get close to Li An to discuss. They just swept their unwilling gazes over a few times and took the initiative to make way for Li An and the others.

“Your Excellencies, please follow me,” the old woman said in a hoarse voice, taking the initiative to lead the way.

Li An nodded slightly and led the others to follow.

But after a few steps, a child suddenly rushed up and bumped into Li An.

Li An was stunned. Before she could react, she was pulled by Anoska and pulled to her side.

But the child didn’t stop and deliberately bumped into Li An.

As their shoulders collided, the person lowered their voice and said, “I have a first-rank magic scroll here.”

After saying that, she looked as if she was sure Li An would be interested and proudly raised her head.

But Li An’s mind was blank.

What’s a scroll?

So what if it’s a first-rank scroll?

Seeing that Li An didn’t answer, the person showed a hint of anxiety and emphasized, “It’s a first-rank fire-type scroll.”

Li An was still bewildered.

Seeing that Li An was still not moved, the child stretched out her hand and said anxiously, “I only want one gold coin, I beg you.”

“I want to participate in the awakening ceremony.”

This series of words made Li An even more confused. She turned her head to look at the old woman in front. The person who had been anxious had actually stopped and said in an old voice, “Your Excellency, Joseph is also a pitiful child.”

At this time, Elisa took a step forward and asked in a small voice, “Do you really have a first-rank scroll?”

“Yes, yes, Your Excellency,” the child said, quickly raising the scroll in her hand and turning to look at her.

Anoska ignored the others and just got a little closer to Li An, saying in a low voice, “A magic scroll is a special method used by magicians to store their magic skills in a scroll. When used, there is no need to chant. You can directly open the scroll to release the skill.”

“However, the success rate of this scroll is extremely low, and the cost is high, so very few magicians are willing to make it, and it is even harder to find one on the market.”

“And fire-type magic scrolls are the most popular among low-rank scrolls because they are the most powerful and obvious.”

Hearing this, Li An finally understood and turned to look at Anoska.

The other person raised an eyebrow and, after getting closer, said, “Why isn’t An’an praising me yet?”

The hand hooked on her little finger swayed. Under the long robe, the pair of eyes as brilliant as molten gold at sunset did not dim with the dimming light, but instead became brighter.

The sometimes-present, sometimes-absent smell of butter cookies came with it.

Li An took a small step back and said vaguely, “You… you’re so well-behaved.”

Then, before Anoska could answer, she quickly covered it up, “A very interesting thing. Why don’t I usually see Her Excellency the Saintess use it?”

According to what Anoska said, although this kind of thing was rare, it had an unexpected effect at critical moments and could even save a life. But Li An had never seen Anoska use it, or even store it.

“I don’t need it,” Anoska replied easily, and then said, “But if An’an is interested, I can help you find a few high-rank ones.”

“First-rank…” Anoska didn’t say much, but the disdain in her tone was undisguised.

“It’s just a child’s toy.”

At this point, Li An had completely understood. Her attention immediately shifted elsewhere, and she asked, “You just said you wanted to participate in the awakening ceremony?”

Although Anoska was disdainful, a first-rank scroll was a rare treasure for ordinary people. Joseph didn’t even dare to set up a stall and kept it close to his body, trying to find a suitable buyer.

Now, the scroll had been exposed. If Li An and the others didn’t buy it, even if it wasn’t forcibly bought or sold, it would be stolen or snatched.

So the child was very flustered and didn’t dare to think about anything. She quickly said, “Yes, yes, I’m selling the scroll to participate in the awakening ceremony.”

Li An’s brow furrowed even tighter, “But I remember that the Holy See’s awakening ceremony is free for children who have reached the age of twelve. What do you need a gold coin for?”

“If you’re trying to save up for the magic academy’s tuition, isn’t it a bit too early? If you don’t awaken successfully…” Li An was afraid of discouraging the child and didn’t continue.

But the other person said, “No, Lord Jack has stipulated that only those who pay a gold coin can participate in the awakening ceremony.”

“What?!”

All three of them showed a look of surprise.

Anoska turned her head to look at the old woman on the other side and asked, “Are you selling the magic crystal for the awakening ceremony too?”

The person quickly replied, “Yes, I have a thirteen-year-old grandson at home. If he misses this year’s opportunity, he will never be able to awaken again, so—”

She gritted her teeth and said, “That’s why I took out my ancestral magic crystal to sell.”

She added, “Of these two gold coins, one is for Lord Jack, and the other is for my grandson’s tuition. If he fails to awaken, he can also use it to start a small business.”

Hearing the whole story, the three of them looked at each other and saw the solemnity in each other’s eyes. But when she turned her head, Li An’s expression relaxed.

She smiled at Joseph and said easily, “A first-rank scroll, right? I’ll buy it!”

“But you have to promise me that this gold coin of yours can only be used for the awakening ceremony.”

The child was overjoyed and said repeatedly, “Of course, I will definitely participate in the awakening tomorrow and become the greatest magician!”