Avena sat across from Ciel, her right elbow propped on the table, palm supporting her cheek, watching Ciel eat with her head lowered.
It was evident Ciel was very hungry. Although she ate quickly, her table manners were methodical and pleasing to watch. Just watching Ciel eat seemed to increase her own appetite.
Although lacking any noble rules and etiquette, it didn’t give any uncomfortable feeling, rather appearing natural and graceful.
Avena took advantage of the pause in Ciel’s eating to scan the surroundings, the now somewhat empty kitchen and the adjoining living room, looking around.
Here… is where Ciel lived before?
Ciel came from the Clock Tower Alley district, but the harsh environment didn’t seem to affect her much… not at all like someone from the bottom layer.
Although Avena had no intention of discriminating against lower-class people, everything Ciel displayed still made her feel somewhat incredulous.
After Ciel finished eating, Avena looked up and asked, “There’s still some time before the banquet. Do you have any plans for the time being?”
Ciel put down her knife and fork, wiped her mouth with a napkin, thought carefully, then said, “Make a trip to the Church of the Savior Goddess, then report safety to my sister, Adele, and Amy.”
“After reporting safety, let’s go buy a formal dress together.” Avena glanced at the dress Ciel was wearing and said, “You don’t have a decent formal dress yet.”
Originally, Avena wanted to say “clothes,” as Ciel’s clothes, in Avena’s view, were just rags used to cover the body.
This wasn’t her exaggerating. Avena felt Ciel should wear more beautiful clothes, which would make her look cuter, rather than treating clothes as tools to wrap the body.
After all, dressing up nicely improves one’s mood.
“Buy a formal dress?” Ciel looked at Avena and asked, “For the banquet?”
“Alright.” Ciel didn’t refuse. After all, she only had a few sets of clothes in total. Besides the somewhat expensive school uniform, the others were washed somewhat faded.
Previously, when attending formal occasions like Deton Manor, she always wore Avena’s clothes, but the size was slightly larger, not fitting particularly well.
The current Ciel didn’t have any Su pound anxiety anymore. First-tier potions and Reconstitution Rituals, she could get from Tara in the simulation. Tara would surely find a way to get them for her, so there was no need to worry about potions.
Even the leftover potions she had on hand could be entrusted to Avena to sell, exchanging for some cash to facilitate her actions.
“I thought you would refuse.” Avena was slightly surprised seeing Ciel agree so readily.
But thinking about it, Ciel seemed to have always spent money quite wildly. Whether it was thousands or hundreds of pounds, the money she got her hands on was almost always spent quickly, then she had to borrow money from herself.
This way of spending money wasn’t like a young girl, but rather like a desperate fugitive unsure if there’s a tomorrow, needing to squander all money before death.
Thinking of this, Avena couldn’t help but speak up, reminding, “Ciel, you need to save some money.”
“Save money?” Ciel took a sip of black tea, asking somewhat puzzledly, “Why?”
Honestly, Ciel had no intention of saving money at all.
Whether it was horse betting, gambling, or killing and robbing, money came very quickly. If needed, just operate a bit in the simulation. Temporarily, she had no thoughts of saving money.
“You’re collecting potions, right?” Avena didn’t answer Ciel’s question, but asked back.
This was easy to guess. After all, almost no one bought five or six bottles of potions at once like wholesale.
“Yes.” Ciel nodded. She didn’t hide this point; she indeed needed to collect potions.
“If you want to collect all potions, then for one path’s potions, you need to save enough money.” Avena, after pretending to think for a moment, said mysteriously, “Probably… starting from ten thousand Su pounds.”
“How much?” Hearing this number, Ciel thought she misheard for a moment, hesitated, then asked, “Fourth tier?”
Seemingly satisfied with Ciel’s surprised little expression, Avena continued happily, “First tier.”
“What path?” Hearing this, Ciel was basically stunned. There were indeed a few paths that were quite rare, but she didn’t expect the price to be so outrageous.
This is the first tier, right? The darkest Deton Manor only sold it for 800 Su pounds.
At this point, Avena stopped keeping her in suspense, explaining, “‘Musician’. Actually, the ‘Musician’ potion and path cost at most 1000 Su pounds, but purchasing requires conditions.”
“One of the conditions is that it’s only sold to nobles—which means you at least need to or bribe your way into a baronetcy.”
“The price of donating a title now is probably upwards of ten thousand pounds… provided someone is willing to take the money and mention your name to the Queen.”
“Musician” is actually a path controlled by the royal family? Need to buy a noble title to purchase it?
“Black market? Deton Manor? Or can you buy it directly for me?” Ciel proposed several possibilities, asking tentatively.
“You might not be clear about the way to obtain the ‘Musician’ potion,” Avena shook her head, saying, “Even I basically can’t obtain it.”
Next, Avena patiently explained the method of obtaining the “Musician” potion to Ciel. After listening, Ciel also fell silent.
This is indeed difficult…
Obtaining the “Musician” potion and Reconstitution Ritual from the royal family is extremely difficult.
First condition, you must be a noble.
Second, you need to pass the royal family’s music theory and instrument assessments. After passing all assessments, if the royal family judges you have completed the Reconstitution Ritual, they will issue you a certificate.
Only with this certificate do you gain the qualification to purchase the potion, and only one bottle, taken under royal supervision.
This is considered the most difficult potion to obtain among known paths. However, for Ciel, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
Just need to spend Fate Points to raise music theory and performance to at least Lv.3, then study for a period in the simulation—perhaps less than a month, should be able to pass the assessments smoothly.
As for ten thousand pounds… obtaining it in the simulation is very simple; Ciel has many ways.