After a few minutes, Ethan stepped out of the room, Lia trailing closely behind. The streets of the city had grown busier, the chatter of merchants and customers blending with the clatter of wagons and footsteps.
"So, where exactly are we headed?" Ethan asked, his voice low as they maneuvered through the bustling streets.
"There's a market in the eastern district," Lia explained. "If you ask the right questions—or slip a few coins to the right people—you can find some… less-than-official vendors."
"Less-than-official," Ethan repeated with a smile. What the hell was he getting himself into? Perhaps he should stick to leveling up his summons and leveling up himself?
"Master, we are here." Lia whispered to him, breaking him out of his thoughts.
Ethan blinked and looked up, realizing they'd entered a part of the city that felt distinctly different from the rest.
The bustling streets gave way to narrow alleys filled with haphazard stalls and makeshift tents. The vendors were a mix of shady characters and ordinary folks trying to make ends meet, their eyes darting warily at the passersby.
"This is it?" Ethan murmured, his voice low as he scanned the area. "Looks… sketchy."
"It is," Lia replied, her voice equally hushed. She stayed close to him, her hazel eyes sharp as she watched the crowd. "But it's also where we're most likely to find what we're looking for. Just… let me do the talking at first. You don't want to draw unnecessary attention."
Ethan raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright. Lead the way."
Lia guided him through the winding pathways, stopping occasionally to glance at a stall or whisper briefly to a vendor. They stopped at a dimly lit booth tucked into the corner of the market.
The vendor, a wiry man with a face half-hidden by a hood, eyed them suspiciously. "What do you want?" he rasped, his voice rough and impatient.
"We're looking for… basic magic spells… anything would do," Lia spoke first. The vendor's gaze flicked between them, lingering on Ethan for a moment before settling back on Lia. "You don't look like you have the coin for anything like that."
Lia didn't flinch. Instead, she reached into her backpack and took out one of the insectoid limbs. "We have enough."
The vendor's demeanor shifted slightly, his suspicion giving way to mild interest. "Alright," he said gruffly. "Follow me. We are going to the back."
The vendor stopped in front of a door made of warped wood, its surface scarred and worn from years of neglect. He rapped twice in a peculiar rhythm, then stepped aside as it creaked open. A stocky figure on the other side—clearly some kind of guard—grunted in acknowledgment before stepping aside to let them in.
Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old parchment. The room was cramped but filled with shelves crammed with books, scrolls, and trinkets that seemed to hum faintly with latent energy. A low-hanging lantern cast a warm glow, giving the space an old antique shop feel.
"This is what we've got," the vendor said, gesturing lazily to the shelves. "Nothing too fancy. Basics, mostly. A few rare ones here and there. Prices vary depending on what catches your eye."
Ethan stepped closer to the shelves, his eyes scanning the titles and sigils etched onto the spines of the books. Some were written in languages he didn't recognize, while others bore symbols that pulsed faintly, as if alive.
He picked up a small scroll marked with a simple emblem and unrolled it slightly. The text shimmered faintly before fading back into the parchment.
"Careful with that," the vendor snapped, his tone sharp. "That one's a barrier spell. Useful, but not cheap."
Ethan replaced the scroll carefully. A barrier spell sounded useful but what he was looking for was… his gaze landed on a newer-looking parchment that was clearly nothing unique.
Mana bolt
He held it up, glancing toward the vendor. "This one," Ethan said.
The vendor leaned forward. "Oh? Basic attack spell," he replied gruffly. "Every novice mage starts with something like that. It's not fancy, but it's reliable. Good range, low mana cost. You want something more destructive, you're looking at triple the price."
Ethan shook his head. "How much for this?" He asked, rolling the parchment slightly in his hand.
The vendor smiled. "One full corpse of that thing!"
Ethan's eyes widened. "A whole corpse? Of an insectoid?" he asked, his tone incredulous. "For a basic spell like Mana Bolt?"
The vendor's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with opportunism. "It's not about the spell, friend. It's about the trade. Those insectoid corpses—especially fresh ones—fetch a high price with the right buyers. Materials, alchemy, crafting... You wouldn't believe how valuable they are."
"That's excessive. A single limb should be more than enough for a basic spell scroll."
The vendor chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Look, you're the ones who want magic without going through official channels. You think I don't know the risk involved? If anyone finds out, I'm the one who pays the price. So, yeah, a whole corpse. Take it or leave it."