Asher finally arrived at the eting place designated by the queen, only to find both his mother, Queen lissa, and his sister, Nimora, already waiting for him.
lissa, as expected, had plenty to say about his tardiness. She scolded him relentlessly for what felt like an eternity before finally getting to the point of why she had summoned them.
She had insisted on personally visiting the kingdom's town to buy equipnt for their Exorcist test.
Nimora, standing beside their mother with her usual cold expression, remained silent, though Asher could sense her confusion. Why wouldn't their mother simply send for the items to be brought to them? It made no sense. However, she kept her questions to herself.
As for Asher, he had a pretty good idea of what was happening. They weren't just going to pick up any random gear; they were heading into town to acquire charms and equipnt that would specifically align with the Exorcists who selected them.
"This is literally getting a B-rank gear for free... How exciting," Asher mused, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
After a few final preparations, Queen lissa led them out of the kingdom and into the prepared carriage. Their escort consisted of only four Exorcists, each riding a single horse, maintaining a subtle yet watchful presence as they followed behind.
Inside the carriage, an awkward silence filled the air.
Asher sat at the far end, opposite the door, his head slightly lowered. Occasionally, he attempted to make eye contact with his mother, but not once did she glance in his direction. It was as though she outright refused to acknowledge his existence. Instead, she turned to Nimora with an empty, unreadable expression.
"She probably finds disgusting," Asher thought bitterly. His mother's indifference was nothing new, but it still stung.
Pushing those thoughts aside, he shifted his focus to the upcoming task.
"What sort of items should I get?" he wondered. "Since I'm no longer a sword master, how much armor and how many charms should I take? This is literally real life. Bulking up unreasonably with armor might slow down. And considering I barely have any stats, that would be a problem..."
His thoughts paused for a mont as he ca to a realization.
"Co to think of it, I've never actually been to an Exorcist store before," he admitted to himself. In the ga, Exorcists rarely utilized armor, so he had no real reference.
The long ride dragged on endlessly, each second stretching into an eternity until finally, the carriage ca to a stop.
From outside, the noise and rowdiness of a bustling neighborhood could already be heard.
Asher's curiosity piqued. Would this place resemble the ga, where NPCs simply stood at every junction, waiting to hand out missions? Or would it be more imrsive, with NPCs behaving like real people?
His anticipation made him restless, and the mont the coach opened the door, Asher was the first to step out—though he did so diplomatically, not wanting to seem overeager.
The sight before him was breathtaking.
It was one thing to play a ga and another to witness it firsthand.
The Exorcist Kingdom's town was unlike anything he had ever seen.
The sky was a beautiful shade of pink, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape. Towering Chinese-style temples and hos stood in perfect harmony, each adorned with intricate decorations that swayed gently in the wind. Shops, undoubtedly owned by Exorcists, lined the streets, each more unique than the last.
Above, vibrant ornants dangled from rooftops, their shimring colors catching the sunlight. Around him, statues of figures he vaguely recognized stood in silent vigilance, their expressions etched with wisdom and power.
The people, too, were different. More diverse, more lifelike than re NPCs.
And then, the mont they noticed him, everything changed.
One by one, the townspeople dropped to their knees, bowing so deeply that their foreheads touched the ground.
All at once, they chorused in unison:
"Hail the Royal House."
Asher pressed his lips together, stifling the laughter that threatened to escape.
"I rember this greeting... This is bloody slavery."
His mind flashed back to his gaming days when he and his team had visited the Exorcist Kingdom to aid the current queen. One of his teammates had mockingly called the townspeople boot-lickers, almost causing a riot.
Good tis...
"Asher, let's move."
lissa's voice was barely above a whisper—lifeless, indifferent. She didn't even spare him a glance as she spoke.
"How disgusted do I make you feel? Racist," he thought dryly.
Following her lead, they arrived at a massive store within seconds. Unlike the others, this one was grander, exuding an air of exclusivity and high standards.
Queen lissa, stopping at the door, shot them a pointed glare. Without a word, she signaled Nimora and Asher to enter first.
Nimora took the lead without hesitation, and Asher followed, shutting the door behind him.
His mind raced with questions.
Why had lissa chosen to stay outside?
Had she planned for Nimora to kill him here? No... if she wanted him dead, she would've done it in the kingdom.
Then why were they alone in the store?
He considered voicing his concerns to Nimora, but recalling the incident at the lecture hall, he held back.
"She should be just as confused as I am... So far, she hasn't moved an inch."
"Hello, young Highnesses. I will be your guide for today. I am Huemr Roh."
An elderly man erged from behind a shelf, a small book in his hands.
Despite appearing to be in his nineties, his physique was remarkable—strong, firm, and unshaken by age. His long white goatee swayed slightly as he moved, giving him the air of a wise sage.
"Do you have an idea why you are here?" he asked, his tone testing their knowledge.
Predictably, Nimora remained silent, her gaze cold as she wordlessly scanned the shop.
Asher, however, took in everything—the shelves stacked with various items, the smooth, polished floor mats, and the counter at the far end.
"This is a wholesale material shop selling B-rank items," he answered calmly, exuding the confident aura of a seasoned gar.
Huemr's brows lifted slightly, clearly impressed. "Wow, I see you are well-versed in your studies. That is correct."
From the corner of his eye, Asher noticed Nimora's expression shift—just slightly. A minuscule frown.
But Asher wasn't naive. He had known it was a material shop, but the fact that it exclusively dealt with B-ranked materials? That was new information.
He had activated [Eye of Insight], and with that ability, the truth had been revealed.
[Eye of Insight: Material Store, B-Ranked. Great materials compatible with the user can be found.]
"Compatibility... even when I haven't unlocked an innate ability yet? This saves the trouble of overthinking what to buy."
A small, satisfied smile ford on his lips as he casually slid his hands into his pockets.
"Now, you two," Huemr said with a knowing smile, "shall we check for what materials suit you best?"
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