Volume 1 Chapter 134

Volume 1 + Chapter 134: Three Hundred Gold Coins

“Yes, exactly. That’s why I think this house must have something truly exceptional about it.”

The secondhand real estate agent said with a broad grin, his eyes brimming with confidence.

“When I first took it back from the previous owner, I thought there was no way this place would ever sell. Who would’ve thought that this day would come? As expected, gold will always shine sooner or later.”

There was a hint of smugness in his tone, as though he were openly praising his own vision and good fortune.

From the very beginning, he hadn’t been in any hurry to sell this house. After all, this was a property that even the Holy Maiden of the Sacred Church Association had wanted to buy.

If he used that as a selling point and spread the word, it would certainly attract plenty of attention. And given that it was located in the imperial capital, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, selling it casually for several hundred gold coins would be no difficulty at all.

Several hundred gold coins—just thinking about the fact that he had bought it for only two gold coins back then felt utterly unbelievable.

At the time, the former owner had treated the house like a plague, unwilling to have anything to do with it, even deliberately lowering the price on their own initiative to get rid of it.

When this agent had first arrived in the business, he’d thought that paying two gold coins—especially in the imperial capital—meant there was no way he could lose money.

But clearly, he had been far too naive. No one wanted the house at all, and he had thought he was completely ruined.

It wasn’t until that little Holy Maiden came knocking yesterday that he suddenly woke up as if from a dream, realizing that he had never truly understood the value of this house.

“So? If you really like it, how about three hundred gold coins? I’ll sell it to you.”

The agent’s tone carried a trace of cunning.

“Three hundred?”

Hearing this, Mira nearly slammed the table and leapt to her feet, fury surging up almost instantly.

Three hundred gold coins! It was practically a sky-high price—more expensive than many aristocratic mansions.

This was nothing more than a shabby little secondhand courtyard. He might as well have been robbing them outright, yet he still had the nerve to ask for three hundred gold coins for a broken-down yard. This black-hearted merchant was even darker than the Imperial Chamber of Commerce itself.

Even if the courtyard were made of solid gold, it wouldn’t be worth that much—yet he dared to open his mouth and demand three hundred gold coins.

This black-hearted secondhand agent—Mira truly regretted that she couldn’t just strike him on the spot.

Yet despite her boiling anger, Mira knew she couldn’t explode right now.

After all, the house was in his hands, and he held absolute pricing power.

Moreover, Leah clearly had her heart set on this property. Losing her temper at this moment would be unwise and would only complicate matters further.

“Leah, let’s go. Don’t waste time here. I’ll take you to look at other houses.”

Mira forced herself to calm down as she turned to Leah. Her voice was steady, but the anger in her eyes was hard to conceal.

With three hundred gold coins, one could buy houses far superior in both location and size.

If one really wanted to, three hundred gold coins would even be enough to arrange a stay in the imperial palace for a couple of days.

“Three hundred gold coins… that’s still not quite enough.”

Leah looked uneasy—almost frightened and tense.

Seeing her reaction, the secondhand agent was practically overjoyed.

And the expression on Mira’s face became even more spectacular.

“Leah… you really want to buy it? Why do you have to buy this one in particular?”

Mira truly couldn’t understand why Leah was so attached to this seemingly dilapidated little courtyard. With so many better houses available, why cling stubbornly to this nearly run-down place?

She frowned and couldn’t help asking, “Why this place of all places? There are so many good houses waiting for you…”

Hearing this, Leah took a deep breath, her gaze softening.

She knew that Mira couldn’t understand—but to her, this courtyard meant far too much. It carried too many of her memories and longings.

“Because it’s important.”

She said softly, her voice tinged with a slight choke.

She had dreamed of owning that little courtyard—the place that once belonged to Eve and Vivian.

The courtyard wasn’t large, but it had been filled with warmth and love. Back when Eve and Vivian lived there, Leah had often been invited by Eve to come over for meals.

Every time she saw how Vivian was carefully cared for by Eve, waves of envy would surge through Leah’s heart. That warm, tender atmosphere was a life she had never dared to hope for.

This small courtyard was not merely a simple residence. It represented everything she had buried deep in her heart—every longing and every happiness she had never possessed.

To Leah, this courtyard was more than just a place to live. Obtaining it felt like mending the regrets of her childhood.

More importantly, it symbolized a contest between herself and Vivian—the Vivian who had once been blessed without realizing it, and who had hurt Eve deeply.

She had always yearned for a warm little world of her own. Now, her mother Eve already belonged to her—and this courtyard, she absolutely had to claim as well.

She would not allow Vivian to occupy that place she had once longed for again. Especially after hearing that Vivian had also come to inquire about the price, Leah’s anxiety and urgency only intensified.

Even though she didn’t know what Vivian intended to do with the courtyard, Leah knew that if Vivian got there first, her dream might vanish forever—and she would never again be able to possess this place filled with beautiful memories.

Thus, a firm resolve took shape in Leah’s heart: no matter what, she had to secure this little courtyard before Vivian did.

“I still can’t understand it.”

Mira frowned, confusion evident in her eyes. She clearly still couldn’t grasp why Leah was so obsessed with this courtyard.

Despite the many questions in her heart, seeing how much Leah loved it, she couldn’t say much more. She could only turn her gaze toward the secondhand agent, her tone tinged with resignation.

“Very well. In that case, let me introduce myself.”

Mira took a deep breath and straightened into her usual composed demeanor. “My name is Mira. I am one of the principal heads in charge of trade routes within the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.”

Her words carried an unmistakable sense of authority.

“One of the most powerful executives of the Imperial Chamber of Commerce. If this house truly changes hands, the contract must also pass the Chamber’s review and approval.”

Hearing the subtle threat in Mira’s words, the secondhand agent instinctively frowned, keenly sensing the sudden tension in the air. Clearly, he hadn’t expected that this seemingly ordinary woman possessed such formidable influence.

The final say in this property transaction was no longer entirely in his hands, and that realization made his heart tighten.

Though he didn’t recognize Mira herself, he certainly recognized the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.

“I—I didn’t say I was really selling it for three hundred gold coins. You can… you can bargain, you know.”

The agent’s attitude softened somewhat, no longer as hardline as before.

Reality proved that sometimes, one really couldn’t afford to stay too low-key. If the other party didn’t treat you like a person, then naturally, you didn’t need to treat them like one either.