Chapter 55
Leaving behind the oppressive clang of metal and coal smoke in the Artisans’ Quarter, we returned to the main street. The air changed completely as we neared the plaza.
The place was filled with the scent of sheer wealth gathered from all over the world.
“This is it, Noah! Just watch. There’s bound to be something incredible here!”
Lyle stopped in front of a large tent with strange stuffed birds and crystals of unfamiliar colors hanging from its eaves.
Silver rings, old books with leather covers, and jewels glowing with a pale blue light were displayed on velvet cloth at the front of the shop.
A hooded vendor slowly looked us up and down, sizing us up from head to toe.
“This shop is full of fine pieces dug out of the Heaven-Inverting Tower.”
At the vendor’s casual remark, I couldn’t help asking for clarification.
“The Heaven-Inverting Tower...?”
“What, you’ve never heard of it? It’s the oldest dungeon in Albusvolt. That’s the city where the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters is.”
The vendor chuckled low in their throat beneath the hood.
Their eyes glinted strangely, as if measuring our abilities.
“The Heaven-Inverting Tower is a treasure trove of magic items hidden among relics. That is, if you make it out alive.”
—A treasure trove of magic items, huh.
We hadn’t found a single thing that looked like a magic item in the dungeon beneath the church.
It was hard to believe we’d overlooked anything. If there had been one, there would have been a rule requiring it to be offered to the church.
If that was the case, then dungeons that produced magic items might be the heart of the Adventurers’ Guild.
The revenue from fees on bill settlements must be substantial.
But given the scale of this world’s economy, it was hard to believe that alone could sustain an organization.
Trade in monster materials and dungeon resources was essential to maintaining the Guild’s structure.
—The Heaven-Inverting Tower.
A dungeon that housed the Guild headquarters and produced magic items. It was undoubtedly one of the Guild’s main sources of income.
If I could get control of it, the Adventurers’ Guild would be in the palm of my hand.
Then there was only one place to go.
I decided Albusvolt would be our next destination.
“Hey, what do you think of this ring?”
Elena’s voice suddenly pulled me back from the sea of my thoughts.
She was pointing to an understated silver ring on the velvet.
She’d probably chosen it with the price in mind. It looked utterly ordinary.
“You have a discerning eye. That’s a first-rate piece that can protect you in a pinch. It’s perfect for a young mage.”
The vendor grinned beneath their hood. I silently focused on the ring.
‘Appraisal’
【Name】 Guardian Ring (Mass-Produced)
【Grade】 Common
【Effect】 Generates a barrier that slightly reduces damage once
—Just as I expected.
Though advertised as “Made in the Heaven-Inverting Tower,” it was actually an ordinary mass-produced item. Its supposedly rare origin was just a “story” used to inflate its value.
Ignoring the vendor’s long-winded sales pitch, I Appraised everything in sight.
The jewels, rusty daggers, and misshapen magic items on display were mostly filed away in my mind as “common” junk.
But then, at the edge of that pile of junk, my gaze was drawn to a pendant that had been tossed down carelessly.
【Name】 Attunement of the Sacred Heart
【Grade】 Beyond Reason
【Effect】 When the wearer’s emotions exceed a certain threshold, converts that heightened state into mana, increasing mana recovery
—Found it.
It held a quiet glow, strangely out of place.
Its design was simple. But the material was different.
The flawless, transparent stone had a depth unlike any ordinary jewel, and a faint light shimmered within it.
And then there was its effect.
It converted heightened emotions into mana.
Perfect.
Elena’s love for me.
That uncontrollable emotion could be turned into power without a single bit going to waste.
“What about this?”
I casually pointed at the pendant, pretending it was an afterthought.
“That one’s a pendant that restores mana. It’s a little pricey.”
The old woman gave me a greedy smile as she sized me up.
“It’s a bit temperamental, so it hasn’t been easy to find a buyer. But restoring mana is a lifeline for a mage, isn’t it? Ten gold coins.”
By mentioning its drawback, she seemed intent on at least playing fair as a merchant.
Without hesitation, I took ten gold coins from my pocket.
“...Oh?”
The old woman flicked one of the coins with her finger, listening to its dry ring.
“You’ve got a look on your face like you know it shouldn’t be going for that little.”
Her narrowed eyes fixed on me.
“—What are you seeing?”
“...Nothing much.”
I answered without breaking eye contact.
“I can just tell whether something’s good or bad.”
I said nothing more.
“Hmph. You’re quite something for your age... Take it.”
The old woman shrugged and tossed the pendant to me.
“Noah... are you sure? It’s ten gold coins.”
Elena looked at me, her eyes a mix of hesitation and hope.
“Of course. Besides, this one suits you better.”
I stepped behind Elena and gently fastened the pendant around her pale neck.
The moment my fingertips brushed her skin, Elena’s shoulders gave a little jump, and her ears turned scarlet in an instant.
—At that moment.
The transparent stone glowed faintly pink, as if drawing in the warmth spilling from her.
“...Thank you, Noah.”
She gently clasped the pendant in both hands, her face now so calm that the flushed excitement from a moment ago seemed like a lie.
—Wonderful.
The pendant absorbed her excessive excitement and converted it into mana.
Elena’s feelings hadn’t disappeared.
Rather, they’d been refined into a form that was easier to handle.
The corners of my mouth curled into a natural smile.
“Aren’t you going to buy anything, Noah?”
Lyle asked as he looked over the stall’s wares with interest.
“I’m fine with the equipment I have—”
No problem. I started to say it, then stopped.
Behind the old woman, I noticed one of the magic items carelessly piled up as if it were part of a heap of junk.
It was a slim book with a well-worn leather cover. Dull brass reinforced all four corners, as if protecting them.
【Name】 Endless Record
【Grade】 Rare
【Effect】 Consumes mana to record thoughts directly. Its pages increase without limit, but its thickness remains unchanged.
“...Could you show me that book in the back?”
The old woman snorted as if bothered, then pulled it out of the pile of junk.
“This one? It’s a mana-guzzling grimoire. A few words are enough to drain an ordinary person’s mana. It is a rare magic item, though... If you don’t mind paying one gold coin, take it.”
I accepted the book she held out to me.
The cover felt like old leather, its surface almost clinging to my fingertips.
In a world with a low literacy rate, written “records” weren’t valued.
Let alone wasting precious mana—enough to make the difference between life and death—on writing that had no direct bearing on battle. That was considered utter foolishness.
—That was why no one understood.
No matter how much you wrote, its thickness never changed, letting you carry an infinite amount of information. No one understood what a powerful tool that was.
“...I’ll take it.”
I placed a gold coin in the old woman’s dry palm.
“Much obliged. Just be careful not to let it suck you dry and leave you shriveled up.”
The old woman grinned and eagerly tucked the gold coin away in her pouch.
“...Noah, are you out of your mind?”
Lyle frowned as he leaned in from the side.
“No. I have plenty of mana, and I need to keep records of things like our party funds. This is perfect for me.”
I answered matter-of-factly. Lyle looked bewildered for a moment, but soon shrugged and let out a sigh.
“...Well, if you say so. We’re the ones leaving everything to you, after all.”
Lyle clasped his hands behind his head and smiled as if he’d given up trying to argue.
“All right, then let’s go find something good to eat. Something smells great over there.”
Lyle sniffed at the savory smell of grilled meat wafting from the far side of the plaza.
Watching our appetite-driven leader stride ahead, I quietly slipped the book into my pocket.