The Acolyte of Spirits and Curses

Chapter 65: Shopping?

The morning sun shone brightly over Crownfall as Klein and Lyra walked side by side through the bustling central district.

They arrived at a large, reputable shop called "Arcane Emporium" one of the better-known stores in the capital for magical items and skill scrolls.

The building was elegant, with wide glass windows displaying various artifacts and glowing scrolls.

As they entered, a well-dressed attendant greeted them politely.

"Welcome to Arcane Emporium. How may I assist you today?"

Klein glanced at Lyra, then replied, "We’re looking for high-quality skill scrolls. Barrier-type and telekinesis, preferably."

The attendant’s eyes lit up "Excellent choice. Those are quite popular among adventurers. Please follow me to our VIP section. We have the best selections there."

They were led through a side door into a luxurious VIP room on the second floor.

The room was elegantly furnished with comfortable leather sofas, soft lighting, and glass display cases containing premium items.

A special attendant greeted them "Welcome to our VIP lounge," she said smoothly.

"Only valued customers or those with recommendations are allowed here. May I know what specific skills you are looking for?"

Klein sat down on one of the sofas as Lyra sat beside him.

"Barrier skills for defense and telekinesis for utility," he replied.

The attendant nodded and brought out several high-grade scrolls, laying them carefully on the table.

"Here we have ’Aegis Barrier’ a mid-to-high grade defensive skill that can create a multi-layered shield. And ’Telekinetic Grasp’ excellent for controlling objects at a distance, useful in both combat and daily life."

Lyra leaned forward, looking at the scrolls "They are great, Irakiel."

Taking the telekinesis skill scroll, he scrolled it slightly as he examined the intricate runes and the flow of mana sealed within it.

One can get basic ’Class skills’ like these from skill scrolls.

He can even get the [Low-level healing] skill, even though it won’t be as effective as when used by a real [Healer] class, it still can heal minor injuries.

Same with [Physical Strength] skill which belongs to the warrior class, but mages can get this through skill scrolls.

Only basic skills can be turned into skill scrolls, though.

More advanced or specialized skills usually couldn’t be properly transferred through scrolls.

They required personal comprehension, repeated practice, and a deep understanding of the underlying principles.

These two were solid choices for his current needs, but he knew their limits. They would give him immediate utility, but true mastery would still require time and effort on his part.

"I’ll take both," Klein said to the attendant.

The woman smiled professionally. "An excellent choice, sir."

With a polite bow, she spoke, "I will prepare everything for you to make payment."

With that, she left the VIP room to handle the transaction details, leaving Klein and Lyra alone for a moment.

Klein picked up the Telekinetic Grasp scroll without hesitation. He held it in both hands, and channeled his mana into it.

The scroll glowed brightly before dissolving into particles of light that flowed into his body.

[A new skill: Telekinetic Grasp has been acquired.]

Lyra smiled faintly and said, "Just getting the skill is not enough, you need to practice-"

In the next instant, her body began to float gently into the air.

"Ah-" She let out a startled gasp, her arms flailing slightly as she hovered a few feet off the ground.

"You already mastered it?" she asked in surprise.

Klein chuckled and used the skill to gently pull her toward him. He guided her down until she was sitting on his lap with his arms loosely wrapped around her waist.

"Hmm. It’s good."

Lyra’s face turned bright red and she squirmed slightly in his lap, "Put me down right now!"

Klein chuckled, keeping her in place for a few more seconds before gently setting her back on her feet with the skill.

Lyra smoothed her clothes and shot him a glare, though the embarrassment on her face was unmistakable.

"You really are shameless," she muttered, crossing her arms. "If you do that again, I’ll freeze you solid."

The attendant returned shortly after with the payment terminal.

When she said the total amount, Lyra instinctively reached into her bracelet.

Her fingers brushed against a luxurious diamond card, which is a symbol of her family’s wealth and status.

For a brief moment, she almost took it out to pay for everything.

But then she stopped herself ’Shit, I almost took it. I shouldn’t expose myself.’

She pulled out a basic black card instead and handed it to the attendant, paying for the scrolls without a word.

After completing the transaction, they left the VIP room and exited the Arcane Emporium together.

---

The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky as Klein and Lyra returned to the inn.

Once inside Lyra’s room, she began packing her clothes and belongings into a travel bag.

Klein sat on the edge of the bed, watching her quietly.

Lyra folded a shirt neatly and placed it into her bag, then glanced at him.

"So... this is it, huh?" she said softly. "We’re really parting ways for now."

Klein nodded, leaning back on his hands "Yeah. I need to head out of the capital for a while to handle some things."

Lyra zipped up her bag and sat down beside him on the bed.

She still couldn’t believe the young man who had tried to flirt with her just a day ago would end up becoming so close to her in such a short time.

A small, reluctant smile tugged at Lyra’s lips "Contact me when you’re ready to continue the treatment. And... don’t die before then. I still need those blockages fully cleared."

"I won’t. You stay safe too. If anything happens, reach out immediately."

They stood up together. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Lyra stepped forward and gave him a quick, awkward hug.

"Thank you,"

Klein hugged her back, patting her back gently "Take care, Lyra."

With that, he stepped back and left the room. "See you later."

As he left the room, Lyra stood there for a moment, staring at the closed door.

Then she reached out and removed a ring from her finger.

In the next instant, her brown hair changed to a striking white, and her normal face transformed into that of a beautiful woman with sharp, elegant features and piercing eyes.

The disguise melted away, revealing her true appearance.

A soft smile appeared on her lips "We will surely meet again..." she murmured to herself.

---

The next morning, after a quiet night of rest and preparation, Klein made his way back to Grayhaven Academy.

The academy grounds are familiar to him by now, but today the atmosphere felt different the moment he stepped through the main gates.

There was a noticeable commotion and restlessness throughout the campus.

Students were gathered in groups, whispering excitedly.

Professors hurried across the grounds with unusually serious expressions.

Klein raised an eyebrow as he walked through the central plaza.

Something big was clearly happening.

He grabbed the arm of a male student who was running past him in a hurry.

"Hey, what’s going on? Why is everyone so worked up?"

The student looked at him as if he was the only person on campus who didn’t know.

"You haven’t heard?!" the guy exclaimed. "The Saintess is joining the Academy!"