Chapter 52: The City's Earthbound Spirits
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 52: The City's Earthbound Spirits
“Forgive me for making such a scene. I’ve been feeling a bit lonely lately.”
“You’ve lived for about a thousand years. Are you still lonely?”
“For a sentient being, the emotion of loneliness never truly vanishes until death finds them. And stop mentioning my age. You make me sound like an old hag. Do you want a beating?”
I mean, if you’re a thousand years old, aren’t you an old hag?
The question crossed my mind, but I didn’t dare voice it. If I teased her any further, I felt like I’d actually get a lump on my head.
“Anyway, Lady Lafnel, please do something about the ring. I can’t use it properly in its current state.”
“Yes, yes. I understand. I shall take a look and recalibrate it. And as compensation for this incident, I shall give you a 50% discount coupon.”
“A 50% discount coupon?”
“Indeed. You may use it to buy any one item in this shop at half price. Here, take it. You are the only one in this city who possesses such a coupon.”
“Ooh...!”
A coupon that let me buy anything in Lafnel’s Atelier at half price. This was a massive gain.
Half price. If I can buy anything at half price, I should pick the most expensive thing here.
What would be good? Most of the items on display were potions. Unless it was an Elixir, I didn’t want to waste this coupon on a consumable.
The best option would be an accessory.
Lafnel primarily dealt in potions and accessories. Many of them had bizarre effects, but if I looked closely, I was sure there were items bordering on artifacts that couldn't be found anywhere else on the market.
I want to ask Olivia what’s good, but...
Even Olivia, who was practically a walking walkthrough for the Labyrinth, didn't know much about Lafnel’s Atelier. In fact, she seemed to have almost zero knowledge of anything outside the Labyrinth itself. I couldn't tell if she’d forgotten or if she truly didn't know.
The game Olivia played was probably focused strictly on the Labyrinth.
She knew almost everything about the Labyrinth, down to the types of monsters per version, but she had almost no information on the storyline or the Labyrinth City. It felt like she’d skipped all the cutscenes and dialogue to focus solely on the gameplay.
Since I couldn't rely on her for info on Lafnel’s Atelier, I had to find something good myself.
“By the way, what’s the most expensive thing here?”
“Hmm. Something expensive? Ah, I have a Dragon Pearl.”
“Excuse me?”
A Dragon Pearl? Why on earth was a Dragon Pearl here?
“Do you not know what a Dragon Pearl is? I thought someone from the East would be familiar with them. It is similar to a dragon’s Mana Heart. Do you not know? It is like the core of a dragon.”
“No, I know what a Dragon Pearl is. I’m asking why it’s here.”
A Dragon Pearl was that thing—the round jewel a dragon held in its mouth.
“It was a gift from a dragon I met during my travels long ago. This was before I settled down in the Labyrinth City. It is a quite old memory. I should have snatched that fellow up before he performed his Ascension Ritual. Sigh.”
“Wait, you were going to 'snatch up' a dragon? You don't care about species? The size difference must have been significant.”
“What are you talking about?! Size difference? My, look at this boy.”
Lafnel moved to give me a noggin-knock. I quickly backed away, shielding my head with my hands.
“As long as they look similar to me, it is fine. All that matters is whether we can have children, is it not?”
“Can dragons use Polymorph?”
“Polymorph is a privilege of higher lifeforms. Most ancient, spiritual creatures can do it, can they not?”
“Aha.”
It was one surprise after another. Talking to this woman made me realize that the world I’d fallen into was much vaster than I’d initially thought.
“Anyway, that is the most expensive item I possess. I suppose I could let it go for about 13,000 platinum coins. For your information, 13,000 is the half-off price.”
“That sounds like more than ten years of the Empire’s national budget.”
“Indeed. It is that precious of an object.”
It was marvelous that she could even put a price tag on something so valuable. To begin with, platinum coins were a currency commoners never even saw. While gold coins were used in general circulation, the realm of platinum coins was far too large for an individual to handle. It was a unit used by major merchant guilds, nobles, or those of equivalent status when calculating budgets.
“Is there anything else? Something in the gold coin range?”
“Hmm. If we are talking about expensive items in the gold coin range, there is the magic pouch. But you already have a Subspace Pocket, so it would be redundant.”
Lafnel pondered for a long while before rummaging around and pulling something out.
“How about this?”
“A finger?”
“It is an item called a Monkey’s Paw.”
“Ah, no. I’m good.”
A Monkey’s Paw that granted wishes. I was already well-acquainted with that old, worn-out horror story. I’d never seen anyone end up well after using one. It was better not to touch it at all.
“You recognize the danger of this object. Is it the power of your Spiritual Eye?”
“No. I just have a general idea of what it is.”
“I see. As expected of someone from the mysterious East. You are very knowledgeable.”
Lafnel grinned. She’d probably offered it just to test whether I knew about the Monkey’s Paw or not.
“Well, that is about it for the expensive items. I suspect anything you could afford with your current funds would have rather underwhelming performance.”
If an item was astronomically expensive—in the platinum coin range—it usually didn't have side effects. However, items that were only 'moderately' expensive often came with drawbacks. I’d heard you could offset those drawbacks by using other items, but I didn't have that kind of money right now.
More importantly, I hadn't even received the full rescue reward from the Young Lady yet. The family vassals were supposed to arrive in the Labyrinth City with the reward by the end of the month, so I had to wait until then.
“I understand for now. I don't think it’s time to use the coupon yet.”
“The moment to use it will surely come. Everything finds its use if you hold onto it long enough. You can use it then.”
“Yes. I’ll use it when you have something better.”
Since there was no rush, I decided to put it in my inventory. It wasn't a coupon with an expiration date, so if I saved it, a use for it would surely arise eventually.
“Oh, right. I should tell you about the ring’s side effects.”
“Ah, that is right. We did not get to talk about the actual side effects. Well, what were they?”
“Uh, I saw about three strange female ghosts.”
“Female ghosts? Three? Hmm. Continue.”
I told her about the three succubus-like spirits I’d seen when I was imprisoned after being mistaken for a monster possessor in the clearing.
“A gray woman with her eyes bandaged, a black woman with her eyes covered by her hair, and finally... a dark red woman with blackened pupils.”
“Do you know them? They even mentioned your name, Lady Lafnel.”
“Those are... the Three Villainesses.”
Lafnel’s expression turned uncharacteristically serious as she spoke. The Three Villainesses were legends in the Labyrinth City. They were like the Boogeyman, used to keep children from staying up late.
“They are closer to spirits than succubi. They are called Roas—ambiguous beings that are neither gods nor ghosts. It is difficult to explain, so you can just think of them as the city’s earthbound spirits.”
The Labyrinth City’s earthbound spirits. Semi-divine beings called Roas.
“They wander around looking for interesting things and play wicked pranks. For instance, have you ever searched your house and been unable to find a single sock? Or had an object you clearly put away suddenly vanish? Things like that.”
“You’re saying that’s all their doing?”
“That is how it was believed in the old days. Whenever something inexplicable happened in the Labyrinth City, the blame was shifted to those Three Villainesses.”
“I see...”
“It seems the ring’s side effect made you catch their interest.”
“Wait, isn't that side effect a bit too much? I thought it would just be some... sexual side effect. I didn't expect famous villainesses of the Labyrinth City to take an interest in me.”
“The side effect I anticipated was merely spectral encounters of a sexual nature. It seems your Spiritual Eye and the ring’s side effect triggered some unknown interaction.”
Lafnel’s expression grew very grave. Being marked by the famous earthbound spirits of the Labyrinth City... I’d thought they were just random succubi, but hearing they were 'named' spirits made me shiver a bit.
“Hmm. You said they spoke to you about three days ago?”
“Yes. I haven't seen them since.”
“Did you feel fear from them?”
“Well, rather than fear, it was more like the feeling of being screwed. I saw weird things and thought something bad was going to happen...”
“Then the beings themselves were not frightening?”
“Pardon? Uh, hmm.”
I thought back to that memory. Indeed, I hadn't felt afraid of those spirits.
“No. I don't think the beings themselves were particularly scary.”
“I see. Yes. Hmm. How strange. Perhaps your wavelengths matched...”
Lafnel looked amazed. What, was I supposed to be afraid of them? All I could think about was how erotic their bodies were. I’d only thought they were succubi because their outfits were so provocative and their words were so perverted.
“The fact that the three sisters only teased you and left is quite remarkable. They did not break your mind, nor did they take anything from you. They merely showed you their genitals and spoke obscenities? Fascinating.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“That remains to be seen. But it means there is definitely something to your Spiritual Eye. Did they appear when you were alone at night?”
“Uh, well, I haven't slept alone for the past two days, so...”
“What? You... you brat... You’ve been out seducing women, haven't you? Just because you look a bit cute, you go around seducing women... Why do you not try to seduce me...?”
“No! Seducing women? It was against my will!”
“The classic excuse of a Casanova. Dammit. While I’m stuck in this back room every day... Sigh. Fine. Wait a moment.”
Lafnel took out a piece of paper, wrote something on it, and pressed it into my hand.
“What’s this? A talisman?”
“It is something like a letter of recommendation. Take it and go to the Black Market.”
“Where in the Black Market should I go?”
“Look for a shop specializing in voodoo supplies. The owner is a Voodoo Shaman from the South. If you show him that... he will likely allow you entry.”
“Wait, hold on. Voodoo? Isn't that dangerous?”
“Voodoo Shamans are the ones with the deepest understanding of Roas. He will understand your situation better than I.”
My situation. Even I didn't know what kind of situation I was in. I felt a slight tremor of nervousness at the thought of seeking out a Voodoo Shaman, an expert on Roas.
“Alright, I understand. I’ll be going now.”
“Yes. Come back for the Ring of Intangibility in about two weeks. I should have most of the issues and side effects fixed by then.”
“Got it. I’ll be back then.”
“Oh, and until you meet the Voodoo Shaman, do not be alone at night. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
I stepped out of the hole-in-the-wall shop. I’d gone in intending to squeeze out some compensation, but I’d inadvertently realized I was entangled with something strange.
Of course, there hadn't been any major issues over the last two days. According to Lafnel, it was because I’d been sleeping with someone. She said the moment I was alone, the Roas would very likely reappear.
I guess I’ll have to sleep while hugging Yuria again tonight.
Well, it couldn't be helped. Now I had a valid excuse to hug Yuria while I slept.
I headed back to Yuria’s studio apartment with a light heart.