The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Chapter 88: What is the Value of the Black Pearl?

Translator: 549690339

The Tridacna shell was huge, over two meters long and almost as wide, and while Liszt was still growing and now nearly reached a height of one meter eighty-five, he could still fit inside the clean Tridacna shell to sleep if he wished.

Of course, that suggestion was just a casual remark.

The shape of the Tridacna shell was too peculiar, its form like that of a great wave, not suited to be crafted into a bed. He had the Tridacna shell placed at the castle’s entrance as a giant sculpture. It had to be said, the hollowed-out, cleaned Tridacna shell had quite an aesthetic appeal.

Having dealt with the Tridacna, Liszt returned to the study to examine the Black Pearls.

Carter had moved all the Black Pearls into the study, but now, apart from the small Black Pearl in Liszt’s hand, the other Black Pearls were invisible—they had been stashed away by Liszt in a Space Gem near his chest, as he chose to keep valuable items close to his person.

So when Carter brought in a glass of juice, he exclaimed in surprise, “My lord, I clearly placed the Black Pearls on the shelf over there, where have they gone?”

“I’ve hidden them, no need to be astonished,” Liszt replied.

“Alright then.” Carter did not probe further about where Liszt had hidden the Black Pearls. As the butler, he didn’t need to know. His role was simply to serve the lord well and manage the daily affairs of the castle.

Sipping the juice.

After exploring for half a day.

Liszt gradually gained a basic understanding of the Black Pearls, “They are rich in Magic Power, nearly as much as the gemstones produced by dragons. However, unlike gemstones that provide a continuous supply of Magic Power, the Magic Power of the Black Pearls seems to require manual replenishment. I don’t have Water-Attribute Magic Power, so I can’t replenish them.”

The ping-pong ball-sized Black Pearl he was toying with in his hand constantly emitted ripples of Magic Power.

This ripple was utterly different from that of a Dragon Gem.

He distinguished between the two using terms he could understand: “Dragon Gems are more akin to forming a stable magnetic field with Magic Power, which does not dissipate. Black Pearls, on the other hand, are like a radioactive element, continuously emitting Magic Power, and over time, you can feel the loss of their Power.”

So, in essence, Black Pearls were many levels inferior to Dragon Gems.

A Dragon Gem could easily fetch seven to eight hundred Gold Coins, while as Marcus had said, a Black Pearl might only sell for a dozen or so Gold Coins.

“However, who knows what exorbitant price a basin-sized Black Pearl could fetch! I believe those nobles, as insane about collecting treasures and antiques as they are, would be willing to pay with Dragon Coins,” Liszt mused. A Dragon Coin was worth ten thousand Gold Coins, and only particularly wealthy nobles could afford them.

With that thought.

He became unsettled, “I always feel that the reward for the Smoke Mission this time is the most substantial… The content of the reward isn’t particularly rich, but it’s akin to being given money, tangible and real.”

So far, he had completed eighteen missions, without fathoming the pattern for their appearance, nor the rules governing the rewards.

But most of the mission rewards were very valuable.

If one were to gauge, magical beast rewards like Douson and Juan Fu were probably worth over a hundred Gold Coins; productivity rewards like Elf Bug might be valued at a thousand or two thousand Gold Coins, as the Elf Bug was indeed magical and rare, but its ten-year lifespan was a significant limitation.

As for Black Tulips, Flame Mushrooms, Dragon Breed Horses, they would probably fetch around a Dragon Coin in value; for a Dou Qi Secret Technique like “The Eye of Magic”, it was definitely worth three thousand Gold Coins; and as for items like Corn Grass, Smoked Grass, a Miniature Saltpeter Mine, or fifty serfs, while challenging to quantify, were also very valuable.

As for the information about the Formless Dragon, that was in a class of its own.

The most valuable were the gems of the Formless Dragon, gems that contained their own space, priceless treasures.

However, these rewards either needed a long time to fully display their value or due to various constraints, couldn’t demonstrate their worth, or were simply so valuable that possessing them was a crime, such as Space Gems, which could not be revealed for fear of attracting disaster.

But the current Black Pearls were different.

They were highly valuable; the sixteen Black Pearls of varying sizes could fetch at least tens of thousands of Gold Coins combined. Crucially, they could be sold separately, as they were not a set but individual entities.

“Should I sell it, sell it, or sell it?” Liszt pondered for a moment before deciding to take out a black pearl the size of a sea bowl to test the waters of the market.

Yesterday, Carter mentioned to him that August 19th was Levis’s birthday and asked what gift was needed.

He was to attend the birthday party at Tulip Castle.

“Just get some high-grade seafood as a gift. It would be a good opportunity to ask if he has any intention of buying black pearls. The Tulip Family all have Water-Attribute Dou Qi, so they should be interested in black pearls… They could get a magician to help forge a magic equipment. By then, they could also help me understand how exactly black pearls can be used.”

No one is better than a magician at studying magic items.

It’s uncertain if there are any magicians on Coral Island, but the Tulip Family can definitely make contact with one.

If the price is right, Liszt is prepared to sell a few black pearls first and gather some gold coins, then hand them over to Levis to continue purchasing serfs for him.

He also plans to buy more pig iron and wrought iron and give them to the smithy to make farming tools.

He was not satisfied with the efficiency of the serfs farming in the town. Since he couldn’t get oxen for plowing and the research on plows needed time, his only option was to make more shovels and hoes so all the serfs could turn the soil and farm more efficiently. This way, some could be freed to work in other trades.

“If a good price is gained, buy some calves, foals, lambs, and higher quality feed for the pregnant mares.”

“If convenient, the castle could be refurbished a bit, preferably with a heated kang, as winter is on its way. In an era without central heating, you have to rely on a heated bed for warmth.”

Deep planning is probably what describes Liszt.

Summer had just started not long ago, and he was already considering the challenges of living in winter.

The merchant caravan from North Valley City arrived at Fresh Flower Town before eight o’clock in the morning. After more than eight months, a merchant caravan had once again entered Fresh Flower Town. Usually, caravans followed the Tax Knight, visiting once every quarter except for winter, which meant three times a year.

Each time a caravan arrived, the town celebrated as if it were the New Year.

This time was no exception. The grand caravan quickly attracted all the residents of the town, who almost all stopped their work to watch.

After finishing his morning exercises and not touching his bow and arrows again, Liszt took a bath and returned to the castle. Standing at the window, he could see the bustling crowd in the town.

Especially the jesters who had set up a stage and started performing farces, attracting the majority of the town’s residents.

The sound of their laughter and cheers could even be heard from the castle.

“Maisie, go call for Mr. Carter,” he said to the maid Maisie, who was cleaning.

“Yes, my lord.”

Soon, Carter hurried over, “My lord, you called for me?”

“The town is very lively today. Tell everyone in the castle that if they want to take the day off, they can go ahead. There’s no need to stay in the castle. Go to the town to watch the farce or buy some snacks to relax.”

“You are truly a generous noble. I will pass on your message to the servants.”

“That includes you, Mr. Carter.”

Carter chuckled, “I don’t need to, my lord. Let the younger servants enjoy your generosity. The castle needs someone to watch over it, and you should not be without the attendance of your servants.”