Since the bakery was located close to the magic shop, they only had to walk for a few minutes before reaching their destination.
From the outside, the shop appeared quite ordinary, devoid of any magical embellishments. If it weren't for the nameplate hanging above the door that read "Magic Shop," one might mistake it for a regular house.
Upon entering, they found themselves enveloped in darkness. Clementine's brow furrowed in response.
"Um... Hello? Excuse me," she called out several times, but there was no response, making the shop feel eerily uninhabited.
Growing increasingly frustrated, Desmond noticed a faint glimmer at the far end of the room. However, Alice, overcome with fear, tugged at Desmond's clothes.
"Where are you going?" Alice asked, clutching Desmond's left hand tightly.
"Come with me. I want to check something over there," Desmond replied, taking Alice's hand and leading her toward the source of the shimmering light.
As Desmond moved away from the shop's entrance, the candles hanging on the walls ignited one by one, spreading their warm glow until the darkness dissipated completely.
All eyes turned toward the candles, and in the midst of the illuminating glow, a figure materialized in the center of the room. The person wore a hoodie and a long robe, appearing like a seasoned sorcerer.
"Welcome to the Frankie Fox Shop," the figure spoke, his voice revealing the wisdom of age. He stood before them, his face concealed by the hood, while a long white beard flowed down to the floor.
Upon seeing him, Desmond immediately instructed the system, "System, scan the individual in front of me."
[Scanning the target...]
[Scan complete!]
[Name: Frankie Fox
Gender: Male
Age: 45
Race: Human
Class: 1st Wizard
Occupation: Shop Owner
Unique Energy: 45.00
Strength: 6.00
Agility: 7.00
Stamina: 8.00
Trait Effect: ???]
Desmond's expression soured as he pondered, 'It seems reaching the 2nd Wizard level is more difficult than I anticipated.' He recalled his parents discussing the challenges they faced in finding the ingredients necessary for his advancement to the 2nd wizard tier.
After the scan, Desmond sensed Frankie's gaze fixated on him. The shop owner greeted him with a smile and asked, "Hello, young boy, what brings you here?"
Though unable to see Frankie's face, Desmond was certain that he was smiling. Desmond shifted his gaze back to the shiny object he had noticed earlier, which happened to be on a corner shelf.
He then returned his attention to the shop owner and mustered a smile of his own. "Um... I apologize for being presumptuous, Mr. Frankie. I'm just curious about that item," Desmond said, feigning a cough as he gestured toward the crystal.
The object in question was a small obelisk-shaped crystal, its plum purple hue translucent and emanating pure natural energy.
Frankie followed Desmond's indication, turning his gaze toward the crystal before looking back at Desmond. Taking note of Desmond's attire and the guards accompanying him, Frankie inquired, "If I may ask, what brings the young master here?
Desmond remained focused on the crystal, his eyes fixed on it, as he replied to Frankie, "Don't worry, it's just curiosity. Nothing dangerous." He was determined to acquire the crystal without relying on his parents' name or influence.
The system's notifications continued to sound in Desmond's mind, indicating the presence of high levels of unique energy emanating from the crystal. Desmond had encountered a similar situation before when he found an item with significant unique energy at the bakery. It had piqued his interest and prompted him to visit the magic shop.
Lost in his thoughts, Desmond suddenly felt a touch on his back. Clementine's voice broke his reverie as she spoke, "Well, well... let me buy that item for you, young man." She had been observing Desmond's expression and enjoyed teasing him.
This was the first time Clementine had encountered a boy like Desmond, who displayed such maturity. His behavior intrigued her and made her curious about his parents.
Meanwhile, Diana grew increasingly irritated as her mother teased Desmond and seemingly forgot their original purpose for visiting the shop. "Mother, let's find what I need," Diana interjected, tugging at Clementine's sleeve.
Clementine chuckled and said, "Oh, my little daughter is feeling jealous. See you later, young Desmond," before she and Diana headed upstairs to explore the shop further.
"Boy, do you still wish to purchase the crystal?" Frankie inquired, his patience wearing thin. He had initially been pleased when Clementine offered to buy the item, considering her reputation and influential background in the kingdom.
Desmond snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that Frankie was waiting for his response. "Ah, sorry for the delay. How much does it cost?" Desmond asked, eager to complete the transaction.
After the purchase, Desmond and Alice were eager to proceed to the toy store. However, before leaving, Desmond wanted to bid farewell to Clementine and her daughter.
Minutes passed, but there was no sign of them coming downstairs. Alice grew impatient, urging Desmond to leave them behind.
"Okay, uncle, please convey my regards to the lady," Desmond said to Frankie before departing without waiting for a response.
Observing this, Frankie remained silent and returned to tidying up his shop.
...
Outside the shop, Alice approached Desmond and whispered something to him. Desmond nodded in response, and with a wave of his hand, they both vanished using a spell.
The guard who had been accompanying Desmond emerged from the shop, expecting to join their master, only to find him missing. Panic struck as they frantically searched in all directions.
"Search every direction! We must split up," the captain commanded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as his gaze scanned the bustling crowd.
"Understood, Captain," the guards acknowledged before dispersing in search of their young master and miss.
The captain's hope lingered, praying that it was merely one of their young master's playful tricks.