NOVEL NEXT Ch. 15
Chapter 15: The Girl and the Secret Gathering
In the dim room, candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Mel could clearly see the filth entwined around each person, lingering like a black mist.
A peculiar fragrance permeated the air, like a mixture of some unknown spice and old books.
As Mr. Deer spoke, Mel's gaze naturally fell upon him.
Mr. Deer also had a considerable amount of filth on him, but compared to the others, he was the cleanest one.
She nodded, then sat down in the last empty seat.
The people around her simultaneously turned their gazes to Mel, filled with curiosity and scrutiny.
“Well then, since everyone is here, let's begin.”
Mr. Deer began.
“Starting from my left, each person will introduce what they want and what they have to trade in turn.”
The first to speak was a man wearing a full-face mask.
His mask was not special, just a plain white base.
But the filth on his body was like viscous ink, almost seeping out from the cracks of the mask, forming a stark contrast with the pure white.
“I need some special materials.”
He said in a hoarse voice.
“Mainly for a purification ritual. In exchange, I can offer some runes from the north.”
As his voice fell, the room fell into silence.
After a while, a man wearing a golden mask spoke up: “I have some Glowstones here, do you want them?”
“Glowstones....”
White Mask pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
“I have no use for them, never mind, do you have anything else?”
The golden mask shook his head, and so the atmosphere fell into silence once again.
Mel noticed that although the filth on the golden mask was not as thick as that on the white mask, it was by no means comparable to that of an ordinary person.
After about ten seconds, the second person spoke.
It was a woman in a long red dress wearing a butterfly-shaped mask.
Her voice was as smooth as silk, but Mel could hear a hidden sharpness within it.
“I have some spices from the East here, said to be able to purify the mind, I wonder if they meet your requirements?”
Hearing this, White Mask seemed to become interested.
He leaned forward slightly, “What kind of spices?”
The woman took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom and gently opened it.
Instantly, a fresh and mysterious fragrance filled the air.
Just smelling it gave a relaxing feeling to the body and mind.
“This is concocted from seven rare herbs,” the butterfly-masked woman explained, each one has been specially processed.
White Mask thought for a moment, then nodded.
“Alright, I'll trade three northern runes for your bottle of spices.”
After their transaction was completed, it was the woman's turn to make a request.
She elegantly straightened her skirt. The filth on her body showed a peculiar, petal-like pattern.
“I need some.... colorful butterfly wings.”
She said, “I can trade spices for them, or money.”
As her voice fell, the room fell into silence.
Obviously, no one present had colorful butterfly wings.
Seeing this, the woman gently clicked her tongue, then shook her head.
Next, it was the turn of the wolf-masked man.
His voice carried a trace of urgency.
He looked around, seeming to be searching for something, but found nothing.
“I need healing potions,” he said, “I'll take as many as you have, two pounds a bottle. If the effect is good, I can add more.”
Mel's heart suddenly began to beat faster.
She looked around, and seeing no one raise their hand, she quickly spoke up: “I have three bottles.”
Her voice was much steadier than she had expected.
Everyone's gaze immediately turned to Mel.
“I'll take them all!”
The wolf-masked man said excitedly, “But I have to test the effect first.”
Hearing this, Mel did not answer directly, but looked at Mr. Deer.
“Just do as he says, madam.”
Mr. Deer said calmly, “Don't worry, under my witness, no one will violate the rules.”
“Okay.”
With Mr. Deer's endorsement, Mel was relieved, and then handed the three bottles of potion to Mr. Deer.
After being inspected by Mr. Deer, one of the bottles was handed to the man with the wolf mask.
The man took it impatiently, then opened the bottle, turned around, and drank it down.
After about a minute, he turned back around and took out a five-pound note and a one-pound coin from his pocket.
“Six pounds, not a penny less.”
He handed the money to Mel and added: “If you have more, I will buy them anytime, the price remains the same.”
“I only brought three bottles this time.”
Mel said, “But I will consider making more.”
The wolf mask nodded and said no more, and then it was Mel's turn to speak.
Mel wanted to skip her turn, but after hesitating for a moment, she still spoke up: “I need a weapon for self-defense, preferably a dagger type, not too conspicuous.”
She had no intention of buying, but wanted to take this opportunity to find out if there were any special items other than Mystical Arts.
“I have a ring here,” the first speaker, the white-masked man, spoke up, “As long as you inject Quintessence, it can turn into a dagger. This is one I've retired from use. If you want it, twenty pounds, or an item of equivalent value.”
Hearing his description, Mel was suddenly tempted, but she only had six pounds in total, which the man with the wolf mask had just given her.
“I don't have that much money.”
Mel shook her head in disappointment, “Can it be next time?”
“I might not be here next time.”
White Mask said.
“Then forget it.”
Mel shook her head.
Although she was tempted by his ring, Mel wanted (Void Walk) more than the ring.
Seeing Mel give up the trade, White Mask said nothing, and the conversation naturally moved to the man with the golden mask.
“I need some special materials for making runes. In exchange, I can offer some Glowstones. Glowstones can be made into amulets or jewelry. Wearing them has a calming and exorcising effect. After injecting Quintessence, they can be made to glow briefly.”
“I have fifty milliliters of Morning Mist Dew, I wonder if it meets your requirements?”
The woman with the butterfly mask spoke up again.
“Morning Mist Dew....”
The golden mask pondered for a moment, then shook his head gently, “I'm afraid that won't work, what I need are materials that can enhance the effectiveness of runes.”
“Then I don't have anything.”
The woman shrugged gently, and the others also remained silent.
Mel listened quietly from the side, committing all this information to memory.
(So runes need special materials to enhance their effects... but what are runes?)
As the golden mask finished his request, Mr. Deer stood up and gently tapped the table.
“Since none of you have anything more to trade, then, I declare, this gathering is now over.”
After a pause, he turned to look at Mel.
“Let's start with you, madam.”
“Me?”
Mel was a little confused.
“Mm, starting with you, please leave first.”
Mr. Deer nodded, then looked at the others, “The rest of you, please wait. One person will leave every five minutes.”
Hearing this, Mel slowly stood up.
The sound of her footsteps was exceptionally clear in the silent room, each step seeming to fall on the beat of time.
“Click, clack——”
Mel could feel the probing gazes from behind her, but she didn't look back.
When she reached the door, Mr. Deer said softly:
“The next gathering will be at the same time next week.”
Mel nodded and pushed open the heavy wooden door.
“Wait a moment.”
Just then, the man with the wolf mask spoke up, stopping Mel.
Then, he took out a piece of paper and ten pounds in cash from his pocket.
“I'm afraid I can't wait that long. This is a deposit, and my address.”
He handed the note and the ten pounds in cash to Mel.
“I need you to deliver the potions as soon as they're made——you don't need to come in person, is that okay?”
Hearing this, Mel hesitated for a moment, then looked at Mr. Deer.
“Matters outside the gathering have nothing to do with me, I will not be responsible for them.”
Mr. Deer said.
Seeing him say this, Mel instinctively wanted to refuse, but when she saw the ten pounds in cash in his hand, Mel was tempted again.
With these ten pounds, she could go to Oliver to exchange for (Void Walk).
After much thought, Mel finally nodded and reached out to take it.
But just then, the other party suddenly pulled his hand back.
Under the young girl's puzzled gaze, the man with the wolf mask spoke: “I want you to swear on the god you believe in.”
Seeing this, Mel was taken aback, and subconsciously glanced at the Red Moon outside the window.
After a brief hesitation, Mel took a deep breath, then drew a moon wheel on her chest.
“In the name of the Red Moon, Your believer hereby swears——”