Xiao Kang and Orn had no intention of joining him on a trip to the Furnace Mountains to collect specimens, and for the moment, Reilo couldn't think of anyone else he could invite along.
Traveling alone?
As he pondered this and saw that night was about to fall, Reilo hurried toward Scholar Street.
Because the Church had imposed a lockdown, Scholar Street, once bustling with activity, was now nearly deserted.
"Stop!"
Reilo was in a hurry, but a Church knight on patrol under the lockdown barked at him to halt.
With the clatter of hooves, the Church knight, clad in metal armor, rode up beside Reilo. Only a pair of eyes showed beneath his helmet as he looked down at Reilo.
"Your identification?"
Ever since the Church had imposed a lockdown on the Academy, it had issued identification documents to maintain public order. Anyone who forgot to bring theirs needed an Academy instructor to vouch for them before they could pass. It was an extremely cumbersome process that severely restricted the Academy's freedom.
Compared to the easygoing, free academic atmosphere the Academy had once enjoyed, it now felt tense and oppressive. Many shops along the streets had already closed.
Those who had bought homes in the Academy district were probably in for a heavy loss.
Reilo hurriedly took out his identification and respectfully handed it over. The horse's breath blew from its nostrils onto Reilo's face, and it stank a little, so Reilo turned his head slightly.
The Church knight took Reilo's identification, checked it, then casually tossed it back.
"Why were you running just now?"
"It's almost dark. The shops along the street have been under curfew these past few days, and I wanted to buy a suitable weapon before the blacksmith's shop closed. I'm going out to collect specimens tomorrow."
The Church knight gave Reilo one last look, then turned and rode away.
"Phew..."
It had been terribly tense. Only after the knight had left did Reilo let out a breath and continue on at a slower pace, glancing frequently from side to side.
Clang! Clang...
Drawn by the clang of hammering from a shop in the distance, Reilo walked over. The heat from the furnace washed over him. A bare-chested burly man with a thick mat of chest hair and the stink of sweat about him was hammering an iron sword over the fire.
"Boss, I'd like to buy a sword that feels right in my hand!"
After a moment, he added, "Something cheap!"
The bare-chested man wiped away his sweat. Seeing Reilo dressed in a scholar's robe, he managed a strained smile and pointed to a pile of iron swords in the corner behind him. Then he muttered with a sigh, "Business is bad, and the rent's high. How am I supposed to get by like this? May the Lord protect us and help us catch those damned Witchers soon!"
Reilo silently browsed through the iron swords.
As a student who had mastered only the level-zero Bubble Technique, a sword that felt right in his hand was, of course, far more reassuring than a Bubble Technique.
Suddenly!
Reilo seemed to notice something strange. His eyes settled on an unremarkable black iron sword, and he couldn't look away.
Prompt: 73 grams of Black Demon Iron detected.
He looked at the other swords, but no prompt appeared. Only when he picked up this sword did the prompt appear before his eyes again.
Reilo froze for a moment, then realized something. Suppressing his strange excitement, he turned and asked, "Boss, where did this sword come from? How much is it?"
The man by the forge glanced back and said flatly, "No idea who the unlucky owner was. One of my regular customers picked it up in the Demon Eagle Forest. I haven't had a chance to melt it down yet. If you want it, you can have it for twenty silver coins."
Black Demon Iron was one of the relatively low-grade Magic Materials, but it was still traded by the gram.
Seventy-three grams of Black Demon Iron was no small amount!
"Boss, I'll take this sword. Here are the silver coins."
Reilo took out twenty silver coins and bought the unexpectedly valuable sword. He put it in his Space Box, excitement written all over his face.
On the way home, Reilo's thoughts wandered.
For some unknown reason, the Star Core had fused with him. Just as he had discovered the Black Demon Iron in the sword, perhaps the Star Core would help him uncover other surprises in the Furnace Mountains?
"Reilo?"
A voice suddenly called out from behind him.
Still caught up in his excitement, Reilo came to his senses and looked back. The familiar face belonged to his neighbor, Marilyn, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
She still had that lazy, aimless air about her, but this was the first time Reilo had seen Marilyn without her dressing gown. The beautiful widow gazed at him in surprise. "You're still alive?"
"Sister Marilyn."
Reilo knew what she meant and answered her.
That night, she must have seen him attacked by a Witcher and left on the brink of death. It was only natural that she'd be surprised to see him standing there, perfectly fine.
Reilo smiled helplessly. "My mentor saved me. I was lucky to make it out alive."
Marilyn nodded in disbelief. Recalling the danger of that night, she said thoughtfully, "The master who saved you really was impressive. I watched with my own eyes as that terrifying Witcher pierced right through your chest with a single attack!"
Then Marilyn smiled sweetly. "I thought I'd lost another new neighbor."
"Uh..."
Reilo was rather embarrassed.
Because of him, Marilyn had probably become the subject of more gossip.
He glanced at the shop beside her. It was a potion shop called the Black Widow, and his expression grew even more awkward.
Noticing his unusual expression, Marilyn said unconcernedly, "It's called a potion shop, but I've turned it into a poison shop. My customers all come here to buy poison. Since you narrowly escaped death this time, want to buy a few bottles as a memento? They might come in handy for self-defense."
Poison?
Reilo's eyes lit up. He asked tentatively, "Sister, do you need an apprentice? I can work for you for free!"
"Work for free?"
Marilyn paused, not expecting Reilo to make such a request. She looked him up and down, then giggled softly. "So, are you after me, the widow, or my property?"
"Huh?"
Having lost count of how many times she'd teased him, Reilo blushed to the roots of his hair and hurriedly said, "It's just that I've acquired a special academic skill, and I'd like to learn a little about poisons from you."
Pfft.
Seeing Reilo's expression, Marilyn couldn't help laughing. "All right, don't be so nervous! As it happens, I really do need an apprentice. If you're interested, you can come by anytime. I can pay you eighty silver coins a month."
Reilo said excitedly, "Great! It's a deal!"
Whether he wanted to evolve the Bubble Technique or study the feasibility of Self-Control, knowledge of poisons was essential to Reilo's research.
If Reilo tried to teach himself Basic Poison Formulas, he didn't know how long it would take. He would also need to conduct countless experiments to verify them. Working for a poison master, on the other hand, would undoubtedly benefit him immensely.
Marilyn brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. Her curvaceous, alluring figure radiated an indescribable mature charm. Her eyes shifted as she asked, full of feminine allure, "So, when are you planning to start?"
The neighboring bartender, who was busy fussing over his malt-scented drink, nearly dropped his jaw at the sight. He looked at the oblivious Reilo with sympathy, then went back to his work.
Passersby stared intently at Reilo and Marilyn, as though trying to read something in their expressions.
"I'm planning to go out to the Furnace Mountains to collect specimens in the next few days. If everything goes as planned, I'll come see you when I get back."
Reilo stepped into the shop and looked at the various poisons inside. Their prices startled him.
Marilyn didn't seem to mind. "Hehehe, but let me make one thing clear first. You can learn about poisons from me, but antidotes need to be prepared by a dedicated potioner. I'm not good at that."
Huh?
She was good at making poison but not antidotes?
She really was a Black Widow!