"This I want to exchange my tokens for this."
"Hmm? What are you exchanging it for?"
"This."
[Sagewood Grand Staff]
A staff made from sage wood reduces the time it takes to cast a spell and forms a defensive barrier every time the user casts a spell. The barrier's durability is measured by the amount of mana the user currently has.
"Hey, that isn't bad considering the defensive options it offers. most mages rely on distance and their allies to successfully cast a spell."
"I know"
"Do you wish to exchange 40 [Trial Token] for this [Sagewood Grand Staff]?"
"Yes"
After Miriam's confirmation, her token count dropped from 66 to 26, and Ai activated an inscription on the reception table. The inscription glowed and materialized the staff in front of them. Ai then took the staff and handed it to Miriam.
The staff was durable, yet it was very light. It had a smooth wooden texture with magic stones embedded on both ends of the staff. Miriam tried to cast a simple illumination spell, and a translucent barrier covered her.
"It works! Now I can be a little bit more confident while casting my spells."
"What about you? Would you exchange your tokens for something as well?"
"No, not right now."
Rynn plans to save his tokens so he can exchange for more expensive items later in the manifest. His priority is to get this information back to the city lord and persuade them about the benefits of the tower. The two of them bid farewell to Ai and picked their belongings from the camp they made a few days ago. Ai informed them that they had been inside the tower for a week, which shocked the two of them. It seems constant battle and stress made them numb about the passage of time.
"We have been gone for a week already; we have to hurry back."
"I think we can make it back by sundown if we don't stop for rests."
"Alright."
Back in Elysia, William Farrel is sorting through various documents regarding mana phenomena. It has already been a week since Rynn and an adventurer named Miriam set off towards the tower. He can't help feeling that something has gone wrong because the tower is only a day away, so they should have been back the following day or even after that, but it has been an entire week. He ordered the guards at the wall to keep on the lookout for any changes, but not a single change from ordinary has been reported. William was about to stand from his desk when a knock on the door caught his attention.
"Come in."
"Sir Farrell, Mr. Hawker is back."
"He's back?"
"Yes, sir, a messenger dropped by a few moments ago. He said he will report to you, sir, first thing in the morning."
"Very well, did he come back alone?"
"No sir, the adventurer Miriam came back with her."
"I see; thank you, Lester."
The following morning Miriam and Rynn visited the city lord's mansion for their report.
"Good morning, sir Farrell."
"A good morning to the both of you as well; I am glad the two of you managed to make it back safely. So how did it go? I'm assuming that there's nothing too disturbing since you didn't report it immediately."
Miriam and Rynn looked at each other and sighed. William noticed this, and he got puzzled. Was his assumption wrong?
"Sir Farrell, it's more disturbing than we expected it to be."
William's face turned serious, and as Rynn was about to explain the circumstances of the tower, the door opened, and the knight captain Aaron Syfel entered the room.
"I apologize for my tardiness, Sir Farrell."
"No, you are just in time; sit down, sir Syfel."
"Rynn, if you would please."
Rynn then started to recount what happened to him and Miriam inside the tower. First, they explained the rules of the tower and the attendant they encountered there. Next, he told them about the tokens and the items in the manifest which can be exchanged using those tokens. He also told them about the boss monster of the first floor, which they briefly encountered, stating that it would require at least a small army to take it down. Miriam also showed them the [Sagewood Grand Staff] and described the weapon's abilities.
Aaron and William were fascinated by what they told them, especially of the information they gave about Ai, the tower's attendant. Rynn described her as a beautiful young woman no more than 20 to 30 years; she was also extremely dangerous; although he did not fight her, the aura she's exhibiting is comparable to the royal mages in the capital. Not to mention that she was working as an attendant, which means she is serving someone more powerful than her. Overall the situation is not ideal, but it's far from the worse that they imagined.
It took a few moments for them to digest Rynn's information, but the first to speak was Aaron.
"I see, so the entire tower is a challenge."
"Yes, that is what Ai told us. She didn't give any specific reason why they are seeking challengers, though."
"I assume it has something to do with the master of the tower who he or she may be."
"For the time being, the tower's agenda is not important, but I am interested in the contents of the manifest. You have already proven that the items listed in the manifest are real with this [Sagewood Grand Staff]. Therefore, I think it would be beneficial for us to make contact with the tower and participate in it."
"That's true, we are the closest city in its vicinity, and for the time being, we are the only ones who know of its existence."
"I suggest we arrange an expedition for the tower."
"An expedition?"
"Yes, I have three reasons for this. First, we can use it to ascertain the reliability of the tower's rules. The two of you followed the rules, but someone is bound to be an idiot and break them with many people. Second, with more people, we can gather and exchange more information about the tower itself, including the contents of the manifest, which, as you said, change regularly. Lastly, the more people there are, the easier it is to monitor the tower."
"If the conditions of the tower hold, then certainly the city of Elysia will greatly benefit from its presence. I would leave the preparations to the two of you."
"Alright, I will organize an expedition quest on the guild."
"I will also mobilize a knight division. I need to go to the capital to report your findings."
Rynn, Miriam, and Aaron left, and William was left alone in his office. He got up and poured himself a drink.
"Everlast tower, will you be a disaster or an opportunity?"