Chapter 26: Being ganked

Bazerolle’s daily life hummed along, untouched by the Guild’s chaos.
Residents went about their routines, oblivious to the sewer’s lurking dangers.

Ina, after some inquiries, zeroed in on a magic item shop.
Her strength paled compared to Cynthia’s, so she needed props to bolster herself.

Pushing open the shop’s door, she scanned the shelves, dazzled by the array of potions, wands, and trinkets.
Though small, the store stocked all the essentials.

“Hm… better not flash my light magic around Cynthia-chan. Some healing potions should do…”

Mulling over Tiani’s startup funds, Ina pondered what else she needed.
Then, a small, polished crystal ball staff caught her eye.
“This staff’s crystal… it’s so well-crafted?”

The staff’s material was basic, its design simple, the crystal palm-sized.
Yet, Ina sensed potent magic within it.

Magic crystals, often set atop wands, amplified specific attributes or reduced mana costs.
This one, though attributeless, seemed to hold both enhancement and mana reduction properties—a rare dual-attribute gem.

Such crystals were uncommon, especially in a modest shop like this.

“The price… 1,500 Nar?!”

Ina gaped.
Not because it was pricey, but because it was a steal for such a high-quality crystal.

A standard attributeless crystal staff ran about 1,000 Nar.
This dual-attribute gem for only 1,500? Unheard of.

Ina wielded both light and dark magic, but matching crystals were scarce.
Light crystals, though rare, were supplied steadily in the Holy Kingdom.
Dark crystals? Rumored to lie thousands of meters underground, nearly nonexistent on the surface.

She’d never found a staff to boost her dark magic.
Her light-attribute staff? Left behind in the Borus Empire’s church—too much hassle to carry when she fled.

Attributeless crystals worked with all magic, though less effectively than specialized ones.
Ina had considered them before but rarely used dark magic in the church, so she hadn’t bothered.

Now, though, she needed the boost, and this dual-attribute crystal was perfect.

No reason not to buy!

Cheap and powerful—what more could she want?

Without hesitation, Ina grabbed the staff and potions, rushing to the counter.
“Boss! Wrap these up!”

Her excitement was palpable as she set her haul down.
“How much total?”

“Oh, miss, you’ve got a sharp eye for this staff.”

The middle-aged shopkeeper lifted it, pride in his voice.
“Not bad, right? My handiwork.”

Ina blinked, surprised.
“You made this? Such quality for such a low price?”

“I found and polished the crystal myself. Not a pro magic craftsman, so I kept the price down.”

The shopkeeper, buoyed by her praise, grinned and chatted on.

“This outshines some ‘professional’ work. You’re no amateur!”

Ina didn’t hold back her admiration for quality craftsmanship.

“Haha, it’s fate that this staff found you.”

While tallying her items, the shopkeeper added, “Tell you what, I’ll toss in a little gift.”

He stepped into the back, returning with a new gray cloak.
“You’re an adventurer, right? This is my work too. Its material slightly masks your aura—handy against monsters.”

Ina hadn’t expected a bonus.
Gratefully accepting the cloak, she tried it on eagerly.

“Fits like a glove.”

The shopkeeper nodded, pleased, as if eyeing his own creation with pride.
“Go get ‘em, miss. Good luck on your mission.”

Satisfied, Ina left the shop with her new staff and headed to the market for emergency rations and water.
Sewers could mean long hours, so preparation was key.

By the time she finished, dusk had settled, the setting sun casting its final glow.

“Oops… got late. Cynthia-chan’s probably antsy…”

Ina hefted her heavy backpack, stuffed with mission supplies, sweating slightly.

Glancing around, she tried to recall the area’s layout.
A narrow path behind the market caught her eye.

That path… leads right to the Guild’s street, doesn’t it?

“Why not take the shortcut? No harm, right?”

Eager to rest and prep for the mission, Ina didn’t overthink it and started down the path.

Halfway through, a figure startled her.

Clank.

The sound of armor scraping.

A fully armored knight, hand on the sword at his waist, approached from the other end.
A white circular cross—the Holy Church’s emblem—gleamed on his shoulder.

His hidden gaze seemed locked on Ina.

“Paladin…?”

Ina halted, eyeing him warily.
He made no move to attack, just stared.

After a tense standoff, the Paladin broke the silence.

“You… you’re from the Borus Empire’s branch church…”

His deep voice echoed from the helmet.
“You’re Saint Ina, aren’t you?”