Moon-Crown Lock

As Isolde spoke, she extended a hand, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim of her teacup.

"You're a clever partner, Miss Isolde."

Ullr's mask, hidden beneath polite shadows, tilted slightly, as though he greatly admired her composure.

Then, in a voice nearly a whisper, he said:

"However, before this dangerous plan for revenge begins, I have one more piece of news that could save you quite a bit of trouble."

Isolde lifted her eyes to him, her fingers stopping on the cup's rim to signal for him to continue.

"Tomorrow night, Grey Dove Monastery will transport a batch of high-ranking holy relics to the Holy Court Capital. Among them is something that I believe will be key to fulfilling the final wish."

Isolde frowned. "What is it?"

"The Moon-Crown Lock." Ullr slowly uttered the three words.

The instant his words fell, Isolde's palm suddenly burned again.

The contract mark formed by the Moon-Crowned Unicorn's final wish seemed to have reacted intensely to those three words.

Ullr elegantly leaned back in his chair, the bizarre smile on his face looking rather pleased with itself.

"It is a chain lock forged from the horn cores of several young unicorns. It can seal hatred, curses, and every emotion connected to darkness. Whoever obtains it can purify all sin in the world."

Isolde almost laughed from sheer anger. "A lock made from unicorn horn cores, meant to seal darkness?"

"The Holy Court really knows how to make the most of everything."

Ullr said softly, "To the Holy Court, that is not cruelty. It is sacred utilization."

Isolde did not respond, but the contract mark in her palm grew hotter and hotter.

She looked at Ullr. "You mean, if I want to fulfill the final wish, I have to go to Grey Dove Monastery and steal the Moon-Crown Lock?"

Ullr said, "I am merely offering a reasonable suggestion."

Isolde said, "Reasonable enough that I conveniently have to go die?"

Ullr said, "My esteemed lady, you cannot evaluate after-sales service that way."

Isolde smiled. "Then how should I evaluate it?"

Ullr replied seriously, "Dangerous, but precise."

Noncommittal, Isolde picked up her teacup and slowly took a sip.

The hot tea slid down her throat, and her mind gradually calmed as well.

She definitely had to go to Grey Dove Monastery, but she could not force her way in.

Crowcandle Castle was her home ground. If she left it, she would be nothing more than a fragile Soul Stitcher.

She needed more information.

"How many people are at Grey Dove Monastery?" Isolde asked.

"One hundred and thirty resident nuns, eleven clergymen, five hundred and forty guard knights. The Moon-Crown Lock is kept in the Stillbone Prayer Room, where security is extremely tight." Ullr glanced at her. "A silver-robed inquisitor is responsible for guarding it."

At that, Ullr looked up at her.

"People like him specialize in suppressing darkness, undead, curses, evil arts, and corruption. Given your current class, it will be troublesome if he sets his sights on you."

Isolde lowered her gaze to her wrist.

A witch, a Soul Stitcher, a Castle BOSS.

Forget letting an inquisitor see her. If she merely stood at the entrance to the Holy Court, even the holy light would probably accuse her of polluting the air.

Fortunately, she still had the unicorn's holy disguise, so they would not discover her immediately.

After silently thinking for a while, Isolde looked coldly at Ullr and asked:

"Ullr, you said the Moon-Crown Lock will be moved tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

"Does anyone else know this information?"

Ullr's smile paused slightly, and Isolde continued:

"The Holy Court's holy relic transport information cannot possibly be known by you alone, a merchant. If you can obtain it, others can too. If I'm not mistaken, I won't be the only one targeting the Moon-Crown Lock tomorrow night."

The candles in the dining hall burned quietly as Ullr merely remained seated without speaking.

Isolde continued, "So have I fallen into your gamble, or did I merely happen to obtain a ticket of admission?"

Ullr's voice became cheerful. "You are far more interesting than Duke Valen."

"Don't compare me to that lump of filth."

"My apologies."

Ullr gave a slight bow, though there was little apology in his tone.

"Indeed, another group may head to Grey Dove Monastery tomorrow night. Northern Witch Hunters, the Black Tower, or Descenders."

Isolde's eyes turned cold in an instant. She might actually encounter other players.

Ullr noticed, but he did not stop.

"Their target may not necessarily be the Moon-Crown Lock, but they will throw the situation into chaos. My suggestion is that you do not attempt to clear the field. The muddier the water, the easier it will be for you to approach the Stillbone Prayer Room."

That truly was the most reasonable plan, but Isolde still had one major problem:

"Grey Dove Monastery is so far from here. How am I supposed to get there?"

Ullr smiled gladly. "I knew you would need it, so I have already prepared it for you."

He took a narrow silver box from inside his cloak.

When the lid opened, two gray stones lay quietly within.

Mist drifted slowly inside the stones, as though each one contained a fragment of the night sky.

Different coordinate symbols were engraved upon each stone.

Isolde's gaze fell upon them. "Teleportation stones?"

Ullr took out the first one and played with it in his hand. "More precisely, they are one-use fixed-point teleportation stones."

"This one is marked for the back mountain of Grey Dove Monastery. The location is near the Corpse Transport Road. There are fewer patrols, but you may encounter some things that are less than clean."

Then he took out the second stone.

"This is the return coordinate. It leads directly to your Castle."

Isolde frowned. "When did you mark my Castle?"

Ullr smiled. "A merchant's habit. Whenever I visit a place, I must remember the way back."

Isolde studied the teleportation stones in his hand, unconsciously curling and unclenching her fingers.

She had to buy these.

Time was pressing. If she traveled to the Northlands on foot, by the time she arrived, the Holy Court would already have tracked her down and blasted Big Goldie to pieces.

"The price," Isolde said.

The smile on Ullr's mask turned greedy as he raised one finger.

"One [Secretsight Button]."

Isolde's mouth twitched.

So this was what he had been waiting for.

Yesterday, she had relied on that [Secretsight Button] to see through the loophole in the contract and forcibly drag his deal into an after-sales dispute.

She had not expected him to covet it after only one night.

What a crooked merchant. Taking advantage of a crisis was simply basic professional etiquette for him.

Isolde leaned back in her chair, her tone calm.

"Name another price."

Ullr shook his head. "My esteemed lady, you should understand that teleportation stones are not ordinary merchandise."

His fingertips lightly rested on the edge of the silver box, his tone remaining gentle.

"My time may be valuable, but my life is not. Nothing is more valuable than the goods I carry."

"If it truly comes to the point of certain death, a wandering merchant can simply perish together with his merchandise."

At that, he smiled slightly. "But what about you?"

"Will you choose to let the Moon-Crowned Unicorn's final wish devour your soul, or stay in the Castle and wait for the Holy Court to trace you here and purify both you and this Castle together?"

Isolde said nothing.

On both sides of the long table, the shadows of the Faceless Attendants stretched long beneath the light, like a row of silent gallows.

Ullr did not urge her. He knew he had named an extremely unpleasant price, and he knew Isolde did not have many choices.

The Moon-Crowned Unicorn's final wish had already ensnared her, and the Holy Court was also closing in on the Castle.

Before tomorrow night, she had to reach Grey Dove Monastery.

The teleportation stones were not luxuries. They were life-saving tools. The [Secretsight Button], while precious, could not carry her across the Northlands.

Isolde secretly gritted her teeth. This bastard had really played her.

This was even more disgusting than robbing her outright.