Chapter 49: Potions Ingredients
It was early morning in the Jorwoode district of Backlund, at 15 Minsk Street. As Klein finished packing and prepared to leave, he suddenly heard layered prayers echoing in his ears.
"At this hour... who could it be?" The female voice made Klein suspect it was Audrey or Alice, but he couldn't fathom why either would pray to him in the middle of the night.
He walked four steps in reverse, arriving above the gray fog. Through Alice's deep red star, he heard her plea: "Klein... I can't sleep... Are you asleep?"
From 36 Welsh Street in Backlund's North Borough, Alice received a reply from Mr. Fool: "No, are you crazy?!"
Satisfied with the response, Alice ceased her prayers. She then began doing what every self-proclaimed prophet does after a nightmare - interpreting the dream.
"The process was full of variables, but the outcome was predetermined... But what did that tower and snake represent? And how does it relate to that little boy?"
Alice was certain the dream was connected to the boy. Given her fear when facing him, she suspected the snake symbolized the child. This wasn't baseless - she still couldn't forget the terror and sense of danger she felt, far worse than when confronting Ince Zangwill.
Undoubtedly, that child wanted to kill her, with strength surpassing Ince Zangwill's.
What truly puzzled Alice were other aspects: Why wait until she reached the tower's peak? Why was the revelation about swallowing rather than strangling? And why that particular snake?
After organizing her thoughts and noting her questions and confusion, Alice struck a match and burned the paper she used for notes before returning to bed.
The next morning, Alice again entered Saint Samuel Cathedral - not seeking help, but for her usual daily prayer. She hoped the Goddess would look favorably upon her devotion, if not with kindness, at least without the malice of the dream's snake.
Influenced by the nightmare, Alice felt slightly more urgency about advancing. Considering someone had already given her a potion formula, she could now focus on gathering magical ingredients.
Alice had some idea where to collect such materials - surely a city as large as Backlund must have a black market! However, the real challenge was finding such gatherings of extraordinary individuals. In literature, these underground markets typically required a trusted referral and strict passwords. Alice, having arrived in Backlund mere days ago, clearly lacked these prerequisites.
"Perhaps places dealing in illegal firearms might offer clues?" Alice mused, though this seemed equally unhelpful as she had no idea where to find weapons either.
This isn't to say Alice was completely clueless - it was obvious that diverse, chaotic bars were most likely to host various illegal dealings. But she couldn't possibly try every bar in the city.
Well, not necessarily. She could try her luck and see if she might encounter a street urchin who happened to know the situation...
A few months ago, Alice might have adopted such an unreliable plan. Back then, she readily accepted "trying her luck," habitually factoring luck into her plans without considering what to do if luck failed her.
Now, the good fortune Alice once relied on had become a Damocles sword hanging over her head, ready to fall at any moment.
In this moment, Alice had a sudden realization: Perhaps that spire symbolized the "Monster" pathway? She was destined to walk this path, to reach its end...
But who was that boy? He... or perhaps It...
Alice suddenly recalled the Fate angel rumored to be in Backlund. Perhaps that boy was the angel who knew neither good nor evil.
She didn't dwell on how an angel could be a ten-year-old boy - it seemed irrelevant. After all, she had been resurrected at least twice, the first time waking up in another world entirely. What was strange about an angel appearing as a young boy?
If so, things made more sense... An angel of the same pathway, waiting for her to grow, and then...
Wait, why swallow her?
Alice's thoughts halted. The snake was easy to explain - either a mythical creature or a symbol of Sequence 2 or 1. But what would swallowing her give that angel?
No, perhaps swallowing was just a symbol... Absorb, contain? Or...
Alice suddenly had a chilling thought: Perhaps, in that being's eyes, she was an unripe magical ingredient?
But - why her?
This question flashed through Alice's mind, and the answer naturally surfaced - it was obvious. The source of her bizarre luck was the reason she became a magical ingredient in the other's eyes!
And the source of her bizarre luck wasn't entirely without clues - even if that transaction was a ruse, Alice was certain that the sealed artifact with a special connection to her must exist.
"The good news is, at least from the revelation, It still needs to wait for me to grow. My safety is temporarily assured. It might even help me advance... Ha."
Alice laughed self-mockingly, as this was hardly a joyful realization.
But that future, or the past without answers, were too distant for Alice. For now, the most important thing was finding clues about magical ingredients.
Refocusing on her unfinished task, after some thought, Alice decided to pray to Klein - private detectives undoubtedly had more experience with illegal firearms.
Klein didn't disappoint Alice.
"Backlund Bridge area, 'Brave Bar', ask for Kaspars Kanlinins. Say 'Old Man' sent you."
After receiving this information from Ian Wright via Klein, Alice... had to continue drawing her comic.
After all, setting aside whether she had enough money for magical ingredients, she needed a job to maintain her daily life. She couldn't just deplete her resources...
For the first time, Alice longed for her carefree life as a Nighthawk.
*Tomorrow's chapter will be recommended (hint hint)*
*Why does Will seem so malicious... Because at this point, Alice doesn't even qualify for investment (honestly). As an ordinary underage girl it's fine, but as a extraordinary being she's seriously unqualified*