Strange Spellcasting Materials

"Creak, creak..."

A carriage carrying Richard and Bobobo Wei Qi left the inn where they were staying and headed into the distance. At last, it stopped on a street North of the City.

With a bang, Richard jumped down from the carriage and looked at the shop beside him.

Bobobo Wei Qi jumped down after him and asked curiously, "What are we doing here? Aren't we supposed to get close to that target? Though I don't really agree with approaching him, if we really are going to, shouldn't we go meet him? What's the point of coming here?"

"We are getting close to him, that's true," Richard said. "But there are many ways to do that. We can take the initiative, he can take the initiative, or we can make him take the initiative. If we choose the third method, his suspicions will be reduced to the minimum. That is why I came here."

"Hm?" Bobobo Wei Qi was still puzzled.

Richard offered no further explanation and walked into the shop.

Several enormous shelves stood against the walls, filled with a dazzling array of goods. Some were antiques, some were artworks, and some were strange Spellcasting Materials.

In front of the shelves stood a high counter. Apparently hearing the sound, a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy rose from behind it. He looked rather delicate, but his body had already developed. His Adam's apple protruded, and soft fuzz had appeared around the corners of his mouth, giving him a somewhat more masculine air.

The boy came forward warmly and asked Richard, "Sir, may I ask... what would you like to buy?"

"I'm not buying anything," Richard said calmly. His very first sentence left the boy stunned.

"Then you..."

"I want to consign something through your shop," Richard said. "I asked around. Your