"Master, could you possibly lower the appraisal fee for the necklace?"
Seeing such a high favorability rating, Sebastian seized the opportunity to ask.
In high spirits, old Arthur promptly responded, "I can give you a ten percent discount."
A ten percent discount amounted to 45 gold coins, 5 coins less than the initial price.
This was equivalent to a savings of 5,000 dollars.
Indeed, a high favorability rating did come with its perks.
"Could you appraise it tonight?" Sebastian continued.
"Of course."
As he spoke, Arthur stored the previously gem-set box into a storage cabinet.
In response, Sebastian took out the [Remnants of the Magic Crystal Necklace] and placed it on the adjacent workbench.
"Please begin, Master," Sebastian said, paying Arthur the 45 gold coins.
Arthur then fetched a pair of glasses from a cabinet.
These glasses gleamed in a crystalline blue hue, their lenses adorned with intricate patterns and the frames inlaid with golden edges.
They looked remarkably valuable.
Slipping the glasses on, Arthur drew a magnifying glass from his pocket.
At a glance, the magnifying glass seemed rather ordinary.
But when Arthur aligned it with the [Remnants of the Magic Crystal Necklace], a brilliant golden radiance suddenly burst forth.
This golden glow enveloped the item being appraised, illuminating the entire blacksmith shop.
Squinting against the intense light, Sebastian fixed his gaze on the [Remnants of the Magic Crystal Necklace].
Under the golden sheen, the remnants dissipated, revealing a slowly emerging violet necklace.
It shone with a resplendent luster, echoing beautifully with the golden glow around it.
[Magic Crystal Necklace (Violet)]: Forged from crystals within the Demon Cave, this was once the equipment of a legendary magus, harboring immense magical power.
[Attributes: Equipable by level 20 characters, MP+1000, endurance+80, spirit+150]
[Special Enhancement: Reduction in control duration by 20%]
Sebastian's eyes sparkled upon seeing these attributes.
An epic-tier piece of equipment — it seemed he had struck gold.
And it's equipable at level 20, which he was close to reaching.
But the most crucial feature was the special enhancement that reduces control duration.
For a magus player, being controlled is the worst nightmare.
No matter how powerful one's skills are, they'd be rendered useless when controlled.
Reducing control duration by 20% could significantly amplify his attack frequency!
With this in mind, Sebastian was overjoyed.
At last, he had acquired a worthy piece of equipment to augment his prowess.
However, at that moment, old Arthur's expression turned grave. "I don't know where you obtained Dis's necklace, but you better not flaunt it carelessly."
"Why?" Sebastian inquired.
Dis's necklace? Was that the very legendary magus?
Given Arthur's usual temperament, he generally wouldn't answer such questions, nor would he typically warn any player coming in for an appraisal.
Were it not for the soaring favorability rating, Sebastian would likely have been shown the door by now.
But Arthur began to explain, "Dis met his demise in a disgraceful ambush, and all his equipment was plundered. Consequently, his disciples petitioned the king to issue a bounty. Anyone with information about Dis's equipment could receive a hefty reward."
At these words, a chill ran down Sebastian's spine.
Was this stolen property?
But why would it drop from the Wolf King?
A flicker of doubt crossed Sebastian's mind.
"I understand. Thank you for the warning, Master," he replied, reeling his thoughts back in.
After leaving the blacksmith shop, Sebastian resolved to delve deeper into the details about Dis later on.
Upon returning to his residence, he released Breeze.
The creature that emerged was no longer the little being from earlier in the day.
Now, standing nearly as tall as a mature wolf, Breeze's blue eyes glowed mesmerizingly, its aura radiating an intense ferocity.
Yet, in Sebastian's eyes, it remained the same innocent creature.
Breeze settled comfortably on the sofa, allowing Sebastian to gently stroke its fur.
Sitting down, Sebastian accessed the game's official forum, "Original Realm," which was teeming with all sorts of information—world background, dungeon walkthroughs, social posts, and more.
A search led him to details about Dis.
Dis was a legendary magus from the Northern Kingdom, renowned for his warm and kind-hearted nature, having mentored countless disciples.
Three years ago, en route to the Southern Kingdom, he was ambushed by an unknown assailant, grievously injured, and subsequently vanished without a trace.
It was only a year ago that his disciples managed, through extensive means, to locate him.
But by then, Dis was but a desiccated corpse, buried beneath the snow.
The account ended there.
Though the narrative didn't specify where Dis met his end, the phrase "buried beneath the snow" made Sebastian wonder.
Could it be that Dis's final resting place was deep within the snowy mountains?
A sudden recollection struck him; previous intelligence mentioned the Wolf King being gravely injured by a mysterious figure.
Given that Dis was ambushed and ultimately died in the snowy terrain, could there be a connection?
Was it possible that the same person attacked the Wolf King and killed Dis?
In that moment, Sebastian felt as if a veil had been lifted, clarity dawning upon him.
If that's the case, perhaps he could trace the mysterious assailant's steps in the snowy mountains.
He had also glimpsed the bounty placed by Dis's disciples.
Beyond providing information about the equipment, there was an additional clause: anyone who identifies the real culprit would be granted free access to train in the magus tower and receive a substantial reward!
The magus tower stands as a famed landmark of the Northern Kingdom.
Rumored to be forged by the legendary King of Light, anyone who steps within is said to be blessed with the King's strength, significantly enhancing all their attributes.
For players, gaining entry into the magus tower was a near-impossible task, remaining inaccessible even to magus players.
The opportunity to train within the magus tower would be immensely beneficial to his prowess.
With this in mind, Sebastian's spirits soared.
But for now, prioritizing leveling up was crucial.
Even if he did locate the enigmatic figure, he doubted he'd stand a chance in combat.
[Ding! You have received a private message from "MelodiousDance". Please check your inbox.]
At that moment, a message from Mia popped up.
"Sebastian, the team plans on leveling up in Spider Cave tomorrow to prep for the dungeon the day after. If you're coming, meet us at the northern entrance of Darkstone at 10."
"Sounds good," Sebastian promptly replied.
"You're online?" Mia shot back quickly.
Given that Sebastian was in invisible mode, Mia had assumed he'd logged off.
"Yes, but I'll be logging off soon," replied Sebastian.
"Alright. Oh, by the way, could I possibly get a contact from you?" Mia suddenly inquired.
Taken aback, Sebastian wondered, Why would she need my contact?