"Test"

Andre nodded slightly, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his mouth:

"My friend and I are looking for some special materials. We're planning to write a new 'guide.' You know, academic research always requires all kinds of source material."

The Dwarf's gaze shifted to Ron, sizing up the unfamiliar face from head to toe like a merchant appraising the value of his wares:

"A new friend? He doesn't look like the type who'd be interested in a 'guide.' More like the sort who'd lock himself in a room and bury himself in research."

"Don't be misled by appearances, my old friend." Andre calmly slid a Magic Stone Fragment in front of the Dwarf:

"His knowledge in certain fields might surprise you."

The Dwarf reached out and covered the fragment, his short, thick fingers making it vanish deftly into his sleeve. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly:

"These days, very little still surprises me, Your Highness. But if you say so, I'm rather looking forward to it."

He rose and gestured for the two of them to follow. "Come. We'll talk in the back. A quieter environment is more suitable for discussing academic matters."

The three of them crossed the noisy main hall of the tavern, avoiding the customers immersed in alcohol or conversation, and arrived at a narrow corridor.

Several old oil lamps hung along both sides of the corridor, emitting a dim glow that cast eerie shadows across the walls.

At the end stood several tightly shut wooden doors, all of them looking exactly alike.

Otto took a strangely shaped key from his waist and carefully inspected the doors one by one. At last, he chose one and inserted the key into the lock.

The instant the key went in, the runes hidden on the door glimmered faintly before quickly dimming again.

The Dwarf turned the key skillfully. With a crisp click, the lock sprang open.

Inside was a small, circular room. All four walls were covered with various maps and dried herbs, while a peculiar fragrance filled the air, as if dozens of herbs had been blended together.

A round table and several chairs stood in the center of the room. A Magic Crystal Lamp on the table cast a gentle light.

"Please, have a seat, gentlemen." The Dwarf locked the door, then skillfully climbed onto a specially made tall chair and looked down at his guests:

"Now, tell me what kind of 'materials' you're looking for. In here, we can dispense with those cumbersome code words."

Ron glanced at Andre. The latter gave a slight nod, signaling that he could speak freely.

He took a deep breath and pulled the special parchment from inside his coat. "We need these."

Ron carefully revealed only a few of the less sensitive material names, including "Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash" and "Crystalline Moss."

Otto took the parchment, his thick eyebrows gradually rising as surprise and curiosity flickered in his blue eyes:

"Oh? This isn't an ordinary materials list."

His fingers gently brushed over the glowing words on the parchment. He raised his head, his gaze moving back and forth between the two of them:

"Especially this 'Crystalline Moss.' It's been extremely scarce lately. Its price has multiplied several times, and you can hardly find a single patch on the market."

"Why?" Ron asked instinctively, then realized that he might have touched on a sensitive subject.

The Gray Dwarf gave him a deep look, his lips beneath his beard pressing into a straight line:

"That falls under the commercial secrets of our trade. I'm afraid I can't tell you guests."

He paused, as if weighing something:

"But it's true that the market for rare materials has been fluctuating much more than usual lately, especially materials related to the wizard lords."

After saying this, Otto waved his hand again. "All right, back to the matter at hand. I can help you find these materials, but it won't be quick, and they won't be cheap. You should be prepared."

"About how many Magic Stone Fragments will we need?" Ron asked bluntly, deciding not to beat around the bush.

"For the whole list?" Otto counted on his short, thick fingers.

"Even if you only want one of each, you'll need at least one hundred and seventy or eighty Magic Stone Fragments. A few of them might even require a complete Magic Stone for the transaction."

He narrowed his eyes as he sized Ron up, seemingly judging the young man's financial means:

"Usually, no one's willing to sell you just one or two individual materials."

Ron frowned slightly. The price was far beyond his budget.

Had Mrs. Allen overestimated his financial means, or had she underestimated the materials' current market value?

After thinking for a moment, he said, "We can buy them in batches. Let's start with the few that are easiest to find."

Andre smoothly joined the conversation, his tone relaxed but wary:

"If we can obtain samples, we may also need to appraise their quality. In a place like this, comparing several sellers is the wise choice."

"Oh?" Otto looked at Ron with a hint of curiosity, an inquisitive gleam flickering in his blue eyes.

"You know how to identify these materials? At your age, you don't look like you have enough experience."

Ron nodded neither arrogantly nor submissively, his tone calm yet brimming with confidence. "I have some knowledge of potions."

"Interesting. Very interesting."

The Dwarf rubbed his thick beard, producing a rustling sound, while the corners of his mouth lifted slightly beneath it:

"Usually, Potion Apprentices who come to the black market bring a reputable appraiser with them. They wrap themselves up tightly, terrified of being recognized."

He examined Ron. "But if you can identify materials yourself, that certainly saves trouble. However..."

Otto suddenly stopped, a sly glint flashing in his eyes. "Boasting isn't a good habit, young man."

He took an exquisite little wooden box from beneath the table. Complex runes were carved into it, each line glowing faintly:

"You're in luck today. I happen to have some stock here. Would you like to take a look? Let's see just how deep your 'knowledge' really is."

Ron's heart stirred, and he nodded. "I'd be delighted."

He could tell that this was some kind of test, but he had confidence in his abilities.

Otto opened the wooden box. Inside, several crystal bottles and small pouches were neatly arranged.

The room's light struck the bottles and refracted into strange glimmers, adding a touch of mystery to them.

"Take a look at this." He took out a small bottle containing grayish-brown powder and gently shook it:

"This should be the 'Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash' from your list. It just arrived recently, and it's top quality."

Ron accepted the bottle and carefully examined it with the aid of Herb Identification.

He gently shook the bottle, letting the powder inside reveal its true color under the light.

Genuine Moonshadow Bat Heart Ash should be silver-gray, with a faint blue fluorescence under light.

Most importantly, it should possess a unique energy fluctuation, almost enough to make those with keen senses feel a slight tremor.

But although the grayish-brown powder before him was similar in texture, it was clearly lacking the magical fluctuations it should have possessed.

Its color was also too murky. It looked more like ordinary mineral powder—or an inferior product left after repeated refinement.

During this process, his skill experience also steadily increased:

Counterfeit identification successful! Herb Identification experience +1

"I'm afraid this isn't genuine."