Chapter 21

Although he had already reached a verbal agreement with Gorden, and breaking it would have a negative impact on his reputation, Mage Rodok could not resist the temptation offered by Haolin. The price he offered was two pieces of animal skin, each the size of a palm.

The skin was black with a faint blood-red glow, rough like sandpaper, and emitted the scent of fire and sulfur. Rodok clearly remembered that, according to the records in the *Bestiary of the Abyss*, these characteristics perfectly matched the skin of a Nightmare.

Nightmares are horse-like creatures that live in the Abyss, with strong and large bodies. They can attack enemies with their fiery hooves and smoke. However, the most terrifying aspect of these creatures is their ability to instill fear in the hearts of enemies on the battlefield, and even to invade the minds of sleeping beings through planar projection, creating nightmares.

Nightmares are masters of mind control and illusions, and their skin is a premium material that illusionists like Rodok dream of obtaining.

If converted into gold coins, the value of Gorden's elemental essence and gems was roughly equivalent to Haolin's Nightmare skin. However, for Rodok, the Nightmare skin was undoubtedly more precious.

"I'm sorry, but the Nightmare skin this gentleman offered is more important to me. Our deal must be canceled as a result," Rodok bowed to Gorden.

The deal that was about to be completed fell through, and the item he wanted was taken by someone who was hostile to him. The feeling of being "stolen away" made Gorden very unhappy. But what could he do? Fly into a rage and curse? That would only make him appear uncultivated and wouldn't change anything.

Ultimately, it was Gorden's own lack of strength that was the problem. If he were a high-level mage who had mastered spells of the sixth circle or higher, would Haolin dare to be so arrogant in front of him? If he had an item even more precious than Nightmare skin, would Rodok have refused?

"Then, I wish you both a successful transaction," Gorden smiled, nodded to the two, and turned to leave.

Behind him, Haolin's triumphant and sarcastic voice echoed: "No matter how much you try to act like a gentleman, you're still a failure."

Gorden returned to the trading hall, searching for other items to trade. Unfortunately, the opportunity for mages to sell their cherished magic books was not frequent. After an hour of fruitless searching, Gorden decided to leave.

As he walked down the quiet corridor on the first floor of the guild leading to the main gate, Gorden saw someone he did not want to see—Haolin Heideberg. It seemed he was waiting there specifically. When he saw Gorden, he immediately took out his newly acquired trophy—*Dasson's Notes on Transmutation Spells*—and waved it around boastfully: "Baron Gorden, I'm a generous person. If you're willing to wash dishes at my house for three days, I can lend you this book to read. Would the noble mage be willing to humble himself?"

Haolin emphasized the word "Baron," his mockery evident.

"What did you say!" Haolin's voice rose sharply, hit by Gorden's words.

"I said, you're just a despicable and lowly rat," Gorden shrugged, ignoring the other's anger. "If you were truly confident and honest, you wouldn't choose to mock me in such an isolated place. I'm sure you know that if other mages witnessed your undignified behavior, it would harm your reputation."

"Damn it, I'll kill you!" Haolin, driven by anger, began to gather arcane energy in his hands, preparing to attack.

Gorden sneered, fully on guard. In the Mage Guild, private duels were prohibited everywhere except in the arena on the basement level. Therefore, he would never make the first move, so that he could claim the moral and legal high ground afterward. Whether he would injure or cripple the other was another matter.

Gorden, who cast spells using mana, was far more powerful than the average mage. With his custom-made magic wand, he could unleash a dozen powerful Melf's Acid Arrows at the start of a fight, leaving the opponent either dead or severely injured.

Seeing Gorden's sneer, Haolin shuddered, and the spell he was about to cast was swallowed back. Engaging in a fight in the Mage Guild was not a good idea. Although the guild's structure was loose and lacked a strict hierarchy, it did not mean that one could act as they pleased. Those who dared to use magic to fight privately in the guild did not end well.

Thinking of this, Haolin backed down, holding up *Dasson's Notes on Transmutation Spells* in a victorious manner: "Impressive, Gorden. Today, you've shown me the sharp tongue of a noble. But a failure is still a failure. I can drive you out of the magic workshop, I can take the magic book you wanted, and my magical prowess surpasses yours. In the future, I will always be one step ahead of you!"

"Time will tell who the real failure is," Gorden said.

"Hmph!" Haolin flung his mage robe and stormed out.

Gorden returned home in a foul mood. Wasting so much time in the Mage Guild without any gains left him very frustrated. After all, time was precious to him now.

Adjusting his mood, Gorden spent the rest of the day reading books and practicing magic. A mage's power comes from knowledge, and knowledge must be accumulated bit by bit. Warriors can break through instantly with enlightenment, priests can transform with divine grace, and sorcerers can boost their strength by activating their bloodline powers, but there are no shortcuts on the path of pursuing arcane and truth.

The next day, Gorden prepared to visit the Mage Guild again, hoping for better luck.

Perhaps the law of conservation of luck really exists. The *Dasson's Notes on Transmutation Spells* that he was about to get yesterday was snatched away by Haolin, leaving Gorden very frustrated. However, when he arrived at the second-floor trading hall of the guild today, he quickly found a new item to trade.

A young mage named Dorn Lannister needed a unique magical item as a birthday gift for his uncle. The specific requirements needed to be discussed in person, and if the deal was made, he would offer an ancient mage's handwritten magic notebook as payment.

Dorn Lannister was not in the Mage Guild but had left an address. Gorden used the guild's communication device to notify him and set a meeting time.

As the evening lights came on, Gorden left home to meet Mr. Lannister.

The city of Bluewater in October showed no signs of late autumn's desolation. Even at night, it was bustling with people. The Harvest Festival on October 20th was approaching, and merchants, like the green-scaled salmon that return to the Iceflow River in November to spawn, flooded into Bluewater, seeking business opportunities. After the harvest, farmers, to earn extra money and have a more relaxed winter, also came to this bustling commercial city.

Gorden strolled along the riverside avenue, leaving the noble district. After crossing four blocks, he arrived at Bluewater's most famous red-light district. There was no choice; the place where Mr. Lannister had agreed to meet, the Amber Mask, the city's most luxurious entertainment venue, was located here.

The Amber Mask offered the finest wines, the rarest delicacies, the most spectacular performances, and the most beautiful and fresh bodies. Whether you were a man or a woman, whether you wanted a muscular female centaur or a handsome and delicate elven youth, the Amber Mask would satisfy your desires.

As he entered the red-light district, Gorden felt the atmosphere change abruptly. The air was filled with the smell of cheap perfume and ale, and drunkards and heavily made-up prostitutes wandered the streets.

Fortunately, the streetwalkers, who were used to the streets, knew that Gorden, dressed in a mage robe, was not a potential customer. Only rough mercenaries and drunk dockworkers would visit them, so they did not bother him. Gorden smoothly arrived at the Amber Mask.

Pushing open the door carved with the image of the goddess of pleasure, he walked in, and a wave of heat mixed with the scent of food and raucous laughter immediately hit him. Gorden frowned, preparing to ask someone for directions, when a voluptuous woman approached. Her swaying hips seemed to be under a charm spell, making it difficult for Gorden to look away.

The only regret was that the woman wore an amber mask, covering half her face, preventing him from seeing her true appearance.

"I am Lady Daina, the owner of the Amber Mask. May I ask what I can do for this young mage?" she said. "We have a new catgirl in the house, and her wildness will suit your taste."

"No, I—"

"Oh, you don't like it? Perhaps, the strong barbarian boy Hake can satisfy you."

Gorden felt that if this continued, his sexual orientation would be twisted in a very strange direction, so he decided to get straight to the point: "I'm here to meet Dorn Lannister."

"Oh, Mr. Gorden Freeman? Mr. Lannister has already given instructions. Please follow me."

Gorden breathed a sigh of relief. He was not good at dealing with such flirtatious women.

Although the Amber Mask was a pleasure venue, it also provided accommodation services. Because it could supply fine wine, delicious food, and beautiful companions at any time, its accommodation business was quite successful, surpassing many regular inns.

Dorn Lannister was staying in the Duke Suite on the top floor of the Amber Mask. According to Duro, the cost of staying one night was 50 gold coins, more than the profit Gorden made from crafting a Ring of Vigor.

"It seems the other party is either a rich second-generation or a nouveau riche. Maybe I should take advantage of this?" Gorden formed his first impression of Dorn Lannister before meeting him.

Lady Daina led Gorden to the suite door and left with a flirtatious wave. Gorden knocked on the door, but there was no response. Instead, the sound of a woman moaning came from inside.

"Damn!" Gorden was slightly embarrassed.

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