As Philip and Priscilla were still thinking about how they would save a lot of recording crystals because of this new function, they heard the Manager speak to Vale and they almost choked on their saliva.
"…"
Vale was also stunned after hearing these words. Instead of immediately answering no, he probed the manager.
"Why do you think so, Manager Marion?" Vale asked. He doesn't consider himself similar to the members of the Evanescent Vessels so it came as a great surprise to him.
"Well, I thought that the one with you is your Spiritual Guardian. Ahem… If I'm mistaken, then please don't get offended. I've only seen the members of the Vessels a couple of times and you have some semblance with them… Ugh, I'm probably getting old since I'm speaking so much nonsense." Manager Marion said as he waved his hands
"Let's just forget about it if I'm mistaken." He added.
"Mhmm… Well, I'm indeed not part of the Order but you're not completely wrong. I wonder, how did you sense my 'Spiritual Guardian.' I'm sure that not even some of our professors can tell about its presence." Vale asked.
At this moment, Priscilla and Philip were the ones speechless as they didn't expect that Vale would actually confirm the presence of the Spiritual Guardian!
They didn't know of this at all! Right now, they wanted to ask how Vale did it and have him teach it to them…
'What do I do? Can he share how he did it? Should I offer him my movement technique Spell Model? I think he was interested in that the last time I showed it to him…' Priscilla's mind raced as she also wanted to have a Spiritual Guardian.
'So it was true… I thought those students in Class 2 are just exaggerating some things about him. He's really too special. I need to become closer to him.' Philip mused as he felt that being together with Vale would allow him to open more opportunities in his path.
Manager Marion looked at Vale with interest as he realized that Vale is not a part of the Evanescent Vessel. He was really thinking too much, there was no way a person as young as him would be accepted within the Order so quickly.
Anyway, this made him more intrigued about the Spiritual Guardian hiding in his shadow.
He then smiled at Vale after being compared to the professors in the Academy.
"I'm a genuine alchemist… First Class in rank. My sensitivity to precious ingredients is on a different level… So it's no wonder I got better senses than some of your professors." Marion paused for a moment after saying this as if he realized something.
Vale and the other two were also the same.
'Did he just call my Lotus an ingredient?' Vale's alarm went out as he entered his Phantasm State…
He swiftly observed the surroundings and confirmed that there is no one planning to ambush him.
"Cough, cough… Let me explain myself, although Spiritual Beings can be used as ingredients in some precious pills and potions, I'm not thinking of doing that to someone else's Spirit. At most, I'm purchasing them in some legal markets." Marion immediately explained.
Similar to the Dark Arts Faction, the Alchemy Arts Faction also has many prohibitions imposed by the Association of the Harmonious Arcane Paths.
Aside from being prohibited from taking someone else's spirit, they also can't use human lives in their pill and potion concoction due to obvious reasons.
Vale understood this so he accepted his explanation. In any case, the Dark Alchemy of the Dark Arts can be crueler in some cases. It's really all about the practitioner of the Arcane Path.
The group then chatted for ten more minutes as they talk about how the new feature of the crystal works before the Manager's assistant arrive bringing five leather suitcases. The suitcases were quite thin but each of them carries a hundred recording crystals.
"Just like the standard ones made by the Mystic Arts Faction, the crystal needs to be properly maintained and can be quite fragile. Of course, this is not as fragile as the one they made but it's better to be careful."
As the Manager said this, he placed one of the suitcases on the table…
Clack!
With a flip of the lock, he opened the suitcase and revealed the hundred recording crystals. The blue crystals look clean and were even shining a bit.
The Manager then showed how to record and delete its content to the three students.
Finally, Priscilla paid them the 150,000 zen they owed.
After confirming the money on the bag, Manager Marion invited them to look around their shop in case they find something that they want.
"If you found something you want, I can give you a 15% discount. It's only available today so I think you should consider it." He added.
Although the three didn't have an intention of buying here, they still decided to agree and look around. After all, they weren't sure what they'll find in this shop as well.
Vale, on the other hand, checked his wallet. Aside from the 10,000 zen he received from Master Heinz before, he also accumulated a total of 15,000 zen from the corpses he undressed over the past year.
With this money, he believes that he should be able to afford a decent mystical item for himself.
"Do you sell mystical items here, Manager Marion?" Vale asked.
Priscilla and Philip also had the same question as they looked at the Manager.
They were still too young to appreciate the old paintings, sculptures, or pieces of jewelry from ancient times. What they would like to see was something that might be useful for them as practitioners of the Darkness Arcane Path.
Of course, this is what Marion wanted as well when he asked them to look around.
"If that's the case, follow me on the third floor. That is where we keep all our mystical items."
Manager Marion then signaled his assistant as he lead everyone to the top floor.
As they entered the floor, he glanced at his customers once more before asking…
"Right, do you have anything in your mind about the item you're looking for? Is it for offensive purposes? Or perhaps a defensive item? Right, as a student, you might want something that will help you in your study."
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel