I have a complaint to make

Leaving the Tailor Shop behind, Vecna's thoughts shifted to his next objective – finding a suitable mage staff for Elysia.

His mood was a blend of calmness and mild frustration as he navigated the bustling streets of Valoria's Grand Market. The search for proper magician items had proven to be a challenge, and he found himself frowning at the scarcity of options among the vendors' stalls in the market.

'There's really nothing in this place? Should I return to that kid and ask if his teachers have Magic Items on sale?'

'Would it be better if I searched the Auction House?'

'... That would sting my pocket beyond imagination since those rich fucks would be willing to spend even a million dollar for a great staff.'

'A great staff like the Conjurer Staff I got from Maribel's Automatons.'

'Hah. If we find nothing, I'll just lend her temporarily the Staff. Afterall, I also need one when I shift to cast my Blood Missiles at full power.'

The girls could feel that Vecna was searching for something since they toured the whole market two times by now. They knew all sorts of locations and what utilities might exist inside this market. Yet it wasn't to his satisfaction for some reason.

"Might I ask what you want to find now?" inquired Maribel, dropping her playful demeanor and sensing the underlying tension in Vecna's thoughts.

"An Mage Staff. Which I can't find. Are those guys in Valoria really that low? Where are we? Inside the Vatican to have a Ban on Magical Items?" replied Vecna with a cold tone, inquiring about the current state of affairs inside the Satisfy World.

Maribel, however, seemed undeterred by the apparent lack of choices. Her usually carefree attitude had transformed into a more determined one, her expression now reflecting the gravity of their task.

"Let mommy find it for you." she said, her tone carrying an air of confidence that seemed to suggest she had a plan.

Vecna's eyes shifted to Maribel, his curiosity piqued by her newfound seriousness. As he watched her navigate the market with a purposeful stride, his initial frustration began to subside, replaced by another sensation as he followed Maribel's side.

Ironically, he let the red-haired beauty lead him around the Market, taking a backseat in the chain of command.

"You probably don't remember who I am, my Vampire Lord. Let me remind you that you're in the presence of the Battle Gear Empress."

"Do I seem to complain?" inquired Vecna sarcastically, watching Maribel as she verified various "junk" stalls.

As they continued through the market, Maribel's instincts led her to a particular stall. Vecna followed her lead, his crimson eyes scanning the wares with a renewed sense of anticipation.

Maribel's gaze finally settled on a particular stall tucked away in a corner. The middle-aged merchant behind the stall was busy rearranging items, and the stall itself seemed to lack the usual flair that drew customers in. Vecna noticed the mage staff displayed on the stall, its appearance simple and unassuming.

[Grigos Antochimos - LV.180](Silver)

As they approached, the merchant glanced up, his eyes meeting Maribel's with a hint of surprise. It was evident that he hadn't expected customers to show interest in his wares, especially not someone as assertive as Maribel.

"Can I help you with something?" The merchant's voice held a touch of curiosity, though there was also a wariness in his demeanor.

Maribel's lips curved into a knowing smile as she inspected the mage staff. Her green eyes flickered with a mix of appraisal and amusement. "I noticed this Mage Staff on display. What's the price?"

The merchant hesitated for a moment, seemingly caught off guard by Maribel's direct approach. He cleared his throat before responding, "Ah, that mage staff. Well, it's a bit of a special item, you see. It's only 50,000 gold."

Elysia's eyes widened at the exorbitant price, and even Vecna couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. It was clear that the merchant was trying to take advantage of their interest in the staff.

'Fucker, I'll turn you in a sardine, once you leave this place and go home.'

Maribel's smile remained intact, though there was a hint of skepticism in her expression. "50,000 gold, you say? For a staff that seems rather... lacking in mana."

The merchant's confidence wavered, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Well, you see, it's a unique piece. A collector's item, if you will."

Maribel's playful demeanor was replaced by a shrewd scrutiny that seemed to unnerve the merchant further. "A collector's item, huh? That's quite the claim. But it seems to lack any source of magic. Are you trying to scam me?"

The merchant's face reddened, and he shifted his weight from one foot to another. He seemed to realize that his attempt at deception was unraveling.

Elysia stepped closer to Maribel, her curiosity piqued by the exchange. "Maribel, what's wrong? Is there something off about this staff?"

Maribel's gaze didn't waver from the merchant as she addressed Elysia. "This staff is nothing more than a glorified piece of wood. It lacks any magic infusion. It's essentially useless."

Elysia's eyes widened in realization, and her expression turned from curiosity to disappointment. She couldn't believe that someone would try to sell such a fraudulent item.

Maribel's tone remained calm, but there was an underlying firmness to it. "Are you trying to scam innocent apprentice magicians into buying this?"

The merchant's bravado crumbled, and he looked increasingly uncomfortable under Maribel's scrutinizing gaze. He finally relented, his shoulders slumping. "Fine, 100 gold. Just take it and leave."

"Right away."

Maribel's victory was evident in the triumphant smile that graced her lips. She turned to Vecna with a playful wink, her confidence unwavering. "Thanks, hubby!"

Vecna's expression remained stoic, though his crimson eyes held a mix of amusement and exasperation. He extracted the coins from his pouch and handed them over, his annoyance at being called "hubby" evident in the slight twitch of his eyebrow.

She started humming pleased while holding the Stave, leaving Elysia confused why she would buy a defective item.

Maribel's playful banter continued as she held the mage staff in her hands, her expression filled with a mix of satisfaction and mischief. Elysia looked on, her confusion growing as she tried to make sense of Maribel's antics.

"Hey, stop making that look as if you eat a pile of dung. When a beautiful woman like me calls you hubby, you should be beyond happy."

"Besides, you should cherish me, I bought you something worth hundreds of thousands of gold at the price of junk. Well, this staff is truly a piece of junk, but once I do my finishing touches, it would spark up nicely in Ely's hands."

Elysia's brows furrowed in bewilderment, her gaze shifting from Maribel to the mage staff. It was clear that Maribel was up to something, though Elysia couldn't quite grasp the details.

"Shut up, Maribel. We're followed."

Vecna's warning cut through their banter, his demeanor shifting from annoyance to something more serious.

The playful atmosphere quickly dissipated as they turned their attention to the newcomer, a blue-haired man named Bloodhound. His presence was clearly unwelcome, and the hostility in the air was palpable.

#Bloodhound: To think I would meet you in this place, you rat. Even if you changed your gear with my money, I'll never forget that piss golden hair."

His old friend caught wind of Vecna from the messages of the players who might be on lookout for him around Valoria.

Vecna's voice remained composed as he addressed Bloodhound, his crimson eyes locked onto the blue-haired man with a mixture of detachment and veiled malice. "Bloodhound, it's been a while."

Bloodhound's lips curled into a sardonic smile, his gaze cold and calculating as he regarded Vecna. "I thought you'd be long gone by now, Golden Rat. How's life treating you as a fugitive?"

Vecna's response was a simple raise of his eyebrow, his expression unyielding. "Better than I expected, considering how incompetent and stupid you guys of Black Fang are."

Bloodhound's grin widened, a glint of malice in his eyes. "You might have evaded us, but you're still a thorn in our side."

Vecna's lips curved into a humorless smile, his tone edged with sarcasm. "And here I thought you'd be grateful for the profits I unknowingly bestowed upon you."

"Grateful? Hardly." Bloodhound's voice dripped with disdain. "Your little stunt with that bugged quest was a fluke. A temporary setback. We're still thriving, growing strong each day."

Maribel couldn't resist interjecting, her voice laced with mockery. "Thriving, you say? You give me the impression of a pathetic beggar trying to get some copper coins. What rights do you have to look at Vecna with those ugly eyes of yours?"

Bloodhound's gaze shifted to Maribel, his lips curling into a sneer. "And who's this? Another one of your mindless followers, Golden Rat? Have you put your ugly mutt to work to smithen the NPC sluts?"

"I guess it doesn't work outside. What? Are you some virgin nerd?"

Vecna's face was emotionless, but the Blood Mana started stirring up inside his monstrous beating heart. His predatory eyes stared deeply into the black eyes of this blue-haired asshole.

On another hand, Maribel's laughter was like a melodious chime, her eyes dancing with ridicule over this High-Ranker. "Oh, dear, you must be living under a rock if you don't know who I am. I am Maribel, a The Legendary Battle Gear Empress, and a thorn in the side of men like you."

Elysia watched the exchange between the two with wide eyes, sensing the tension in the air. She whispered to Vecna, her voice concerned. "Who is this person, Vecna? Why is he so hostile?"

Vecna's gaze didn't waver from Bloodhound as he answered Elysia in a low voice. "He's just a waste that shouldn't be breathing air. Also, I killed him previously and humiliated him. He's exactly the same as the arrogant rulers of the Empire."

This time after the explanation of their history, even Elysia turned to look at Bloodhound and his guild mates in a hostile manner. How couldn't she feel that when Vecna was dead serious as he spoke about the relation with this Vagabond.

Bloodhound ignored the reaction of some "brainless" NPC, his attention returned to Vecna, while his voice dripped with bitterness. "Your history is a stain on the reputation of our guild. You robbed me of valuable items inside that Dungeon. I lost my strength, my reputation, and my precious equipment."

Vecna's eyes narrowed, his tone cool and indifferent. "You should be thanking me. That 'precious equipment' of yours was tainted with a curse. It was destroying your potential."

Bloodhound's fists clenched at his sides, his anger simmering beneath the surface. "I'll never forgive you for that. Look at you, acting all "Mister Composed", calm and cool. Whoever, you're just a low-level scrub that I can squash in an instant."

Vecna's gaze remained unflinching, his words carrying an edge of warning. "You always were a sore loser, Bloodhound. I suggest you walk away before you regret it."

'Should I try to kill him now?' thought Vecna as he began calculating in his mind how long would take him to dispatch Bloodhound's minions.

'I have a 60% chance of killing him after I wrap this entire region of Valoria inside the Sanguine World. However, by doing this I would antagonize the populace of the city.'

'And now? There's also the problem of the players catching onto the conflict.'

Sensing that more people looked at him, and that things might escalate into this Bloodhound idiot actually trying to PK him in town, he noticed a Patrol Guard passing by, to stop the commotion.

Vecna took a step forward, his presence commanding attention. He addressed the patrol guard with a calm yet firm tone, "Mister Guard, I have a complaint to make."