Free Web NovelChapter 36: 36: A Spell to Sell (3)
Peter did not say anything. He also remembered the last few days. He was still worried, but he had seen Lucard do things that made no sense and survive them. At this point, Peter felt like if Lucard said he could write a Fifth Rank forbidden spell, then maybe the world had become strange enough for that too.
Jake looked at Lucard with shining eyes.
"Brother, can you write a forbidden spell? Is it true?"
Lucard looked down at him. Then answer, "Yes."
Jake looked amazed. "Can it explode things?"
Lucard replied, "Yes."
"Can it make bad people cry?"
Lucard replied, "If used well."
Jake nodded with respect. "That is a good spell."
Jenny sighed. "Do not encourage him."
Lucard turned toward the merchant square.
"First, I need some old paper."
Jenny frowned. "Old paper?"
"Yes. A forbidden spell written on fresh paper looks fake. It needs old paper, good ink, and the right smell. Marovain people may be skilled in business, but they are still mortals. Appearance matters to them."
Peter slowly nodded. "There are old book sellers near the shrine road. Some sell damaged records and blank old pages from ruined ledgers."
Lucard looked at him. "Good. I will go there and find the old paper."
Jenny immediately asked, "What about us?"
Lucard replied, "You will book an inn."
Jenny hesitated. "Which inn?"
"The one closest to the Marovain shop. Not the cheapest. Not the most expensive. Choose one that has enough people to hide us, but enough quality that a Marovain messenger will not hesitate to enter."
Peter looked surprised. "You already thought that far?"
Lucard looked at him. "Thinking is free. You should try it when your wounds heal."
Peter lowered his head. "Yes, Young Master Lucard."
Jake whispered to Jenny, "Brother is very mean to Peter."
Peter heard it and said, "Young Master Jake, I have noticed."
Lucard continued, "Book two rooms. One for Jenny and Jake. One for Peter and me. Do not use the Vardros name unless needed. If they ask too much, pay extra."
Jenny touched her father’s ring. "We still have money, but not enough to waste."
Lucard said, "Then waste it wisely."
Jenny looked at him for a moment and then nodded.
Lucard looked toward the old shrine road. "I will return after finding the paper. Do not leave the inn until I come back."
Jake raised his hand.
Lucard looked at him. "What?"
Jake asked, "What if we need to use the bathroom?"
Jenny closed her eyes.
Peter looked at the sky.
Lucard said, "Then use it quickly and do not get kidnapped on the way."
Jake nodded seriously. "I can do that."
Lucard turned and walked away before the conversation could become worse.
Jenny watched his back again, but this time her worry was mixed with a small amount of hope. They had no house, no army, no ally, and no clear path. But Lucard was still walking forward as if the road already belonged to him.
Peter stood beside her and said quietly, "Lady Jenny, should we really trust this plan?"
Jenny looked at Lucard until he disappeared into the street.
"I do not know," she said. "But right now, he is the only plan we have."
Jake held her hand and looked toward the Marovain shop in the distance.
"Big Brother will make it work," he said.
Jenny looked down at him.
Jake’s face was full of belief.
"He always comes back," Jake added.
Jenny did not answer.
She only held his hand tighter and began walking toward the inn closest to House Marovain’s branch shop.
Meanwhile, Lucard entered the street of old books, broken shrines, and dusty sellers.
He needed paper. He needed ink. He needed to create a spell page old enough that could fool and tempt one of the richest families in the kingdom.
No.
He corrected the thought. He did not need to fool them. He needed to feed their greed.
It did not need to be perfect. It did not need to look like a complete inheritance from an ancient mage tower or a ruin. It only needed to be real enough, dangerous enough, and profitable enough that House Marovain would want it before anyone else could touch it.
Merchants were different from warriors. Warriors rushed toward strength. Merchants rushed toward profit. If the smell of profit was strong enough, even the smartest merchant would step closer to the trap while telling himself he was only inspecting it.
Lucard knew that very well.
Gods were not so different.
Many gods had died in Null because they saw a treasure and forgot the hand holding it. The Abyss class artifact had made ten gods attack him together. They had not thought about the price properly until the Fire God vanished and the others followed him. Greed made powerful beings stupid. That was one law that worked in Null and in this lower world too.
A few moments later...
Lucard entered the old book street.
The place smelled of dust, old leather, ink, mold, and forgotten words. Small shops stood close together on both sides of the narrow road. Some sold damaged books. Some sold family records from ruined houses. Some sold torn maps, old contracts, broken prayer scrolls, and blank pages taken from abandoned manors. A few sellers sat outside their shops with bored faces, but their eyes became sharp whenever someone well dressed passed by. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Lucard walked slowly, looking at the paper more than the people.
Fresh paper would not work. Clean paper would not work.
He needed paper that looked old but not rotten. It had to hold ink without breaking. It had to look like it came from an old spell record, not from a schoolboy’s writing desk. If he used the wrong paper, House Marovain would notice before reading the first line.
A thin old man sitting beside a wooden box looked at him.
"Young man, are you looking for books?"
Lucard stopped in front of him.
"I am looking for old paper."
The old man smiled. "Old paper is easy. Useful old paper is expensive."
Lucard looked at the box beside him. "Show me useful paper."
The old man opened the box and took out several sheets wrapped in cloth. The pages were yellow, thick, and slightly rough. They had no writing, but the edges were dark with age.
"These came from a ruined tax hall near the eastern tomb road," the old man said. "Still strong. Good for copying records."
Lucard touched one page with two fingers.
The paper was old enough. It was not perfect, but good enough.
"How much?"
The old man smiled wider. "For a young man with good eyes, two gold coins per sheet."
Lucard looked at him silently.
The old man coughed. "One gold."
Lucard kept looking.
The old man’s smile became weaker. "Five gold coins for three."
Lucard placed five gold coins on the table. "Give me four or I will leave."
The old man’s face stiffened. Then he looked at Lucard’s eyes and decided not to bargain more.
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