... A divine reason... Upon hearing the Apothecary's answer, even Klein " Clown," couldn't control the change in his expression. Fortunately, he still had an iron mask on his face.
The Apothecary, oblivious to Klein and the " Eye of Wisdom " old man's reactions, continued his rambling:
"So, I really like Backlund. There are so many streetwalkers here. They frequent the concert halls and theaters, and wait in the streets and alleys. Some are professional, some are part-time. They were originally factory workers and maids, and they have different styles. I heard that in some parts of the West Borough, you can even occasionally see bankrupt noble ladies. It's really something to aspire to."
"..." Klein pushed up the iron mask covering the upper half of his face and quickly changed the subject, "Does your teacher have any objections to your choice?"
The Apothecary shook his head slightly and said:
"No, he just kicked me out the door after teaching me about herbalism, telling me to travel the continent and experience life. Damn it, he didn't even tell me where to find the ingredients for the Potion!"
At this point, the Apothecary looked at Klein and added:
"If you know where to find the marrow crystals of the ' Elven Spring,' please tell me. I will pay you. Of course, you can also buy them first and then resell them to me at a higher price. You are a lucky guy; you might be able to help me fulfill my Wishes."
"Okay," Klein readily agreed, then asked thoughtfully, "Can I use it to exchange for the ' Apothecary's' Potion recipe?"
In his view, " Apothecary " is a very useful support profession that can be used to train assistants.
The Apothecary, who wasn't too fat but rather plump, quickly shook his head and said:
"No!"
I can only teach my students.
Is this the rule of the School of Life? Perhaps it was even sworn with some Hidden Existence as witness... Klein thought, not surprised at all.
Just then, the Apothecary chuckled:
"But I can tell you where to get the Apothecary's recipe, right here in Backlund."
"Very good." Klein was pleasantly surprised.
Upon noticing that the old man with the " Eye of Wisdom " was about to see the guest off again, he quickly asked:
" Apothecary, do you have any medications for treating mental Frenzy or similar problems?"
Klein was putting on a show for the bodyguard, to further convince her that he had been slightly influenced by the " True Creator," had become a potential Lunatic, and was trying to seek treatment.
"Yes, sedatives, 10 Soli a vial. I'll bring you four vials at the next gathering. Trust me, this is definitely much more effective than the kind you get in the hospital. I've added some Spirituality ingredients," the Apothecary replied without hesitation.
Wow, that's expensive... In Tingen's underground market, sedatives from the hospital cost 1 to 2 Soli per vial, while those from the Nighthawks Squad, the Mandated Punishers Squad, and the Machinery Hivemind Squad cost 4 to 5 Soli per vial... With these thoughts flashing through his mind, Klein, playing his part perfectly, looked at the " Eye of Wisdom " and said:
"Sir, may I attend the next gathering?"
"Yes, your actions these two times have proven your goodwill, young man. Pay attention to the daily ' Backlund Morning Post.' When the advertisement for Ernst Firm's acquisition of goods appears on page five, it means there will be a gathering here at eight o'clock the following evening. The intensity and interval of your knocking depend on the price quoted. The first number is for heavy knocks, the second for light knocks, the third for long intervals, and the fourth for short intervals. The rest are meaningless." The old gentleman, " Eye of Wisdom," nodded.
After describing the information, he sighed and said:
" Beyonder are not affiliated with the official authorities and have no organization do not live as idyllic lives as you imagine. On the one hand, they must hide secrets, evade the authorities, and always be cautious and careful. On the other hand, they must fight against loss of control and madness. Too many of our kind have died because of these two things."
"Even if we successfully evade official attention and avoid chaos and madness, we could still find ourselves in a predicament of lacking materials, not being able to find the items we want, and not being able to acquire enough knowledge. I organize these gatherings so that everyone can help each other."
Unfortunately, we live in an era of scarcity of mysteries, and many extraordinary materials are rarely seen anymore.
Yes, but I have Mr. " The Hanged Man " who knows the coordinates of certain primitive islands, and Mr. " The Sun " of City of Silver who is constantly fighting against various Monster in the depths of darkness. Some extraordinary materials can be obtained from them... Klein politely half-stood up and bowed to the old man " Eye of Wisdom ":
Your character is admirable.
After sitting down again, Klein suddenly remembered something and asked carefully:
"Gentlemen, do you have any magical items? Like the one ' Black Snake ' sold me, but nothing too serious or negative. I'd like some means of self-protection."
His plan was to first find things that interested him and figure out their prices, and then determine his target based on that.
Although I don't have money now, it doesn't mean I won't have it in the future... Does not having money mean I can't ask about prices? Klein silently added to himself.
The Apothecary shrugged, indicating that he either didn't have any or wouldn't sell even if he did. The old man with the " Eye of Wisdom " chuckled and said:
"I do have some, but I don't know what kind you're looking to buy. Could you give me a general range?"
Some... he's mostly Beyonder who relies on external things, a " Reader "... Klein said without hiding his envy:
"It has to be someone stronger than me, not someone who can improve my fighting skills, but preferably someone with magical abilities."
He didn't go into too much detail, in order to maintain his image as a newcomer.
The " Eye of Wisdom " laughed:
"I have an item that perfectly matches your requirements; its original code name was '2-081'."
"2-081?" Klein asked in confusion.
His doubt was merely a facade; his true feelings were one of astonishment.
Is this Sealed Artifact that leaked from behind the Chanis Gate, from the Church of the Goddess? Klein never expected to encounter a familiar numerical code here.
" The Eye of Wisdom " offered a few casual explanations:
"Many magical items have obvious hidden dangers and can cause certain harm. Therefore, the churches of the seven orthodox gods are collecting and sealing them, calling them ' Sealed Artifact ' and distinguishing them with numerical codes."
"After a long period of debate and exchange, the Church of the Seven Gods developed a unified naming system, using '0', '1', '2', and '3' to indicate different levels of danger. Among them, level '0' is the most dangerous, and is said to contain terrifying items capable of destroying countries or even the world."
"The churches of the seven orthodox deities communicate with each other regarding their '0' and '1' level Sealed Artifact, informing each other of which seals they possess. Therefore, the codes for '0' and '1' levels are unique. '2' and '3' levels are assigned their own codes, and different churches may share the same code."
Klein already knew the general situation from within the Nighthawks, but one question remained puzzling:
"To exchange the codenames of their own '0' level and '1' street Sealed Artifact?"
Isn't this revealing our true strength? It lets other churches know how many cards we have up our sleeve!
Of course, this could also be seen as a strategic deterrent, avoiding direct conflict between the Seven Gods churches... Klein pondered the possible reasons.
"Yes, although I can't understand the reasoning behind it, it did happen. It's said to be an agreement reached by the seven churches at the end of the Fourth Age and the beginning of the Fifth Age." The old man, " Eye of Wisdom," said at a measured pace. "My '2-081' comes from the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. It allows you to understand a great deal, to know a great deal. Even with the extraordinary abilities of your enemies, you can quickly identify the specific situation, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and have a chance to imitate them to some extent. The stronger the opponent, the higher the chance of failure. Of course, even if you succeed, it will definitely be very different from the original."
That sounds impressive... Empirical proof that knowledge equals power? Will it eventually lead to a situation where Omniscience equals omnipotence? Hmm... I retract my previous judgment. The old man with the " Eye of Wisdom " might not be an " Appraiser." His identification of items might rely on the Sealed Artifact "2-081"... Klein clicked his tongue inwardly, then asked with considerable interest:
"So, what should I pay for it?"
What are its flaws?
"It will keep your brain constantly running at high speed, and if you exceed the limit, you'll become an idiot," the " Eye of Wisdom " replied simply, its description lacking detail.
At this moment, the Apothecary next to him muttered something:
"Maybe your brain's already been damaged. Always talking about your collection, sooner or later someone will rob you and kill you!"
"Sir, your words of advice are never very pleasant to hear..." Klein couldn't help but mutter to himself.
The " Eye of Wisdom " laughed heartily:
How do you know I didn't say it on purpose, deliberately waiting for Greed people to make their move?
"Yes, just like the entrapment scheme that Emperor Roselle once described."
After the laughter subsided, he patted the armrest of the sofa and sighed, "As a collector, it's incredibly painful not being able to show off your collection to others."
He then looked at Klein:
"I'm sorry, I won't sell '2-081'. It's my best collectible. I bought it for £6,800. Sealed Artifact of this caliber range from £4,000 to £20,000, depending on their specific function and potential risks. However, most of the time, you can't buy them even if you have the money."
Then why are you saying all this...? Klein managed to control the twitching at the corner of his mouth.
The old gentleman with the " Eye of Wisdom " seemed to notice his reaction and chuckled:
"What I really want to recommend are two items. One is a brooch that grants you the ability to exorcise evil, Purification, and use some the Sun magic. The downside is that as long as you wear it, you'll never feel cool; you'll always be in the sweltering heat of the south. The other is a shape-shifting hat that allows you to move freely underwater for at least half an hour and use some water and wind-related magic. The downside is that you'll crave water, and you'll become increasingly weak once you step on land."
"Similar items range in price from £1,500 to £3,500. Similarly, sometimes even if you double the price, you still might not be able to buy them because they are so rare. It took me over thirty years to collect just a few."
Klein nodded slightly:
"I'll think about it and decide at a future gathering."
At this point, he deliberately smiled and said:
"Besides, I don't have that much money right now."
P. S.: There was an early update in the early morning.