The proposal was finally settled. Compared to returning directly to the mansion to stare at the walls, wandering through the most bustling part of the Imperial Capital was clearly more attractive.
The carriage started up once more.
This time, it did not head deeper into the noble district. Instead, it turned around and drove toward the Central Commercial District that Christ had mentioned earlier.
The Central Commercial District was located in the heart of the Imperial Capital. It was the distribution center for the entire empire’s wealth and goods.
Countless rare treasures gathered here from all corners of the continent, waiting for their owners.
The carriage stopped at a station specifically for noble vehicles. Christ led his two sisters and Gavi, who served as both bodyguard and maid, into this prosperous area.
The moment they stepped into the commercial district, a bustling atmosphere mixed with the scents of spices, food, metal, and leather washed over them.
Crowds surged along the wide circular streets, more congested than any street Helos had ever seen before. Both sides of the street were lined with all sorts of magnificent shops.
Some shop windows displayed weapons and armor shimmering with magical radiance; others showcased jewelry and ornaments with an enticing luster; and some shops hung various strange magical beast materials at their entrances.
“Whoa…”
Helos felt like her eyes weren’t enough to take it all in.
This place was simply a paradise for researchers and scholars. She saw several types of rare ores that were only recorded in ancient books being displayed casually for sale in windows near the street.
“Stay close to me, and don’t get separated,” Christ reminded her, noticing Helos’s dazed expression.
He was clearly extremely familiar with this place, leading them with practiced ease into a merchant guild that looked like the most high-end establishment.
The interior of the guild was divided into five floors, each selling different categories of goods. From the most basic daily necessities to expensive magical tools, it had almost everything.
“See if there’s anything you need,” Christ said in a casual tone. “The items in the dormitories are very basic. You’ll have to prepare your own bedsheets, bedding, toiletries, and such.”
As a proper lady, Eleanor quickly began to pick out what she needed in an orderly fashion. Every item she chose balanced quality and beauty.
From silk sheets embroidered with delicate patterns to soaps made from Moonlight Flowers, every choice reflected her excellent background and taste.
After all, most of the things she needed were usually prepared by maids; there were few chances for her to choose for herself.
She even specifically declined a staff member’s offer to help, insisting on picking everything out slowly by herself.
Helos, on the other hand, was much more casual. She had absolutely no interest in those flashy things and directly asked the guide to get her a set of the most durable bedding.
Then, like a horse off its leash, she plunged into the area selling all sorts of novel gadgets.
She stopped in front of a counter specializing in magical stationery.
She picked up a seemingly ordinary feather pen and lightly stroked the tip across the included parchment. A faint spark of fire trailed across the paper, leaving behind a line of burnt black handwriting.
“A flame pen? That’s interesting.”
Next, she picked up another pen. The barrel of this one was made of cold metal, and when she held it, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
“This is a pen made of Northern Cold Iron,” the guide introduced enthusiastically. “The handwriting written with it comes with its own frost effect.”
Helos toyed with these novel gadgets, her eyes filled with the excited light of a technical geek.
However, when she saw the price tags on these items, she couldn’t help but click her tongue.
A single ordinary flame pen actually cost 2,000 Soli? That was enough for her to buy a massive amount of alchemy materials back in Olivias City!
“How is everything so expensive?” she couldn’t help but whisper to Eleanor beside her. “It feels like a complete rip-off.”
“That’s just how prices are in the Imperial Capital,” Eleanor said, not finding it strange at all. “Besides, these are all produced by famous workshops, so the prices will naturally be higher.”
Just as Helos was still feeling a pang of pain for these “ripped-off” products, Christ walked over.
He glanced at the flame pen and the cold iron pen in Helos’s hands. Without asking much, he directly said to the guide:
“Give me ten of each of these two types, and ten of those thick leather notebooks over there.”
“Master Christ?!”
Upon seeing the young man, the guide’s eyes instantly lit up. He hurriedly called over other staff behind the counter to prepare the items Christ requested.
“Hey! I didn’t say I wanted to buy them!”
Helos tried to stop him in a hurry, but she was one step too late.
“Consider it an entrance gift for you.” Christ pushed up his glasses, his tone as flat as if he were discussing a trivial matter.
“Since you’re in the Comprehensive Research Academy, you should find these things useful.”
Helos opened her mouth, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
‘Is this what it’s like to be wealthy?’
She sighed silently. ‘The small amount of money I earned from selling wine… it feels like it will disappear after just a few meals in the capital.’
The four of them turned left and right through the commercial district, purchasing a large number of items.
From soft carpets and comfortable robes to various laboratory glassware, they bought almost everything Helos and Eleanor could possibly use at the academy.
Christ didn’t even blink when it came time to pay the bill.
The merchant guild promised that someone would deliver these items directly to the academy dormitories later.
***
During the shopping trip, Christ specifically took Gavi to a clothing store.
“Even though Gavi is your maid,” he said to Helos, “she is… too special. The Magic Academy isn’t the duke’s mansion, after all. Always wearing a maid outfit is neither convenient nor discreet.”
He chose a set of dark-colored dresses for Gavi that were similar in style to Helos’s. The design was simple and efficient, and the fabric was durable and easy to move in.
Once she changed into the new clothes, Gavi lost some of her maid-like submissiveness and gained a bit of a bodyguard’s heroic aura.
“I’ll discuss it with Dean Finalais later,” Christ said, nodding in satisfaction as he looked at the refreshed Gavi.
“I’ll see if I can get you into the academy alongside Helos under the title of an ‘auditor’ or a ‘special guard.'”
“Really?”
Helos’s eyes lit up.
If Gavi could stay with her, her academy life would undoubtedly be much more peaceful.
“I’ll do my best.”
Finally, as evening approached, the four of them ended their day’s journey with a large amount of “spoils” and returned to the Olivias Family’s residence in the capital to stay for one night.
But what Helos did not know was that while they were wandering through the Central Commercial District, a slender figure shrouded in a long black robe was standing quietly atop a towering clock tower in the distance.
Lilith.
Her deep wine-red eyes were like those of a master hunter, piercing through the bustling crowd to lock onto Helos with extreme precision.
She watched Helos curiously toy with those magical tools; she watched the natural and intimate interaction between her and her siblings; she watched the pained little expression on her face when she saw the prices.
The warmth she had shown at the duke’s residence was gone from her face, replaced by a cold scrutiny and assessment.
When she saw Christ choosing new clothes for Gavi, the corners of her mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.
‘Christ Olivia… as expected, he is a shrewd and cautious man, just like his father.’
‘Does he want this puppet golem to enter the academy as a student? Not a bad idea.’
She quietly watched Helos’s figure until their carriage disappeared at the end of the street.
The night wind blew, lifting the hem of her black robe.
“Since we, master and disciple, share such a deep fate that we could reunite in the Imperial Capital so soon, then next… it’s time to prepare the first ‘surprise’ for your enrollment.”
“My dear [Saintess].”
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Which one do you think shes talking about.