Chapter 18: Cleanup and Shopping
"By the way, what was that black Transference Stone those guys had in the end?"
"We're still investigating that. But we'll take care of it from here. It must have been quite troublesome for you."
Heather said with a slightly apologetic expression.
"Well... it was a bit of a hassle."
Heather's statement probably had a psychological meaning.
"Because of that, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention anything about that stone. Has it been relayed to Forest Bird-san and the others?"
Heather whispered in a low voice.
Ah... They said it was a walk or a guided tour, but is the real purpose to silence us?
From the way she spoke just now, the Guild might already have some information about that black Transference Stone. For example, if they were to investigate the capabilities and origins of the black stone, it might lead them to the culprits.
Whether it's a problem with the black stone's abilities and properties or something related to the culprits. They must have decided that it was necessary to silence us on those matters.
...We'll take care of it ourselves, huh?
If there are still allies, it would be reasonable not to involve them any further as mere victims.
Dealing with criminals is quite different from delving into the labyrinth, so Heather is sympathetic towards us. If we get involved, it will become "troublesome" again, and it would mean that we will handle it ourselves.
"...I don't think they know anything. We also learned about it from Rosetta-san."
"I understand. We're going to see Rosetta-san from here... Well, she talked to you because you're involved, so there's no need to spread it recklessly."
So it's a confidentiality agreement after all. Well, according to what Rosetta said, depending on the content, she might tell us.
The black Transference Stone... is probably a processed product of the red Transference Stone using magic. It has been confirmed in BFO that processing the red Transference Stone improves its usability and changes its performance. As for the black stone's performance... it can be deduced by process of elimination.
Whether returning from the stone monument to the Transference Stone or escaping from the labyrinth using the red Transference Stone... the destination will be the stone monument at the entrance of the labyrinth.
For example, if the black Transference Stone can change the "destination of human transfer," which should normally be fixed.
Kidnapping, confinement, and human trafficking are crimes that I believe will become possible. It's a more convincing story than assuming they targeted us for our available money. Well, this is more of an idea that was desired among BFO players than a deduction.
The reason such items didn't exist in the game is simple. Items that allow for player abduction should never be unlocked.
The same goes for magic. Curses or any magic that restricts others' actions for a long time are in the category of magic that BFO players couldn't learn. The mind-reading used for magical inquisitions was also impossible to acquire for the same reason.
Magic that reads the opponent's thoughts, emotions, or lies would obviously cause trouble if used between players. While it might be possible with VRMMO, which reads brain waves, it can't be ethically reproduced.
Naturally, the teleportation stone that allows players to freely set their destination couldn't be present in the game.
"Just to confirm once again, can we leave it to you over there?"
"Yes. Since Snakebite has been caught, I don't expect a similar modus operandi for a while."
Well, that's probably true. Grace and I can go shopping as planned.
Speaking of shopping, self-defense equipment, staff... and furniture, they are all high priorities. If there are concerns about public safety, it's even more necessary to have them.
"Welcome."
As we entered the store, an unfamiliar pungent smell hit my nose.
...The source of the smell must be at the back of the shop. The store itself is well-organized, with neatly displayed bottles and such, but the adjacent room visible from behind the counter is in a messy state, with a large pot occupying the center and experiment equipment and stacks of paper scattered on the table.
According to the information from the Adventurer's Guild, a skilled alchemist has set up a shop in the northern district, so we headed there first. Grace's self-defense equipment should be the first thing to buy.
"Is this Beauchamp's alchemist shop?"
"Yes. That's right. I'm Beatrice."
There stood the shopkeeper with blackish-purple hair and eyes, looking lethargic.
Resting her chin on the counter, she played with a quill pen between her fingers. She might be considered beautiful in appearance, but... I couldn't sense any drive or ambition from her. Is this really alright?
"What business do you have...?"
She yawned. Am I not mistaken here?
Although she had her doubts, there was no other possibility to consider.
"Well then. This is a letter of introduction from the Adventurers Guild. They want you to create a magical creature that can be used for self-defense through alchemy."
...That's what I was looking for in alchemy.
As Beatrice received the letter, she asked.
"When you say magical creature, there are various types, right?"
"It's the Mercury Shadow."
"Well, it seems like quite a big task. By the way, what's your budget?"
"I'm looking at around 1500 kirig, is that acceptable?"
"Fine."
Beatrice narrowed her eyes and smiled. It was within the expected price range. Now then.
"Theodore-sama... You don't have to go that far..."
...Grace's words were anticipated. If there is a proper reason, she would understand as well.
"If we create a high-performance one, it won't be wasted even in dungeon exploration, right?"
"...I see."
Mercury Shadow. Normally, it takes the form of a small animal through mimicry, and as the name suggests, it can be hidden in shadows. However, it is actually a solidifying and amorphous magical creature with the ability to harden. In short, it's an artificial slime.
"But I can't guarantee if it will be of high performance... The Mercury Shadow is already an excellent familiar from birth, but being a familiar means its abilities won't surpass those of its master."
"I understand."
That's why I chose the Mercury Shadow.
In terms of the price of magical creatures, the Mercury Shadow is relatively inexpensive... This is because its performance heavily depends on the quality of the blood used as a catalyst. It can produce outstanding performance for 1500 kirig, but it can also be less useful in some cases.
However, this time, we plan to provide our own blood, Grace's and mine. Without boasting, I can't imagine it will turn out to be a low-performance one.
Considering the price and performance, it was a choice made with the expectation of the highest cost-effectiveness.
The best part is that it can be maintained just by supplying mana, so there won't be much cost for food. It's not conspicuous for everyday use, so it doesn't have an intimidating presence... There are various reasons.
Three days until completion. We paid a deposit of 750 kiligs. Once it's finished, we'll receive the delivery and pay the remaining balance.
With that said, the two of us provided the blood that would serve as the catalyst for Kagemizu's alchemy and left Beatrice's shop.
Next, should we buy furniture? The cane can manage in the shallow levels, and we can expect to obtain one while diving, but furniture cannot be found in the labyrinth. We should first purchase the necessary items and then allocate the budget for the cane.
So, the two of us went shopping while discussing various things.
"The canopy bed doesn't suit our taste, does it?"
"I believe a bedroom of this caliber requires something like that..."
"Hmm..."
"For the vanity, it should be a proper one, right?"
"I'm fine with a handheld mirror."
"We compromised on the wardrobe for costumes... Let's get something decent for this."
"This long chair is quite comfortable."
"You're right. Maybe this one is good. What about a table for the dining room?"
"How about this one?"
In this manner, we wandered around the furniture store in the Kita Ward, discussing and selecting various items.
They will deliver the purchased items later. It's wonderful not to have to worry about transporting them.
The final remaining issue was—of course, the cane.
We couldn't find any satisfying bargains at the stores in the Kita Ward. The shopkeeper said that if there were better materials, they could make a higher-performance cane.
Should we search in the labyrinth or explore other districts? What should we do?
The problem with not having a cane is... not only the inability to use cane techniques, but also the fact that when casting advanced magic from a cyclic state, we suffer damage from the recoil. I don't want to experiment too much, so I hope we can find a solution soon.