"Can I eat your gratitude? Can I sell it to buy my favorite items? Can I give it to someone? Why the heck should I care about your gratitude?" The boy asked, rolling his eyes.
"I only need to know if the Royal Palace has some gathering of the noble families or some other celebration today." Long Chen explained.
"Why should you care if they do have some gathering, and why should I care if you want to know?" The boy asked again with an amused smile on his face.
Watching the smug look on the boy's face, Long Chen felt like slapping the boy fiercely.
He was so annoying. If Long Chen were alone, he would have slapped the boy to space in anger, but as he was in a public space and didn't wish to make a scene, he controlled his emotions.
He took a deep breath as he looked around.
"I'll give you a Spirit Grade pendant if you answer me," He offered the boy. He could have asked others, but he didn't wish to go through so much effort again.
The pendant was one of the useless items that were taking space in his storage. It wasn't worth anything to him, but it could be used as a bribe.
"A Spirit Grade Artifact? Do you think I'm a beggar that I'll be sold with just that?" The boy replied as he started laughing.
"What do you want then?" Long Chen asked, sighing.
"Give me a Heaven Grade Artifact," the boy said with a straight face.
Long Chen looked at the boy blankly as if he didn't know how to react to the boy.
"Kid, greed is good, but too much greed can be bad for the future. Sometimes it's good to know where to stop. All I need is an answer that everyone here probably knows. Don't be too much," Long Chen replied after some time.
"Too much? Do you think these peasants would know the answer? Go and try yourself," The boy said as he smiled.
He folded his arms as he walked closer to a wall. He stood with his back resting against the wall as he observed Long Chen.
With a thoughtful look on his face, Long Chen gazed at the boy. His confidence made it seem like he was actually telling the truth.
Why did he call them peasants, though? It was as if he was different from them. He seemed to be wearing ordinary clothes as well. Could it be that he was part of a Noble Family as well? Was it something that only noble families knew about? He wondered.
"Go ahead. Try and come back to me," the boy said as he gestured for Long Chen to go ahead.
Long Chen decided to test this theory.
He walked over to a woman who seemed to be in a hurry.
"Ah, hey. I won't take much time. Can you tell me if there is some special event in the Royal Palace where all the noble families are going? Or something of similar extent?" He asks the woman.
"How should I know? The matters related to the nobles are only told to the nobles. Even if there is some celebration with nobles, we wouldn't know," the woman answered hurriedly. "Now stop wasting my time."
Long Chen stopped following the girl and gazed back at the boy who was standing against the wall with a grin on his face.
He thought, 'So I was right. This was why he was so confident.'
He walked back to the boy.
"Hmm? You're back so fast? I thought you would at least try a few more times. How are you back just after one?" The boy asked Long Chen.
"Which Royal family are you from?" Long Chen asked straight away.
"Oh? I guess that woman told you something along the lines that peasants aren't supposed to know about such things. Am I right? That should be why you know," the big muttered as he nodded his head.
He stood straight and started walking towards the palace.
"You're half right. I had already assumed as much since you were so confident and calling them peasants. The lady's answer just confirmed it," Long Chen answered as he smiled.
'So, are you going to give me a Heaven Realm Artifact to get me to open my mouth?" The boy asked, grinning.
"Sigh, despite being a Noble, you're still so greedy. Unfortunately, I only have a few Heaven Realm artifacts, which I can't share. I'll have to let this chance go," Long Chen replied as he shook his head.
"Oh? If you say so. I won't force you. Still, for you to possess a few Heaven Realm Artifacts, you are pretty rich. Which family are you from?" The boy asked.
" I'm not from the Empire. You wouldn't know me," Long Chen answered smilingly.
"Oh? You're not from the Empire, yet you're so rich? You are either a Bandit or a Prince from a Kingdom. So, which are you?" The boy asked.
"What will you do if I say I am a bandit?" Long Chen asked as he smirked.
The boy started laughing at the answer. He answered, "Hah, you'll be a pretty open and confident bandit if that's true. So, you're a Prince, I guess. Which Kingdom are you from?" The boy asked.
"I'm from the Fengshu Kingdom," Long Chen answered as he showed his badge to the boy.
"Oh, so you're from there," the boy muttered.
"You've been there?" Long Chen asked the boy. He didn't seem stunned, so Long Chen was certain he didn't need to worry.
"I haven't been there personally, but I was taught by various Kingdoms during my younger days. So I know a few things. No wonder you have a few Artifacts. You're pretty stingy for a Prince, though," the boy pointed out.
"Maybe I am. Our Kingdom can't compare to the Empire, after all. I can't waste resources like this," Long Chen answered, smiling.
"True. The Kingdoms are very poor if I compare them to our Empire. Your Fengshu Kingdom is also not one of the richest kingdoms," the boy let out, nodding his head.
"You didn't answer. Which Royal Family are you from? Or are you going to ask me for something in exchange for this answer as well?" Long Chen inquired.
"Well, you did answer me one thing that I asked. I can answer you one thing in return as well. Do you really want to know my family name and not about the event?" The boy asked with an amused smile on his face.