The Unadorned Sovereign

Chapter 4. What to sell?

As Liam's hand rose before his eyes, he was struck by the surreal transformation unfolding before him. The once familiar and youthful fingers were rapidly contorting into those of a skinny, frail old man. Shock gripped him, and he stumbled back, collapsing onto the ground in disbelief. His mind raced, desperately seeking answers to the unthinkable change that had overtaken him.

"Wh-What's happening to me?" Liam stammered, his voice tinged with both fear and anger. He stared at the now elderly hand, his heart pounding in his chest.

From the depths of his confusion, a voice emerged, calming but matter-of-fact, as if the answer had been waiting all along. "Liam, you are aging," the voice echoed in his head, a clear but ethereal presence.

The shock on Liam's face turned to anger as he shouted, "Aging? What do you mean? This can't be real!"

His heart racing, Liam tried to reason with the system, "This can't be happening. I'm not that old! How could I age so rapidly?"

The voice, the embodiment of the merchant system, offered an explanation that only deepened Liam's distress. "You withdrew a substantial amount of Gold from your account – 10,000,000 Gold, to be precise. Such a withdrawal comes at a cost."

Liam's voice trembled as he demanded answers, "A cost? What kind of cost?"

The system's response was clinical, devoid of emotion, "Your lifespan, Liam. You exchanged a portion of your remaining years for that Gold."

Liam's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "You're telling me I traded my years of life for money?" His voice shook with a mixture of incredulity and horror. The weight of his actions pressed heavily upon him, each moment of his life suddenly taking on a new and terrifying significance.

"Yes, Liam. In a way, you traded time for wealth," the voice confirmed, unfazed by Liam's emotional turmoil.

Liam's mind raced as he tried to wrap his head around the implications. "Can't you just reverse it? Put the Gold back into my account and restore my life?"

A note of regret tinged the voice as it responded, "I'm sorry, Liam, but I can't undo the transaction. Once the exchange has been made, it's beyond my capabilities to reverse it. The system cannot retrieve the Gold or reverse the transaction. It's a one-way process."

Desperation etched itself onto Liam's features as he sought some semblance of control. "So, what am I supposed to do? Just accept that I've traded my future for a pile of Gold?"

Liam's frustration boiled over into anger as he shouted at the system, "You have to do something! You can't just leave me like this!"

But the system's response was resolute, "I can't change the outcome, Liam. The choices you make come with consequences."

Desperation clawed at Liam's voice as he asked, "Then how can I get that Gold back?"

The system offered a glimmer of hope, "You can replenish your Gold by selling goods and earning profit in this dimension. Selling items will provide you with the means to regain some of your lost time."

Liam's anger began to fade away, replaced by a deep sense of realization. His dreams of financial stability had come at a price he hadn't fully comprehended. As he stared at his frail hand, he sighed, "Selling things... that's how I'll buy back my life?"

"Yes, Liam," the system confirmed. "It's the nature of this Merchant System. You must now navigate this path you've chosen."

As Liam absorbed this grim reality, he found himself at a crossroads. The exchange had been made, his fate irrevocably altered. The weight of his decisions hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder that the pursuit of riches came at a cost far greater than he could have ever imagined.

Liam's gaze hardened, determination resurfacing amidst the chaos of emotions. He might have lost years of his life, but he wasn't about to let those lost years define him. With a determined nod, he said, "Fine. I'll do whatever it takes to make this work."

***

With his old and battered body, Liam slowly made his way down the street towards the nearest shop. As Liam shuffled into the shop, the jingle of the door's bell announced his arrival. Unbeknownst to him, the cautious eyes of the shopkeeper followed his every move from the corner of the shop.

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with a sharp eye for detail, discreetly adjusted his stance behind the counter. He pretended to busy himself with rearranging a stack of items, all the while keeping a watchful gaze on Liam's every movement. Liam's elderly appearance, coupled with the visible bruises on his body, raised suspicions in the shopkeeper's mind. He couldn't help but wonder what sort of person this old man might be, muttering to himself like a drunken old geezer.

Lost in the labyrinth of his own thoughts, Liam's brow furrowed as he engaged in an unusual conversation with an unseen presence. His voice carried a mix of curiosity and exasperation, a symphony of uncertainty and determination.

"Alright, so let me get this straight," he muttered, his gaze locked on an invisible entity. "I've got this system thing, and I need to sell stuff to make gold so i can become younger again. But what on earth am I supposed to sell? I mean, I'm no merchant, and I've got no idea what people of other dimension would even want."

The system, a voiceless presence echoing within his mind, seemed to sense his uncertainty. "Mana crystals are the most popular items to sell within the system," it declared, its words a gentle whisper that resonated in the corners of Liam's thoughts.

Liam's brows furrowed even deeper, his confusion mounting. "Mana crystals? What on earth are those?" he muttered, his voice tinged with exasperation. He was caught between trying to make sense of the system's cryptic responses and grappling with the overwhelming knowledge gap that separated him from the world he had stumbled into.

The system's response only added to Liam's confusion, "Mana crystals are a form of magical essence. Mana crystals can be found inside dungeon or from monster. They hold significant value in many dimensions, often used for various magical purposes. Extremely valuable in many dimensions."

Liam's eyes widened, his mind trying to grasp the concept. "Magical essence? Dungeon? Monster? This is... so different from anything I know. This is all way beyond me." He shook his head, his hands running through his hair in exasperation.

"Indeed. It seems they are no dungeon and monster here," the system agreed, "but they're highly sought after in other dimension. A prime item for a budding merchant like yourself because how easy is to sell mana crystals."

Not willing to give up, Liam pressed on, his tone impatient, "Alright then, what's the most expensive thing you have for sale?"

The voice responded promptly, "Dragon hearts are among the most valuable items within the system. Extremely rare and potent, they're prized by adventurers and mages alike."

Liam's frustration boiled over, his voice tinged with annoyance, "Dragon heart? Seriously? I don't even know how I'd get my hands on one of those! You're not helping at all! I need something more concrete."

Growing impatient, Liam finally decided to cut through the ambiguity. "You know what? Just show me. Just display whatever it is you're selling. Maybe that will make more sense. I need a clearer picture here."

As if responding to his plea, a translucent window materialized in front of him. It was a window into a vast array of items, each represented by an image and a description. Liam's eyes widened as he scanned the items, his frustration momentarily forgotten.

He muttered to himself, half in disbelief and half in awe. "This... this is what you're selling? This is the stuff I can get?"