Chapter 668: Purchasing GodForge pieces
After finding out the price for a GodForge piece, Michael decided that his Sand Dollars would be better spent if he followed the Duchess’ advice.
With a hundred thousand Sand Dollars in his pockets, he could buy 10 kilos of GodForge pieces that’s enough to transform ten people into Maugnetics.
"I think you’re right, Duchess. I’m going to try and purchase GodForge pieces with my money," he said to her.
The Duchess nodded in satisfaction knowing that Michael made a good business decision. She knew he could take his company to the next level if he strengthened the foundation of his allies.
"Can I buy it from you?" he asked her.
She nodded. "For now, I can only provide you with five kilos worth of GodForge pieces. That’s the only stock I have in my treasury," she said. "That will be 50,000 Sand Dollars."
"Can I have a little friendly discount?" he asked, half joking and half serious.
"No," she replied with a smile.
As expected of the Duchess, she didn’t come to play when it came to business. She was what you would call a ruthless businesswoman.
"Really? Even for a friend like me?" he asked, doing his best puppy-eyes impression.
"Nope. Business is business," she replied.
But of course, Michael wasn’t that bad at negotiations himself.
"What if I throw in an all-expenses paid trip through all of the Nation of Reborn’s territories for a whole week?"
Her stern face softened for a bit. It seemed that his counter-attack was quite effective.
"Give me five weeks and a permanent guest house built in the center of the Nation, and I’ll give you a 10% discount," she rebutted.
"I’ll give you the house, but make the trip in just two weeks," he replied back.
"Four weeks."
He held out his hand for hers to take. "Three. And you’ll give me a 25% discount. Last offer."
A few seconds later, the Duchess shook his hand. "Deal," she declared.
Both of them reached a win-win situation. Michael would get his discount on the GodForge pieces, and she would be able to spend a lot of time exploring and relaxing in the Nation of Reborn without the responsibilities of a Duchess.
He took out the pouch Reed gave him and gave the Duchess 37,500 Sand Dollars in exchange for five kilos of GodForge pieces.
After receiving the money, the Duchess took out a piece of paper and wrote out an authenticated piece of writing that her attendants would recognize.
"Just give this to my Secret Service guys, and they’ll give you your GodForge pieces."
He thanked her before transporting himself back to the royal palace.
Once he was there, he was greeted by two men in black and white suits. He recognized them to be 003 and 004, who helped him tremendously during the auction.
He gave them the piece of paper and without further explanation from him, both Secret Service men immediately knew it was authentic.
"Please follow us inside," they said.
They led him through the wide goldplated hallways of the palace, with the Duchess’ portraits littering the walls, and through the stairs that led further down into the basement.
Eventually, they reached the castle vaults. This was their treasury. This was where the Duchess kept all of her most valuable items in store.
"This is where the GodForge pieces are stored," said 004.
There was a giant circular door in front of him that was recessed outwards with no visible sign of a lock or an entryway. It looked like it was just a flat decoration on the wall.
However, with his Supreme Skill, he saw complex magical mechanisms hidden from plain sight.
Not only that, but there were about ten different people hiding in the shadows, watching anyone that came near the vaults.
These guys must be the other Secret Service...
But aside from them, there was just one other person near the vault.
It was a woman with long black hair wearing thin rectangular glasses and had a serious look on her face.
"You’re Angela Montgomery right?" he asked, remembering her face back when he first arrived in the royal palace.
Angela was the diplomat for the royal family and the Duchess’ personal assistant, so it wasn’t surprising that she was here, attending to the palace while the Duchess was away.
"That is correct," she replied.
She took a small moment before continuing her words.
"I must admit that I was mistaken about you," she said. "The Duchess told me earlier on that you’re special, but I never believed her fully. I thought you’d be like any other genius I’ve seen in the world, a frog looking up at a well. But you’ve proven me wrong."
She saw him defeat Alaric, who was already in the Nascent Spirit realm, while having such weak cultivation. Although it was only for a moment, this was still something that no other prodigy could do.
"Umm, thanks?"
He liked the compliment, but he didn’t know why she was saying all of this. He was also quite impatient since he wanted to get the GodForge pieces as soon as possible.
"I hereby give you my permission," she said.
"Permission? For the GodForge pieces?"
"No. Permission to date my sister."
He was speechless for a second. Sister? Dating? He didn’t know what she was talking about.
[Kukuku, how dense we are sometimes,] Harbinger commented.
[I believe that given the context, it seems that Angela Montgomery is talking about Yuna.] ChatJK5 concluded.
"You mean Yuna?!" he asked, surprised.
"Yes," Angela nodded. "I was a bit perplexed at first, wondering why my sister chose to side with your company despite her potential as a diplomat, but now I see why she chose you."
This revelation left him speechless. He didn’t expect to hear this news so suddenly. He didn’t even know Yuna had a sister!
"You’re her sister?" he asked again.
"Yes," Angela said, fixing her eyeglasses. "Did you not hear me?"
"No, I just didn’t connect the dots till now."
Now that he thought about it, there was a small resemblance between Yuna and Angela. If Angela changed her expressions a little bit, then she could definitely pass off as Yuna’s twin.
"Also, permission to date her? We’re just friends!" he insisted.
"Really? Then why is she returning to our family estate if not because of you and your company?" Angela asked him.
This was the first he’d heard of this. He knew she went somewhere, but didn’t know that she’d go back to their family territory.
"Why would she go there?"
"It’s because she wants to finish her training, that’s why. She was supposed to be a diplomat. But because of you, she has changed her focus on becoming someone like me, a counselor."
Michael knew what a Diplomat was. They were a group of Montgomery’s who were considered neutral in every way possible. They had no biases so people would trust them to judge their cases.
But he didn’t know what a Counselor was.
She seemed to have noticed his confusion and elaborated.
"A Montgomery has two choices in life. They could become Diplomats or Counselors.
A Counselor is someone whose main purpose is to help and guide a company of their choosing. They provide support and advice on a lot of things, including Duels."