The sly gleam in the dwarf shopkeeper's eyes and the way he kept rubbing his hands together made me think that this man was more inclined to set traps than to do business. It was as though he wasn't selling us items but preparing to deceive us directly. For this reason, I chose to examine the magical items on the counter with my own eyes rather than pay too much attention to his words.
"Sir," he finally said impatiently. "If you'll allow me, I can offer you some advice. Are you looking for something more for protection, exploration, or attack?"
His voice was sweet, but the greed lurking beneath it had settled like a thick fog over his words.
"The counter caught my attention; you really do display quality products," I said in a distant but polite tone. "But I'm not after ordinary items. I'm looking for something more... special. Do you know where I can find them?"
The dwarf paused for a moment, his gaze darting quickly over us. He focused on our simple clothes and faded appearances. Then a hint of suspicion appeared on his face.
"You know," he said in a slightly condescending tone, "as quality increases... so does the cost."
Calca smiled slightly. Then she stepped forward confidently.
"Ah, you've been misled," she says with a smile. "These items are not for me, but for my lord. Therefore, price is not an issue for us."
At these words, the dwarf's expression changes. His eyes sparkle again, but this time with the joy of a merchant who has recognised an opportunity rather than greed.
"If so," he said, bowing, "I recommend the masked auction taking place this evening. Only rare and enchanted items are displayed there. A night filled with diamond-worthy items awaits you.
After learning the location, we thanked him and left.
"We have about two hours," I said, stroking her blonde hair. "Let's use this time to explore the city a bit more."
Arm in arm, we began walking through the old cobblestone streets. The sun was nearing the horizon, about to set. As the sky flickered between gold and orange, we reached the quieter, more secluded corners of the marketplace. Human voices gave way to bird chirps and the faint sound of music in the distance.
Just then, Calca tugged at my arm and pointed to a spot.
"Ashfall-sama... that tent. Let's go there!" she said excitedly.
In the corner she pointed to, a small tent covered in purple velvety fabric was set up. On its entrance, the following words were written in old but still shining letters:
<<< You can't rewind the past
The only way to learn the secret
...is to come there>>>>
The tent had piqued both Calca's and my curiosity. This mysterious structure, covered in faded purple fabric, was like a silent scream cutting through the ordinariness of the narrow streets. The three of us approached cautiously and entered.
As soon as we stepped inside, a dim, gloomy light hit our faces. The sharp scent of burning incense filled the air. Amulets hanging on the walls, dried skull decorations, voodoo dolls filled with needles, and shelves filled with old books made this tent resemble the temple of an ancient witch rather than a fortune teller.
However, the most striking thing among all these oddities was the old woman sitting at the round table in the middle of the tent. Her face was wrinkled, but her eyes sparkled. Her hair was grey, gathered loosely in a bun at the back. Her fingers were long, her nails jet black and curved.
"Welcome, young guests," she said in a cracked but compelling voice.
"Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming.
And I will listen to the voice of fate for you.
Please, sit down."
We sat down on the velvet-covered chairs arranged around the table. The woman took a large crystal ball filled with mist from the cupboard behind her and placed it in front of us.
"If you're ready, let's begin, my children," she said softly. "I will take one gold coin per person. Which of you would like me to look into first?"
I responded to the woman's words with a mocking smile on my face.
"Woman, do you want to cover your grave with gold? Paying so much money for your words of unknown truth... it's not very wise."
The old woman did not lose her composure. Placing her hands on the sphere, she began to murmur:
"Every man has his own destiny:
The only imperative is to follow it,
To accept it, no matter where it leads him.
You can't change the direction of the wind,
But you can adjust your sails."
Then she slowly raised her head and turned her eyes to Calca.
"My beautiful girl... the future is hidden in the past. That is why I will look there first."
As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes turned white. Her lips murmured words whose meaning could not be deciphered, and the sphere glowed with an inner light, turning golden. An invisible energy emanating from the old woman's body quietly shook the surroundings. It was as if a connection had been made with another realm.
For several minutes, she remained motionless, gazing around as if in a trance. Then her eyes slowly returned to normal. She rose silently from her seat, took a potion from her cupboard, and drank it. After taking a deep breath, she returned to the table with a hot teapot.
"You're not one of the common people, are you, my girl?" she said quietly.
"You carry the blood of a high noble. But the innocence within you is purer than that of an ordinary peasant girl. This... is a rare thing."
Calca smiled shyly. The old woman took a sip of her tea and continued:
"You... have fulfilled your deepest desire. You have obtained what you longed for, what you prayed for. But..."
The woman's voice became a little more serious.
"You have a difficult test ahead of you. This difficulty will come from someone you least expect. If you panic, you could lose a lot. But if you remain calm, fate will reward you. Your path... is as bright as the sun, my daughter. I hope the light in your heart never fades."
There was truth in what she said. But it was also full of uncertainty. The information she gave was unclear, symbolic, and incomplete. So a doubt arose in me. To better understand the woman, I quietly activated my secret discovery spell.
_______
The old woman's level screen was interesting: she had reached level 23. The job levels were related to shamanism, and the [Fortune-telling: level 3] proved her ability.
_______
"Come on, my child, don't just stand there. Come, let's take a look at your destiny too."
The old fortune-teller gestured to Remedios as if she were a long-awaited guest.
Remedios narrowed her eyes. There was a mix of disgust and contempt on her lips.
"I don't believe in such heretical superstitions, witch. The future and destiny belong only to God. Your dirty games and spells have no effect on me."
Her words caused a brief silence in the tent. The air grew heavy for a moment. The fortune-teller bowed her head, a sly curve appearing on her lips. It was as if she had chosen to nurture the anger within her rather than suppress it.
"Very well... Since you speak of God's word so loftily... Then listen, what does the shadow cast by God's torch whisper to you..."
Suddenly, the fortune-teller leaned over the sphere and, defiantly, poured nearly all of his mana into it at once. Her eyes shone, and strange spells began to pour from her mouth. The sphere was illuminated by a blood-red light.
"Ah… Now I see you. Loyalty… yes. But such a blind, such a dangerous loyalty that it has dried up your intelligence. It has blinded your eyes."
The woman's voice trembled in an ominous tone.
"Your stubbornness has blinded you... The envy and jealousy you have suppressed in the depths of your soul... are writhing like snakes. The devil inside you is gnawing at you, and you are not even aware of it. If you do not wake up, you will DIE!"
As the fortune teller's voice rose, the sphere glowed even brighter. The inside of the tent was filled with red light. Remedios's eyes widened for a moment. Then she clenched her teeth, took a step back, growled in disgust, and quickly left the tent.
The woman smiled as she heard Remedios's receding footsteps. A glint appeared in her eyes.
"Confronting some people with the truth… is far more effective than insults."
Then she turned her head towards me.
"We've reached the final step," she said, drinking a potion of meaning with exhaustion and taking a deep breath.
She focused on the sphere again, touching it with trembling hands. As she began to repeat the magic words, her eyelids grew heavy and her body fell into a trance.
But this time, things were different.
The sphere began to glow like a star-filled dark sky. But this was not a beauty, it carried a deep and indescribable threat. The woman's pupils dilated, then turned completely white.
She trembled in her chair as if she wanted to pull back suddenly, but she was stuck to her seat.
Her voice began to tremble, her breath caught in her throat. She brought her hands to her throat, as if an invisible hand were squeezing her. She flailed in panic.
She scratched her own face with her nails, blood flowing into her eyes, but she couldn't stop.
"I'M SORRY! PLEASE! I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOU! LET ME GO! I BEG YOU!"
She threw herself to the ground, burying her head in her arms. Her voice turned into a child's cry.
"Please... take those eyes off me... I beg you..."
Calca stared at the woman with a look of shock and fear. Even Remedios was looking in from outside, trying to understand what was happening.
The fortune-teller was trembling on her knees, murmuring as if praying to keep her eyes away from the sphere.
It was as if the apocalypse had just been shown to her.
I placed a purple health potion on the table and took Calca's hand, leading her out of the tent.
"Ashfall-sama... That woman didn't look well." Calca looked at me with concern.
"She used her mana to the last drop three times in a row. The strain broke her mind. But I'm sure she'll recover with a good rest," I whispered a complete lie to Calca.
{Albedo, there is a fortune teller on the edge of the city market. Catch her and throw her in the dungeon. I'm sure she'll be useful to us.} I called out to Albedo with a message spell.
{As you command, Ashfall-sama, I have already dispatched the shadow demons.}
That fortune teller woman had caught my attention. I just wanted to obtain that "Fortune Teller" job class, which is exclusive to the New World.
Putting aside my thoughts of "Let's try some street food," I pointed out the food stalls a little further ahead to Calca.
"To be honest, I'm not sure I'll like it, but I'm curious." She quickened her pace and started walking towards the direction where the food smells were coming from.
The stalls were covered with colourful cloths, and on top of them were skewers cooking over coals, spicy potato slices, and stuffed bread snacks. The smells of smoke and coals mingled together.
We bought two skewers of meat and two sandwiches and sat down on one of the benches in the park to eat.
"I must admit, it exceeded my expectations. There's nothing luxurious about these meals, but the flavours aren't bad," Calca said after finishing her meal.
"The auction is about to start, let's go there," Calca said, taking my hand and pulling me excitedly.
With the magic of illusion, we changed our clothes with an elegant but unobtrusive nobility. My dark-toned outfit, made of luxurious fabrics, matched Calca's white dress with gold embroidery. With our masks covering half of our faces and our hats with velvet-trimmed edges, we represented both mystery and status. Walking arm in arm, we looked like a couple blending into the night, but with every step we took, we assessed our surroundings. The event was to begin in the basement of a large building. When we arrived at the building's entrance, two guards appraised us with a glance before opening the door and inviting us inside.
The hall was spacious, with magical lamps hanging from the high ceilings and wall carpets hanging on the walls to dampen the echo. Guests were slowly gathering around the sparsely placed tables.
We found a suitable spot in the large hall, sat down, and began waiting for the other participants to arrive. After about twenty minutes, the hall was completely full, and the staff had already prepared the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen... The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived. Tonight, you will encounter items shrouded in mystery, items you would never see in ordinary shops. Some are collectibles, others have the power to determine fate on the battlefield." As the hall erupted in applause, the first item was brought onto the stage. The crystal stone inside the silver box shone dazzlingly.
"This stone you see before you is the largest mana crystal ever recorded, and it was extracted from Mount Azerlisia. If you had a staff made from this stone, you could defeat your rivals not only out of jealousy but also in terms of power. I'll start the bidding at twenty gold pieces."
As soon as the man finished speaking, the bids began to rise. Calca was looking at the impressive crystal on one hand and at me on the other, as if measuring my reaction and pricing the item accordingly. But after seeing my emotionless state, he quickly lost interest. When it was sold a few seconds later, the item's price was sixty gold pieces.
"Now that our first item has been sold, let's move on to the second product." The announcer continued, barely suppressing his excitement.
"This product is a strange weapon used by the Fulmenreich army. This weapon, known as the Kalthoff Repeating Musket, is said to have buried wizards and knights in history. The weapon's operating principle is to use the energy of gunpowder to fire a metal bullet at the enemy. Of course, obtaining this weapon from the army was not easy, but I believe it was worth it. The starting price is three gold pieces."
All this made me lean forward involuntarily. We were creating a new unit by producing this weapon with "perfect" secrecy. Unlike the original, we were producing the weapon with a rifled barrel. Since it used minie balls, both its range and accuracy had improved. But one of the fools in the army had ruined the entire secret. I informed Demurge about this matter for him to investigate. The original rifle, which had a capacity of thirty rounds, had also seen combat in the real world. The reason it didn't make much of a mark in history was its cost.
"Pfttt... Hahahaha! They must be a bunch of fools who dare to underestimate the power of magic!"
"Absolutely! What sane person would believe that this piece of junk could defeat the mighty knights?"
"Or is this just a fabrication? They say it was made for the Fulmenreich army, but I'm sceptical."
The mocking laughter and derisive whispers rising from all corners of the hall were destroying the firearm's reputation. Their eyes shone with a blind faith in the absolute power of magic. Not a single bid had been made for the weapon.
I leaned slightly toward the stage and gave a subtle signal.
"And there it is... the offer we've been waiting for!"
The host's face lit up with joy; it was as if he had managed to sell a hopeless pen.
Even Calca, who was sitting next to me, seemed surprised by my move. Her eyes turned to me with both curiosity and confusion. To her, it was just a worthless piece of metal.
'It can't stand up to a wizard one-on-one, yes. But it can be easily and quickly taught even to a peasant. Hordes of soldiers with rifles can overwhelm a small number of wizards or complete their tasks. Moreover, at a much lower cost. But they don't have the vision to understand this yet.'
"Since no one else made an offer... this modest but potentially powerful weapon was sold for three gold pieces!"
Even the auctioneer's sigh was filled with relief. The next seven items in the auction of unusual items seemed ordinary to me. There was nothing worth spending my time on.
Until...
"And now... it's time to present the final and perhaps most spectacular part of our event!"
When the host's voice echoed through the hall, everyone suddenly fell silent. A box covered in dark purple velvet was brought onto the stage. As the lid slowly opened, the soft golden light emanating from within began to dance on the walls of the hall.
"Before you lies the sacred relic of an ancient civilisation that worshipped the sun. This necklace is not merely an ornament... it is a power, an inheritance."
At its centre, a large yellow diamond shone, symbolising the sun. Around it were delicate, intricately crafted gold protrusions resembling sun rays.
The presenter held the necklace between both hands and continued in a loud voice:
"This item was used in rituals centuries ago to symbolise the divine sun. Once worn, whether you are a mage or an ordinary person, you can use the Level III special attack spell [Sun's Rays]. Additionally, it significantly increases your mana regeneration rate."
The auctioneer paused briefly before continuing:
"However, this power comes at a cost: The necklace only functions under sunlight. And the spell's cost is 50% higher than a standard Level III spell. Starting price... forty gold! Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let's hear the bids!"
Silence fell for a moment... then the bids began to rise like an explosion.
"Seventy!"
"Seventy-two!"
"Seventy-five!"
Each new bid outbid the previous one, and the excitement and competitive spirit in the hall grew.
At that moment, Calca's eyes were fixed on the necklace. Her lips trembled uncertainly, and her hands shook on her knees. Remedios, who was next to her, whispered anxiously:
"Calca-sama... it may not be right for you to continue this competition. Spending so much gold on a necklace... in such difficult times... is not right. Our country's treasury has not yet recovered. With this gold, orphans could be fed, our army could be strengthened."
Calca paused for a moment. Then she slowly turned her head towards me. Her eyes were seeking my advice.
I leaned my lips towards her and whispered calmly:
"Don't worry about money. My empire has already declared its support for your country. Just decide what you want. Don't hold back."
After my words, the uncertainty in Calca's eyes disappeared. A slight smile appeared on her lips. She gave the signal again in a determined tone. After a little competition, the necklace was finally purchased by Calca for sixty-eight gold coins.
The hall erupted in applause. Some looked at Calca with admiration, others with envy.
When the event ended, we made the payments, and the items were packed and delivered by the servants.
As we exited the building, the gold-chain necklace was resting in the velvet pouch in Calca's hand. She was content with her newly acquired power, while I watched the new gleam in her eyes... and began to formulate other plans.
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Don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments. I find your comments much more interesting than your stones.