15 Information
Jasper found himself arriving second; Mr. Crane was already standing in the corner's shadow. Spotting Jasper, he cautiously edged toward the window.
"I'm Mr. Candle."
His voice remained neutral, masked by the black robe.
Jasper summoned the purple point of light and displayed his pentagram emblem. Mr. Crane nodded, retreating to the corner.
"Great disguise."
"Thanks."
Opting for the wall's shadow, Jasper and Mr. Crane exchanged only a few words before the party commenced.
Mr. Crane still needed to clarify to the arriving guests that Mr. Candle wasn't a newcomer. This gathering mirrored the previous one with the same five attendees.
"Only trusted participants can invite trust. Mr. Candle's arrival is a special case," explained Mr. Magic in a woman's voice, recalling her inquiry with Jasper about the purple ability's meaning.
"Let the party begin. Good to see you all again," Mr. Crane announced, turning to Mr. Wood.
"You owed me a information at the last party. It's your turn to start this time."
"Alright. Firstly, the Righteous God Church in Lutetia City has recent strange news. I don't know the details, but it's best to avoid crowded places for the past two weeks."
"I think I know what it is," Jasper thought, surprised that even these shadowy figures were aware.
"Secondly, a Duke in Pyra royal capital has died. Evidence suggests the Gifter's involvement. Official investigations are ongoing. Avoid the royal capital unless necessary."
Nobility was a novel topic for Jasper in this world. Before, the closest noble was Mr. Smith, an honorary baron supporting old Rhys. But hereditary nobility was unfamiliar.
"What an eventful time it's been. My turn."
Mr. Crane sighed, "About the octopus in Lutetia City at night, the Orthodox Church shelved it. No valuable clues yet, but they confirm its link to [The Strange Land]."
"So irresponsible!" Miss Magic complained, unaware of her tone. Her news about the sea outside Lutetia coincided with her father's mention of the "big thing," equally explosive.
"An entrance to the Strange Land appeared three days ago in Shinton Town under Lutetia City's jurisdiction, but it closed yesterday."
"Do you know what the result were?" Mr. Wood looked interested.
"I know a little bit, but this is not free sharing. You can try to come up with something to impress me during the trading time." Mr. Wood nodded, but did not indicate whether he was willing to pay for the information.
Jasper was also intrigued by the [Strange Land] thing, but being a poor man, he had no choice but to give up. Below is Miss Black Cat:
"On Wednesday, a fishing boat named Golden Rod picked up a strange statue from the sea, suspected to be related to the evil god. It has been acquired by the Righteous God Church, and all the members of the fishing boat have never appeared again."
Evil gods, false gods who relish in flesh and blood, specifically refer to those gods whose followers engage in indiscriminate sacrifices. Their adherents are perilous, often working in disgraceful professions like serial killers and perverted murderers. As an ordinary person, Rhys also has heard of several cruel cases related to followers of evil gods.
Mr. Black Cat's news was somewhat ordinary. He pointed out that there was something abnormal in the recent starry sky, which reflected in the material world, meant killing and chaos.
"I know that some abilities have the function of divination and stargazing, but isn't this too vague?" Jasper could only think so in his mind because the other four didn't dispute the news.
'Do they know that Mr. Black Cat has corresponding reliable abilities?'
"It's my turn." Jasper spoke slowly and shared the information he had prepared: "I know something about the [Strange Thing] Mr. Wood mentioned. It is numbered A-01-2-0198 and looks like a little girl selling flowers. If she asks you if you want to buy flowers, you will die. But she will only appear where the little flower girl is supposed to be, so you don't have to worry about someone standing at your bedside asking if you want to buy flowers."
Miss Magic gasped. Jasper is not worried that this will reveal his identity. Now the gifters of the Orthodox Church should know these things. The only difference is that he knows more.
"The trading time begins now. Mr. Candle, I would like to know more about A-01-2-0198." Mr. Crane said with almost no pause. The other four hesitated, but only Miss Magic said the same thing.
The three of them temporarily walked aside, and Mr. Crabe took out three copper pieces. "This is the [Micro-effect Explosion] I made myself through a ritual. It is effective within two months. You only need to inject your own spirit into it and then throw it at your enemy. Warning you, I used it this time I haven't tried the low-quality fire bug powder I occasionally get, but the effect may be compromised. Since only three of them were made, the discounted price is about the same as the value of your information."
Jasper nodded and acquiesced. Although the matter regarding A-01-2-0198 was shrouded in secrecy, sooner or later, the news would permeate from the church, disseminating through numerous gatherings. Most Gifters in Lutetia City could access such information.
Therefore, his information was temporarily valuable, but not exceptionally so.
Miss Magic also presented a charm, yet the silver piece she offered held greater value than Mr. Crane's "magic explosion."
"Thus Talisman [Ritual Blessing] is crafted from the ritual bestowed by my Lord [Light of Conjuration]. This is a one-time consumable. When conducting the ceremony, simply place this Talisman nearby to maximize the success of the ritual."
Jasper gleaned from the last encounter that he heard about the [Mystery and Ritual] Cult, but he hadn't anticipated that false gods possessed such mystical abilities.
However, he declined.
"I cannot establish contact with unfamiliar false gods, especially during rituals. It's too perilous."
Montfort had cautioned him against recklessly engaging with anything related to [God], particularly unfamiliar false gods. The consequences were unpredictable.
"Mr. Candle is correct, Mr. Magic. Please refrain from presenting such items; it jeopardizes the trust among our party members."
Mr. Crane supported Jasper's decision, and Miss Magic neither grew angry nor objected.
"Well, I hadn't thought it through."
As she spoke, she produced another palm-long blue feather.
"I don't know what this is, but it does contain spirit, so it should be some kind of special material."
In Jasper's eyes, the feathers emitted a faint white light, though not intensely.
"Accepted."
He had no better alternative, as long as it wasn't golden light.
Jasper recounted the history and characteristics of A-01-2-0198 but omitted details about the black and white flowers. This was a church secret. The parchment Jasper signed upon joining the job prohibited him from divulging this secret, and leaking it could jeopardize his identity.
After the transaction, everyone exchanged various special materials, yet Mr. Crane still sought to procure silver blessed by the Church of Nature
"I have something [Extraordinary] here."
Just when Jasper believed the proceedings were concluding, Mr. Wood coughed twice and unexpectedly announced in a low voice.
The most significant disparity between [Tricks], [Gifts], and [Extraordinary], and items crafted through rituals, lay in their perpetual effectiveness and enduring spirit. These three items were obtainable through very limited means, such as divine gifts, discoveries in unusual locations, and natural formations, hence they were numbered and meticulously documented.