Chapter 199: Paragon badge
"What do you mean Legendary Stones are only sold to VIP customers?! Do you even know who I am?!" Everyone turned to look at the handsome young man with red hair who had just shouted.
"I’m sorry, sir, but that’s the policy of this shop. We cannot sell Legendary Stones to anyone other than VIP customers. Besides, we don’t have any Legendary Stones in stock," the staff member said tiredly.
Zarek gave the staff a sharp glare, ready to continue shouting—after all, this was all part of Rowan’s plan.
That guy had told them to cause as much trouble as possible, so Zarek came here just for that.
However, a beautiful girl suddenly walked up beside him, completely ignoring him and speaking to the staff instead.
"I’d like to buy a Legendary Stone," Evangelin said calmly.
"Saintness? Ah—! You want a Legendary Stone?" The staff member, in complete contrast to how he spoke to Zarek, looked at Evangelin with full respect.
Evangelin didn’t say anything, simply nodding her head.
"Understood! I’ll immediately request that one of our Legendary Stones be brought for you," the staff member said respectfully and instantly contacted someone through telepathic communication.
On the other side, Zarek’s face darkened. He could feel the mocking stares of the crowd.
He didn’t even care about Legendary Stones in the first place—he was only here to make trouble. But how could he just stand there and let someone else make a fool out of him?
This same staff member had completely ignored him just a few moments ago, even said they didn’t have any Legendary Stones.
Now all of a sudden, one is available? It was clear this guy just didn’t consider him important.
"You just said there aren’t any Legendary Stones! How come now you suddenly have one?"
The staff completely ignored him. Once the telepathic call ended, he looked back at Evangelin.
"Saintness, I’ve just placed the order, and they’ll bring it to you as soon as possible. In fact, this is our last Legendary Stone," he said with full respect.
"Thank you very much," Evangelin replied and turned around to go back to Daniel.
From beginning to end, she didn’t even look at Zarek once. She knew this kind of loudmouth well—arrogant types who thought they could act however they wanted wherever they went.
Still, how could Zarek just let it go that easily?
"Hey, you deaf or something? Didn’t you hear what I said? Is this really all about status, huh?" Zarek said mockingly.
"I’m starting to think you’re just here to cause trouble," another staff member snapped, finally losing his patience. "Everyone in the city knows we only sell Legendary Stones to VIP customers. If you’ve got a problem, then get out."
"Pfft—hahaha. If it’s about status, then nobody outranks me," Zarek laughed and threw a badge onto the counter—the same badge the Paragon had given him last night.
The first staff member frowned when he saw it. He picked it up, and his eyes widened when he saw the engraving.
’A Paragon badge?! But how... how does this bastard have one?!’ He felt a headache coming on.
If the badge was real, then he was in serious trouble. A Paragon badge carried enormous power and authority in the Holy City.
Anyone with one of these was considered a close friend of a Paragon. And aside from the Paragons themselves, no one could tell which of them had issued it.
But did it even matter? If the badge was real, then he was completely screwed.
He immediately injected a bit of his mana into the badge—but the rejection feedback from the badge made his body tremble violently.
’It’s real! Damn it, I’m screwed!’ He wanted to cry. Why couldn’t this bastard show it earlier?
"I deeply apologize for my behavior, sir!" he immediately handed back the badge and bowed at a full 90 degrees.
Did he even have another choice?
"What just happened? Why did that guy suddenly bow?"
"What did that redhead show him?"
"Wait! That badge—could it be a Paragon badge?"
"A Paragon badge?! But how does that guy have one?" The other customers in the store started whispering among themselves.
"Paragon badge? What’s that?" Daniel frowned and looked at Evangelin.
She had been quietly watching the red-haired boy the entire time. Strangely enough, he gave her a weird feeling—like he wasn’t one of the natives of this simulation...
More like... a player? She wasn’t sure, but that’s what it felt like.
"A Paragon badge is something the Paragons give to their most elite followers. Anyone who has one is under the full protection of a Paragon. As you know, after my master, the Paragons hold the highest authority in the whole religion," Evangelin explained. Her tone was calm, but deep down, she was shocked.
"So that guy knows a Paragon?" Daniel frowned. If that was true, then maybe his assumption that the redhead was a player was wrong.
Still, something about it didn’t sit right with him. He felt like things were deeper than they appeared, but he didn’t have enough information to think it through properly.
"That’s the problem. I know everyone who holds a Paragon badge—and I’ve never seen him before," Evangelin muttered.
"Again, I truly apologize, sir! I’ll even resign if I have to!" The staff member gritted his teeth when he saw that Zarek still hadn’t responded.
"Hahaha, no need for that. Just knowing your place is enough," Zarek laughed loudly, pride shining in his eyes.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he glanced at the beautiful girl—the so-called Saintness. It was like he was saying, See? You wanted to mock me? This is what you get.
Still, he wasn’t that dumb. Based on the title "Saintness," it was obvious she had a very high position.
And since he was here to stir up trouble anyway, wouldn’t it be better to drag more people into it? Like her?
Besides, he wasn’t afraid of being arrested or anything. He was under a Paragon’s protection. He had read up a bit about the Paragons this morning and learned that, after the Prophet, the Paragons held the highest authority in the religion of Eternity.
"Thank you very much," the staff member stood back up and let out a relieved sigh. Fortunately, it seemed this guy only wanted to show off.
That only made him more convinced the guy was an idiot. How could someone like that have a Paragon badge?
"Anyway, I still want that Legendary Stone," Zarek said. He hadn’t forgotten the reason he came here in the first place.
He knew about Luck Stones—after all, he was a native of the Celestial Domain, and Luck Stones still existed there.
Still, he had only heard of them before and never actually tried one. Now that he had the chance... wasn’t this the perfect time?