“Bev, Kennon, this is Sir Claus Goldman. Goldman, these are the two buyers I mentioned. Is the house still twenty gold?”

  Goldman looked them over with a critical eye. Kennon noticed that his gaze lingered on their spatial ring. As well as Bev’s spatial sheaths.

  He noticed the man cast an identify, and his eyes went wide. It was considered rude to identify someone without cause. Even more so without warning. In retaliation Kennon cast identify himself.

  Human - merchant - level 30

  Level thirty merchant. You leveled based on your accomplishments. The man must have been exorbitant wealthy to get a merchant class to thirty. Non combat classes were renowned for leveling slower. And the only people they had ever seen over level thirty until now were either elderly, or Margie.

  The man started to excitedly cast identify on Bev, Kennon discreetly dispelled it. He unlocked dispel, but had very few chances to use it yet. Few beasts cast spells. He did practice with Bev though. It was not like an ordinary spell. There was no spell array. What you did was weave an intrusive pattern in the location the other was casting. It was more like grabbing someone's hand to stop them from sewing than tearing the threads apart. And it required at least a little knowledge of the spell being cast.

  After dispelling identify the man started to absolutely beam with excitement.

  Perhaps that was the wrong move.

  He loudly said, "Actually, the price went up last week. Twenty five gold.”

  Senec said, “What do you two think? It is actually the cheapest I have ever seen a house of this quality go for. Aside from his other properties of course. He has, a reputation.”

  The way he said that.

  “Claus is trying to scam us, isn’t he?” Kennon thought towards Bev.

  “That was clear the moment I saw that jewlrey. A useless display of wealth.” Bev replied.

  “I trust Senec though. Let’s just be careful.”

  Kennon nodded. And Bev said, “Twenty five seems a bit steep. We will need to check out the inside first.”

  “Naturaly.” Claus said, gesturing them towards the door.

  Kennon kept all his senses on high alert. They may have had more experience looking for beasts. But scams were just as visible. The most obvious scam would be that the house was falling apart. But he doubted Senec would have suggested it if that was the case.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  As they walked inside Kennon examined every detail.

  It was perfect! The floors were a beautiful red hardwood. The furniture was sparse, but decent quality. And there was almost no sign of wear and tear.

  Then he felt Bev’s gaze on the enchantments.

  There were dozens of enchantments. Temperature control runes. Security alarms, lighting. All broken. They were absolutely riddled with minor flaws.

  “Can you fix them?” Kennon said privately.

  Bev just smiled. If this was the man’s plan. He had picked the wrong people. No wonder Senec suggested him.

  They received a quick tour. There were four rooms. A bedroom with a luxurious looking bunk bed that Claus was quick to point out he could have replaced with two other beds. At a small fee.

  The living room that they saw first, with three upholstered chairs, as well as a table with four wooden chairs. It also held a small cooking area with a rune stove, and stasis storage cabinet. Both broken.

  There was a bathroom with an actual tub! The sewer system was fine. But the faucets were just as broken as everything else.

  Kennon nearly crawled out of his skin with excitement at the workshop. It did have a fume hood! As well as all the space he could want. The purification runes worked. But naturally everything else was broken.

  Then they went outside and he showed them the law, and the enchantment clay floored pad.

  He said, “this space can easily become anything you want! With a few enchantments it would work as a perfect forge year round.”

  Finally the time they were waiting for arrived.

  He put on the most pitiful face they had seen and said, “Unfortunately the enchantments will cost a fair amount. And you may have noticed that the enchants in the rest of the house are damaged. I can arrange you to meet with a skilled enchanter I know. I hire him for all my houses. I am sure he can get you a good deal on fixing it. Why, the house even has a self cleaning enchantment. You won’t even have to sweep when it is done! So, what do you say? Twenty five gold for everything. Plus I set you up with a good enchanter?”

  Bev ran her hand over one of the damaged runes, shared a look with Kennon, then said, “Deal. Only we won’t need the enchanter. I am one myself and this should be easy to fix.”

  She stared at him straight in the eye and said, “Very easy. As if it was designed that way. Lower the price to twenty and I will keep my mouth shut.”

  Claus Goldman looked at her in shock.

  Senec started laughing so hard Kennon worried he would hurt himself.

  “I, I, I don’t, I mean I didn’t.”

  Senec got himself under control enough to say, “Twenty five really is a steal for this place. Especially if you really can fix it up. He spent at least forty to buy it himself. No need to punish him that much.”

  Then he started laughing again.

  Bev shook her head and said, “Well, if the secret is already out I guess twenty five is good.” then pulled the coins out of storage.

  Goldman got over his shock enough to approach, and take the coins. Bev’s eyes unfocused as Kennon realized she was reading a system message. Apparently the merchant class had access to system based contracts.

  Bev refocused, and nodded. Then Goldman scurried away as fast as his level thirty feet could take him.

  “Well, I have some work to do it seems. But it is already better than our last cabin.”

  Senec just kept laughing.