Grom raised an eyebrow, pondered for a moment, then showed a hint of surprise on his face.
Seeing his reaction, Gauss knew he had asked the right person.
Truth be told, he had brought out this unknown stone precisely because Grom was well-traveled and knowledgeable—even if it wasn't metal, he might have encountered it before.
"This is a Life Magic Stone. I'm not entirely sure of its exact grade, since I'm just a blacksmith, not a gem expert. As for price... it could probably sell for over 2 gold coins?"
Before Gauss could even respond, Malin beside him wore an expression that screamed, "Am I hearing this right?"
2 gold coins—equivalent to 200 silver coins, or 20,000 copper coins.
For an ordinary person, this was an absolute fortune. Currently, Gauss only had 5 silver coins and 12 copper coins in his money pouch.
If converted to wages, an ordinary lowly laborer, assuming they could find work, would earn about 10 copper coins for a full day's labor.
Even if this person were a bachelor, after accounting for food and lodging, saving even 5 copper coins would be extremely difficult—and that's without considering other expenses like clothing or medical care.
Further assuming they could continuously find work and labor every day of the month, they'd only be able to save about 150 copper coins.
2 gold coins would require working nonstop for a full 11 years under such ideal conditions.
Of course, this was purely theoretical calculation.
In reality, a lowly laborer would never accumulate even 1 gold coin in savings in their entire lifetime.
Now, weighing it against adventurer equipment:
A set of leather armor, worth about 15 silver coins, could buy 13 sets.
A set of light scale armor, worth 60 silver coins, could buy 3 sets.
As for full plate armor—well, that was still out of reach. A full suit of plate armor cost a whopping 15 gold coins, equivalent to nearly 15 houses in town.
Don't think this price was exaggerated. In truth, full plate armor was the real family heirloom, the hard currency of this world.
Property would depreciate during wartime, but fine armor wouldn't—it would only appreciate.
It was precisely because he understood the value of 2 gold coins that Malin couldn't help but exclaim in front of Grom, his gaze at Gauss now filled with envy.
Gauss was also deeply shocked internally, but he maintained a calm expression.
He had already guessed this stone was valuable—he just hadn't expected it to be this valuable.
Seeing the barely contained envy and jealousy in Malin's eyes, he couldn't help but feel a little smug.
In his past memories, though Malin had treated him decently—unlike other apprentices, often chatting with him—Gauss could still detect a subtle condescending pity in his attitude.
Though not overt, it occasionally leaked through in casual words and gestures, like a city dweller inquiring about rural life just to highlight their own superiority.
That said, Malin wasn't a bad person.
Now, their situations seemed reversed.
Gauss pressed his lips together.
Apparently, even in this other world, there was a saying: "You fear your brother suffers, but also fear he drives a luxury car."
"If you want to sell it, go to Widow's Lane. There's a stone house with a 'Thorn Cottage' sign—the shopkeeper there buys magical items. Of course, if you know other knowledgeable buyers, you could trade directly with them too."
2 gold coins was a fortune to ordinary people, but to him, it was nothing.
His earlier surprise wasn't about the Life Magic Stone itself, but that a greenhorn like Gauss—a bottom-rung adventurer—could produce such a "treasure."
In fact, Gauss bringing in that pile of secondhand weapons as spoils had already been unexpected.
"Thank you, Shopkeeper." Gauss was deeply grateful.
He had no connections right now, and Grom was the most knowledgeable person he knew.
"Shopkeeper, may I... ask a few more questions?" Gauss hesitated, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Repeated inquiries made him seem less like a seller and more like someone fishing for information.
"Go ahead." Grom didn't seem to mind.
"Do you know about professionals? I'd like to learn how to become a mage professional."
At Gauss's question, Grom's gaze gained a probing glint.
Simply asking this revealed much.
An ordinary person wouldn't specify the mage profession unless they already knew they had the talent for it.
And how would one confirm that? By awakening mana and mastering spells.
No wonder Gauss had brought so many spoils. If he was already on the path to becoming a professional, such gains—while still somewhat excessive—were at least explainable.
"Come with me." Grom glanced at Malin, who was eavesdropping with keen interest, then led Gauss toward the inner courtyard.
"So unfair, Shopkeeper."
Gauss glimpsed Malin muttering complaints, his face full of resentment, and secretly smiled.
In the inner courtyard, apprentices were vigorously forging at several furnaces.
The sharp clangs of hammers on anvils grew piercing over time.
Grom pushed open a small door.
Though Gauss had worked briefly at the smithy, this was his first time entering Grom's private quarters.
Upon entering, Gauss instinctively surveyed the room.
His gaze soon locked onto a full suit of plate armor beside the bed.
This was an intricately structured yet powerfully beautiful heavy armor, composed of dozens of components meticulously connected by hinges, straps, and rivets.
The silver-white plating, the peaked helmet extending into engraved cheek guards, the central breastplate rising like an inverted hull—its midline protruded like a shark's dorsal fin or frozen waves, reflecting a cold metallic sheen.
Layered pauldrons resembling dragon scales, gauntlets, steel-plated gloves, rigid greaves...
Though devoid of gold inlays or ornate engravings, this armor radiated a minimalist yet functional brutality.
If ordinary full plate armor was worth at least 15 houses, this set hidden in the shopkeeper's room might be worth 50!
This was Gauss's instinctive estimate—and the longer he observed, the more certain he became of its exorbitant value.
Compared to the "cheap goods" outside, even the material of this armor seemed different.
Shopkeeper... you're definitely no ordinary man, are you?
Gauss's gaze at Grom took on an indescribable nuance.
"Ahem, don't look at me like that. I'm just a simple blacksmith now." Grom grew slightly uncomfortable under his intense stare.
"Though, as everyone knows, it's only natural for a proper blacksmith to know a thing or two about professionals."
Gauss nodded repeatedly.
Well, if you say so, Shopkeeper—who am I to disagree?