Chapter 6: Is Your Shop Running a Highway Robbery or What!

The warm magic crystal card rested in Lomio’s palm. It wasn’t trust he felt—more like a thousand points’ worth of pressure.

This was all his startup capital.

Lomio didn’t waste a moment. He strode straight across the Freshmen’s Courtyard and plunged into the Academy’s legendary Commercial Street.

On the floating shop signs, flashing magical runes glared brighter than the stars.

This was the hunting ground and paradise of young ladies.

They wore expertly tailored uniforms in all sorts of cuts, gathering in threes and fives, their laughter crisp as they shamelessly sized up everything on the street.

Occasionally, a few male students hurried by, heads so low they seemed about to bury their faces in their chests, moving so quickly you’d think they were being chased by rabid dogs.

Lomio tapped [Stealth] on his Talent Tree, pulled his hat brim down low, and perfectly blended into the shadows and the flow of the crowd.

As long as he didn’t get too close or start up a conversation, even with that damned Charm Aura glowing over his head, he could move safely.

Soon, a shop called “Hermes’s Cauldron” caught his eye.

Its façade was the grandest on the entire street, as if it had been built from bricks of gold.

Perfect. You’ll do.

He pushed the door open and was immediately enveloped in the fragrant haze of herbs, the scent sweeping into his lungs as the door swung shut.

It was sweet, yet left his whole body tingling and relaxed his mind considerably.

“Welcome, sir.”

A female manager in a refined, tight-fitting purple gown, with long wavy flaxen hair, stepped up to greet him at once.

Her gaze lingered briefly on Lomio. Her professional smile stayed in place, but a sharp glint flickered deep in her eyes.

That look—Lomio knew it all too well.

He could practically read the word “slaughter” written in her eyes.

“Good grief!”

That’s why he was feeling so relaxed right now!

Even the aroma is a trap!

“Good afternoon, student. Is there anything I can help you with?” Her voice was gentle, leaving no openings.

Lomio had no interest in haggling. He went straight to the point: “Lore Grass, Mercury Pollen, basic mana solvent.”

By game prices, his thousand magic crystal points would be more than enough for all these materials—with change to spare.

Make it quick. Don’t keep my brother waiting.

“Excellent choices, sir.”

The manager was all efficiency. She turned and, with elegant motions as if unveiling rare treasures, retrieved a few materials from the crystal cabinet behind her, each sealed in an expensive vessel.

“Lore Grass, picked from the seventh terrace of Moonlight Forest, personally cultivated by an elven Dew Priest. Each leaf vein brims with the purest lunar power. Only 20 magic crystals per sprig.”

Lomio’s breath hitched for a moment.

In the game, this stuff was a beginner’s staple, sold right outside the starter village for ten crystals a bunch!

“Mercury Pollen, sourced from the heart of the Northern Perennial Snow Mountains, ground for forty-nine days by a dwarven master in a soundproof mill. Its purity ensures mana flows through it without loss. Thirty-five magic crystals per gram.”

Lomio’s eye twitched slightly.

“Go on.”

“And, the royal alchemists’ association’s exclusive basic mana solvent. Each drop undergoes thirteen purification arrays—utterly pure, with zero chance of a cauldron explosion. Fifty magic crystals a bottle.”

She finished quoting the prices, that flawless smile still on her lips, as if to say: You see, our goods are truly worth the price.

“Good grief, the robbers nowadays are getting way too professional… and they even have a shopfront for cover!”

Lomio was starting to forget he’d come here to shop!

Is this grass made of gold, or did an elf bless it with a dance for good luck?!

A thousand magic crystals—the sum of his father’s domain’s two weeks’ taxes, grand as it sounded—didn’t even make a splash here.

Don’t even think about making three experience cards. He couldn’t even gather enough for one!

Prices in the royal capital were terrifying!

Are you using ‘Jing-coin’ and ‘Hu-coin’ too??

“Student, Hermes’s Cauldron offers only the highest quality materials.”

The manager’s smile didn’t waver, but her gaze now assessed him openly, and her tone cooled a few degrees.

“Of course, if you’d care to chat with me privately, maybe over a meal… perhaps these prices could be discussed.”

She slid a name card over to him, the name “Seres” written upon it.

Through her professional façade, Lomio could see those predatory, wolf-like eyes.

“No thanks.” Lomio refused without hesitation. “I’ll figure something out myself.”

Not content just to go after my money—now you want to bundle me along too?

But then he thought of the Charm Aura over his head and felt a bit resigned.

So the original sin was me after all…

“No, this won’t do. There has to be some information I can use…”

The situation was sudden, but Lomio wasn’t about to sit and wait for death.

To betray Brother Ka’s “if one gets rich, both will drag each other along” promise was something he, as a man, simply couldn’t do!

A gamer’s mind works fast.

Regular shops were the territory of PVP whales. Someone like him, a PVE player, should be looking for shady routes! Hidden quests! World bugs!

The developers of “Flame Fortune” often hid clues in every scene, pushing players to explore for rewards.

If he thought along those lines…

Lomio scanned his surroundings, his gaze sharp as he cross-referenced the game’s scenery from memory and began searching.

“Wait… I think I’ve got something!”

In the most inconspicuous corner of the counter, Lomio spotted a sheepskin notice nearly hidden by decorations.

[Alchemical Byproduct Disposal: Collect daily, earn 2 credits per day upon processing. Recovered items can be delivered to designated sites or used personally.]

“Alchemical byproducts?”

Garbage sorting?

Lomio’s gaze locked onto that line.

Wasn’t this the classic ‘trash collecting’ daily quest from the game?! Not only did it earn credits, but more importantly, he could scavenge materials for free from the waste!

Wait… this quest…

Wasn’t there a special event triggered by this daily task…?

What was it again…

As he struggled to recall, trying to link those buried memories, his talent tree suddenly lit up in his mind. A line of new text slowly surfaced in his vision.

[Hidden Quest Triggered: Alchemist Ankatt’s Hangover Syndrome]

[The famed genius alchemist is forever lost in drink, and in a drunken stupor, accidentally mixed one of her beloved treasures in with the alchemical waste.]

[Quest Objective: From today’s alchemical byproducts, find the ‘Ring of Breath Severance.’]

[Quest Reward: +1 Skill Point]

“Good grief! So this is where it was waiting for me?”

Lomio nearly burst out laughing.

So this cheat wasn’t some money-grubbing tree-planting game, but a task radar linked to the game world!

By accepting this ‘trash collecting’ quest, not only could he score free materials for crafting experience cards, but he could also return the ring to the genius alchemist and earn an immense favor!

As for keeping the quest item for himself?

He was already a back-alley rogue, skilled in stealth—what did he need a ring of breath severance for?

A skill point and the goodwill of a genius alchemist were much more useful!

“Oh dear, really won’t reconsider, little brother?”

Seres played with the hair at her ear, her smile turning more teasing:

“Big sis will take good care of you. In just one night, you’ll become a real man…”

She just wanted to give every handsome boy a warm, if temporary, harbor.

“Heh, Miss Deng Dalang? I think it’s not exciting enough—I need something a little more… irresistibly thrilling.”

“Oh, whatever the game, big sis here is a master at it.”

“That’s wonderful!”

Lomio suddenly pointed at the sheepskin notice.

“Is this recruitment still open?”

“I just so happen to need a job to earn some credits.”

“…?”

Seres’s smile froze.

She stared at Lomio’s handsome, earnest face, her mind momentarily blank.

He’s a noble’s son—where’s the pride and dignity a man should have?

“What are you doing?”

Lomio grinned in reply:

“Is there any game in this world more exciting than changing your life?”