Chapter 5 – Diana Blackhope
*Hiss*
[Old Witch Diana Blackhope – Level 12 [Intermediate Rank] Acolyte]
Feared by some, forgotten by most, Old Witch Diana was one of the oldest acolytes within the Ivory Tower. Boasting intermediate rank acolyte strength, she was a Dark-elemental acolyte who dealt with corpses, necromancy and curses. Once, when Arthur had been grazed by a maiden ghost and got his skin corrupted with negative energy, he had sought healing from this old witch.
As the ordeal had cost him a scare and 2 magic crystals, he now had a trauma with Ghost Maidens, who could not be killed with regular physical attacks, for they were completely made of elemental particles.
"Two magic crystals", Arthur gritted his teeth while pointing out to the now warm wolf. Traces of its blood frozen had now vanished, and besides the large cut he had made from his knight technique [Heavy Vertical Strike], the body was in pristine condition: a dream for all necromancers.
"It's just a swamp wolf. Why would I bother buy it for more than one magic crystals? Do you know how many acolytes sell corpses in this day and age?", the old witch retorted, clearly used to ripping beginners off.
However, Arthur was not the naïve little acolyte anymore, and three years in the tower had taught him some rules: if a merchant proposed you a price, you had to negotiate harder still.
"I don't know how many people hunt magical beasts, but I know that no one sell to you!", Arthur spat viciously, earning a glare from the old witch.
It seemed like he had touched a sore spot of hers. After all, in spite of her strength and intermediate rank cultivation, the Old Witch was a poor merchant. Well known for her ugliness and her horrible, stinging stench that came from a lifetime of dealing with corpses and studying necromancy, very few acolytes came in her shop. Anyway, her shop was not filled with your average goods either: there were organs preserved in greenish and translucent liquids like brains, hearts, and livers, but some beasts as well, such as Demonic Frogs and Devil Imps for any acolyte who was interested in taming a magical creature.
Everything gave off a very eerie and spectral atmosphere, very uncomfortable to the average acolyte.
Arthur, however, was quite the horror movie amateur back on Earth, and was thus least affected by this hellish shop. In fact, he kind of enjoyed shopping in this place. Because of her lack of customers, it was pretty easy to find rather rare ingredients and potions, some of which would be immediately bought in the market floor if it was a shop belonging to the arcane faction for instance or sold for a higher price.
After a while, the witch gave in: "Tsk…Alright, two magic crystals for the wolf, but you have to buy something from my shop! These days, you just sell things to me, and never buy! What are you going to do with your wealth? Eat it?"
She made her point.
'Indeed, I have been accumulating a bit of wealth…And if I don't use it, then I might die one day out of avarice when I could have used it to strengthen myself!'
Arthur took a look at his pouch: 148 gold coins, and 6 magic crystals. Considering his daily expenses where meals cost a handful of silver coins and goat skin several dozens of gold coins, it was only natural for his wealth to be relatively low. If he sold the wolf corpse, he would have as much as 8 magic crystals though, the highest fortune he had come to possess in the past three years.
It's not like he often gained magic crystals. Patrolling missions were rewarding, but they only enabled him to afford his rather large meat consumption that allowed him to complement his training, not to mention the renting of the meditation room, as well as the occasional costs of weapon maintenance.
All of it was very costly. As for the occasional magical herbs he got in his patrol missions, after sharing half of it with William, he only had few magic crystals for himself. Roughly two years ago, he had spent 5 magic crystals for the [Freezing Touch] low grade spell, which had been his largest expense till this date, and since then, his use of magic crystals were limited to occasional body strengthening potions, which were like steroids, minus the decrease in lifespan.
"How about body strengthening potions?", Arthur asked.
After all, improving his physique further with regular, lifting weight training was becoming tedious, and slow. He needed agents to further increase the efficiency of his training. Body Strengthening potions did just that. They tore the muscle fibres apart and increased the rate at which they regenerated. And anyone with a slight bit of anatomy knowledge would know that regeneration came with hardened, strengthened muscle prowess.
The old witch looked at Arthur, who now looked like a real knight: he wore a sturdy chain mail below the white Ivory Tower Cape, the mandatory uniform to distinguish mortals from acolytes, and his black steel sword was always hanging on his waist. His face was unfitting of his age, as the body strengthening potions and harsh training had made his body grow earlier, as he now looked like a 17-years-old knight rather than a 14-years-old acolyte. His muscles were strong and well-defined, and though there was little skin exposed from his attire, his neck showed some strong, wide veins that provided oxygen to his brain with a slow, steady heartbeat.
Appearance-wise, Arthur could be considered truly handsome. It wasn't the case of everyone in the tower, especially for those acolytes who rarely exposed themselves to sunlight, or exercised. Most had irregular diseases as well from experimenting with mana waste on a daily basis for the sake of research or mere oversight.
He was healthy, and his eyes also flickered with wisdom that just couldn't belong to the average 14-years-old boy. Although people matured faster in this harsh, dangerous environment, he was just too cunning and too wise for his age. The old witch, though, never really thought much of it, dismissing Arthur as a somehow witty teen who looked older than his actual age. Little did she know…for Arthur was a reincarnated being.
In fact, only a handful of the acolytes in the tower came from noble households. After all, magical talent was just that rare. Out of ten thousand people, there might not even be one magically gifted individual, so naturally, the Ivory Tower couldn't afford to be picky. Most acolytes thus came from merchant families. However, the difference between commoners and nobles was huge. Commoners would have to spend at least two years learning how to read and write properly, while nobles already knew it from education. Worst still, commoners didn't have funds, or contracts, making them very likely to progress slower, not to mention that they thus ended up bullied and stolen.
Arthur had been rather lucky and only spent a handful of months as a probationary acolyte, where you had to do chores and spend countless hours copying scrolls, grinding magical theories. Though he still spent tedious time in his magical studies, he did not waste much time doing chores for others.
Plus, he had a contract with Count Jackson Elderwood, the liege lord to whom Arthur's father had sworn allegiance to. Arthur didn't have to pay for the Ivory Tower's fees, which were counted in thousands of gold coins. It was Count Jackson Elderwood who did pay for it all.
In exchange, once Arthur reached 16 of age, he would have to spend three years in the Elderwood territory, advising the count. It was a rather good deal, for the contract only lasted for a short amount of time. Commoners, who didn't have any other choices, were forced into more binding contracts. After ten years in the magical tower, most would be sent to the Dalian Kingdom's royal court, to serve the royals for ten whole years, before being able to return to the Ivory Tower, which explained the abnormal ratio of middle-aged and old men and women in the tower like the witch.
Of course, be it the contract with nobles or with the Ivory Tower, the years spent next to nobles and royals were not free either. They would receive the best treatment, as well as unique rewards.
However, the risks were also great, and Arthur knew that the count had been waiting for an opportunity to start the war with the Lark household for a long time now, but only restrained himself due to the Lark Baron being a wandering acolyte. An intermediate rank acolyte perhaps, and an old one, but an intermediate rank acolyte nonetheless.
The Old Witch had come to know that as well, and knew that Arthur was trying his best to raise his strength in the two years that remained before his 'service'.
"Humph…You already grew past the point where body refinement potions benefit your body. I can sell them to you, but you would be disappointed and see little results", she said while taking something out of her backroom, where her most priceless goods were stored, "How about this elixir? It's a Volcano Potion, and it is said that it can increase your vitality, stamina and even poison resistance. Well, if you don't pass out from the pain, that is"
Arthur looked quite surprised:
[Volcano Potion – Medium Grade Elixir
Increase vitality by 1
Side effects: Pain, Dizziness for the 48 hours following consumption
Requirements: Vitality < 6]
It was an extraordinary elixir. One that could permanently increase his vitality attribute by one. It would take years to achieve this with sheer training.
It was the first time he saw a medium grade elixir, which could only be refined by Intermediate Alchemists. And he knew, for one, that the Old Witch was only a beginner alchemist. He didn't ask question as to how she managed to get her hands on such a treasure, but gasped upon seeing the price tag.
"Ten Magic Crystals? Are you kidding me?", Arthur shouted in frustration, "Are you trying to make me look poor or what? I am just a beginner rank acolyte! I only have 8 magic crystals, and I certainly am not going to spend it all in one day!"
The Old Witch squinted and she revealed a deep smile: "Mm? I thought you had a bit more than that"
Arthur knew better than to trust the old witch's words. Diana Blackhopes' affiliations with the Black Widow Brotherhood, a criminal faction that dwelled into necromancy and hunted natives of the Narth Island for the sake of getting corpses, was no secret in the tower.
Arthur felt like she had just showed it to him to make him envious!
However, she wasn't: "How about it? You complete one small job for me, and it is yours for just five magic crystals!"
Arthur felt like there was something shady about it.