63: Chapter 63 Nightmare Lantern 63: Chapter 63 Nightmare Lantern He turned and stopped in front of a stall, slightly bent over, and carefully examined an item on the table.

It was an antique-looking brass lantern.

“Hello…

Do you see anything you like?”

The stall owner was a black-haired, quiet young girl in a plain Pamir uniform.

Seeing Anvis linger at her stall, she asked with shyness, seemingly not very adept at social interactions.

“May I take a look at that lantern?”

Anvis smiled at the girl, pointing at the lantern on the stall.

“Of course, you may, please feel free.”

The girl nodded her head and gestured for him to proceed.

With the girl’s permission, Anvis gently picked up the lantern from the stall and held it up to take a closer look.

The style of the lantern was very old, made entirely of a brass-like material.

Two brass support pillars extended from the base, connecting to the carved top, with a matching brass handle hanging above.

In the center of the lantern, within the oval cylindrical transparent glass, was a delicate wick exhibiting a unique translucent blue, not unlike clear crystal, seeming quite mysterious.

Although no magic power was infused at the moment, the lantern itself was emitting an indescribable aura.

‘A replica of the Nightmare Lantern?

But it indeed carries a trace of the Power of Nightmare.’

With his magic vision enhanced by Mercury Eyes, Anvis could clearly see a strange grey energy hidden within the blue wick.

In the previous Ruins Study course, Anvis had encountered many special powers and personally experienced their effects, including the Power of Nightmare.

Therefore, when he saw it again, he immediately recognized its essence.

“That one is called the Dream Protection Lantern.”

Seeing Anvis carefully examining the lantern, the young stall owner took the initiative to introduce it.

“Insert a Magic Crystal in the base, and it can be lit, a standard Magic Crystal is enough to keep it lit for one night.

Under the illumination of the lantern, it ensures that Professionals below Third Rank will not have nightmares as they sleep.”

“Moreover, it’s also very effective for lighting and can serve as an ordinary magic lamp…”

Listening to the girl’s introduction, a trace of amusement flickered in Anvis’s eyes.

The Nightmare Lantern attacked and defended using the Power of Nightmare, typically absorbing the user’s nightmares to nourish itself, so its replica being called a Dream Protection Lantern was not an overstatement.

But Professionals having nightmares?

Unless they were afflicted by certain special curses or affected by negative effects.

Leaving aside how rare those situations were, even if one did encounter them, the first choice would definitely be to seek curse removal, not to suppress them by force with the effects of a lantern.

And using it for lighting?

One Magic Crystal per night, that would likely be like burning Gold Coins for light.

“That…

It’s just a low-level alchemical item, so its effects are limited.

If you want it, I can sell it to you for a discounted price, how about fifteen Gold Coins?”

Possibly realizing its effects were somewhat underwhelming, the black-haired girl explained with some embarrassment.

Fifteen Gold Coins?

Anvis laughed, but didn’t respond, and instead asked again.

“Do you have higher-level lanterns like this one?”

“Higher-level?”

The girl slightly lowered her head, her volume diminishing, looking somewhat embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, I’m only a First Rank Alchemist, and at the moment I can’t make a higher-rank Dream Protection Lantern…”

“Is that so——”

Anvis nodded in understanding, then suddenly changed the topic.

“Then, can you sell me the method of its creation?”

As he spoke these words, his gaze seemed unintentionally to drift towards the young girl’s light purple eyes.

“The method of creation?”

The young stallholder was startled, a flash of vigilance crossing her eyes momentarily.

“Yes, I’m very interested in its principle.”

As if oblivious to the girl’s vigilance, Anvis casually took out the silver Magic Crystal Card.

“How about one thousand Gold Coins?”

“…I’m sorry, but I can’t sell you the way it’s made.

It’s not about the price.”

Seeing the Magic Crystal Card, the girl’s eyes widened slightly but then returned to normal.

If Anvis had not been carefully observing her expression, he would have undoubtedly missed this detail.

‘So, she is the qualified candidate chosen by the Nightmare Lantern, and she isn’t exactly flush with cash right now,’ Anvis pondered, analyzing the girl’s words.

That was normal; a Secondary Profession was very costly in the early stages.

With monthly expenses that easily exceed a thousand Gold Coins, even an average noble family would find it hard to bear.

While noble families have large enterprises, most of their income is spent on guards, servants, equipment, provisions, and the like, leaving them with very little in liquid funds.

“How about this instead, we exchange Identity Seals?

When you can make a higher-level lantern, you can contact me.”

With a swift change of thought, Anvis no longer mentioned purchasing the method of creation.

Instead, he took a step back and suggested exchanging Identity Seals with the girl.

This was a small tactic of retreating in order to advance.

After your first, larger request is refused by someone, a second, lesser one often becomes more acceptable to the other party.

Anvis had anticipated that the girl would probably not choose to trade the method of creation, as it likely involved her fundamental secrets.

“As for these one thousand Gold Coins, consider it a deposit.”

In the midst of the endlessly flowing crowd, the pale young man with light golden short hair gazed at the girl’s violet eyes, smilingly handing over the Magic Crystal Card.

The sunlight reflected off the card’s silvery surface, casting an entrancing and holy radiance.

“Exchange Identity Seals…

Alright then.”

The black-haired girl showed a somewhat troubled expression but, after looking at the boy’s face and glancing at the dazzling Silver Card, she ultimately agreed to the proposal.

They exchanged Identity Seals, and Anvis smiled as he raised his hand to gently tap his chest thrice, giving the young girl a Mage’s salute.

“Allow me to introduce myself; I’m Anvis, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The girl was taken aback, then returned the gesture.

“Hello, Anvis, I’m Emily.”

The Nightmare Lantern is a very special High-Level Illusion Dream Mysterious Object.

It’s mentioned only briefly in a rare volume on Dream Realm objects found in the Family’s Great Library.

If Anvis hadn’t read that book, he would undoubtedly have missed this opportunity.

Its core function could be summed up in a single sentence:

In the Dream World, it finds the way back home.

For Anvis, this Mysterious Object was extremely crucial.

His future development plans importantly included a journey through the Dream World.

Only by obtaining the true Nightmare Lantern could he ensure his safe return, instead of becoming eternally lost in the vast and sea-like depths of the Dream Realm.

Moreover, it was not just for this reason alone that someone of the direct lineage of Olivendi would value this so highly.

Actually, the Nightmare Lantern itself is also a replica, fashioned by a Ninth-Rank Dream World Mage.

It is a key, a treasure map, pointing towards a singular, renowned Epic Item:

The Light that Penetrates the Nether Sea—the [Dead Sea Lantern].