Whisperer's Mystic House

Luke unzipped the bag, revealing it stuffed full of money. Without counting it, he tossed the bag into the open Spatial Backpack.

He lifted his glass and drained it, then said to Billy, "Goodbye! I doubt you'll have any business tonight, so you should close up early and get some rest."

"Goodbye, Miss Clear Sky."

Luke stood and headed outside.

But as she left the Assassin Tavern, Billy the Lizardman hurried after her.

"Miss Clear Sky, my boss asked me to give you this." Billy held out a silver dagger with gold-plated patterns, exceptionally ornate and beautiful.

Luke didn't take the dagger. Instead, he asked Billy, "Can the Blade Bearer Brotherhood's Silver Blade really be given away so casually?"

Billy replied, "My boss said your assassination of Jumu was spectacular. A lot of people have been asking him about you. If you find it bothersome, Miss Clear Sky, you can show them this dagger.

"The Blade Bearer Brotherhood isn't as powerful as it used to be, but some people will still show it a little respect."

Luke took the dagger, spun it around his fingertip a few times, and put it in the Spatial Backpack.

"Since it's a gift, I'll accept it. Please thank your boss again for me, but I'm not promising to do anything for him."

Billy bowed. "My boss just wants to be friends with a powerful Elf like you."

"Then I'll consider him a friend. Bye."

Luke leaped onto the rooftops and quickly vanished into the night.

The Blade Bearer Brotherhood had been formed by the Golden Shield Empire's nobility in the early days to resist imperial authority. At its height, its members had been powerful enough to draw their swords in the imperial palace and argue with the emperor to his face.

But with the technological boom and the rise of the new merchant class, the old nobility, resistant to new culture, had rapidly declined.

Later, extremist members of the Blade Bearer Brotherhood had persecuted and slaughtered modified humans, provoking an imperial crackdown that further hastened the old nobility's downfall.

The Blade Bearer Brotherhood was no longer as glorious as it once had been. But since most of its members were ancient hereditary nobles, it still wielded considerable influence within the Empire.

As the most conservative faction among the Golden Shield Empire's conservatives, the Blade Bearer Brotherhood was an organization Luke didn't want to get too involved with. Even if the Assassin Tavern's owner was one of its more open-minded members, it was still best to keep his distance.

But the Blade Bearer Brotherhood's status was undeniably useful. He might as well make use of it.

For example, if he ran into patrol officers in the Central District, he could show them the Blade Bearer Brotherhood's Silver Blade, and they would immediately salute and let him pass.

Walking through the streets of the Central District, the difference between it and the Cape District was plain to see. They were practically two different worlds.

The roads were wide and clean, with streetlamps that stayed lit all night at regular intervals. Some of the main roads even had tracks for steam-powered buses.

Even the patrol officers lacked the thuggish air of the Cape District's officers.

The sense of security meant some shops along the streets stayed open late into the night.

The whole place was thriving and prosperous.

At level 60, Clear Sky used very little electricity, so Luke leisurely made his way to her destination.

Whisperer's Mystic House.

In the Era Game, this was where players could buy items related to the Secret Arts. Other than high-level Secret Art Incantation materials, most commonly used items could be found here.

He pushed open the door and went inside.

The pale purple light lent the place an air of mystery.

Near the entrance stood a counter, behind which a young girl was dozing with her chin in her hands. The shop floor was piled with all sorts of goods: bottles and jars, clocks, antique armor, old books... It looked like a general store.

The door tugged on a cord, setting the bell above the counter jingling.

The girl woke at once.

"Welcome, esteemed... Miss Elf. My name is Wen Lisa. What can I get for you? You're so beautiful. I've never seen an Elf as lovely as you."

"Thank you for the compliment." Luke had begun to get used to the praise and attention Clear Sky's appearance brought her. "I need some items and materials. Could you help me find them?"

"Of course." Wen Lisa came out from behind the counter and boasted, "Our Whisperer's Mystic House has the most complete selection of mysterious items and materials in the Central District. Lots of mages and alchemists come here to buy their supplies.

"What do you need? I'll find it for you."

Luke recited the list he had put together. "Four Burning Fin Whale Oil Lanterns, six sheets of 120-by-120-centimeter paper made from Alfalfa, three flasks of paint made from lanternflower nectar and Stone-Slick Powder, ten Formation Painting Brushes.

"Fifty crystals, fifty Bloodstones, ten kilograms of Sulfur, one kilogram of ringing copper, three hundred grams of Mithril, the corpse of an adult male Red Bat, fourteen Moor Wolf fangs..."

As Luke listed the items and materials he needed, Wen Lisa hurried back behind the counter and took out a pen and paper.

"Sorry, miss. I didn't expect you to buy so many things. Could you start over and say them a little more slowly? I'll write them down."

"No problem..."

Luke slowly repeated the mysterious items and materials he needed. Wen Lisa carefully wrote them down, then took the list to gather the goods.

There was a lot to buy, so it would take some time to find everything. Luke wandered around the Mystic Shop, looking to see if there was anything else he needed.

Soon, a wooden carving caught Luke's interest.

The carving was a cylinder about the size of a drinking cup, displayed on a shelf with a few other odds and ends. It was made of Oily Wood, with black grain. A snake coiled around its surface, carved in relief.

The snake's eyes and forked tongue had been picked out in red dye, making them especially striking.

Holding the carving, Luke asked Wen Lisa, "Are you selling this too?"

Wen Lisa came over and looked at the carving. "Besides our regular suppliers, the Mystic House also buys mysterious items from people who come in off the street.

"This carving was sold to us by a customer.

"Judging by the material and style, it was probably made by some troll tribe in the Mandel Jungle that worships snakes. It carries a strong mysterious energy.

"It could probably be used to cast Secret Arts related to snakes, poison, or curses.

"Are you interested?"

Luke handed the carving to Wen Lisa. "You're absolutely right. It did come from the Mandel Jungle. For me, it's an unexpected find. Pack it up for me."

"Yes, beautiful Miss Elf."

Wen Lisa happily took the carving away to pack it. This Elf customer was an unexpected stroke of luck tonight. Buying so many mysterious items would earn her a very generous commission.

Luke continued wandering between the Mystic Shop's shelves. Whenever he found an intriguing mysterious item, he handed it to Wen Lisa to pack up.

Before long, the counter was covered with boxes of packed goods.

As Wen Lisa counted the items and worked out the bill, an Imperial Secret Agent wearing a leather jacket and bowler hat pushed open the door and walked in.