The vendor glanced at the meat in Perry's hand, his eyes lighting up with a hint of surprise. "Oh? That's quite a coincidence—someone just asked if I had this. I remember they were specifically looking for Razza Quadruped meat."
Hearing this, Perry felt a spark of excitement and quickly asked, "Oh? Someone's interested? Could you tell me who they are?" He was already calculating in his mind; if there was indeed a buyer interested in this meat, he could raise the price and potentially exchange it for more valuable ingredients or other useful items.
The vendor thought for a moment, then said, "Hmm… that person was wearing a trench coat and a hat, looking rather well-disguised."
Perry's heart skipped a beat, and he thought to himself, "Could it be Hinnal?" The idea both surprised and amused him; he'd just seen Hinnal walk away coldly, yet now he might be the one looking for Razza Quadruped meat.
Seeing Perry's slight distraction, the vendor added, "He left not too long ago and wasn't moving too quickly. If you hurry, you might catch up. But if you'd rather not bother, you could always trade with me instead. I've got some good meat here—not as rare, but definitely worth the value."
Perry considered the vendor's offer. Trading directly with him would save some trouble, but he'd still have to find someone else to exchange for the rare hairy crab he needed. Since the vendor's meat didn't meet his specific requirements, it would just add extra hassle. It might be more efficient to track down Hinnal directly and see what he could offer for the Razza Quadruped meat. Given that Hinnal was looking for it, he might be willing to trade something more suitable.
With this in mind, Perry decided to find Hinnal first. He smiled at the vendor and said, "Thank you for the offer. If I can't find him, I'll come back and trade with you."
The vendor nodded cheerfully, not pressing further. "Sure thing, young man. Go ahead and give it a try. This meat does have its market, after all. If you can't find him, just come back here—I'll offer you a fair price."
With the vendor's understanding, Perry turned and quickly walked in the direction Hinnal had gone, feeling a surge of excitement. If Hinnal really was the one looking for the Razza Quadruped meat, this could be his chance to connect with him—and possibly reap even greater rewards. With this thought in mind, he quickened his pace, scanning the crowd for that familiar trench-coated figure.
The marketplace bustled with people of all kinds, with the aroma of food and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares creating an incredibly lively atmosphere. As Perry moved, he kept his eyes peeled, hoping Hinnal hadn't gotten too far—this could be a rare opportunity he didn't want to miss.
Perry navigated the marketplace, searching for any sign of Hinnal. He scanned the crowd anxiously, trying to spot the figure in a hat and trench coat among the busy throng of customers and vendors. But as he focused intently, he suddenly caught sight of two familiar figures——Lionel and Omar, leisurely making their way toward him.
Perry's heart sank, and he instinctively ducked behind a nearby stall, trying to blend into the stacks of goods while carefully observing their movements. He muttered under his breath to his system, annoyed, "Why are they here? It's like they're haunting me…"
Just then, a uniformed staff member approached Lionel, bowing slightly as he spoke to him in a respectful, low voice. Perry recognized the staff member as Tim, the somewhat scatterbrained young man who had helped him at the bubble stall earlier.
Standing at a distance, Perry watched Lionel and Tim converse, wishing he could hear their conversation. But being too far away, he could only see their expressions and gestures without catching any words. Sensing his frustration, the system's calm voice sounded in his mind, offering reassurance: [Don't worry, I can go over and listen to their conversation. After all, no one but you can see me.]
Perry gave a grateful nod. "Oh, that's perfect. Go and eavesdrop for me, then."
Without another word, the system discreetly floated toward Lionel and Tim. Perry waited in place, holding his breath as he waited for the system's report, gripping the edge of the stall beside him with a faint sense of anxiety, afraid of being discovered. After a moment, the system's voice returned in his mind, relaying Tim and Lionel's conversation.
Perry focused, listening intently as the system conveyed the exchange.
Tim asked respectfully, "Young master, are you looking for someone?" His voice was soft, careful, as if he were afraid to offend Lionel.
Lionel shot Tim a cold glance and replied with an expressionless face, "Did you see anyone in a mage's robe come here?"
Tim paused, clearly thinking back before answering cautiously, "Yes, I remember a young boy wearing a mage's robe who looked around your age, sir."
Lionel narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp gleam flashing in his gaze as he seemed to ponder something. After a moment, he asked, "Do you know his name?"
Tim shook his head, looking slightly uneasy. "Sorry, young master. We don't usually ask customers for their names—we're just here to assist with transactions."
Lionel's face darkened with irritation, clearly unsatisfied with Tim's response. With an edge of impatience, he said coldly, "Next time you see him, tell him to come see me."
With that, Lionel turned away without waiting for a response, striding confidently through the crowd as if expecting everyone to make way. Omar followed closely behind him, silent as always. Lionel's steps were purposeful and self-assured, completely ignoring the gazes of those around him.
Perry let out a sigh of relief in the shadows. Thankfully, Lionel hadn't pressed him for more details, or he would have felt even more nervous. But despite this, knowing that Lionel was looking for him still made Perry uneasy, and questions surged in his mind. Why was Lionel searching for him? Was it because of the incident in the classroom? Lionel's appearance in this market puzzled Perry and only added to his anxiety.
"Could he be waiting for me here?" Perry whispered to the system, his voice tinged with faint worry.
[He probably just happened to see someone in a magic robe here and got curious,] the system reassured him. [But it's best to stay cautious. Now that Lionel's attention has shifted, it might be wise to take off the robe.]
Perry nodded, took off his magic robe, and tucked it into his backpack. He decided to avoid Lionel's line of sight for now. Blending into the crowd, he disguised himself as an ordinary customer, carefully moving toward a more secluded area, all the while scanning his surroundings to avoid running into Lionel or Omar again.
Perry glanced up at the clock floating in the air, encased in a bubble. Time was running out, with less than an hour left until the deadline. Growing more anxious, he looked around, trying to spot Hinnal in the crowd. After a few minutes of searching, he finally saw a familiar figure—Hinnal, dressed in a trench coat and hat, maintaining that unapproachable demeanor. Without a second thought, Perry quickly made his way toward him, worried he might miss the opportunity.
Just as he was about to greet him, Hinnal seemed to sense someone approaching but continued walking without a glance. Perry raised his voice slightly, hoping to catch Hinnal's attention: "Wait! Are you looking for Lazaar quadruped meat?"
The moment he spoke, Hinnal's steps finally halted. He slowly turned around, his gaze landing coldly on Perry, looking somewhat surprised but with a hint of wariness in his eyes. Perry felt a surge of joy when Hinnal finally stopped, quickening his pace with a smile he could hardly contain, eagerly awaiting Hinnal's response.
However, to Perry's surprise, Hinnal looked at him and suddenly spoke in a detached, icy tone: "Are you some kind of stalker?"
Perry was stunned by the question, feeling as though he'd been struck by lightning. His smile froze, his mind blank, unable to respond for a moment as a wave of indescribable embarrassment and shock washed over him. He opened his mouth, but the words he had prepared were disrupted by this unexpected accusation.
"I… I'm not a stalker!" Perry stammered, forcing a strained smile as he tried to defend himself. "I just happened to see you and happened to know you're looking for quadruped meat, so I thought I'd ask…"
Hinnal's expression remained cold, clearly unconvinced by Perry's explanation. He narrowed his eyes slightly, scrutinizing Perry as though trying to read every subtle expression. After a long pause, he coldly responded, "Just happened to see me? Do you really think I'd believe such a coincidence?"
Perry was at a loss for words at this question, his initial embarrassment gradually giving way to urgency. He knew he had to explain himself clearly, or Hinnal might not give him a chance at all. Taking a deep breath, Perry forced himself to stay calm, looking Hinnal in the eye as he said earnestly, "I know this may sound abrupt, but I truly saw you by chance. I have the Lazaar quadruped meat you're looking for. Since you're interested, I just thought I could maybe trade it for something."
Hinnal raised an eyebrow, seeming both skeptical and a bit tempted by Perry's offer, as his gaze showed a hint of hesitation. After a moment of silence, he finally sighed lightly and replied coolly, "I hope you're not playing any tricks."
Perry shook his head quickly, not wanting Hinnal to misunderstand. He held out his hand, revealing the piece of Lazaar quadruped meat in his palm. It emitted a unique scent, faintly glowing with a dark shimmer. This piece of meat was a treasure he'd obtained with considerable effort, and he didn't want to miss the chance to make a deal.