"125 Notes."
Grace looked at the amount of money he had with a grim expression. He had enough to buy basic necessities like food and the like, but nothing too extravagant.
No... as long as we kill mana beasts--we can eat their flesh instead of buying anything. That would probably be the most optimal plan. Grace shook his head, ignoring all the other thoughts he previously had.
He wasn't too far out of the academy and could see the various shops that stood to collect the money of various naive academy students.
They all suck... but I guess they'll have to do until I get to Quantum City. It'll take awhile as Quantum City is on the neighboring continent, but the blackmarket that existed beneath the veil of technology and genius was something Grace could not ignore.
Though him currently wouldn't be able to enter it.
As he walked along the street, the soft light of the numerous shops fluttered beyond its confines and even the streets bustled with activity.
Though I might take a look at this city's blackmarket eventually. Grace looked upwards to see the name of a shop that Ivan would visit soon enough. Even though it wouldn't hold much importance in the overall narrative, it did allow for him to gather necessary equipment early on in the novel.
[Jaded Hardware]
In the novel, the owner was said to be a massive fan of the Jade Family to the point where he took inspiration of their family name to create this store. It was a brief mention. Leaving as quickly as it was introduced.
Entering the store, the bell that was attached to the door rung to signal that a customer was either entering or leaving.
"Welcome!" A voice spoke from afar. It was rough but held a subtle kindness and "unforced" nature. Grace began to look around the shop, shining the ring towards many of the items.
The story had many things.
Swords.
Hammers.
Spears.
Necklaces.
Rings.
Many basic necessities and weapons and accessories were present, but they weren't anything out of the ordinary.
I want a sword. Even though he saw many swords, he wanted one with appeal and an effect attached to it. His eyes analyzed more and more swords until he encountered one that satisfied his requirements.
It was stylish, but not too stylish. It was an iron sword that was clean and sharp. His face reflected off the metal, a perceivable mirror it was. And it was relatively lengthy, but not too long to where it could cause an inconvenience.
Grace held the grip of the sword, the pommel of the blade a spherical shape. And the guard was a simple cross. Grace held it out front before swinging it down.
"Not bad."
For something unremarkable.
[Basic Iron Sword]
[Grade: C+]
[Effect: Amplifies the strength of a slash of mana. Only slashes.]
The effect was alright.
Nothing too special. But it is much better than no effect at all. In fact, this sword - though basic - might be at the peak of what is considered a Grade 1 weapon. The effect just lacks due to it being a Grade 1 found in a low-star dungeon. These small-time shopped struggled to make much profit due to them not being able to venture out into more dangerous dungeons themselves.
He looked at the tag that had the price.
110 Notes.
Grace grumbled but he relented. There was no use complaining about the price even though he felt like he was being robbed in broad-daylight.
Grade 7-8 weapons can go for millions of notes at a time. This is chump change. Grace sighed as he went to the cashier and bought the sword without much conversation being made.
The owner merely smiled.
"Come by again."
Grace nodded his head.
Yeah... no thanks. The next he would buy something--it'd be somewhere else. Though it'd entirely depend on if he can keep the sword he's going to be using well-secured.
Well...
Versatility mattered.
Even if he would eventually discard this sword in the future, it was still a worthy investment for the level he was at currently.
Somewhere down the line I'll be able to hold swords of light. Grace thought to himself as he walked back to the academy.
~~~
Friday. Evening.
The academy grounds were silent. Many had gone to bed due to them having a long day, but some decided to stay out late to relax in the Friday evening to release stress from the long, arduous week of studying and learning.
Grace, clad in a brown cloak that hid his casual clothing, walked quietly in the night. The vibrant, shimmering moon cast down an effervescent moonlight. The pathway to the entrance of the academy was a quiet one. Though also a long one.
Each step signified a closer sign of danger.
Once nearing the entrance - and seeing the guards that were positioned at the entrance - Grace deviated off of the pathway. Now his feet were planted on the thinly-cut grass, and he made his way down the field all the way to the entrance.
And, as he told Alice, he found her standing where he had expected her to be. She stood with a black cloak, a casual outfit softly positioned underneath. Her black hair danced in the night, fluttering with elegance.
"Alice," Grace greeted. Once getting closer, Grace could see that there was a troubled look on her face. "Is something wrong?" He soon added.
Alice met his gaze.
"The guards--they can sense us, no? We don't have the ability to mask our presence, so they should be coming to get us as we speak?"
"You don't have to worry--they won't be going after us."
"How can you be so sure?"
"It is as Aventus intended. He allows the students to sneak out, but he is always closely monitoring the perimeter of the academy. So this must be something that the guards have to abide by, too."
"The headmaster?"
"Who knows. He's an... eccentric one. But enough of that--let's go. We don't have much time to spare if we want to maximize our escapade." Exhaling a breath, Grace gestured for Alice to follow him.
Around the academy entrance walls... Grace thought as they maneuvered closer to the walls of the academy. Soon, after scaling below the walls of the entrance, Grace found the lid of the sewer.
"Perfect," he muttered. Opening the lid of the sewers, Grace turned to the angelic beauty that stood behind him.
"Ladies first."
He joked.
"Funny."
She rolled her eyes.
Climbing down the ladder, a mildly uncomfortable stench reached their nose. Their faces contorted as they reached down, the entirety of the tunnel being lit up by various blue lights positioned overhead.
Though the necklace would have helped me regardless. And for Alice, he had a stick that he could use as a torch to give her.
Carefully. Slowly. Methodically.
They marched onward in utter silence.
"Just a straight way ahead?" She asked Grace. The boy nodded his head, leading the way towards their first destination: beyond the academy walls. And out of the sewer system.
Squeak!
Rats and various bugs crawled on the floor, making the faces of the two students wandering out and about contort in disgust. Even in this life, Grace felt uncomfortable.
"There."
From afar, Grace's amplified eyesight could vividly see another set of ladders that were rusted. It stood tall and brilliant and it would be there key to escaping this rabbit hole.
"Our ticket out."