Potion Merchant Bordeaux (3)
Potion Merchant Bordeaux (3)
Free City Bank.
The place where the headquarters of various corporations and banks can be found spread across the continent. The city where the most money comes and goes.
-Robbing a bank is insane.
-It would be better to rob a kingdom vault.
The corporations and the Bank have invested a significant amount of money to safeguard the city from criminal organizations.
They've hired mages from the Magic Tower and recruited a group of retired knights to create an order dedicated specifically to protecting the city.
An impenetrable fortress that no one can breach.
Several criminal organizations have tried to rob the Bank, but they have never been able to succeed.
Season 2 of the Bern Chronicle is the most intense.
One of the few cities to survive the War of the Six Kingdoms completely intact.
Security measures were fierce.
There were mages stationed on the city walls and golden-cloaked knights guarding the entrances to the city.
The road was divided into two.
Those for the first time visitors and those for returning visitors.
Newcomers had to pass a rigorous screening process to enter.
'It was vicious.'
A mini-game created by the game company.
In the game, you had to pass it in order to be eligible.
The difficulty level was Hell.
Anyone who got it wrong even once couldn't try for another day.
"Where are you from, how old are you, what is your name, where are you affiliated with, and what weapons do you use...."
"I am from the Kingdom of Resha, and I am 24 years old. My name is...."
It seemed like they were asking for a lot of biographical information, and it made him wonder if he was already registered.
However, on reflection, he remembered that Redin was a new character.
Without hesitation, he joined the fast-moving line on the left. It wasn't long before it became his turn.
"Name."
"Godric."
"Stand at this line."
He stood on the line the Knight indicated.
Turning slightly, he saw a holographic screen within the small space. On the screen was Godric's face.
Whoosh!
Something whizzed past his face.
-Passed.
With a mechanical sound, the knight turned and opened the door.
"You may proceed."
"Thank you."
He bowed lightly and stepped inside.
For a city where money came and went, the buildings were different from the other kingdoms. The architecture was more modern.
There were many tall buildings.
He walked toward one of the towering buildings.
A building with attractive blue walls.
[Blue City Bank]
The exterior looks no different from any other city bank.
It looks like an unassuming regular bank.
This place is where the secret vault frequented by nobles is located.
The traders' information is private.
You can only transact with a password, and if you forget it, the money in the vault will never be recovered.
Ding!
A bell chimes as Redin steps inside, and a man in a blue uniform approaches him with a smile.
"What brings you here?"
"I'm here to retrieve my money."
"Did you make an appointment in advance?"
He nodded.
"Give me your reservation number and I'll show you around."
"Avienna."
"Avienna, please wait a moment."
The uniformed man checked something, then came back to his side and beckoned out his hand.
"Come on in."
Redin followed him into the bank.
BEEP!
He swiped the card around his neck and the elevator doors opened. We both stepped in and traveled underground.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened.
He and the employee got out, and started walking down the corridor, until they came to a door with the number '0314' on it. He swiped his card and opened the door.
Bam!
The inside of the room was filled with gold coins.
Gold coins that Viscount Bothaman must have collected while doing his shady dealings.
"What would you like to do with them?"
"Turn them all into gold bars and give them to me."
'I'll sweep it all away.'
"I'll have them ready in no time."
* * *
After returning to the Kingdom of Resha, he headed to Bordeaux's mansion. From a distance, the mansion looked different than it had before.
The flower beds with dead flowers were replanted with vibrant fresh flowers, and the overgrown lawns were neatly trimmed.
An overall pleasant atmosphere.
If the mansion looked lifeless before, it now looks alive.
Ding!
"Come in."
As he opened the door to the mansion and stepped inside, he saw Sophia cleaning, and as she moved her hands, the floating cleaning tools around her followed suit.
'So that's how mages do their cleaning.'
'That's pretty cool.'
"I decided to start over. I'm cleaning things up for a change of pace, what do you think?"
"I think it's good."
"If I ever do that charity thing you mentioned, I'm thinking of using this mansion to run it."
Not a bad idea.
They could disguise it as a charitable organization on the outside, and secretly brew potions on the inside.
Of course, that wasn't what he intended.
"Let's go to the laboratory for a minute."
"Sure."
Sophia put down the cleaning supplies and gestured for him to follow.
Following her, they descended into the underground basement.
The place hadn't been cleaned yet, and there were still signs of the destruction Godric had caused when he broke in.
Broken research materials.
Splashes of chemicals everywhere.
"Just a moment."
Sophia used her magic to clean up the mess. A gold bar was placed on the now tidy lab table.
A gold bar as thick as an adult's forearm.
One, two, three.....
As he pulled out the fifth, Sophia grabbed his arm.
"Four is enough."
"It's okay."
After that, he fished out two more and handed the six gold bars to Sophia.
"I want you to focus on your research and not worry about the money."
"I understand."
"And this is the one you told me about last time...."
He retrieved a storage box from his subspace pouch.
An item whose contents would never spoil and would be preserved in the same condition as when it was first stored.
Sophia opened it.
"Holy water, troll blood, sap from the Tree of Life... where did you get this?"
"I bought them while I was looking for money. You'll have to buy everything else you need yourself."
Sophia's eyes sparkled.
She looked like she wanted to do some research right now.
"Ah... Is it possible to get the Flame Fox's Tail as well?"
"The flame fox's tail...."
He knows where to obtain it.
While there he may as well pick up a Hidden Piece.
"I'll get it for you."
"Really? It's going to be really hard to find....."
A special ingredient that mages are obsessed with.
It was like that in the game as well.
Redin went out to farm it at the request of a mage, and it took him a month of grinding before he could finally get it.
There is a trick to getting it.
"Is there anything else you need?"
"No, what I have now is enough."
"I'll take care of the debtors, so the gold bars will be free for you to use."
"Understood."
His business here was done.
"Then I should get going."
"Ah, wait a minute."
Sophia retrieved a small glass vial from one side of the lab and handed it to him.
A flowing crimson liquid.
It reminded him of the potions he'd seen in the game.
"I upgraded it as much as I could with the remaining ingredients."
"Thank you."
Taking the potion, he left the mansion.
After a long trek, he reached the house of Reto, where he saw Reto and Marek eating a meal.
"Sir Bahad, have you eaten?"
"It's okay, you two eat."
"We were just about to finish and clean up."
"Really?"
He called Marek and went upstairs first.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing my best, but recovery isn't easy."
"Why don't you try this?"
Redin handed the potion to Marek.
Without hesitation, Marek popped the potion into his mouth.
"Mmm."
"Now, sit upright."
He went behind Marek's back and pressed the recuperative acupoints.
At that moment, Marek's eyes widened.
"Hmph!"
He could see his torn tissues twitching as they reattached. Marek slowly raised his hand, clenching and unclenching his fist.
And then.
From push-ups to planks and pull-ups. He started doing dozens of exercises that he normally couldn't do properly.
"Heh... Hahaha, unbelievable."
"It's working."
The effect of the potion was clear.
Though he still wasn't fully recovered, if he did rehabilitation, he would be able to use his body.
"Now you should focus on your rehabilitation. Soon, we'll be on our way to capture Viscount Bothaman."
" Soon we will....."
"And I have a favor to ask. It's a mansion up here and I need you to stop by every once in a while and make sure that everything is okay."
"Got it."
Now that his business here is done, it's time to get moving again. Although it seems a bit hectic.
If he resolves it now.
It'll only make him more at ease in the future.
"Are you leaving as soon as you get here?"
"I have work to do."
He left Reto's house and made his way to the place where Bordeaux had gotten his loan.
Before fetching the Flame Fox's Tail.
It would be better to clean everything up before leaving.
* * *
Viscountcy Bothaman.
Terry the Poison Toad moved at a brisk pace toward the Viscount's castle.
'I'm busy as hell, and you're fucking pestering right now.'
His status within Magnes was declining, It's a hectic time to be moving to solve that problem.
Still, he had no choice but to come.
'Imperial Laboratory.'
He was contacted by Viscount Bothaman a few days ago. Now that he has information about the Oberg Imperial Laboratory, he wanted the Grimoire to be delivered to him immediately.
If the information is true.
It could reverse the current precarious situation once and for all, but it was more likely to be a fake.
He prayed it wasn't.
Terry arrived at the office of Viscount Bothaman. He barely had time to knock before the door swung open and he stepped inside.
There was Viscount Bottaman, radiating with ease.
"Did you bring it?"
"Give me the information first."
"I'm in a hurry."
Viscount Bothaman tossed a rolled parchment to Terry, who caught it and quickly opened it.
-Location of the Oberg Imperial Laboratory.
-The Valkyrie Mountains, northeast of the Kingdom of Carvin...
The exact location was written on it.
"Where did this come from?"
"Hyde."
Information Guild Hyde.
One of the foremost intelligence organizations on the continent.
As such, Terry had placed a request with them. If they had any information on the Oberg Imperial Laboratory, he would be the first to buy it.
But there was no word from Hyde.
"Are you sure this is from them?" he asks.
"I suspected it also and sent someone."
Viscount Bothaman flicked his hand, and a glow emanated from the communication orb. The light grew, illuminating the screen.
"Go in."
The screen moved at Viscount Bothaman's command.
A stone gate appeared through the dense vegetation. The gate was engraved with a variety of characters.
There was no need to look at anything else.
An imperial emblem in the center of the stone gate. This must be a laboratory run by the Oberg Empire.
Terry clenched his fists.
Viscount Bothaman grinned, cupping a hand to his chin.
"What do you think, do you like it?"
"Very much. I like it."
"Then let's finish the deal."
Terry pulled a small grimoire from his pocket and handed it to Viscount Bothaman.
The black magic grimoire that he sought.
"I don't know where you plan to use it, but I wish you well in your endeavors."
"You too."
They shook hands and Terry walked out of the castle, while Viscount Bothaman stroked the black grimoire.
'One week.'
In one week, everything would be ready.
"Hehehehe...."