The Glass Warrior [Weak to Strong LitRPG]

Aysha and Lucas spent the next two hours going from store to store, checking out the variety of maps available. It quickly became clear that the prices in these shops were far lower than those at the old man's store, with the most expensive map priced at 800 coins.

However, it also became evident that these maps were far more generic in scope, lacking the detail and specificity of the Sandor Salazar maps they had seen earlier.

During their rounds, Lucas made a quick stop at a shop selling equipment to see how much they'd pay for his old set. After learning they'd offer less than half of what he originally paid, he left, disappointed.

He considered selling the set himself, there were likely plenty of people in town who'd find value in it. But after noticing several paintings of himself displayed across the market—a detail Aysha took every opportunity to mock, especially after a couple of kids asked for his autograph—he decided he wasn't in the mood to engage with strangers.

Lucas had entered the challenge to earn some money, but he'd ended up with nothing. Still, since he had no immediate plans to return to the Training Center, he wasn't in desperate need of funds. In fact, he was still very wealthy compared to most of Zoria's residents.

With that in mind, he decided he'd offer the old set to Tim as a gift, if the boy wanted it. If not, he'd simply hold onto it for now.

Speaking of Tim, he was exactly the person Lucas wanted to consult about the maps. While the old man's prices were far above market rate, the maps themselves seemed to be of superior quality, at least according to the man's claims. Somehow, Lucas trusted Tim's judgment, and if the boy vouched for the maps, that would factor into his decision.

As luck would have it, Lucas and Aysha spotted Tim just outside one of the stores they visited. Lucas called out to him, drawing an excited grin from the boy.

"Hi—do you know me?" Aysha asked, her expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.

"Of course! How could I not? You're the only elf in town, and you're in the top three on the scoreboard. Actually…" Tim hesitated for a moment before pulling out a colorful picture of Aysha riding what appeared to be a Pegasus amid the clouds. "Could you sign this for me?"

Lucas couldn't help but grin as Aysha's face turned bright red.

"That's a great picture. You never told me you had a Pegasus, Aysha!" Lucas teased with mock cheerfulness, savoring the rare moment of turning the tables on her.

"Shut it!" she grumbled, signing the picture as quickly as she could before handing it back.

"Actually, I'm a little offended," Lucas said, still grinning. "How come you never asked me for an autograph, Tim?"

Tim's face lit up even more as he excitedly presented a picture of Lucas riding a dragon—shirtless. Aysha immediately burst into laughter.

"I didn't think you'd want to sign something like this," Tim explained. "But now that you mentioned it, please sign it for me, Lucas!"

Bitter that his revenge was so short-lived, Lucas reluctantly signed the picture and quickly changed the subject.

"Say, Tim, we've been hunting for maps today and came across a store called Ragged Compass. Ever heard of it?"

At the mention of the store, Tim's eyes lit up. "Of course! That's probably the best map store in town!"

Lucas turned to Aysha with a knowing look, but her expression was one of disbelief.

"Is he your source? Seriously?" she asked, clearly unimpressed.

Lucas raised his hands defensively. "Hey, he's good. Trust me."

Aysha huffed but said nothing as Lucas turned back to Tim. "The maps seem great, but the prices are outrageous. Are you sure they're worth it?"

"Well," Tim began thoughtfully, "the old man who owns that store is known for his haggling. If you'd like, I can come with you and help negotiate. I've gotten pretty good at it."

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Aysha seemed skeptical, but Lucas promptly agreed. He was terrible at bargaining, and Aysha, as it turned out, was even worse.

"There's just one thing," Tim added as if suddenly remembering. "The manager of the hotel you're staying at asked me to tell you that a package arrived for you right after you left this morning."

After hearing that, Lucas's heart skipped a beat. That package could only mean one thing: the fungi he had posted a quest for had finally arrived.

One glance at the elf's resolute face was enough to confirm they were on the same page. Once the business with the mushroom was done, they would have no hesitation about leaving the city to pursue their own goals. They could leave with a relatively clear conscience.

"Sorry, Tim, this matter takes precedence. We'll have to put the maps on hold for now."

"Are you sure, si—Lucas? I could buy the maps for you, if you don't mind," Tim offered eagerly. "It's just that some of the old man's maps are very exclusive. You wouldn't want to risk losing them to someone else."

Lucas hesitated, glancing at Aysha, who looked more distrustful than ever. Lending money to someone you'd only recently met wasn't an easy decision. However, Lucas figured that if Tim tried to steal from them, he could easily handle the situation, violently, if necessary. With that thought, he decided to take a leap of faith.

"All right, I'll give you the money—" Lucas started.

"Wait. First, tell me how much he wanted for the maps," Tim interrupted.

"Aysha's was three thousand coins, and mine was two thousand."

Tim thought for a moment before responding. "Then two thousand for hers and one thousand for yours should be enough."

"Are you serious? That's a thousand-coin discount," Lucas said, incredulous. Was the old man really playing them that hard?

"Don't worry about it. It'll probably be cheaper than that. Those old folks from Zoria love a good haggle. Trust me," Tim assured him.

Hearing Tim's explanation, Lucas couldn't argue. He was still new to this sort of thing, after all. Aysha, however, didn't budge to offer her share of the coins, so Lucas covered her part as well, much to the elf's displeasure.

"What are you doing?" she asked sharply, as Tim turned and hurried off to fulfill his mission.

"You don't trust him, and that's fair, but I do. Once he comes back with our maps, you can pay me back," Lucas explained. Aysha seemed to calm down somewhat, though she still looked annoyed.

"Now, let's take care of the other business. We've delayed it long enough."

"You're right. I could use the money from the shop, the coins I earned from the tower will be gone soon at this rate," she sighed. Thinking about money was exhausting. She doubted she would ever get used to it.

…

Confirming that the package contained the mushroom he had been looking for was simple, Lucas knew it well enough by now. According to the hotel manager, it had been delivered by a man in a cloak who refused to show his face or leave his name.

Lucas was curious about the identity of this stranger, wondering if it was an NPC or an actual person. But with the mushroom now in his possession, he quickly set the mystery aside.

The first order of business was to ask Hilda to grind the mushroom into a powder. Aysha would need to slip it into George Hastings's drink without being noticed. The alchemist handled the task swiftly, and soon they were ready for the next step.

Aysha's role was to find Nicholas and ask him to introduce her to his friend George, about whom she had heard much. Lucas expected the elf to despise such a task, but she accepted it surprisingly naturally.

"Are you sure I'll find him? People say he's been busy lately," Aysha commented.

"He's been gone for a while, but he has to show up at some point, doesn't he? Besides, if you ask one of his minions, I'm sure they'll bring him to you right away."

Aysha scoffed at the thought. "All right. While I go deal with the fool, you make sure to plant the evidence in the healer's office," she said, and he nodded.

"I hope the fact that I'm now above him on the scoreboards doesn't make him unwilling to court me," she added, serious.

Lucas nearly laughed at the word court but managed to hold back. He owed her that much at least for accepting to go out with Nicholas of all people.

"Don't worry. He won't be able to resist your looks," Lucas teased, and the elf's face flushed red before she left with a hasty farewell.

…

Entering Kairos's office was surprisingly easy. Apparently, being associated with the mayor's son had made the healer overconfident. The door was left unlocked.

Dressed in a dark cloak he had bought earlier, Lucas slipped inside without issue. After a quick search, he found the perfect spot to leave the remnants of the mushroom. On the top shelf, where a thick layer of dust had gathered, he placed the evidence.

It was hidden well enough that Kairos wouldn't find it on his own, but any investigator would.

The task complete, Lucas left as quietly as he had entered. Lucas hoped it wouldn't come to the point where Kairos was exposed for poisoning his client, but if it ever came to that, Lucas felt no pity for the man. Anyone who helped George keep Elliot bedridden for so long didn't deserve his sympathy.

…

Still cloaked, Lucas perched atop a wall in a dark alley, peering through the lenses of his field-glass toward the bar where Aysha was supposed to meet George Hastings.

It was the same bar where Lucas had once seen George speaking with Nicholas. Apparently, the man frequented the place, making it easier to arrange the meeting.

Having arrived early, Lucas made himself as comfortable as he could on the narrow wall and waited. He knew it, today would be the day.