Calcifer reacted quickly, his casual smile as disarming as ever. "Haha, for a second there, I thought you were one of the king's guards. They've been quite the nuisance lately."
The owl perched nearby ruffled its feathers and spoke, "Calcifer, you're forgetting something. This is a border town, the most isolated place in the entire kingdom. The king's guards wouldn't even know how to find it."
Calcifer raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Then why, pray tell, did you wake me up?"
"You've been asleep for days since you arrived here, exhausted. You specifically ordered me not to disturb you, but it's time you woke up now," the owl replied, sounding almost exasperated. "I was starting to worry you'd never open your eyes again!"
Calcifer let out a light chuckle. "Well done, I suppose. But next time, maybe don't. These nightmares have been suffocating me. I can hardly breathe when I'm asleep..."
The owl, unimpressed by his complaint, turned its attention to the guest standing awkwardly at the entrance. "My dear visitor, what brings you to my humble abode?" it asked, addressing William.
Just then, Calcifer's head tilted, confusion crossing his face as he asked, "Wait a minute… why are we even in this border town?"
William, who had been quietly observing the scene, felt an overwhelming urge to turn around and leave. Was this the right place? He couldn't help but question if he'd somehow made a mistake. How could the owner of this place, a supposed master, not even know what he was doing?
[Hint: Calcifer is a top-tier magic master. However, ever since he returned from his expedition into the Abyss, he's been somewhat… out of sorts.]
William studied Calcifer closely. Despite the man's somewhat scattered thoughts, his confident demeanor showed no sign of weakness. Surely, he must be who he claims to be?
At that moment, the owl cleared its throat. "A reminder, Calcifer, we're in the Magic House. It's a shop specializing in the acquisition of magical materials."
Calcifer slapped his forehead, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, right! That's it. How could I forget?"
Turning back to William, Calcifer gestured grandly, "So, my good friend, what exactly brings you here?"
William hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond to this seemingly scatterbrained wizard. He runs a grocery store of magical goods? From what William had heard, Calcifer dealt with all manner of magical materials, collecting them from far and wide to either sell or use for his own mysterious purposes. Yet, it was clear that this was just one small part of what Calcifer did. For a magic master of his caliber, these "groceries" were mere trifles.
In border towns like this, only the most experienced hunters dared venture into the wild to gather magical resources. The ordinary residents avoided anything to do with magic; they feared and despised it in equal measure.
Despite the oddities of the situation, William's curiosity was piqued. He leaned forward, deciding to take his chances. "I heard you could create custom magical items. If I provide the raw materials, can you make something special for me?"
Calcifer's eyes lit up. "Of course! Have a seat, let's talk."
William accepted the invitation, settling onto a vine-woven chair out on the balcony. The warm sunlight bathed him as a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers. It was as if the very air here was infused with magic, and for the first time in days, he felt his body relax. Was this a spell of sorts? He wasn't sure.
Before long, Calcifer appeared with a cup of tea, its delicate fragrance filling the air.
[Hint: You've consumed Calcifer's enchanted black tea. Your spirit value is slowly being restored.]
William felt a sudden clarity as he sipped from the white porcelain cup, the amber liquid within shimmering in the light. Glancing at his status, he noticed his fatigue slipping away, his energy returning with each sip. Could tea really do that? He wondered if this brew could even help those suffering from harsher conditions, like the death penalty state.
Pulling out a sleek, black feather from his pouch, William placed it carefully on the table. "I found this feather during my travels. Can you craft something from it?"
Calcifer picked up the feather, turning it over in his hands with practiced ease. He inspected it carefully, his green eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"This feather... it's quite rare," he muttered, his voice trailing off as he examined the intricate details of the plume.
Despite his scattered thoughts, Calcifer was striking to behold; an effortlessly captivating figure. His long golden hair cascaded over his shoulders, gleaming in the sunlight, while his emerald eyes sparkled with intelligence. The silver earrings dangling from his ears caught the light, adding an extra layer of brilliance to his appearance. One could easily imagine the legions of admirers who would be captivated by his striking looks.
But for now, all that mattered was his focus on the task at hand.
"You've got an interesting request here," Calcifer said with a smirk, "Let's see what kind of magic we can weave from this feather."
Calcifer examined the feather with a thoughtful expression before gently placing it back on the table.
"It certainly has magical potential, but its properties are not suited for making a weapon of destruction," he explained, his voice calm yet intriguing.
William's curiosity piqued. "Then what could it be made into?"
Calcifer took a sip of his tea before answering. "For example, a magic fan that confuses the mind. A simple wave in front of someone could turn them into a puppet, completely under your control. However, if they are on guard, it would be much less effective."
William considered this, his thoughts drifting to a darker place. It'd be convenient for abducting children, he mused. He'd heard rumors of traffickers who used similar methods; slapping a child into a daze, making them easy to control and kidnap. But that wasn't something he wanted to be associated with. Gathering enough crow feathers to create such an item would make him no better than those traffickers. Besides, it wouldn't be of any use against monsters.
He frowned. "Is that the only thing you can make with these feathers?"
Calcifer leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips. "There are other possibilities... flying magic items, for instance," he said, his voice carrying an air of mystery. "But you'd need more feathers."
"How many more?" William asked, hopeful.
Calcifer paused, estimating. "About 150 feathers."
William's jaw dropped. One hundred and fifty? He barely had 30, not even a fraction of what was required.
"You could've just said I didn't have enough instead of making it sound like I was close," William muttered to himself, shaking his head.
He sighed, giving up on the idea of a magical fan. "Alright, how much for the processing fee?"
Calcifer smiled warmly. "Since you're my first customer, I'll give you a deal. One gold coin."
William blinked in surprise. One gold coin? That was quite a generous offer. He didn't sense any deception in Calcifer's tone, and despite the eccentricity of this magical shopkeeper, the people of this world tended to be honest, if a bit odd. Besides, even if he was being cheated, there wasn't much he could do about it. Better to stay positive and go with the flow.
One gold coin equaled 100 silver coins, and at the moment, William didn't have many silver coins to spare. This price was enough to buy a high-quality weapon in Moonlight Village. He realized this "customization" might just be a way to reduce material costs, but it was still a tempting offer.
"What else can you buy here?" William asked, shifting the conversation.
Before Calcifer could respond, the owl chimed in, ever helpful. "We offer magic spells, powerful weapons, rare potions, secret knowledge, and the ability to purchase or transmit real-time intelligence from all corners of the world."
William's eyes widened. This "grocery store" truly had an impressive range of goods. He began browsing through some of the items on offer:
[Dragon Hunting Bow]: A silver-quality bow, perfect for slaying formidable beasts. Price: 300 ancient gold coins.
[Basic Magic Encyclopedia]: Grants the ability to transfer into the magician class, containing numerous low-level spells. Price: 200 gold coins.
[Detailed Explanation of Thief Skills]: For those looking to become a thief, this book contains essential skills and techniques. Price: 100 gold coins.
[Pyroblast Scroll]: A powerful magic scroll that releases advanced fire magic. Price: 5 gold coins.
[Magic Potion]: Quickly restores mana, with an effect that lasts for an hour. Price: 1 gold coin.
[Mysterious Awakening Potion]: Cures most negative mental states and restores your mental value to its peak. Price: 2 gold coins.
[Communication Bulletin Board]: Allows you to broadcast messages to all residents in a designated area. The cost varies depending on the scope and content of the message, starting at 50 silver coins.
[Combat Skill - Piercing Attack]: A basic skill that channels the body's energy to give a weapon a powerful piercing ability. Price: 1 gold coin.
William skimmed the list, eyes lingering on the Dragon Hunting Bow. The price was steep, but the power it offered… He filed it away for future consideration, knowing full well that the owl's grocery store might just have what he needed down the road.