Alexander stood in his modest apartment, surveying the results of his experiments with the Sacrifice ability.
A beautifully restored antique grandfather clock gleamed on the table beside a pile of scattered mechanical parts and some miscellaneous materials.
‘These should fetch a decent price,’ he thought.
The clock in particular looked like a genuine historical piece, well-preserved with intricate gilding and elegant craftsmanship.
He found a sturdy box, carefully packed the grandfather clock and the other items, then hopped on his bicycle and headed toward the city center.
His destination was one of the largest antique shops in town, known for both dealing in rare pieces and catering to serious collectors.
The bell above the door chimed as he stepped inside.
The shop was spacious and filled with carefully displayed treasures.
Behind the main counter stood an older man in his sixties or seventies, wearing glasses and meticulously polishing a silver revolver.
Several tall, alert attendants lingered throughout the store, clearly more than just salespeople.
Alexander approached the counter and set the box down.
“I’d like to sell a few things. What do you think this is worth?”
He lifted out the gilded grandfather clock.
The old man’s eyes lit up immediately.
Slipping on a pair of white gloves, he examined it with practiced care.
“A Central European medieval court-style gilded grandfather clock… and in remarkable condition,” he murmured, clearly impressed.
“In today’s market, something like this would normally go for eight to ten thousand dollars. But this piece is exceptionally well-preserved. I’ll give you fifteen thousand for it.”
Alexander’s pulse quickened, but he kept his expression steady.
‘Fifteen thousand?’ The original modern clock had cost him less than a hundred bucks.
This ability was already proving insane.
“Deal,” he said without hesitation.
As the shop owner carefully set the clock aside, Alexander pulled out an old guitar case from the box.
“What about this?”
The older man gave it a quick glance.
“Standard handmade guitar. I can offer a thousand dollars.”
Before Alexander could respond, a well-dressed middle-aged man who had been browsing nearby stepped closer.
“Mind if I take a look?”
Alexander nodded.
The man ignored the guitar itself and focused intently on the case, turning it over with careful hands.
“Indeed…” he said after a moment.
His gaze shifted to Alexander.
“One hundred thousand dollars. I’ll take the case.”
Alexander nearly choked.
“One hundred thousand?”
The man smiled and handed over a business card.
“Brown Karl, CEO of Hermès. This is a custom guitar case made specifically for Eric Clapton. It’s a rare collector’s item. I don’t know how you came by it, but I want it.”
Alexander’s mind raced.
He had no idea if the claim was true, but the man clearly believed it and was willing to pay.
Turning down that kind of money would be foolish.
“Deal,” he said.
Brown Karl chuckled as he completed the transaction.
“Old John, I didn’t expect you to miss one this big.”
The shop owner shook his head with a wry smile.
“Luxury goods aren’t exactly my specialty.”
With one hundred and ten thousand dollars now heading into his account, Alexander felt a rush of excitement.
He reached into his wallet and pulled out seven old silver coins he had acquired earlier through Sacrifice, historical pieces from different eras and countries.
“Any interest in these?” he asked casually.
Old John’s casual demeanor vanished the moment his eyes landed on the coins.
He picked up a magnifying glass and studied one in particular, a Flowing Hair Liberty Dollar with intense focus.
After a long pause, he exhaled slowly.
“Where did you get these?”
“Family heirlooms,” Alexander replied smoothly.
It wasn’t exactly a lie in this new life, and the details didn’t matter.