Chapter 411: Tier 6 Item When they finally arrived back at the shop after their leisurely exploration of Esta, Noah was surprised to find a crowd already gathered outside. The nobles themselves—Duke Ashford, Marquess Ravenswood, Viscount Thornheart, and several others—were waiting patiently with servants carrying various containers, chests, and wrapped packages that presumably contained the items they intended to barter. Noah approached them with an apologetic smile, genuinely not expecting them to return so quickly. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I didn’t realise you would all be back this soon. I thought you’d need more time to gather your trade goods." The Duke immediately shook his head, dismissing the apology with a warm gesture. "Not at all, Lord Carter. We’re the ones who should apologise for arriving unannounced. But frankly, once we began cataloguing what we could offer in trade, the excitement became overwhelming. None of us wanted to delay even a single day when we could potentially acquire more of your miraculous items." Marquess Ravenswood nodded agreement, her eyes bright with anticipation. "I went through my family’s vault personally and selected our finest beast cores and rare materials. The opportunity to exchange dormant treasures for your active consumables was too valuable to postpone." "We understand completely if you’re too tired to conduct business this evening," Viscount Thornheart added diplomatically, though his expression showed clear hope that Noah would be willing to proceed. "We can certainly return tomorrow if that’s more convenient." Noah glanced at Lola, who gave him a subtle nod, indicating she was fine with extending their day a bit longer. The relaxation they’d enjoyed exploring Esta had genuinely refreshed them both, and the prospect of interesting barter negotiations was actually appealing rather than burdensome. "No need to wait," Noah said decisively, moving to unlock the shop door. "Please, come inside. Let’s see what you’ve brought and work out some mutually beneficial exchanges." The nobles entered with obvious relief and excitement, their servants carefully transporting the various containers and packages into the shop’s main floor. The space that had seemed reasonably sized suddenly felt more cramped with eight nobles plus their attendants and all the trade goods they’d assembled. Noah gestured for the servants to arrange everything in organised rows so he could properly examine the offerings. "Take your time setting up. I want to give each item proper consideration." While they organised, Noah quickly reviewed his current inventory status to determine what he could actually offer in exchange: Tier 2 Premium Items: [Auto-InstantCoffee: Level 1 | 0.5/Hr | Max Stock 12 | 56/100 EXP] - 3 Remaining [Auto-HerbTea: Level 1 | 0.5/Hr | Max Stock 12 | 56/100 EXP] - 3 Remaining [Auto-RoseCandy: Level 1 | 0.5/Hr | Max Stock 12 | 27/100 EXP] - SOLD OUT [Auto-LuxurySmoothie: Level 1 | 0.5/Hr | Max Stock 12 | 6/100 EXP] - 9 Remaining He also had his tier 0 items completely stocked since nobody had purchased the basic consumables—everyone had been so focused on the premium tier 1 and tier 2 offerings that the simple bread and iced tea had been completely ignored. The bread inventory stood at full capacity: 384 loaves available. The iced tea was similarly maxed out: 192 bottles ready for sale. While these basic items wouldn’t interest the wealthy nobles for themselves, Noah realized they could be valuable as bulk additions to barter deals—providing the nobles with products they could distribute to their household staff, guards, and lower-ranking retainers as morale-boosting gifts. "Alright," Noah said once everything was arranged. "Who would like to present their offerings first?" Duke Ashford stepped forward confidently. "I’ll begin, if you don’t mind. I believe what my family has brought will interest you considerably." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢 The Duke stepped forward and gestured to one of his servants, who carefully unwrapped a long object that had been protected in layers of fine cloth. As the fabric fell away, it revealed a sword that immediately captured Noah’s complete attention. The weapon was extraordinary; its blade was gleaming, with an inner light that suggested power beyond normal weapons. This will be a steal! Noah’s perception immediately triggered, and his system provided information that made his heart race with excitement: [Damaged Elemental Sword] [Tier: Tier 5] [Details: A once-powerful Tier 6 item belonging to a prodigy swordsman. During its wielder’s last battle, the sword sustained catastrophic damage, dropping its tier to Tier 5. Once properly restored by a master craftsman, it will return to its peak power. Currently, it can conduct fire element only, but once repaired, it can channel all four basic elements—fire, water, earth, and wind. Its edge possesses a permanent sharpness enchantment that can never dull, regardless of use.] [Estimated Current Price: 1,500 Golden Coins] [Estimated Restored Price: 25,000+ Golden Coins] Noah’s mind reeled at the implications. This wasn’t just a valuable sword—it was a legendary weapon that had been damaged and lost most of its capabilities. The Duke apparently had no idea what he actually possessed, viewing it simply as a powerful fire-element blade rather than recognising its true dormant potential. This is incredible, Noah thought, carefully keeping his expression neutral despite his internal excitement. A Tier 6 weapon, once restored, would be worth more than anything in my current inventory. And he’s offering to trade it for consumables because he doesn’t understand its true value, and he can’t restore it, even if he wanted to. "This is...?" Noah finally muttered, looking up at the Duke with carefully controlled interest. "Where did you acquire such a weapon?" Duke Ashford smiled, clearly pleased that his offering had captured Noah’s attention so completely. "Ah yes, this sword has quite the story. I found it during one of my expeditions about fifteen years ago, deep within a cave system in the Thornridge Mountains. The cave had clearly been the site of an ancient battle—there were skeletal remains and damaged equipment scattered throughout." He gestured to the blade with obvious pride. "This sword was embedded in the cave wall, as if it had been driven there with tremendous force and simply left. The moment I touched it, I could feel the power resonating within the metal. It possesses immense sharpness that has never dulled despite my testing it extensively, and it can conduct fire element with remarkable efficiency."