The Mech Touch novel Chapter 7073

Chapter 7073: Relic of the Sixth Star Emperor

The alien relic did not earn a lot of appreciation from Ves.

That was because he had no indication of where it came from, which race created it and what sort of remnant soul had managed to cling to life with its aid.

The benefits that Ves could gain from this trinket were too questionable relative to its estimated asking price.

Even if Ves liked to take a gamble every now and then, that did not necessarily mean he wanted to become known as a gullible fool who could easily be convinced into overpaying for stuff.

He had a lot of items on his wishlist. If word got around that he was bad at bargaining and did not understand the real value of goods on offer, then he would soon find himself paying twice, thrice or even ten times more than what he got in return!

His eyes sharpened as he gazed at Raul Ottaviani.

Ves had a feeling that this initial offering served as a test.

The self-made trade broker deliberately presented an item that barely stretched his willingness to make a bid on it. How Ves chose to respond to it would say much about his appraisement skills, his negotiating skills and his ability to control his emotions.

Perhaps Ves may not be a consummate businessman who could easily act in a nature that was completely opposite to his true self, but he was no stranger to performing a specific role.

He had to remind himself that Raul Ottaviani was not on his side. Not truly. The man was a broker who earned a living by connecting buyers to sellers and vice versa.

The trade broker was not an agent to either party. No, that was not quite true. He had a vested interest in helping sellers succeed as he earned a commission based on the money, or value expressed in MTA credits, changed hands.

This not only incentivized the trade broker to persuade a buyer like Ves to accept the transaction, but also encouraged him to overpay as much as possible.

It might not sound fair, but this was how the Yernstallers played this game. They perfected it as they facilitated trade between first-raters up to and including the Terrans and the Rubarthans.

Ves could enjoy the same advantages if he turned into a seller as well. That was what kept trade brokers in everyone’s good books. They managed their relationships carefully and made sure to find a way to make a buyer regain their satisfaction by profiting through other means.

Of course, the premise of all of this was that the trade broker continued to earn his commissions through every transaction that took place under his supervision.

Sure, his clients may seek to conduct repeat business with the trading partners that Ottaviani introduced to them, but there was always a demand for the services of a trade brokerage firm.

Yernstall was too big, and new entrants like Ves showed up all of the time.

After reminding himself of his positioning and the positioning of Ottaviani & Partners, Ves made a gesture with his hand.

“Please present the next item to me please.”

Raul Ottaviani smoothly changed the projection to show an item that stirred immediate interest from the target audience.

“Is that…”

“This is a damaged, incomplete and partially burned banner that used to symbolize the might and authority of the Sixth Star Emperor of the New Rubarth Empire.” Raul spoke in a serious tone. “Despite its outwardly shabby appearance, there are enough intact portions left to repurpose this cloth into an object of the dimensions that you have specified. The damaged banner only appears dark and covered with soot because its present owner and those that came before decided to preserve its original condition. If you choose to acquire it, then you may clean it however you desire. The underlying threads are completely undamaged due to their rare and precious material composition.”

Ves stared intently at this damaged banner. Even if the projection could not convey it, he knew that it carried the marks of history. This was a banner that had once generated pride among the Rubarthans.

Now, it only evoked shame and regret, and that was solely due to the failures of the Sixth Star Emperor.

“What used to be the significance of this banner? Have you verified its providence?”

Raul had all of the answers.

“The damaged banner is one that has hung in the very throne room of the New Rubarth Empire since the time of the late Imperial Majesty’s ascension to the Coldstone Throne. If you rewatch historical footage of the broadcasts of the throne room from that time period, you may see glimpses of it. Ottaviani & Partners has thoroughly examined the banner and concluded that it is the genuine article beyond reasonable doubt. I can transmit the documents that explain our analysis and conclusion.”

A banner that hung in the legendary throne room of what used to be one of the most powerful human empires in the old galaxy.

Ves felt his desire for this historical relic growing by the second.

This was good, because it indicated that he could definitely think of a way to make good use of this precious item.

It was also bad, because showing too much interest in this banner meant that the seller could demand a higher price that Ves would have to swallow in order to secure this unique prize.