Pendant and Ambush
This is already the sixth enchantment shop, Liliana thought.
Due to the development of the Elementium Silver industry, Thorn City could be said to be the most prosperous city in the entire Vic Continent other than the Empire's capital, Platinum City, and Arcana Capital's Ring City.
However, even though she visited six famous enchantment shops in a row, she still couldn't figure out the origins of the ancient Sunbird pendant.
Even the owner of the old enchantment shop that claimed to have a 200-year history ransacked the basement for half a day before finding some fragmented clues from a moldy ancient book.
"P… Phoenix, the Twilight Kingdom, which is also the Immortal Bird of the current ancient faith in Quicksand Province, symbolizes the sun and the sky," the shopkeeper pointed at the awkward ancient text on the book and said to her.
"I can only confirm that the appearance of this pendant should be the faith totem of the ancient Twilight Kingdom. As for the runes and enchantments engraved on it, I don't understand them at all. However, I can confirm that the enchantment circuit on it doesn't work using the same principles as the current enchantment system. It's even incompatible with the charging interface."
The shop owner hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice and asking her, "Where did you get this pendant? I even suspect that it relies on a human soul to recharge…"
There were usually only three ways for magic chanters to obtain magic power in Currere: the Astral World, the Moon Realm, and the soul itself. After the Astral Laws were established, the Astral World became the only legal way for magic chanters to obtain magic power. Any mage who used the Moon Realm and the soul as a channel for magic power was considered a heretic.
If the shop owner hadn't seen the two people entering the shop wearing Arcana University's uniforms, he would have informed the Church to arrest the heretics immediately.
…
Having failed to gain anything from the sixth enchantment shop, Liliana decided to try her luck at another enchantment shop.
However, her senior, Rod Wilson, gave her another suggestion.
"Liliana, since the shop owner said that this pendant might need a human soul to replenish its magic power, should we go to some less formal places and ask? Perhaps the people there know more."
After Liliana was released from her confinement at home, she found her friend from Arcana University's Enchantment Department and hoped that he could help appraise the pendant given to her by the person who called himself William Kane.
However, after fiddling for a while, other than using up all the magic power stored in the pendant, he didn't obtain any useful information. He didn't even know how to recharge it.
Fortunately, Rod Wilson's family was in the Elementium Silver refinery industry, so he was very familiar with the layout of Thorn City's enchantment shops. Therefore, he offered to bring Liliana to a few enchantment shops that could provide high-quality appraisal services.
After six consecutive failures, he came up with a new suggestion.
"The black market?"
Liliana frowned when she heard her senior's words.
If it were a few weeks ago, she would definitely be looking forward to that place. However, after experiencing the series of events from before, she didn't have a good impression of the black market.
However, if she wanted to figure out the true identity of the magic chanter who called himself William Kane alone, it seemed that this was the only clue she could investigate.
"Fine."
…
Their footsteps echoed in a damp tunnel. Occasionally, the sound of bats flapping their wings and rats scampering could be heard from the corner.
Rod held a lit magical medium and led the way, with Liliana following closely behind.
According to Rod, this black market was established deep in the tunnels of Thorn City.
That used to be the gathering place of the Thieves' Guild, but after Duke Simon took office, in order to combat the smuggling of Elementium Silver, he eliminated all the factions of the Thieves' Guild from the Blackwater Province.
"Then, Thorn City's Elementium Silver smuggling channels are almost monopolized by the duke himself," Rod spoke as he walked.
The tunnel was deep and winding, but it was eerily quiet. Perhaps because she was a little afraid, Liliana—who originally wasn't interested in such topics—raised her voice and asked,
"Since the entire Thorn City's Elementium Silver industry belongs to the Duke, why smuggle it yourself?"
"This is because the smuggled Elementium Silver doesn't need to pay the Empire's trade taxes."
Rod turned around and smiled at her. Perhaps it was because the tunnel was dim, but his genial smile which looked no different from before made Liliana's heart tingle.
"The Elementium Silver on the black market has a very high premium. As for the mining thieves, they bribe the law enforcers of Thorn City for the duration of the mining. The duke also takes another cut during their exports. Overall, smuggling earns about the same through official channels. Furthermore, all of this is under the Duke's control. There's no need to heed the royal family."
Liliana nodded as if she understood.
After walking in the maze-like tunnels for a few minutes, Liliana thought of something and asked, "Rod, I remember that your family is also in the Elementium Silver refinement business, right? Then, will this smuggling affect your family?"
"Be it smuggling or formal channels, it's actually to ensure the duke's interests. Do you know which mine provides the Wilson family with raw ores?"
"Which one?"
"Silverstream Mine."
"Uh… I'm not too sure. Is there anything special about this mine?"
"It doesn't matter; he just needs to be the only person to know."
As Rod spoke, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Liliana almost bumped into his back.
At this moment, they arrived at a slightly wider fork in the tunnel.
"Rod, what do you mean?"
Liliana hurriedly asked in panic when the other party suddenly stopped.
Rod turned his head 180 degrees and said to her face-to-face, "The person who has been following us since the beginning—no, should I say two people?"
As he spoke, he still had a warm smile on his face.
Liliana finally understood why she felt her hair stand on end when she saw his expression.
Rod, or rather, the thing that looked like Rod, had a frozen smile on its face as if something was talking while donning Rod's skin.
Liliana wasn't sure if she screamed. She only knew that when she woke up, she was already sitting on the dirty ground.
Between her and Rod was a tall man wearing a black cloak and holding a door-like sword.
This person had apparently saved her.
"Were you hinting that the monsters below the Silverstream Mine are related to the duke?"
the man asked, trying to conceal the rage in him.
As for 'Rod,' he only laughed and said, "Hello, Cass Durant, and that little pet of yours. It was our dereliction of duty to let you escape previously, but we won't give you a chance this time."
"We?"
Cass warily glanced around.
Seven or eight skeletons in half armor and wrapped in mist walked out of a few forks in the tunnel.
The weapons in their hands constantly changed color as the mist swirled.
"I promise that you will be reunited with your friends."