After storing the jewels and ornaments he planned to liquidate into his old spatial pouch, Aldric decided to try his luck at the Gilded Eye Jewelry Shop. He intended to sell them off in small batches, hoping to avoid drawing too much attention. Surely, that witch wouldn't make a move against him… right?
Besides, considering how she even kept a chaos demon as a pet, a mere city lord like Antoine probably wasn't worth a second glance in her eyes. Holding onto that comforting thought, Aldric set off for the witch's jewelry shop, bringing along the female warrior, Vittoria.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he didn't dare wear any of the newly acquired equipment openly just yet. But since he wouldn't be staying in the city for much longer, that didn't bother him too much. Once he settled the issue with the merchant ship, he planned to travel to his fief and inspect his territory in person.
When Aldric stepped once more into the residential district of Port Anthony, he could truly feel the tense and uneasy atmosphere that hung over the city. The sun had barely set, yet every household had already shut their doors and windows tightly.
The once-bustling trade district was nearly deserted—only a few shops still had lights on, and not a single pedestrian could be seen on the streets. The only signs of activity came from the city guards—patrol units of nearly thirty men each, marching briskly under the orders of their officers.
Yet even in their numbers, most of the soldiers were fresh recruits, their movements awkward and uncertain. They trudged in silence, afraid that the mere sound of their boots might bring disaster upon them.
During the recent chaos attack the city had lost nearly eight hundred lives. Most of the dead were impoverished residents from the slums, but for the general populace, that tragedy alone was enough to shatter their sense of safety. For these people, who had never even experienced a war before, fear now gripped every heart.
"Come on, don't think too much about it," Vittoria said, giving Aldric a light shove to keep him moving. "They're the lucky ones. If you want to see true misery, take a look at the refugee camps outside the walls—that's where you'll find hell on earth."
Aldric's thoughts drifted briefly to Ted and the others. The last time they met, they'd mentioned heading toward the refugee camp to look for survivors from Rogue Camp. He decided that once he was done with his current business, he would go there and see if there was anything he could do to help.
Soon, they arrived at the familiar jewelry shop, the one that looked more like a fortune-teller's den than a merchant's store. The faint scent of incense hung in the air, just as before. It seemed the mysterious owner of the Gilded Eye still maintained her usual taste and habits.
However, the witch herself wasn't at her usual seat behind the counter. Vittoria ducked her head slightly and stepped inside. "The shopkeeper here's not bad," she said casually. "I've sold spoils here before, if your items are genuine, she usually pays a fair price."
Aldric nodded in agreement, recalling how he'd traded with her last time and received both gold coins and that Damaged Pendant. The witch exuded wealth, every inch of her screamed luxury and power.
Then, the familiar ageless voice drifted from the hidden room behind the counter.
"Well, well, it's you again, little witcher. If you keep coming back like this, I might just end up with a regular witcher client of my own."
A moment later, the witch emerged, still wearing that elegant purple robe, her posture both lazy and graceful as she reclined on her seat.
"So," she purred, "do you have something troublesome that needs my help this time?"
Aldric's eyes instinctively searched the room for that chaos demon she kept as a pet. Finding no sign of it, he decided to drop a name for protection. "Yes, it's quite the deal. My teacher said you were always honest and fair in your pricing."
The witch chuckled softly then, for the first time, laughed outright. It was the first time Aldric had seen her truly smile, her lips curling with amusement.
"You're adorable, little witcher. You must be a recent apprentice, aren't you? Otherwise, you'd know better than to think there's any history of friendship between witches and witchers."
While they spoke, Vittoria wandered over to one of the display shelves. There, she picked up a small statue of a cat—its body pitch black, but its paws a pristine white, as if wearing tiny gloves. Its gemstone eyes gleamed vividly under the lamplight, so lifelike it seemed it might move at any moment.
"They're just some jewels and trinkets," Aldric said calmly, crafting his lie without hesitation. "We found them aboard a wrecked ship near the coast. Not a bad haul, if I do say so myself."
The witch smirked, clearly amused. "Heh… show me what you've got, then. Since you've brightened my evening, I'll overlook your little fibs this once. Besides, that fat pig Antoine wouldn't dare trouble me anyway."
Her tone was light, but her eyes glinted with mischief.
Unbothered, Aldric maintained his polite smile and began unloading his goods, piece by piece from the spatial pouch, setting them neatly on the counter as if his story hadn't just been exposed.
Finally, he placed the coral unicorn figurine down last and gestured invitingly. "Go ahead and check the goods, boss. How much are you willing to offer?"
The witch toyed with the unicorn sculpture, her interest piqued. "Tsk, tsk. So, this is the kind of junk Antoine collected over the years? My shop isn't a scrapyard, little witcher. Tell me, is this really everything?"
"There's still a bit left," Aldric replied smoothly. "I'll bring the rest later."
The witch leaned forward, amusement flickering in her eyes. "You have two options."
"First," she said, "I'll buy everything here at thirty percent of the market price. Believe me, in this city, no one else would dare touch your goods but you and I both know you need money urgently."
Her lips curled into a knowing smile. "Oh, and by the way… I happen to be interested in a certain ship docked at the harbor. I've been negotiating with the late owner's widow about purchasing it."
Aldric's expression stiffened. Despite his caution, he had still underestimated her reach.
The witch chuckled. "We witches like to pass time with a little divination now and then, shuffle some tarot cards, peek at the threads of fate… you'd be surprised how many little secrets we pick up that way."
"Of course," she continued playfully, "there's a second option."
"If you agree to do me a favor, I'll buy everything you've brought at full market price and I'll stay far away from your business dealings afterward."
Aldric narrowed his eyes slightly. "Let's hear it then. What do you want me to do?"
"Relax," she said, stretching lazily, her tone soft but her gaze sharp. "I'm not asking you to kill anyone or burn anything down. I know you have your own fief, and I simply want you to protect a few children for me. Keep them safe within your territory until the paladins arrive."
"I don't understand," Aldric replied cautiously. "What kind of threat are they facing that even you won't confront directly—yet you think I can handle it?"
The witch's smile faded. For the first time, her voice turned solemn.
"The Black Ship, child. If your master ever taught you about it, you'd understand exactly what I mean."
(End of Chapter)