Overlord: Welcome the Birth of the King-Chapter 71 - 72: Magic Detection and Platinum Coins

Roughly half a minute passed.

The brown-haired woman who had left earlier returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man dressed in a formal black suit. A pocket watch hung from his chest, and he wore a single-lens monocle, giving him the refined appearance of an appraiser.

At just a glance at the bone-like chains wrapped around the package, the middle-aged man's expression became serious.

"This way, sir."

With a respectful tone, he gestured toward a more private section of the establishment, inviting Lyle to follow.

Lyle gave a slight nod, picked up the package, and walked alongside the middle-aged man toward the back.

As soon as they disappeared from sight, murmurs erupted among the adventurers in the hall. What had initially been speculation was now confirmed—those black bone chains had indeed come from a Barghest.

"That little Barghest pup he had with him must have been born recently, right?"

"If raised properly, it could become a Rank 45-class beast once fully grown!"

"Barghests are cunning creatures. Even if you manage to raise one, chances are it'll turn on you and tear you apart the moment it has the strength to resist."

"That black-haired guy dares to tame such a beast? Maybe he's a Beast Summoner."

"I'd say he's more of a Beast Tamer."

The hall buzzed with discussions, their interest in a powerful newcomer far exceeding their curiosity about the events in the Great Forest of Tob.

Some adventurers, however, remained silent, deep in thought. Even so, the general consensus among those present was clear—Lyle was someone not to be trifled with.

Had he been there to hear their discussions, Lyle would have undoubtedly been satisfied.

What is deception?

Deception is when you lead others to misinterpret your abilities and intentions. The presence of the Barghest pup was a deliberate misdirection.

And once people peel away the false layer, the information they uncover beneath it becomes all the more convincing.

In a quiet, modestly decorated room, Lyle set the package down on the table and took a seat on the sofa, waiting as the middle-aged man began his appraisal.

"Please, enjoy some tea. This will take a moment."

The middle-aged man placed a cup of red tea in front of Lyle with a respectful nod.

"Go ahead." Lyle gestured casually, indicating he didn't mind.

Only then did the appraiser take his seat across from him. Wearing pristine white gloves, he carefully picked up the bone chains and examined them.

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"The sheen, the hardness... everything about these is top quality."

"These are from a fully grown Barghest."

His fingers ran along the chains with a glint of admiration in his eyes. Upon reaching the severed ends of the chains, he paused.

"The cut is a little rough, but nothing that can't be fixed with some polishing."

Then, setting the chains down gently, he raised his hands and chanted softly:

"Magic Detection."

A faint blue glow of magic shimmered from his hands as the spell activated.

Buzz—

『Detected: Tier 2 Spell "Magic Detection" (Level Requirement: 8–14). Requirements met.』

『Would you like to spend 1 Skill Point to learn this spell?』

Seeing the notification flash across his status screen, Lyle raised an eyebrow, momentarily surprised. He hadn't expected the man to be a spellcaster.

"No."

He dismissed the prompt without hesitation.

Magic Detection was one of the weaker spells in the detection category. It only allowed the user to identify the magic intensity of objects or detect whether an opponent carried enchanted items. Its utility in actual combat was limited.

A few moments later, the appraiser withdrew the spell, a hint of disappointment crossing his face.

"When a Barghest dies, a portion of the magic in its bone chains dissipates. More magic is lost if the chains are removed improperly."

"However, these chains have been remarkably well-preserved, though the price will be slightly lower because of the loss."

The man looked up at Lyle, offering a professional yet respectful explanation.

"Can you sell them quickly?"

Lyle asked, slightly regretting the unavoidable loss of magic in the material.

"Of course."

The appraiser nodded eagerly.

"High-quality magical materials like these can be crafted into enchanted weapons with just a bit of processing."

"If you're not in a hurry, we can find the best buyer within three days, ensuring you get the highest possible price. We take a 10% commission for this service."

"Alternatively, if you want an immediate sale, we can buy them directly. However, the price will be lower, though no commission will be charged."

Both options had their pros and cons.

Lyle considered for a moment.

"How much if I sell them to you now?"

"360 gold coins per chain. That's 720 gold coins in total."

The appraiser straightened his back as he spoke, clearly prepared for negotiations.

Lyle's eyes flickered slightly. That price was actually higher than he had expected. Then again, given the value of magical materials in this world, it made sense.

Seeing Lyle's agreement, the appraiser's expression brightened. He quickly left the room and returned within minutes, carrying two money pouches—one noticeably full and the other considerably thinner.

"Here are your 720 gold coins. Since carrying that many coins is inconvenient, I took the liberty of exchanging part of it for Platinum coins."

The appraiser placed the two pouches on the table and slid them toward Lyle.

"This contains 34 Platinum coins and 40 regular gold coins."

Platinum coins?

Lyle frowned slightly. He had heard of them but had never actually seen one before.

Moreover, 34 white gold coins and 40 gold coins—something about that exchange rate felt off.

"Grrr..."

The small Barghest pup beside him growled softly, baring its sharp teeth as it sensed Lyle's shift in mood.

The appraiser's face paled, and he quickly explained, his voice slightly anxious:

"The exchange rate of Platinum coins doesn't follow the standard gold-silver-copper system of the kingdom... or any nation, for that matter."

"Generally, 20 gold coins equal one Platinum coin. In some smaller countries, the exchange rate is even higher."

"Additionally, Platinum coins hold a higher priority in transactions across different nations. But if you prefer standard gold, I can exchange them back immediately."

His posture stiffened as he leaned back slightly, wary of the Barghest as if expecting it to lunge at him at any moment.

Platinum coins...

Lyle didn't respond immediately. Instead, he reached into the pouch and picked one up.

At first glance, it resembled silver, but it was noticeably heavier and thicker than standard gold coins.

Then—

Lyle's eyes narrowed.

On the back of the coin, instead of the Re-Estize Kingdom crest, there was an engraving of a dragon's head.

A dragon.

His gaze sharpened.

Dragons in this world were no ordinary creatures.

Platinum coins?

Could this be related to the Platinum Dragon Lord?