Chapter 214
Chapter 214
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 214
Chapter Title: Protection (4)
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Twilight was settling in, the sun dipping low.
Siu pushed open the door and stepped into the Relay Station.
He was taken aback.
Was it because they'd snuck in so secretly? Or maybe because it sat all alone in some remote corner?
Up until he'd opened the door, he'd imagined something like the Blue Serpent Relay Station—a shady black market vibe, that kind of scale.
But this felt more like a night market in Ulsan or Busan.
The interior space was far bigger and more comfortable than he'd expected.
"Whoa, how huge is this place exactly?"
"They say it's about 2,000 pyeong."
A soccer field was roughly 2,200 pyeong, so this was a couple times bigger than Siu had pictured.
Since these were pop-up shops, the setup was mostly rows of tents neatly aligned, displaying their wares.
Some vendors had even turned entire container houses into shops.
The 10-meter ceiling had rows of sleek mercury lamps hanging instead of hoists, and with an actual roof overhead, it evoked an old-school arcade shopping street.
In short, it gave off a way more modern feel than Border Town.
"Bigger than I thought. And there are more people than you'd expect. Didn't see a soul on the way in."
"The Relay Stations only open sporadically... so when one does, witches come from all over, even from far away."
Siu glanced around at her words and spotted witches milling about every corner of the station.
Most were dressed in modern, everyday clothes, but you could tell at a glance.
Whenever he saw a woman with unreal proportions and model-level looks that screamed world-class actress, it was a dead giveaway: witch.
Sharon right next to him was a perfect example.
Even so, the witches he could spot numbered around ten.
Even accounting for the areas out of sight, probably not even fifty in total.
"First, we'll browse slowly for the stuff on today's list. Don't wander off and get lost."
"Don't worry, I'm not a kid."
"Still, what if some other witch offers you something nice and you follow her?"
"You think I'm a child?"
Sharon giggled, teasing Siu.
The two dove into the aisles between the stalls, hunting for their items.
It was a treasure trove of bizarre and wondrous goods.
Nothing like the little magic tool shops he'd pop into now and then in Tarot Town—the sheer volume and variety here were incomparable.
The quality was leagues ahead, too.
Sharon stopped at a tent dealing in jewels.
The merchant, sitting quietly without any hawking, greeted them leisurely only after they approached.
"Welcome! Beautiful witch, and fine gentleman too—come on in."
The white-haired old man with a stylish monocle exuded the vibe of a seasoned pro.
You could tell he wasn't peddling run-of-the-mill stuff just from the tent fabric and display stands.
Gems that made your eyes pop were showcased dramatically under the lights.
"What kind of item are you looking for?"
"Gems for elemental magic."
"Oh ho! Sacrifices for your rituals, eh? You've come to the right place. Ruby Atelier never disappoints. We handle rare precious metals and gems from around the world."
This was a different breed from the merchants haggling with witches back in Gehenna.
More like a master bartender—poised, confident, utterly at ease even with witches.
He'd greeted Siu without batting an eye, despite the guy standing right next to one.
Sharon's elemental magic required specific 'sacrifices' depending on the element.
Naturally, the better the sacrifice, the stronger the spell—and top-tier ones were usually gems.
From ancient times East and West, shiny stones carried eons of myth and symbolism baked in.
"Anything catch your eye?"
"Can I see the Imperial Topaz first?"
Topaz, hailed as the sun stone since ancient Egypt.
It came in countless colors.
Among them, the crimson variety—Imperial Topaz—fetched top dollar, indispensable for fire rituals.
"Shall I show you the catalog first? Or..."
"I'd like to see and pick from the real ones."
Sharon spoke in a stern, icy tone, face schooled to neutrality.
To an outsider, she might look like an arrogant witch lording over humans.
But Siu, who'd been through it all with her, could tell.
She was pulling out all the stops not to get fleeced by this slick operator.
Like women doing full makeup before returns—same principle.
Siu swallowed a laugh, schooling his own face to match the gravity.
"Oh, perfect—we've got plenty in stock."
The merchant fetched a luxurious wooden box from behind the tent, lined with fine red cloth, and opened it.
Inside, Imperial Topaz gems of various sizes gleamed, secured in place.
He showcased them under a magnifying glass like prized exhibits.
"See? That gorgeous orange glow, like aged whiskey, with subtle pomegranate hues blending in. Mined from Brazilian shafts. From extraction to polishing—flawless quality."
Sharon, no stranger to handling gems, could see it.
All top-notch condition.
"What's the price?"
"Yes—the stones 4 carats and under on the left are 800,000 won per carat. The 10-carat-plus ones on the right are 1.6 million per carat."
"What? Isn't that way too expensive?"
Sharon's eyes widened in protest.
Her prim facade shattered from the shock.
Gehenna had no mines of its own, so these gems came from the human world.
Yet the prices matched Gehenna's jewelers almost exactly!
"Once you grasp their true beauty, it's hardly overpriced. Topaz production's down while demand's up—market rates are high. Imperial especially; supply's always scarce."
The merchant fielded her objections without flinching, grinning smoothly.
He produced a balance scale and weights in a flash.
"Shall I weigh them for you?"
"...Yes, the smaller ones here. And this one too."
Sharon, looking shell-shocked like a first-timer in a luxury boutique, picked a few tiny stones and one slightly larger topaz.
Five under 3 carats: 11.6 million won.
One 15.5-carat: 24.8 million won.
Total: 36.4 million won.
She'd made bank lately, planning to flex on 'reinvestment.'
But dropping big money after so long made her hands shake even on gems.
And this was just the start—plenty more to buy.
Siu eyed her obvious distress, debating offering to cover it, then held back.
Taking credit for someone else's cash got old fast.
She hadn't even asked; jumping in would be meddlesome.
"Package that separately, and next—pearls, jade, coral please."
"Right away."
Fire altar sacrifices done; now water, wind, earth altars too.
Despite the merchant's silver tongue, Sharon stuck to her planned quantities and scored them all.
"Total comes to 111.3 million won. Gold coins?"
"W-Wizbank card..."
Clutching the neatly boxed gems (extra fee), Sharon handed over her card.
Fancy halogen lights on the displays, but payment was straight out of the analog era.
Like '80s Korea: slip the card under the imprinter, scrape to emboss the number.
Send the receipt to the bank, pull funds from the account.
Sharon signed with her witch name last, then trudged out with a box laughably light for 111.3 million won.
"I'm fine, Siu. Not regretting a bit."
"R-Really...?"
"Of course! Gotta prep like this for proper magic."
Rationalizing unprompted, Sharon headed straight for the tobacco stall.
Regular smokes? Convenience store.
But she wanted a ritual pipe—to replace the one broken fighting Della last time.
"Welcome!"
This clerk, a meek-looking type, rubbed his hands eagerly greeting Sharon.
To Gehenna witches, tobacco was prime luxury; pipes followed suit.
Off-the-shelf junk wouldn't cut it as sacrifices.
Sharon felt it time and again: her Nature Magic was a money pit.
Lack of funds had stalled her progress for years.
"This model's a favorite among witches. Made from narwhal ivory. Amber mouthpiece for elegance. Can't get 'em anywhere—handcrafted by Lord Rond, Gehenna's famed pipe master. Only ten in existence."
Less pipe, more 30cm-long bazooka with a tiny bowl.
Price: 15 million won.
Luxury or not, incomprehensible markup.
"Want me to get this one?"
Siu, peeking around, couldn't hold back seeing Sharon's eyes bulge.
He asked carefully, mindful of her pride.
She shook her head vigorously.
"No—your money's basically mine already. I've taken too much; can't take more."
"Then grab one for me too while you're at it. Problem solved."
"Nope, if I buy, I'm buying for you."
"Don't be stubborn."
The merchant's hospitable smile had stiffened subtly.
Makes sense: first time seeing a guy talk casual to a witch, offering to buy for her.
Especially when they bickered like a couple.
"It's not stubbornness! I'll handle it—wait. Got tobacco leaves? Ritual-grade."
Sharon shook off Siu and asked the merchant.
He blinked at the odd scene but quickly composed himself.
"Ah, yes—here. Scented ones? Coffee or cherry are trending..."
"No, plain."
"Got it."
Not for savoring smoke—'swallowing fire.' No need for flavors.
Honestly, Sharon didn't even like tobacco.
The merchant unfurled oil-paper-wrapped leaves.
"Feel 'em. Grown in Ratipundium's shade on premium mana water. Perfect moisture, ideal mana recharge."
50g or so—over a million won again.
Pipe and leaves in hand, Sharon roamed more stalls.
In three hours, she'd dropped 400 million won total.
"It's fine... necessary investment... necessary..."
"Yeah, yeah—you bought 'em for good reason."
"Right? Even you think so?"
Siu patted her back gently as she clutched her card, mumbling.
Pity mixed with cuteness—it was hard not to laugh.