Chapter 101: Don't Engage in Malicious Bidding!
After expressing his sentiments, the chubby pharmacist began his usual sales pitch for potions.
Following him, a few others proposed trades, some successful, some not.
Then, the familiar lady spoke up:
"I've brought only one extraordinary weapon this time. It's a set of 50 bullets with different effects:
- 20 'Purification Bullets' engraved with solar domain symbols, effective against ghost-type monsters
- 20 'Demon Hunter Bullets' targeting corrupted creatures
- 10 'Exorcism Bullets' countering abnormal monsters
The effects last at least 18 months. I'm asking 500 pounds or the 'Barbarian' potion formula, and I'll include a custom 12-gauge revolver."
Wow, she really "collected" a firearms-type extraordinary weapon...
Alice habitually let her imagination run wild, while Klein seized the opportunity to speak: "I have the 'Barbarian' potion formula."
Alice suddenly felt she understood the cruelty of society. She closed her mouth with mixed emotions as a tall man started bidding: "550 pounds."
The heavily veiled lady replied with barely suppressed joy: "I'm sorry sir, but I prefer the 'Barbarian' formula."
Alice felt she had closed her mouth too soon. She looked at the lady and smiled: "I also have the 'Barbarian' formula, as well as the corresponding Sequence 7 formula."
This time it was Klein's turn to experience society's cruelty.
"600 pounds," the man raised his bid.
"No, this isn't about money," said the lady backed by the "Artisan", barely containing her excitement. She politely declined the man's offer and looked at Alice.
Klein looked at Alice with complex emotions, changing tactics before the lady could speak: "Miss, I'm willing to pay you 300 pounds to withdraw from the bidding."
Glancing at the tall man who had bid 600 pounds, Alice happily gave up competing.
The transaction concluded under the witness of the "Eye of Wisdom" gentleman: Alice gained 300 pounds, Klein acquired the extraordinary bullets, and the mysterious lady obtained the "Barbarian" formula.
Afterwards, Klein surveyed the room and deliberately raised his voice:
"I need powerful purification items like 'Holy Water of the Sun' and 'Holy Emblem of the Sun'.
"I can pay in pounds or exchange formulas, such as the Sequence 7 'Briber' that follows 'Barbarian'.
"Of course, if anyone has questions about the mystical realm or supernatural world, I can try to answer, though I can't guarantee I'll know everything."
Is he dealing with vengeful spirits? Alice raised an eyebrow, suddenly remembering the missing Charlie King.
Should she prepare something to deal with Charlie King... Well, never mind, there's probably not much she could prepare anyway.
The lady who bought the "Barbarian" formula offered 800 pounds for the "Briber" potion formula, but Klein politely declined:
"For now, I'm only accepting item exchanges.
"I'll likely attend the next gathering, so you can collect similar items in advance."
Alice wanted to interject that she'd sell for 800 pounds, which would settle her debt to Klein with some left over. But after Klein glanced at her, she abandoned the idea.
In her mind though, Alice unhesitatingly reduced the 1500-pound debt by 400, bringing it down to 1100 pounds.
A few more trades occurred afterwards. Alice only paid extra attention when a man sought to buy "mature widow spider silk", as it was a main ingredient for "Pleasure Witch" - quite strange for a man to purchase.
...
Monday morning arrived. As usual, Alice collected the newspaper from her mailbox, but unexpectedly found an invitation.
"What's this..." Alice opened the invitation curiously to check its contents.
It appeared to be a mass-mailed invitation to a literary salon on Sunday, hosted by Viscount Glaint.
"Viscount Glaint?" Alice repeated, furrowing her brow slightly.
Not very familiar with nobility, she didn't have much impression of this name. Her first thought was to ask "Justice" in the afternoon - after all, it was an open secret that "Justice" was Loen nobility.
However, asking "Justice" about this at the Tarot gathering might be too strange... If she really attended this literary salon and saw a dog with extraordinary abilities as an "audience member", should she expose it or not...
...
At 3 PM, above the gray fog, Audrey's familiar greeting was heard first: "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
As Audrey spoke, she noticed a card with an intricate and luxurious pattern on its back, casually placed on the table to the Fool's right.
That, that must be the "Blasphemy Card"! Audrey instantly realized. After the Fool nodded in response, she instinctively glanced at the others.
Hmm, Mr. Hanged Man, Mr. Sun, and Miss Magician all noticed the card beside Mr. Fool...
However, their eyes and movements revealed their confusion and surprise, as well as inevitable speculation.
Mr. World's reaction was a bit odd - he didn't look that way at all. Was he hiding it too well? As for Miss Fortune... What on earth was Miss Fortune doing?!
Alice, who was trying to entwine one of her legs with a chair leg while lowering her head, noticed someone staring at her. She looked up, meeting Audrey's shocked and bewildered gaze with confusion. She blinked twice and hesitantly greeted: "Good afternoon, Miss Justice?"
"...Good afternoon, Miss Fortune." Not knowing how to react, Audrey nodded stiffly and stopped observing.
Alice looked at Audrey's reaction with puzzlement, then stood up and curtsied to Klein in the gray fog: "Good afternoon, Mr. Fool~"
"Good afternoon, Miss Fortune." Klein nodded slightly in response.
After glancing at Audrey again and seeing no reaction, Alice quietly finished greeting everyone, then sat back down to continue playing with the chair leg.
After Alice finished her greetings, Audrey's emotionally complex voice sounded: "Respected Mr. Fool, I have something I'd like to report to you privately."
After the private conversation ended, "Magician" Fors also spoke up: "Mr. Fool, I've memorized two pages of Roselle's diary."
Klein, who had already read the two pages twice, looked bewildered.