บท 45: Mr. Gaston's Beyonder Gathering

In the Dream Labyrinth Tower, the first three levels predominantly test a challenger's reasoning and analytical abilities, and the variety of scenes generated within it suggests a connection to one of the pathways associated with omniscience and omnipotence. Regardless of which card of the omnipotent five might lie here, Ebner felt certain he needed it.

"Moreover, the 'White Tower Card' is the most likely candidate to be hidden here! The Dream Labyrinth itself is in the form of a tower, and the tests of reasoning are far too deliberate to be mere coincidence…"

Taking a deep breath, Ebner managed to suppress his restless longing. He understood that, as he was now, reaching the tower's first level was impossible. Even if he managed it by some miracle, he wouldn't be able to hold onto what he found there. After all, the top of the tower could very well be set up as some kind of "multiplayer battle royale" mode by Roselle.

In the days that followed, Ebner busied himself with odd jobs, from filling in for teachers at the school to helping townsfolk find lost items, all while studying Aelorn's Notes on Mysticism, which he had acquired from the tower. It was a fulfilling schedule.

Xio was similarly occupied, spending her days searching for clues about the Sheriff potion materials, and it seemed she had recently obtained information on "Fear Worms," which she was currently confirming.

Mr. Gaston, meanwhile, spent at least twelve hours a day immersed in the Dream Labyrinth, his zeal reminiscent of internet-addicted youths from Ebner's previous life.

Busy days flew by, and before they knew it, Thursday evening had arrived.

Since he was hosting a Beyonder gathering, Mr. Gaston had refrained from entering the Dream Labyrinth Tower for once, arriving early at the Sword and Fire Tavern to prepare the space.

Ebner and Xio hadn't accompanied him; instead, they disguised themselves separately and used the code word Mr. Gaston had provided to enter the tavern's private room.

Since this was a small island town, wearing formal attire would have drawn too much attention. Thus, Ebner had chosen a clean, albeit slightly worn, sailor's outfit, applied some oil paint favored by sailors, and tousled his hair until it was a wild mess. Checking himself in the mirror, he was pleased to find that he barely recognized himself.

But when Ebner saw Xio in the back alley of the tavern, he couldn't help but wince. She was dressed identically! The same slightly worn sailor outfit, the same oil paint, and even her hair was a mess. The only real difference was that Xio was a head shorter than him, even with her shoes slightly padded for height.

"If only one of us was dressed like this, it would be inconspicuous, but together we're bound to draw attention," Ebner thought, sighing inwardly. "And am I just imagining it, or does her version of this look come off as much more presentable, while I just seem… comical?"

"What are you staring at?" Xio asked, noticing his odd gaze as she checked her outfit for flaws.

"Uh, I was thinking we might as well just go in together—no one's going to doubt we're a pair anyway," Ebner admitted, resigning himself to their matching attire. After all, as the saying goes, "There's no shame in matching outfits…"

Xio, however, didn't mind at all. No one here knew them anyway, and as long as they didn't get their faces remembered by the authorities or pirates' informants, she was fine.

At 7:55, with his entire savings and a few freshly crafted charms in hand, Ebner felt a mix of hope and nerves as he stepped into the meeting room prepared by Mr. Gaston.

In the end, he had thrown on a black robe over his sailor outfit, using the hood's shadow to obscure his face.

"845 pounds in cash, along with five low-level charms… that's my entire fortune. I wonder how much will be left after this gathering…" Ebner thought, choosing a seat and letting his eyes wander around the room by the dim candlelight.

The group was mostly men; excluding Xio, only two women were present. Which of them might be "Miss Gwen?"

A few minutes later, Mr. Gaston, wearing a special mask, clapped his hands and announced, "Let's begin."

As his words fell, one of the women—a tall figure clad in thick, concealing robes that only hinted at her figure—eagerly spoke up. She pressed her voice low, saying, "Is the person who wanted to buy the Crown Jellyfish Venom Crystal here?"

"Yes," a man sitting in the corner replied succinctly.

The tall woman sighed with visible relief, then produced a box and said urgently, "I need a weapon that can counter large serpents. Anything will do, even something with severe side effects or limited efficacy—it doesn't matter! If you have it, this box is yours!"

"I don't have such a weapon… but would money work? I'm willing to offer 150 pounds!" the man in the corner asked after a moment's thought.

The tall woman frowned, about to respond, when Mr. Gaston interrupted from his seat with a smile, "I have such a weapon. I can sell it to the gentleman for 150 pounds, and then he can trade it with you."

The tall woman's face lit up, though she still asked cautiously, "What kind of weapon?"

After a moment's consideration, Mr. Gaston replied, "Serpents that dwell in dark caves typically fear light."

"This is an arrow made from a feather of the Holy Sunbird. I remember that you're skilled with a bow, so you should be able to use it."

"When it hits its target, it ignites pure, holy light within the target's organs. It's powerful, but unfortunately, it only has one use left, hence the low price."

"It will remain effective for three months."

"If you're willing, you may trade now."

The tall woman and the man in the corner exchanged a glance, clearly aware that the arrow's price was somewhat inflated for a single-use item. But with few other options, she resignedly nodded, "Deal!"

Having observed the transaction, Ebner was now nearly certain that this tall woman was "Gwen." First, the Crown Jellyfish had also appeared in Gwen's Cave Adventures, one of the creatures hunted by her team. Secondly, according to the story, her team had been slaughtered by the Dragon-Eyed Python, and she had escaped to seek revenge. Her desire for a weapon against pythons was consistent with that account.

But how to approach her?

As Ebner pondered, the transactions continued. Someone purchased a pair of "Ocean Boots" for 600 pounds, a magical item that allowed the wearer to move freely underwater for up to half an hour and perform limited water-based spells. A material called the "Fruit of the Elder Tree" also fetched a staggering 750 pounds.

According to his knowledge of mysticism and the original book, Ebner recognized this as one of the main materials for the Sequence 7 Psychiatrist potion.

Could the buyer be a member of the Psychological Alchemists? Ebner wondered, glancing at the woman who had just acquired the Elder Tree Fruit. Besides Xio and the tall woman, she was the only other woman present.

She was of average height, slightly taller than Xio with her padded shoes. Her face was hidden, but her hair, which spilled from her hood, was a distinctive red. Though that could be dyed to avoid recognition, Ebner noted before shifting his focus back to the gathering. He was simply exercising caution, with no intention of approaching her.

The next transactions proceeded, some succeeding, others failing, as most participants had specific goals and weren't inclined to spend on just anything.

When no one else made any offers, Ebner finally spoke up:

"I need precise information on the location of a Dragon-Eyed Python. 200 pounds."

As soon as he said it, he felt the gaze of the tall woman fall upon him.