"Three hundred pounds for one? And he ordered three at once?! Mr. Devil is even wealthier than I imagined, despite saying he's a destitute noble... Could it be that being a veterinarian is really that profitable? If I get this money, not only will it solve the problem of the potion, but I'll even have a surplus of four hundred pounds! That's enough to buy a twenty-year lease on a house on Daffodil Street!"
Upon hearing the amount reported by Mr. Devil, Klein's eyes immediately transformed into the shape of gold pounds. However, a question soon occurred to him--
'Informing "my blessed one" is fine for now, but what if Mr. Devil asks me to pass information to others in the future? I certainly can't relay messages in the persona of The Fool; that would lower my status too much. Hmm... perhaps I can try to manifest the image and sound directly above the fog? Yes, it's worth a try!'
Thinking of this, Klein first returned to reality and tried to pray to himself while imitating Mr. Devil's manner. He then returned above the gray fog, edited, censored, and modified the voice of his prayer until he was certain it wouldn't reveal his identity. Finally, he bundled it and delivered it to the deep-red star representing the Devil.
...
Inside his luxury villa in the West District of Backlund, Snow was frowning as he analyzed the contents of yesterday's Backlund Morning Post spread out on his desk.
As the tense atmosphere in Backlund gradually relaxed, advertisements for Ernst Merchants purchasing goods began to appear in the paper.
Just as he finished translating the code and carefully noted it down, everything before his eyes suddenly became illusory. Thicker gray-white fog continuously emerged, and deep within this fog that seemed to have no end, there was a high-backed chair that seemed to have existed there forever, with a blurred figure sitting upon it.
Just as Snow was wondering if Mr. Fool would have failed to think of projection technology and chosen to relay the message in a lower-status way, a blurred figure in a double-breasted formal suit suddenly appeared in the gray-white fog. He clasped his hands before his forehead and said repeatedly, "I accept this trade. However, as the price for Mr. Devil providing diaries to Mr. Fool, one of them will be free. The production of the charms will take approximately one to two weeks."
"Praise Mr. Fool." Snow lightly touched his chest and bowed to the high-backed chair deep within the gray fog. Subsequently, he returned once more to his home.
Once the fog before his eyes had completely dissipated, Snow took a breath and chuckled, "Mr. Fool is still too thin-skinned. At a time like this, he should have first given an anonymous account and had me pay a deposit!"
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shake his head. He first had a hearty dinner at a nearby Intis restaurant, then went to the Cherwood District to change his clothes, finally arriving at the Bravehearts Bar around seven o'clock.
"Didn't I tell you not to think about going to that gathering lately?"
Seeing Snow walk into the billiards room, Kaspars' expression immediately turned sour. Snow merely chuckled and tossed a coin-sized pendant from his pocket to Kaspars, who caught the pendant warily and said strangely, "What is this thing?"
"A small amulet. It can automatically trigger a protective barrier that can block three revolver bullets. As for demon-breaking... well, I don't think anyone would use demon-breaking bullets on an old fellow like you."
Snow spread his arms exaggeratedly. Kaspars immediately tucked the amulet into his pocket and frowned:
"You've become one of those people?"
"Yes." Snow nodded but didn't say much more.
Kaspars looked at him with a strange gaze for a long while before nodding, "Alright, this thing will count as your introduction fee! But that gathering will still be a while. I'll go and say hello first."
After saying that, Kaspars pulled out a half-face iron mask and a hooded cloak from under the billiards table for him to put on. He then left the room with a limp. About ten minutes later, he returned to the billiards room. Looking at Snow, who had already put on the hood and mask, he nodded slightly and led him out of the pub's back door through the kitchen. After bypassing an alley, they arrived in front of a dark house.
"I shouldn't need to tell you what to do and what not to do when facing these people, right?" Arriving at the door, Kaspars glanced at him again. After receiving an affirmative answer, he stepped forward and carefully knocked out the code Snow had seen in the newspaper. As the wooden plank on the door was pulled back, a pair of brownish eyes appeared behind the door.
"Bringing a newcomer at a time like this? I really don't know what you're thinking!" The person behind the door lectured in an ill-tempered tone. However, they still opened the door and, after glaring at Kaspars, signaled for Snow to enter quickly.
Passing through the dim living room, the two entered a drawing room on the first floor. A candle was lit on the coffee table, its dim yellow light casting flickering shadows across the room.
Seven or eight people dressed in hoods and masks sat on the sofas and chairs surrounding the coffee table. An elderly man, whose skin condition showed some age, sat on a single sofa, faintly becoming the center of the entire room.
No one spoke in the room. Everyone stood or sat there quietly, like statues. It wasn't until about five minutes later that the old gentleman coughed twice and said, "It seems these are all the people coming today. Let us begin."
The old gentleman's voice fell, but it was still somewhat quiet. After a moment, a person whose silhouette through the hood revealed they were fat finally spoke, "I want to buy the marrow crystal of a Spring of Elves. Who has one?"
'Is that fat guy already in Backlund now?' Snow's brow rose slightly. Although no one responded yet, the silence had at least been broken, and the trade gradually began.
Fewer than ten people were participating in the trade this time, so there weren't many things for sale. After two trades, Snow finally spoke, "I wish to purchase a contract. The binding force doesn't need to be too strong, as long as it is effective for those below low-sequence."
No one took up Snow's words. After all, a [Notary] was a Sequence 6 Beyonder. Although the requirement was lowered to being effective for the low-sequences--meaning it could be made using some Beyonder items--it still wasn't something the participants of such a small gathering could provide.
However, Snow's original target wasn't them.
After a brief silence, the old gentleman, Eye of Wisdom, seemed to have found an opportunity to show off his collection. He looked up, using his deep and wise eyes to look at Snow, "How much are you willing to pay for this?"
"Anything below five hundred gold pounds can be considered." Snow quoted a price based on a one-time Beyonder item of Sequence 6 and proactively added a thirty percent markup. Regarding his quote, the old gentleman, Eye of Wisdom, nodded slightly:
"I happen to have a mystical item here that can produce contract paper for signing. The contract will take effect when both parties read the text upon it and leave a trace with their spirituality. Those who violate the contract will suffer considerable damage, and the other party will immediately receive a warning. However, this paper must have the contract written on it within three days, or it will turn into ordinary white paper. Furthermore, it cannot establish overly complex contracts. Such a contract paper is worth 200 gold pounds. Do you want it?"
"Certainly."
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika Kagura]
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A/N: Regarding Mr. Fool's "fleece": Klein is very happy about the money, but he doesn't realize Snow is basically giving him the money to buy materials from Snow himself later (through the Eye of Wisdom or other channels). It's a classic case of the money staying in the "family."
T/N: Eye of Wisdom (智慧之眼).
The code name for Isengard Stanton's Beyonder persona in his gatherings.
T/N: Spring of Elves (精灵之泉).
A common mystical material mentioned in the series.