There were still noises from the many adventurers roaming the large building, but the sounds that reached this side of the hall were muffled and distant.
Alex swallowed hard as he asked old man Bramble how he was supposed to choose.
"It's simple really… You just need to pick out three random charms from the counters," old man Bramble answered as he stroked his messy beard.
Alex first eliminated the charms that weren't of the sun's source._
He tried using his passive skill, Beastmind Premonition, to increase his chances of selecting the right charm._
"I'll slowly fiddle with a random charm and observe how old Bramble reacts using Beastmind Premonition. If his reaction isn't convincing enough, I'll drop it and try another."
He approached a counter on the right side, where a sun source charm rested quietly._
Picking up the triangle-shaped charm, he fiddled with it slightly, making a faint turning gesture while attempting to see old man Bramble's reaction ahead of time.
But to his dismay, his passive skill failed. He couldn't see the man's reaction three seconds into the future.
"That's unusual… Is he using a high-level anti-divination charm or skill?" Alex thought, disappointed.
He knew very well that any expression old man Bramble showed while looking directly at him could easily be an act meant to confuse him and make him waste a trial.
Alex glanced at Ellie first to gauge her reaction but was met with an innocent shrug. He then turned to Connor, only to see him staring at his new ring with a silly smile plastered on his face._
He recalled the serious Connor who trained relentlessly in the garden and compared him to this version—but it simply didn't fit.
Finally, he looked toward old man Bramble, who now wore an expression of surprise that Alex suspected was also an act.
"I choose this one as my first," Alex said, a little hopeful.
"You have two more trials remaining," old man Bramble replied as he scratched his long, messy black hair streaked with gray.
Alex returned the charm to its original position dejectedly. He skipped the nearby sun source charm as he made his way to the next counter._
He picked up another charm without much hope, already envisioning the old man shaking his head.
Old man Bramble, however, was genuinely surprised by Alex's second choice. The charm Alex picked was his finest creation currently available for sale.
"You're one lucky lad, kid," the old man paused before continuing. "Looks like you had Lady Luck as a partner in your previous life," he said with a chuckle.
"Previous life?" Alex asked, momentarily lost as he tried to grasp something that felt present yet unreachable.
"I was just joking, kid. Congratulations—you got the charm. I named it Embermind Sigil," old man Bramble said proudly, nodding and pulling Alex out of his reverie.
"Huh? He's not always a lucky one," Connor commented from the side, his attention finally shifting away from his new ring.
"This is it?" Alex asked, as though he had misheard.
"Try it out. Just put it on and inject mana into it."
Alex nodded and followed the instructions. The charm was a small sigil fashioned into a necklace. It was fiery red and began glowing faintly the moment Alex poured mana into it.
"Wow! I feel so refreshed mentally, like I'm soaking myself in a hot bath."
Alex forgot his earlier sense of loss as he basked in the serenity brought by the charm.
"Don't immerse yourself too deeply in the calmness it brings, or you might end up a drooling idiot who only knows how to praise the sun's source," Bramble warned when he noticed Alex relaxing too much.
Alex's expression shifted instantly as he regained his composure, though he felt slightly more complete than before.
The vacant blue in his eyes regained a faint luster.
Watching this, Ellie decided to trust the strange old man. She asked if he had any sun source charms that could boost her defenses, especially against non-elemental attacks.
"Hm… I have a few. But only two belong to the fire domain. You look like a mage. I have one that can enhance your defensive spells, but its flaw is that the higher your defense becomes, the lower your attack potency," old man Bramble replied after some thought.
"Let me have it then. I'll give it a try," Ellie said flatly.
Her charm was a small circular scarlet disc with three dots forming a triangle.
Ellie injected mana into the charm and chanted, "Source of the sun: grant me your light—blazing holy armor."
Flames encased her body, illuminating the surroundings and driving away the shadows._
The armor that formed around her possessed a tangible thickness and solidity, despite Ellie chanting without her scepter._
This alone demonstrated the charm's effectiveness.
She asked for the price before retrieving eight gold coins from her storage ring and paying.
The difference between mind-strengthening charms and other charms was enormous—mind charms being the rarest and most sought-after._
Many integrators remained standing solely because their minds had been reinforced through such charms.
Alex paid for his charm as well as he prepared to leave.
Connor grinned as he faced old man Bramble.
Seeing that expression, Bramble immediately knew Connor was seeking information about someone or something within the adventurers' circle.
"Uhm… My friend here is looking for a good armor that complements his battle style, so I was wondering if you know any good merchants who could meet his expectations?"
Old man Bramble thought for a moment before replying. "I know a few, but you should know armor is extremely expensive—second only to mind charms. You look like a melee fighter…"
"I use gauntlets," Alex interrupted.
"Just head to the main hall and pay some random escort a few bronze coins for directions. Ask them to take you to Mr. Marek."
Alex nodded respectfully and turned to leave. Connor bade old man Bramble farewell before following behind Alex. Even Aero, perched on Connor's shoulder, screeched a farewell while fluttering its wings.
Deep down, Connor had a strange feeling that this might be the last time he would see old man Bramble. After all, ancient historical records stated that the dawn of integration had been a nightmare for the ancestors of that age.
Old man Bramble suddenly called out from behind them.
"Oy, kids! I almost forgot to mention the validity period of your charms!"
He lifted a finger as if the thought had just struck him. "The Embermind Sigil is only valid for three months, while the young lady's charm will last six months!"