Inside a vast—luxurious yet dim chamber in Coeron Arbora._
Kaelon Malven knelt on one knee, head bowed low.
On the glass table before him rested a black, opaque object exuding a domineering darkness._
From it, the shrouded figure of the Dark Sovereign of Valoryn emerged as a projection.
"I take responsibility for my incompetence, Your Eminence… I still couldn't locate this special awakened," the Hourglass said, still kneeling.
"I felt it again, Kaelon… the seed has bloomed," the figure murmured, as if nothing in existence could disturb him.
Kaelon absorbed those words before speaking again, his voice utterly respectful.
"There have been three students in Coeron Arbora who bloomed under my watch… I can affirm there is nothing remarkable about them."_
He hesitated, a bead of sweat sliding down his forehead, unsure if he should continue.
"Your Majesty… perhaps this special seed is not in this particular academy?"
Silence settled—heavy and suffocating—before the king finally spoke.
"Continue searching. Some unknown force is distorting my senses as a Monarch."
He paused, faint amusement flickering in his voice.
"I cannot pinpoint the seed's exact location, but it is in Coeron Arbora. Go through the young seeds during the mission… investigate every one of them, and report those you find unusual."_
The projection vanished instantly—as though he had never been there—leaving only the suffocating aura lingering in the air._
The black object on the table slowly reverted to its natural brown state, its dark haze fading. Even the room's lights brightened again, as if relieved of pressure.
---
A bustling, noisy atmosphere filled the air._
Inside an enormous bright building supported by thick, milky stone pillars etched with glistening ancient engravings, men and women clad in armor and wielding axes, war hammers, or swords moved about—some purposeful, others wandering. A few drunken adventurers slumped against pillars or argued loudly.
This was the Adventurers' HQ of Coeron.
Alex and Connor had told Ellie earlier they'd be visiting the HQ, and it turned out Ellie also needed a charm.
As they explored the shops, they passed one filled with sparkling swords, mana powered firearms of all types, armours, rings, and other shining armaments._
Any integrator who loved flashy gear would stop here without hesitation, and Connor—being one—darted straight toward the displays. His eyes sparkled exaggeratedly, and he looked almost hypnotized as he touched the glass showcases.
He managed to restrain himself and bought only a shiny storage ring._
He spent five gold and four silver coins, which shook his savings.
He previously had fifteen gold, nine silver, and two bronze coins. But after buying the new storage ring, his money dropped to a measly hundred-and-five silver and two bronze.
Connor naturally checked the storage capacity before buying. The new ring held as much space as a small room, while his previous ring held no more than a medium-sized bag.
Ellie requested they visit a charms shop next before checking for body armour.
Connor suggested introducing her to a charms vendor he trusted, claiming the owner was an expert in gathering high-quality, long-lasting charms._
Ellie nodded and followed behind Connor with Alex by her side.
They walked into a narrow hallway. The once-soaring ceiling of over eighteen meters dropped sharply here, the dim lights deepening shadows. The ceiling now rose barely five meters.
Ellie frowned slightly, suspecting this was not Connor's idea of an "expert" vendor.
They stopped in front of a shady little shop. Ellie stiffened.
"Don't tell me they scammed Connor?" she thought in alarm.
"Old man Bramble, you have customers!" Connor shouted.
Ruffling sounds rose from within, and an old man appeared moments later—disheveled hair, deep shadows under his eyes which had milky irises with yellow pupils, and rough, worn clothes completing his weary look._
He stepped behind the counter—a simple desk acting as a barrier—his white, slightly trimmed beard visible now.
"Oh! Young Connor, are these your friends?" Old man Bramble asked, his unusual eyes gleaming and still looking sleep-deprived even though he had just woken up.
Connor nodded enthusiastically and introduced them. "This is Alex, that's Ellie. They're also in their final year at the academy."
Old man Bramble nodded, then faced Alex. "Do you need mind-strengthening charms?"
Both Ellie and Alex froze. How did he know?
Alex asked, slightly doubtful, "What can you offer, and how effective are your collections?"
"Hmmm, my charms are top quality… if you can identify the best," the old man said. He paused before laughing lightly. "Their effectiveness depends on your pick. I create charms, but only in the fire domain._
I have one in the fire domain that greatly strengthens mental fortitude—stronger than even charms tied to the moon source domain. But the rule is this: find it within three trials and pay thirty gold… or pay sixty if you want me to hand it to you directly. Which do you choose?"
Alex was slightly puzzled. Why such a large price difference?
He asked, "Isn't sixty coins a bit too much? And someone with a luck-enhancement charm or skill might get it on the first try."
Old man Bramble chuckled softly, then added as if tempting him, "I have luck-enhancement charms. You can buy one to increase your chances."
Alex suddenly felt like prey being baited, so he quickly abandoned the idea of buying a luck charm.
Old man Bramble invited all three of them inside.
Alex was fully prepared to choose the sixty-gold-coin option if he failed all three trials.