CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 47: TRIAL

Andre nodded slightly, a secretive smile playing at his lips:

"My friend and I are looking for some special materials to write a new ’Guide.’ You know, academic research always requires a variety of resources."

The Dwarf turned his gaze to Ron, scrutinizing this unfamiliar face as if a Merchant assessing the value of goods:

"A new friend? He doesn’t look like the type interested in ’Guides’, more like the scholarly type who locks himself in a room to study."

"Don’t be fooled by appearances, my old friend." Andre casually slid a Magic Stone Fragment in front of the Dwarf:

"His insight in certain fields might just surprise you."

The Dwarf covered the fragment with his hand, his stubby fingers deftly making it disappear into his sleeve, a slight smile forming at his lips:

"These days, not much surprises me, Your Highness. But since you say so, I look forward to it."

He stood up, gesturing for the two to follow: "Come, let’s talk in the back. A quieter environment is more suitable for discussing... academic matters."

The three of them passed through the bustling main hall of the tavern, avoiding those immersed in alcohol or conversation, and entered a narrow corridor.

Old oil lamps hung on either side of the corridor, casting eerie shadows on the walls in their dim light.

At the end were several tightly closed wooden doors, all looking identical.

Otto took a peculiarly shaped Key from his waist, carefully inspecting the doors before selecting one and inserting the key into the lock.

As the key went in, hidden Runes on the door lit up faintly, then quickly dimmed.

The Dwarf expertly turned the key, accompanied by a crisp "click" as the lock opened.

Inside was a small circular room, its walls adorned with various maps and dried herbs, the air filled with a peculiar fragrance, seemingly a Hybrid of dozens of herbs.

A round table and several chairs occupied the center of the room, with a Magic Crystal Lamp glowing softly on the table.

"Please, have a seat, guests." The Dwarf locked the door and climbed onto a specially made high chair, looking down at his visitors:

"Now, what kind of ’materials’ are you looking for? Here, we can dispense with those cumbersome secret codes."

Ron glanced at Andre, who nodded slightly, signaling him to speak directly.

He took a deep breath and pulled out a special piece of Parchment from his jacket: "We need these."

Ron carefully revealed only a few relatively less sensitive materials from the list, including "Moon Shadow Bat Heart Ash" and "Crystal Moss."

Otto took the Parchment, his thick eyebrows gradually rising, blue eyes sparkling with surprise and curiosity:

"Oh? This is not an ordinary materials list."

His fingers gently traced over the glowing words on the Parchment, raising his head, his gaze shifting between the two:

"Especially this ’Crystal Moss’, it has been a highly sought-after resource recently, its price soaring several times, and it’s almost impossible to find on the market."

"Why?" Ron asked instinctively, then realized it might touch on some sensitive topics.

The Gray Dwarf cast him a long look, the lips beneath his beard flattening into a line:

"That falls under our industry’s trade secrets, not something I can share with you guests."

He paused, seemingly weighing something:

"However, it is true that the market fluctuations for all kinds of rare materials have been much larger than usual lately, especially those related to Wizards."

Finishing, Otto waved his hand: "Alright, back to business. I can help you find these materials, but it won’t be quick, and they won’t be cheap. You need to be prepared."

"Roughly how many Magic Stone Fragments would we need?" Ron asked directly, deciding to cut to the chase.

"Need a list?" Otto calculated on his stubby fingers:

"Even if you only need one of each, it would take at least one hundred and seventy or eighty Magic Stone Fragments, and some might require a complete Magic Stone for the transaction."

He squinted slightly at Ron, apparently evaluating the young man’s financial capacity:

"Selling you just one or two individual materials would be rare."

Ron’s brow furrowed, the price far exceeded his budget.

Did Lady Allen overestimate his financial capacity, or did she underestimate the current market value of these materials?

After a moment of thought, he said, "We can purchase them in batches. Let’s start with the easiest ones to find."

Andre interjected into the conversation at the right moment, his tone relaxed yet cautious:

"If we can get samples, we might need to evaluate their quality. In a place like this, it’s wise to compare goods."

"Oh?" Otto looked at Ron with slight curiosity, his blue eyes shining with investigative light:

"You know how to evaluate these materials? At your age, you don’t seem to have enough experience."

Ron nodded calmly and confidently: "I have some experience in Magic Potions."

"Interesting, interesting..."

The Dwarf rubbed his thick beard, producing a rustling sound, the corners of his lips beneath the beard lifting slightly:

"Typically, a Magic Potion Apprentice visiting the black market would bring a trustworthy evaluator, staying fully wrapped up to avoid recognition."

He scrutinized Ron: "But if you can identify the materials yourself, that indeed makes things easier. However..."

Otto suddenly stopped, a sly look flashing in his eyes, "Boasting is not a good habit, young one."

He retrieved a finely crafted small wooden box from beneath the table, its surface carved with intricate Runes, each line glowing faintly:

"Today you are in luck, I happen to have some stock here, care to take a look? Let’s test the depth of your ’experience’."

Ron’s heart stirred, and he nodded: "I’d be delighted."

He sensed that this was some kind of test from the other party, but he had confidence in his abilities.

Otto opened the wooden box, neatly arranged inside were several Crystal Bottles and small pouches.

The room’s light refracted off the bottles, adding a layer of mystery to them.

"Check this out." He took out a small bottle containing grayish-brown powder, shaking it gently:

"This should be the ’Moon Shadow Bat Heart Ash’ from your list. Recently acquired stock, top-notch quality."

Ron took the bottle, using his Herb Recognition Skills to carefully observe it.

He gently shook the bottle, letting the powder inside reveal its true color in the light.

The genuine Moon Shadow Bat Heart Ash should appear silver-gray, with a faint blue luminescence under the light.

Most importantly, it should have a unique Energy Fluctuation, enough to cause a slight tremor in those with acute perception.

But the grayish-brown powder in front of him, although similar in texture, was distinctly lacking the necessary Magic Power fluctuations.

Its color was also too murky, more like ordinary mineral powder or an inferior product repeatedly refined.

During this process, his Skill Experience was also steadily increasing:

[Counterfeit Identified! Herb Recognition Experience Points +1]

"I’m afraid this is not genuine."