Besides the few cryptic statements that Digger made, Luca spoke to him for a few more minutes and gained a fair amount of information before he left to find Erina.
As it turned out, Digger could help him acquire many of the catalysts he wanted, as well as others he hadn't been able to find anywhere else, such as the oddly elusive rainwater.
He also asked Digger for a few favors, like helping him get potions and helping him "confiscate" the black cloak that Grant had promised earlier.
Those sat comfortably in a satchel at his back now.
After some thought, he decided to make Digger the primary source of his catalysts and magic items from then on. If the Initiates from the Gathering failed, he would still have Digger to fall back on.
"That reminds me to go check whether they listened to my instructions," he murmured.
Two days ago, on the night of the Gathering, he had left clear instructions for how they could contact him.
Luckily, the instructions he gave coincided with the second task Erina wanted him to accomplish.
He returned to the general area of Digger's bar and was able to sense her hidden aura without much difficulty.
"I've got your items, milady," he said, handing the stick and the bracelet over to her.
Of course, the gemstone he got from Thalia still rested in his coat.
Luca had a few thoughts about Erina sending him to get the items. She was disguised, and while it was amateurish, it was still a fairly decent one.
A thought popped into his mind.
"Perhaps she actually has some relationship with the people that put the items up for sale."
Multiple theories came to him, but he had no concrete proof of any. His main theory was that the items once belonged to her aunt, and the person who acquired them was trying to bait her out.
More important than the lack of proof, however, was the fact that he didn't care.
As long as he was getting paid for this, that was all that mattered.
She nodded, keeping the bracelet and simply holding the stick.
"Do you know about the Venton Menagerie?" she asked first, appearing to weigh her words carefully.
Luca nodded.
"Good. While it's called a Menagerie, it's actually a large plot of land in the surrounding forests.
"My father placed dozens of guards at every perimeter, and the beasts themselves are not held in cages but shackled down using chains made of a mysterious alloy that strips these beasts of their special qualities.
"I need you to help me pluck a few feathers from a massive bird known as the Sky Tyrant. It's a powerful being, but it should be sedated. You just have to make sure you don't wake it up."
She described the bird as best as she could. Surprisingly, Erina had a strong knowledge of things rooted in real-life issues.
"There's an entrance to it at the city's East Gate. It's a poorly guarded gate on the surface, but that's only because there are Bronze Knights stationed further in."
Luca's mind shot into overdrive as she gave him more details. A plan began to form.
After she finally finished, he nodded and asked,
"So where should I meet you when I'm done?"
She thought for a few seconds, then responded.
"I'll be back home attending to a few issues. You must've seen the nasty plague going around. It forced my father to halt his visit to the capital and return."
"Pestewind's disease even forced the Duke to return to Carinthia. How alarming."
This was all leading up to a bigger goal that he couldn't see yet. He frowned.
But Luca had already decided he would mostly ignore the larger picture until he had a grasp of his own plans, which he could properly work on once he finished Erina's task.
"Which is really mine anyway," he mused.
Erina didn't seem to know that the disease was caused by a demon, otherwise she wouldn't wear such a relaxed expression.
He nodded and turned without waiting further. "Alright. I'll try to get it done as soon as possible."
Erina's arm shot out hesitantly, landing on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow and turned to look at her.
"B-be careful, okay?"
"I will."
---
Luca got to the East entrance quickly enough, and it was truly as Erina had said: the gate was poorly guarded.
There was a single guard at the entrance, an old man with his helmet covering half his head. A few loud snores escaped him from time to time.
It was almost comical, but Luca could sense the aura of Knights lying in the forest, so he couldn't laugh at the situation.
There were dozens of them, all lying in wait.
Luca looked into his satchel and pulled out one of the items Digger helped him get.
Name: Shadow Raven Cloak (Damaged)
Description: A dark cloak fashioned from Shadow Raven feathers, a species known for their stealth. Creator Unknown.
Abilities:
1. Feather Shroud: While the hood is drawn, the wearer blends into darkness and shadow more easily.
2. Wing's Silence: Slightly dampens sound made by the wearer's movements.
3. Minor Invisibility: Whilst underneath the sun, the feathers bend sunlight, making the wearer slightly invisible.
…
The item was top-notch quality and had great abilities despite being damaged. It was a total waste that someone like Grant had it in his possession for so long.
Each ability was a passive one, meaning they would be active at all times when he wore it.
He hastily slipped the cloak on without wasting any time and dragged the hood to cover his head.
As soon as he did that, he saw himself become nothing more than a barely visible outline in the sun.
It was hard to notice as long as he didn't move. He even went further and found a shadowy spot to stay. Instantly, his body blended into the darkness, far more than his invisibility under the sun.
Luca couldn't help but grin. If he combined this with the Mana Hiding glyph, he would be completely unsensable.
He headed straight for the location Erina had given him.
***
Author's Note: Late Chapter and missed a chapter yesterday, completely missing the mass release. Bit of a depressing last few days, but promises will be kept