Kyle rubbed his eyes again, trying to understand the golden light emanating from four scattered stalls inside the building.
He couldn't comprehend what this strange light was, nor why it had appeared so suddenly.
Muttering in concern, he squeezed his eyes shut:
"Damn it... is there something wrong with my eyes?"
Even though he kept rubbing them vigorously, the light didn't disappear. Instead, it continued to shine brightly until his eyes began to ache from the pressure.
He exhaled in frustration and decided to approach one of the stalls to investigate the source of this strange light.
With quick but hesitant steps, Kyle headed toward one of the nearby stalls.
The air was thick with the pungent aroma of spices, mingled with the scent of sweat and tanned leather.
The overlapping voices of vendors filled the space, each shouting out their offers as if their voice alone would attract customers.
The market was brimming with movement and life—children ran between legs, and the ringing of a blacksmith's hammer echoed in the background like a constant rhythm.
Kyle arrived at a small, nearly forgotten stall. An old man sat in front of it on a rickety wooden box.
In front of him was a low table displaying a few items: faded light armor, simple jewelry, and colorful metal accessories.
But what caught Kyle's eye was an old vase glowing with a faint golden light, as if pulsing with life.
The light flowed from it gently, like a slow breath, as if calling to the observer.
The vase was made of aged ceramic, with intricate engravings that remained clear despite the passage of time.
Kyle seemed mesmerized, his eyes fixed on it intently, as if time had stopped for a moment.
He slowly raised his hand, as if to touch it, but paused halfway.
The old man noticed Kyle's approach and studied him with a sharp gaze.
Even though Kyle wore a cloak that concealed his features, the vendor could tell from his stance, the fine fabric of the cloak, and perhaps even the rhythm of his steps, that this was no ordinary person.
Strangely, the old man didn't speak, nor did he try to promote his goods like the other vendors around him.
Kyle paid the old man little attention, his focus entirely on the glowing vase.
His eyes slowly shifted between the vase and the other items, trying to discover what made this piece so different.
Suddenly, a glowing transparent screen appeared before him:
> [Name: Moonlight Flower Vase
Type: Antique
Description: Dates back 500 years to the Renaissance era. Originally belonged to the Ducal House of Orin, but after its destruction in the Great War against the Kingdom of Astalia, all traces of that family vanished.]
Kyle froze in place, his eyes widening in shock, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
But he quickly took a deep breath to regain his composure.
He hadn't expected such a sudden display, without warning or preamble.
He raised a hand toward his eyes but hesitated, remembering the lingering pain from earlier.
He swallowed hard as he read the screen's information, and muttered to himself:
"Do you realize how much this vase would sell for if its true origin was revealed and it went to auction?"
He couldn't even imagine the price it might reach, but he was certain it wouldn't sell for a mere trifle.
After all, this vase once belonged to one of the greatest families the continent had seen: the Ducal House of Orin.
Orin… that house was one step away from becoming a kingdom, but they set their eyes on the wrong land.
They desired to claim the lands of the Kingdom of Astalia.
But how could the ambition of a duchy—no matter how powerful—compare to a kingdom like Astalia?
A kingdom feared by surrounding nations.
Even House Liothan, which at the time ranked among the top twenty noble families in Astalia, could have destroyed ten of Orin's cities.
Still, Orin's power couldn't be denied. On the contrary, they proved their strength to the world and nearly became a dominant kingdom rivaling the rest.
As for the Kingdom of Astalia… well, once you reach its level, you're already stepping into the realm of the next empire.
But let's set that aside for now...
Kyle didn't rush to figure out how this screen appeared, or the golden light that came with it. It was all confusing, but he knew one thing:
He had to buy that vase—and anything else glowing with that same golden light.
Kyle raised his gaze from the vase and looked at the old man.
The man's eyes were pale red, calm like a still pond.
Kyle spoke quietly, but his voice carried an unmistakable tone of resolve:
"How much for the vase?"
The old man replied in a deep, weary voice, as if from another era rather than the present-day market:
"Ten silver coins."
His tone and gaze made it clear—this was the final price. No room for negotiation.
Kyle stared silently for five full seconds, as if time itself had paused.
Then, in a steady, emotionless voice, he said:
"One silver coin."
The old man's expression shifted briefly, a faint frown crossing his features—something Kyle's sharp eyes didn't miss.
The old man spoke in a calm tone, tinged with irritation:
"Are you joking, boy? Dropping the price from ten to one just like that?"
A faint, nearly invisible smile formed on Kyle's lips.
Then he said in a cold tone:
"What? You think this piece is really worth ten silver coins?"
The old man replied immediately:
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
Kyle's voice remained calm, steady like a still lake.
The old man leaned back slightly and didn't answer right away, as if the question had shaken his certainty for a moment.
In truth, Kyle had planned to pay the full price, but from the moment he approached the old man, he noticed gray lines surrounding him.
He had seen similar lines around some beggars earlier—black lines—indicating they intended to rob him.
At first, Kyle thought it was just a side effect of his upgrade to Low-Rank Bronze Knight.
But when the golden light appeared, he began to suspect these colors had meaning.
Then he noticed the old man's aura shifting from gray to yellow—eventually engulfing him completely.
Kyle realized, instinctively, that these colors represented people's emotions toward him.
Gray meant neutral, black meant malicious intent, and yellow meant greed.
He understood the old man didn't know the vase's true worth.
Well, if he did, he wouldn't have put it on a crumbling stall...
And since he tried to exploit Kyle, then Kyle would return the favor.
He didn't ask where or how the old man had found it.
When Kyle saw the man hesitating, he pressed further:
"So you're not sure then. Your hesitation betrayed you."
The old man suddenly shouted:
"I am sure! It's worth ten silver coins!"
Kyle looked at him with steady eyes.
A few nearby vendors turned to watch. They shook their heads, thinking Kyle—a young man clearly unfamiliar with the market—was about to be swindled.
Kyle smiled faintly, then said:
"Hah, if this piece of junk is worth so much, why haven't you sold it at the Trade Hall?"
The yellow aura began shifting to orange.
Then he added calmly:
"So, what's the decision? One silver coin—or are you passing on the deal?"
Kyle didn't push any further. He simply waited in silence.
When he saw the color turn completely orange, signaling doubt and hesitation, he pretended to walk away.
The moment he turned his back, the old man shouted in a trembling voice:
"Deal! One silver coin!"
Kyle stopped, turned back with no clear expression on his face, pulled out a silver coin, and paid.
He took the vase and quietly disappeared into the crowd without looking back.
The old man watched Kyle's figure fade away among the people, then muttered bitterly:
"I thought I could profit off that kid... but sadly, I lost the deal to him."
Kyle quickly made his way through the other stalls emitting golden light;
He found a hair comb over a hundred years old that once belonged to a bloodthirsty countess, a necklace from 300 years ago worn by a saint of the Temple of Life, and finally, a mask with no significant history or prior owner.
After negotiating with the vendors, Kyle returned to the inn he was staying at to reflect on what had happened today.
First came the golden light guiding him to ancient relics, then a screen revealing their details, and finally, the ability to perceive people's emotions through colored auras.
All of this had happened at once—and he needed to analyze and understand what was going on with him.
So he could either adjust his plans... or continue forward without change.