The pawnshop’s front door was opened with a bang by a man in his thirties, sullen, fat, and blond-haired, but almost all of his hair had fallen out due to stress.
In his trembling hands, he held a bag of things that looked old and battered, but for art lovers they were still a dessert.
Camelot didn’t know much about gold and jewelry, but on this rainy day he decided to try his luck.
«Hello.
I need to sell these things.»
An elderly man with glasses was sitting behind the counter.
He didn’t immediately raise his head to look at Camelot.
He had a newspaper in his hands, which he was reading without taking his eyes off it.
«What exactly are you going to sell me?»
Camelot put the bag on the counter.
There was a dull clang.
The old man finally deigned to look at him.
«Open the bag.»
Camelot froze.
His fingers tightened on the drawstring of the bag.
«First tell me, how much will you give for all this?»
«How can I tell if I don’t know what’s inside?»
The old man stared at the guy.
«By eye, I can give you five euros for the bag itself.
Or else kick your ass out of here.»
Camelot chuckled nervously.
«Very funny.»
«I wasn’t joking.»
They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds.
A car passed by the window, scattering dirty water on the asphalt.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Camelot exhaled and untied the bag.
An old silver locket was placed on the counter first.
Then a book in a worn leather cover.
After her is a small hiking dagger with a darkened blade, several rings, a pocket watch and a strange stone the size of a chicken egg.
The old man stopped smiling and took off his glasses.
«Where did you get this?»
«At home»
«Does it look like you’re cheating on me?»
«I don’t care what it looks like.
But I took the last thing I had at home.»
Camelot looked away.
He didn’t come here out of curiosity.
He really needed the money and he couldn’t wait for the old man to figure it out.
«How much will you give me for these things?»
The old man did not answer.
Instead, he took the locket between two fingers and carefully turned it over.
A symbol like an open eye was engraved on the back.
Camelot had never seen him before.
«Where did you get this thing?»
The old man repeated in a different voice.
«I told you, I found it at home.
This thing was meant for my mom.»
Camelot frowned.
He didn’t like the old man asking such questions.
He certainly didn’t look like a thief.
«You are a very strange man, Camelot.»
The man paled.
«How do you know my name?»
The old man silently pointed at his left hand.
The plastic bracelet from the hospital was still on his wrist.
Camelot looked away.
He really didn’t care.
A few weeks ago, he would not even have believed that he would find himself in such conditions.
He was born into a wealthy family.
His parents owned several events, lived in a huge house and never allowed their only son to think about the price of things.
Camelot was used to getting everything he wanted.
New phones.
Expensive cars.
Journeys.
Even if he didn’t like something, it was enough to complain to his parents, and the barrier disappeared.
But along with the money, they forgot to teach him something.
The discipline of being nice to everyone in front of him.
His father kept saying that Camelot should be better than the others.
His mother liked to remind him that he was incredibly lucky to be born into their family.
«Look at you,» she said one day, straightening his shirt collar in front of the mirror.
«You do realize how handsome you are, don’t you?»
Camelot understood.
Too good, even.
Over time, he really began to consider himself special and not pay attention to himself.
He didn’t need to exercise.
There was no need to monitor the power supply.
There was no need to take care of her skin or hair.
His father didn’t say anything.
The car continued to move on the wet road.
The next thing Camelot remembered was the headlights.
A sharp turn.
Screeching brakes.
Hit.
And then the darkness.
When the guy woke up, there were no parents around, no familiar world.
The mother and father died on the spot.
Camelot himself ended up in the hospital with a serious injury.
It wasn’t until a few days later, when he still hadn’t had time to come to his senses, that something much worse turned out.
He didn’t get his parents’ money.
All accounts, real estate and most of the property were transferred to other people in advance.
Camelot was left with nothing.
A man who until recently could afford almost everything he saw, now could not even afford normal treatment.
And then he returned to his parents’ house and found old things that his parents had collected and stored for years on their expeditions.
«Okay, how much are you going to give me for all this?»
The old man looked at the locket again.
This time, his fingers were visibly shaking.
«For everything?»
«Yes»
«Now I think I can give you…»
The old man fell silent.
There was a clink in the depths of the pawnshop.
Camelot turned around.
«Do you have someone there?»
There was no response.
The old man continued to stare at the locket.
And then something strange happened.
The eye on its surface glowed silver.
Camelot frowned.
«Is there a battery inside?»
The old man stood up abruptly.
«Don’t touch him!»
But it was too late.
The locket opened on its own.
Silver smoke gushed out from inside.
Camelot only had time to close his eyes.
«I hope I managed to get the money before I choked on this smoke.»
…
[Transfer to Another World]
[System Activated]
Camelot did not hear the words.
He saw them, and a silver grimoire appeared in front of him, from which words appeared.
[Welcome “New Art Applicant.”]
[New User registration completed]
[Your journey begins, “Seeing Servant”]
Camelot stared at the messages for a few seconds.
«What’s going on?»
[Please try not to die in the first 24 hours.]
[Good luck…]