When Alice returned to the surface, the sun was still high in the sky.
After three days without sunlight, the moment she stepped out of the dungeon, she felt the warm embrace of the sun.
In that instant, Alice felt a deep sympathy for the vampires of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
'My eyes hurt… If vampires feel this under the sunlight, it must be even worse for them. Though sunflowers probably love this feeling.'
Alice raised a hand to shield her eyes, letting them slowly adjust to the sudden brightness.
A beautiful girl's actions always attract attention.
And Alice was undeniably a beautiful girl.
Three days without sunlight had left her fair skin with a delicate, almost sickly pallor, making her appear even more fragile.
Truth be told, compared to most adventurers, Alice's physique really did seem rather delicate.
The gazes around her continually drifted in her direction.
Feeling the intense stares, Alice frowned slightly. She hadn't worn a cloak while in the dungeon, and after exiting, she'd forgotten to put one on.
So now, here she was, emerging in her pretty dress—a garment that looked lovely and charming but was utterly impractical for combat.
In the dungeon, flexible armor was the way to go. Even for mages, lightweight and simple clothing was the preferred choice, unless you were so powerful that nothing could hinder your movements.
Otherwise, if you were heading into the dungeon alone, it was best to change out of that frilly dress.
And so, dressed in this impractical outfit, Alice—with her striking beauty—drew everyone's attention.
Alice didn't know how many people in Orario possessed Spatial Magic, but the city did have the Supporter profession.
Compared to spatial abilities, Supporters were far more common—if Spatial Magic even existed here at all.
Even Asfi carried multiple tool bags instead of spatial equipment. So, Alice had taken precautions and sewed herself a pretty little pouch.
Her goal was to use it as cover whenever she employed her Gap Manipulation abilities.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Alice reached into the cute pouch at her waist, pulled out a cloak, and draped it over herself.
Seeing her action, the surrounding adventurers couldn't help but show looks of disappointment.
But once Alice had her cloak on, the stares gradually faded away.
With a sigh of relief, Alice made her way toward the Adventurer's Guild.
Before entering the dungeon, she had exchanged all her money for ingredients, so now she was completely broke.
Her top priority was to go to the Guild, exchange the magic stones she'd collected over the past three days for cash, then buy more ingredients, return home, cook a meal, take a bath, and get some sleep.
--+--
Magic stones were incredibly useful consumables.
In Orario, they had a wide range of applications—ordinary households used them in stoves and lamps for heat and light, powered by the mana within.
A small magic stone could keep a lamp burning for a long time.
But for the average person, magic stones were quite expensive.
Generally, only well-established Familias could afford to use them as an energy source.
Beyond everyday household use, magic stones were also essential for forging weapons, brewing potions, and crafting items.
Moreover, Orario was just one city in a much larger world, and the demand for magic stones beyond its walls was practically endless.
So, at the Adventurer's Guild in Orario, specialized merchants were always on hand to buy and sell magic stones. The Guild took a cut from each transaction, ensuring fairness for both parties.
Those who came to the Guild to exchange magic stones were usually weaker adventurers or smaller Familias.
More powerful adventurers and their Familias often had established partnerships with merchants—though they could still come to the Guild, most preferred to have merchants visit their homes for transactions.
The Adventurer's Guild was usually less crowded in the evening.
That was the time when most adventurers returned from the dungeon, and also when the Guild staff were about to clock out.
So, by evening, the Guild would start to quiet down.
But at noon…
Orario had no shortage of adventurers—plenty embarked on journeys daily, but just as many stayed behind.
So, the Guild was pretty busy right now.
Even with the crowd, Alice kept her cloak on. A few people glanced her way, but soon lost interest.
In Orario, unusual people were a dime a dozen.
The process of exchanging magic stones went smoothly.
Although Alice had collected a massive number of stones over three days, the ones from the upper floors were of fairly ordinary quality.
It wasn't unheard of for someone to save up a large batch of magic stones and sell them all at once.
So, even though the bag Alice placed on the counter was stuffed with magic stones, the experienced staff took it in stride.
Still, the quantity was impressive.
The clerk spent a considerable amount of time counting them all, and while she waited, Alice took a seat on one of the lounge sofas.
A glass of orange juice had been set on the table for her by the staff.
Alice picked up the glass and took small sips. She usually drank water conjured with her own magic, or black tea brewed with that same water.
Fruit juice like this was something she'd never really tasted before.
After waiting for a while, a half-elf girl with glasses, dressed in efficient and professional attire, approached her.
She placed a pouch full of money in front of Alice.
"My apologies for the wait. The number of magic stones you brought was quite substantial, so it took some time to count them all," the half-elf said apologetically.
Alice nodded understandingly.
"It's no trouble. The orange juice is quite delicious," she replied, setting down the half-finished glass. She picked up the money pouch and asked curiously, "How much did I get for all of them?"
Alice glanced up slightly.
Even with the cloak covering her, Eina caught a glimpse of the exquisite features beneath—so much so that even she, an elf with naturally exceptional beauty, felt a momentary sense of captivation.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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