Chapter 13

Entering the door, Aaron was astonished to find that it led to a revolving staircase rather than a room. The murals hanging on the walls emitted various sounds that resembled cries of pain, wails of horror, or the torment of hell, combined with the eerie greenish light that cast an unsettling atmosphere.

Stepping as lightly as possible, Aaron followed Mr. Borgin up the creaky wooden staircase, eventually arriving at a solid vermilion wooden door. As the hunchbacked Mr. Borgin pushed the door open, Aaron barely had time to take in his surroundings before he heard a distinct click, and suddenly, the room was illuminated.

The room was lit with cold, sterile white light that revealed everything in stark detail. It was a windowless storage chamber. Directly facing the door, Aaron saw an array of peculiar biological specimens, mummified corpses, and preserved animal and plant organs in glass containers filled with formaldehyde.

On the left wall were storage compartments, filled with boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling. In the right corner stood several bronze crates neatly aligned. Adjacent to the crates was a long silver table, on which sat a glass display case containing a withered hand, a pile of blood-stained cards, and a lifeless glass eyeball. Various potions of different colors and glassware were arranged on an iron shelf attached to the table. But what truly caught Aaron's attention was a milky yellow orb resting unassumingly on a wooden shelf amidst a collection of prophecy orbs. The Invincible Bookworm System chimed in Aaron's mind, signaling that he had found the Magic Orb of Goddess of Fortune Flores he was seeking.

As the lights came on, Mr. Borgin took a seat at the long table, gently placing the tray down. He opened a drawer, retrieved a pair of glove-like contraptions, and then picked up a purple potion bottle from the shelf to examine it closely. It seemed he was about to study the potency of the cursed necklace further.

With Aaron's mind racing, he considered his options for obtaining the magic ball. Should he attempt to purchase it under the guise of a customer and then secretly take it, or wait until Mr. Borgin finished his examination and then attempt to steal it?

Before Aaron could fully deliberate on his plan, a crisis unfolded. The Wizard's Wonder Robe's invisibility function could only last for thirty minutes at a time, with a limit of three times a day. Unfortunately, the thirty-minute time frame was up. Suddenly, Aaron's form became visible within the storage room. Mr. Borgin immediately noticed the unexpected presence. He quickly brandished his wand, pointing it toward the empty space that Aaron previously occupied. Caught off guard, Aaron didn't have time to conjure a mask to shield his face.

"Stupefy, Stupefy!" Mr. Borgin rapidly cast the Stunning Spell, but Aaron's agility allowed him to evade the curse's trajectory. The spell struck a shelf behind Aaron instead, causing bottles of Diffindo to shatter and their contents to splatter in multiple directions. A skull that had been perched on the shelf rolled to the ground, its empty eye sockets staring.

Aaron sprang toward Mr. Borgin with swift determination. While his intention wasn't to harm anyone, his target was the magic ball on the table. In a swift motion, Aaron grabbed the orb and made a beeline for the exit.

Mr. Borgin raised his wand and frantically cast spells from behind: "Impedimenta, Impedimenta, Stupefy, Stupefy!" In the narrow, winding corridor, Aaron displayed the agility of a skilled acrobat, deftly evading the oncoming spells. In his haste, Aaron failed to notice the vines that had stealthily extended from the handrails of the staircase. Despite his efforts to leap and dodge, the vines managed to ensnare him. The Stunning Spell fired by Mr. Borgin hit the vines instead, causing them to retract instantly, and the spell rebounded back onto the shopkeeper.

Fortunately, the Wizard's Wonder Robe had the ability to deflect the Stunning Spell, safeguarding Aaron. With Mr. Borgin forced to protect himself with a Shield Charm, Aaron seized the opportunity. Employing the invisibility function of his robe once more, he vanished from sight and escaped.

"I forgot about that aspect; otherwise, this encounter might have ended much earlier. Seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages is just human nature!" Aaron chuckled to himself, reactivating his invisibility and exiting the shop.

Leaving Knockturn Alley behind, Aaron was greeted by the warmth of the dazzling sun. Basking in the sunlight, he moved away from the somber Diagon Alley and continued on his way.

"Ding dong, congratulations to the host for acquiring the Magic Orb from Goddess of Fortune Flores. The Magic Orb can dispel all negative effects and has a miraculous effect on curses. There are 13 hours and 43 minutes remaining until the mission deadline."

With time ticking away, Aaron consulted the map in his mind and was surprised to discover that the Reptilian's location was within the muggle world, specifically at Baker Street Station in downtown London.

Making a swift decision, Aaron hailed a taxi to the nearest subway station and made his way to Baker Street Station. As he arrived, he noticed a copper nameplate about the platform being a part of the world's first subway in 1863. Unlike other London Underground platforms that featured advertisements on the opposite side, Baker Street Station had a unique display space above each seating area. These spaces showcased posters depicting the station's opening in 1863, essentially serving as a history museum for the London Underground. However, Aaron couldn't spare much time for these historical displays, as he realized that the icon representing the Reptilian had swiftly moved to another location.

Feeling uncertain about what to do, Aaron contemplated whether he should continue pursuing the icon's movements. Just then, he noticed that the subway map he had received earlier was almost identical to the one in his mental map. The Reptilian's trajectory seemed to closely follow the subway route. [TL note, apparently in London, at every subway station, passengers can get a small subway map that is a little longer than B5 paper for free.]