After securing the goblin and finishing his preparations, the Traveller stepped out of the ritual room, looking eager.
"I'll be needing the ritual room a little while longer," he informed Cassandra.
She shot him a wary look as he strode out to the city's edge, leading a small flock of lambs back with him not long after, each one trailing him like an unlikely procession of wool and bleats. Alongside them, he'd purchased another bucket of meat maggots. With more than a few raised eyebrows from passersby, he herded his acquisitions through the city streets and back to the Nightwatcher headquarters.
As he re-entered, Cassandra's eye twitched at the growing spectacle in their common room. First goblins, now sheep! Then thinking of the magic the traveller had chosen, she felt a pan of guilt at her thoughts. Cassandra seemed to want to say something but the Traveller had closed the door to the ritual room before she could.
"Back in a bit," the Traveller said cheerfully, closing the door to the ritual room.
Once inside, he surveyed the lambs with gleeful determination. "Alright, time to make some money!"
Oh no, Lucian groaned internally, sensing where this was headed.
"Here's the plan," the Traveller explained with a smirk. "First, you'll inhabit a meat maggot, so it counts as part of us. Then, I'll perform the Flesh of the Lamb ritual, where the 'flesh' given to the lamb is technically…ours." He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Then, to maximize the effect, you'll switch to the goblin while I conduct the Purification of Death ritual. In the end, we get premium magical meat from the lamb at the cost of an ordinary lamb and a few maggots. Brilliant, right?"
So I'll experience being eaten, then turning old and drained of life, right after having my face ripped off? Lucian grumbled.
"Think of it as the joy of generating wealth," the Traveller replied with a grin, muting Lucian before he could object.
He began the ritual, feeling a warm surge of magic flow through him, entering the lamb as he fed it the enchanted meat maggot. The magic imbued the lamb with a pure, almost divine energy that seemed to glow from within, even as the Traveller sensed an undercurrent of betrayal and evil in the ritual's design and the magic it brought. The lamb, now enhanced and strengthened, nuzzled him in affection, while he found himself gripped by an unsettling craving to devour it.
"What a cruel irony," the Traveller mused aloud. "An innocent lamb thinking its shepherd is its protector, family, even feed it their own flesh, only for the shepherd to prepare it for slaughter."
Even more cruel to be eaten repeatedly, Lucian's voice broke through, but the Traveller waved off his complaints.
They continued the ritual, strengtheing the magic with each repetition until the lamb began to emit a soft white glow. No longer able to absorb any more magic, the lamb was ready. The Traveller took up his blade and, with a swift motion, ended its life, feeling the weight of the ritual's betrayal settle heavily in the air.
He proceeded with the Purification of Death, watching as the lamb's body dissolved under the magic. When the light faded, all that remained was a perfectly prepared cut of meat, nearly radiant in its allure.
Flesh from the Lamb of Innocence
Description: A cut of flesh from a lamb that trusted its shepherd until the bitter end. This meat, infused with betrayal and purity, has the power to absolve the consumer of a significant amount of magical price.
Price: The consumer will develop an aura of deliciousness, making them appear more…appetizing.
The Traveller restrained himself from devouring the piece immediately, even as a surge of hunger tempted him. He continued, conducting the same series of rituals with the rest of the lambs until each piece lay prepared.
With a sigh of satisfaction, he took a step back, admiring the neat arrangement of enchanted cuts. "Not a bad day's work," he said to himself, a smile of triumph flickering across his face.
By the end of his work, the Traveller was left with twelve pieces of the precious, enchanted meat. He quickly drew a magic circle and returned to the House of the Merchant, taking on a new face—an older, sharp-featured man, hidden beneath a cloak he'd purchased. Despite Cassandra's assurances of safety within the market, he preferred to keep a low profile when dealing in valuable goods.
Approaching the selling counter, he placed one piece of meat down, catching the merchant's attention immediately. The merchant, initially uninterested, adjusted his monocle and inspected the cut from every angle, his expression quickly turning to astonishment.
"Incredible! The Flesh of the Lamb, but of such purity and potency—this piece barely has a price embedded," he murmured, admiration evident.
"And how much can you offer for it?" the Traveller asked, his voice steady and cold.
The merchant placed the meat on a scale, counterbalancing it with coins, eyes gleaming as the weight tipped. "I can offer five gold Imperials, three silver Pounds, two copper Dollars, and thirty-two bits for this piece."
The Traveller gave a nod, pulling out the remaining eleven pieces of meat. The merchant's surprise deepened as he eagerly weighed each piece. After careful calculation, he finalized, "That's fifty-seven gold and four silver in total. Given the rarity and quality, I'll personally round it to sixty gold Imperials. Please, take this card—it entitles you to a 5% discount on all purchases and sales here, the highest available to any customer. Should you have ingredients like this again, come directly to me. My name is Daryl by the way."
The Traveller accepted the card with a curt nod and left, keeping his identity as discreet as possible. After switching clothes and faces, he re-entered the market, now appearing as a young man, and approached the purchasing area.
"I'm looking for a storage item—a magic one, capable of holding living things."
The merchant nodded, producing several bags. "We have a few types of magic knapsacks," he said, laying them out, "this one here has a one-meter square space..."
After some thought, the Traveller selected a deluxe, heavy-duty bag for fifty-three gold Imperials. Though it appeared as a small, ornate coin pouch, it could expand to hold up to four cubic meters. Not only was it durable and highly resistant to damage, but it also reduced the weight of its contents by 97%. However, the bag came with a high price: it required a daily offering of six silver Pounds to maintain its enchantment—a staggering six gold Imperials a week. Still, he deemed it worth the cost.
Returning to the ritual room, he meticulously cleaned up the remnants of his work, utilizing the flesh-devouring properties of the ghoul sword to dispose of any traces of flesh and blood.
"I must say, this ghoul sword is a blessing," he remarked, watching as it devoured the remnants. "It even works like a self-cleaning mop."
If Aron knew his fate was to become a mop, Lucian muttered, he'd probably rise from the grave. Come to think of it, what if the Ezekiel family starts looking for us?
"They may not even know we're alive, or where to look. But you're right—there are magic that can do strange things," the Traveller mused. "Luckily, we've joined the Nightwatchers. This is exactly why we need good relations with everyone here, especially Cassandra. And, on that note, I saved a piece of the lamb meat. Let's invite everyone for a meal, shall we?"