A 3,000-Pound Deal

Odys had considered Bernadette's conclusion as well, but he immediately shook his head and smiled. "I don't think so."

As he spoke, he skillfully assembled the parts in the wooden box. "The Magic Formation in this Beyonder Weapon must be engraved with a bone knife made from 'Mutated Flamingo leg bones.'

"Each weapon consumes three Mutated Flamingo leg bones, at around 25 pounds each.

"The engraved grooves must be filled with paint mixed from 'Magma Pyroxene powder' and 'Red-Crowned Immortal Grass powder,' which costs around 50 pounds."

Under Odys's hands, the scattered components in the wooden box were assembled into the shape of a revolver.

To use it, one had to inject spirituality while pulling the trigger. Every bullet fired was like a fist-sized Fireball. Upon hitting a target, it not only dealt damage from the bullet itself, but also caused extensive burns.

Even without directly hitting the target, the flames from the Fireball's shockwave could still burn them.

He picked up the pistol, adjusted it, and continued, "These parts also need to be custom-made. Thankfully, Backlund's industry is well-developed; any foundry with a little skill can take an order like this.

"But because they are so small and the quantity is so low, the price is also quite lovely. The parts for each gun cost around 10 pounds.

"The bullets require special treatment as well. The metal must be soaked in 'Mutated Flamingo blood,' while the gunpowder must be mixed with 'Magma Sprite bone powder.' Each bullet costs 12 soli, and they become useless if left unused for two months."

"By this calculation, the initial cost of this gun is already 135 pounds. That does not include my design and research fees. Since the spirituality in Spiritual Materials dissipates after around a year, it also needs roughly 80 pounds' worth of maintenance every year afterward."

He paused, then added seriously, "The rent for the townhouse I currently live in is only 35 pounds for half a year."

"An ordinary revolver costs only around 3 pounds on the black market in Backlund's city center. If you buy one in the outskirts, it only costs around 1 pound and 15 soli."

Odys shook his head. "Compared to that, this Beyonder Weapon is far too expensive.

"Even the prices I mentioned are only possible because I run a herbal shop and have channels to buy high-grade Spiritual Materials cheaply.

"A weapon like this would sell for at least 500 pounds on the market!"

Odys concluded, "I don't think every Sequence 9 has that kind of money. If I were not doing research, I would be better off buying a good revolver and seriously practicing my marksmanship."

"What if someone invested in them?" Bernadette suddenly asked. "For example, I could commission you to make ten such weapons and distribute them to ten Sequence 9s who are not particularly skilled at direct combat.

"That would immediately give them a very practical means of attack. If ten people... no, if three people fired together, I believe they could easily take down a Sequence 8."

Odys opened his mouth before finally saying, "You really are rich."

"And the price...?"

Odys held up three fingers. "Three hundred pounds each. No lower."

Queen Mystic, with her beautiful eyes, stared at Odys. "You clearly just said the cost was only 135 pounds."

"I also said that did not include the design fees or my labor." Odys spread his hands. "No matter where you go, you will not find this price."

More accurately, it was not that this price could not be found, but that no similar weapon could be found.

Bernadette nodded. "All right, but on one condition: you must teach the people I send how to maintain the pistols and how to make the bullets."

Then she pointed at Odys's reversed coat. "And what is that?"

"That is also an application of a Magic Formation," Odys explained. "It is just that the center of the formation uses more valuable Beyonder materials.

"And it has many restrictions. For example, this coat can only be used once a week. If I use it a second time, I will directly turn into a Spirit World creature. It is nowhere near as convenient as a Sealed Artifact; it is merely that the Magic Formation bears almost all of the negative effects."

Bernadette gave an "Mm." This coat was of little use to her. "Three days from now, I will send someone to learn how to maintain the pistols."

As she spoke, she walked outside. "As for those ten revolvers, delivering them within a month will not be a problem, correct?"

"No problem, but the person coming to learn must also bring a deposit of 1,000 pounds." Odys hurriedly asked, "What if I run into danger?"

"You need not worry about those two men in black," Bernadette said. "Besides, I will guarantee your safety before the transaction, but after the transaction... I am not your bodyguard."

After saying that, she was surrounded by wings with Illusionary feathers. When the Illusionary wings dispersed, Queen Mystic had vanished as well.

Odys sat behind the counter in a daze for more than ten seconds before sighing. "What an exciting night!"

Although Bernadette had set her sights on the Beyonder organization that wanted to capture Odys, making it unlikely that they would trouble him again, he did not lower his guard because of it.

After turning off the herbal shop's gas lamps, Odys simply left through the back door, passed through a dim alley, and arrived at the neighboring Wilt Street.

After confirming that no one was following him, he quickly left and arrived at a secret safehouse he had prepared in advance.

Flawless, original content can be found here!

It was a dilapidated apartment building in the northern part of the West Borough. Odys had rented a room on the second floor, with one bedroom and a separate washroom. There was also a semi-open kitchen facing outside by the balcony.

The rent here was only 18 soli per month, not even 1 pound.

Only after placing warning bells by the balcony and the door did Odys lie down on the slightly damp bed to rest.

As he reviewed today's events, he fell asleep just like that.

After entering his dreams, Odys had a strange dream. He dreamed that he was walking through a space filled with grayish-white fog. As he walked, a tall and mysterious castle appeared before him.

His experience of being able to conduct research in dreams gradually restored some of his ability to think.

He found it somewhat strange. What was this castle? Judging by its appearance, it was clearly not an ordinary castle. It gave off a terrifying, eerie feeling.

The castle's two doors were tall and massive, tightly shut as though no one had opened them in a very long time.

Ooo... ooo...

Suddenly, the cry of a beast emerged from the Gray Fog. Odys alertly looked around, but the fog churned all around him, concealing whatever beast was there.

He instinctively reached for his gun, only to discover that he was dressed very lightly and had no weapon on him.

At that moment, Odys realized he was becoming increasingly lucid. He began moving along the castle, searching for somewhere he could avoid the beasts.

Ooo... ooo...

After only a few steps, a Vicious Hound appeared before Odys. Its entire body was covered in short fur, its frame long and thin. The corners of its mouth stretched all the way to the back of its head, and dark-red flames burned in its eye sockets as it stared fixedly at Odys.

Odys immediately understood where this castle was. He hurriedly knocked on the door. "Open the door! Your dog is going to bite someone! Open the door!"

More "ooo" sounds came from all around him, as though the surrounding fog was already filled with Fogen's Hounds.

That was right. These dogs were Fogen's Hounds, and this castle was Sefirah Castle!

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