Chapter 20

"By the way, what exactly was that black transfer stone those guys had?"

"It's still under investigation. But we'll handle it from here. It... must have been tough for you, right?"

Heather said this with a slightly apologetic look.

"Well... it was a bit of a hassle."

Heather was probably referring to the psychological impact.

"Given that, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk too much about that stone. Have the Forestbirds been informed?"

Heather whispered this in a low voice.

Ah... They were talking about a walk or a tour, but it seems the real purpose was to keep us quiet.

From her tone, it seems the guild might already have some information on that black transfer stone. For example, if they trace the performance or origin of the black transfer stone, it might lead to the people behind those guys.

Whether it's due to the properties of the black stone or the people behind them, they've decided it's necessary to keep things under wraps.

...And they'll handle the rest.

If there are still others involved, it's probably a sound judgment not to involve more victims.

Hunting criminals is quite different from exploring the dungeon, which is why Heather is sympathetic to us. Getting involved would be "tough" again, so they'll handle it themselves.

"...I don't think they know anything. We only found out after talking to Rosetta."

"Understood. I'm heading to Rosetta's place next... but since she talked to you as the parties involved, she probably won't spread it around."

Indeed, it's about keeping things quiet. Rosetta said it depends on the content, but she might tell us if it's important.

The black transfer stone... is probably a processed version of the red transfer stone. Processing a red transfer stone can improve usability or change its performance, as confirmed by BFO. As for the black stone's performance... it can be guessed by elimination.

Whether returning from a monument or escaping from the dungeon using a red transfer stone... the destination is always the monument at the dungeon entrance.

If the black transfer stone can change the fixed "transfer destination" for humans, it could enable crimes like kidnapping, imprisonment, and human trafficking. This makes more sense than them targeting us for our money.

...Well, this is more of a guess based on what BFO players wanted.

Such an item didn't exist in the game for a simple reason: an item that allows player kidnapping would never be allowed.

The same goes for magic. Curses that bind others' actions for a long time were not learnable by BFO players. Mind reading spells that reveal thoughts, emotions, or lies were also unlearnable for the same reason. Using such spells between players would cause trouble. Even in a VRMMO that reads brain waves, mind reading magic would be ethically problematic.

Naturally, a transfer stone that freely sets the player's destination would not exist in the game.

"Let me confirm again, can we leave it to you?"

"Yes. With Snakebite captured, I don't expect similar incidents for a while."

...Well, that's probably true. Grace and I will go shopping as planned.

Even for shopping, we need to prioritize defensive items, staves, and furniture. If there are security concerns, it's even more important to have them.

"Welcome."

As we entered the shop, an unfamiliar, stimulating smell hit our noses.

...The source of the smell is probably in the back. The shop itself is neatly organized with bottles of medicine neatly displayed, but the room behind the counter is a mess with a large pot in the center and scattered experimental equipment and papers on the table.

According to information from the Adventurer's Guild, there's a skilled alchemist in the North District, so we headed to her shop first. The first thing to buy is Grace's defensive item.

"Is this the shop of the alchemist Beatrice?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm Beatrice."

The shop owner, with blackish-purple hair and eyes, looked lethargic.

She rested her cheek on the counter, fiddling with a quill pen. She might be considered beautiful, but she lacks any energy. Is she okay?

"What brings you here...?"

She yawned. Am I in the right place?

I have my doubts, but there's no other option.

"Um, this is a letter of introduction from the Adventurer's Guild. We need an alchemical magical creature for defense."

...That's what I'm looking for from alchemy.

Beatrice took the letter and asked.

"There are various magical creatures. Which one do you want?"

"Shadow Mercury."

"...That sounds like a big job. What's your budget?"

"About 1500 kirig."

"Alright."

Beatrice narrowed her eyes and smiled. It's a fair price. Well then.

"Sir Theodor... you don't have to go to such lengths..."

...As expected, Grace said this. She'll understand if I explain the reasons.

"Having a high-performance one will be useful even for dungeon exploration."

"...I see."

Shadow Mercury. It can take the form of a small animal or hide in shadows, but it's actually a malleable magical creature that can harden. Essentially, it's an artificial slime.

"But I can't guarantee high performance... Shadow Mercury is a naturally excellent familiar, but as a familiar, its abilities can't exceed those of its master."

"I understand."

That's why I chose Shadow Mercury.

While relatively inexpensive for a magical creature, its performance depends heavily on the quality of the blood used as a catalyst. It can be a bargain at 1500 kirig or barely useful.

But this time, Grace and I will provide the blood. I'm confident it won't be subpar.

Considering the price and performance, I believe it offers the best cost-effectiveness.

Another advantage is that it only requires magic power to maintain, so there's no need for food. It's also unobtrusive and doesn't create a sense of intimidation, among other reasons.

It will take 3 days to complete. A down payment of 750 kirig, and the remaining amount will be paid upon completion.

So, we provided the blood to serve as the catalyst for the Shadow Mercury and left Beatrice's shop.

Next, we should buy furniture, right? A staff can be managed with lower floors and might be found while exploring, but furniture can't be obtained in the dungeon. We should buy the essentials first and then budget for a staff.

So, we discussed and shopped together.

"A canopy bed isn't really my style."

"I think something grand is needed for the master bedroom..."

"Hmm..."

"A proper vanity is a must, right?"

"I'm fine with a hand mirror."

"We compromised on the wardrobe... let's get a decent one."

"This bench is quite comfortable."

"Really? This one is good. What about a dining table?"

"How about that one?"

...We discussed and chose items in the furniture store in the North District.

The items will be delivered later, which is great.

The last issue... was the staff.

We didn't find a satisfactory one in the North District. The shop owner said better materials could make a better staff.

Should we search the dungeon or other districts? What should we do?

The problem with not having a staff... is not just the inability to use staff techniques, but also the recoil damage when casting high-level spells from a looped state. I don't want to experiment with that, so I'd rather avoid it.