Chapter 49 - The Mana-Sealing Bracelets, Once Again
Mana-sealing bracelets are special magical artifacts that don’t appear in regular marketplaces.
Once you’re fitted with one of these bracelets, you can’t use magic until the key to unlock it is obtained. They are typically used in prisons and camps.
There is a large nation called Berliza in the northern continent. Berliza is a highly developed country, particularly in the field of magical artifact development, leading the world in this area.
The mana-sealing bracelet was developed by a renowned magical artifact manufacturer in Berliza and is strictly managed and used in various countries. It’s unusual for them to be found on the black market, but the collapse of the Brenark Kingdom might have led to their circulation.
"Yukari, what’s wrong?"
Frederica, who had been browsing jewelry, joined me.
"There’s a mana-sealing bracelet. It’s nostalgic."
"You mean they’re selling this? Truly a black market."
Frederica seemed more surprised by the rarity of the item than by its nostalgia.
"Hey, can I have the mana-sealing bracelet?"
"Sure thing, miss. You have a good eye! I’ll add it to the bag."
I paid a large sum and moved on. Ignoring the puzzled look from Frederica, I headed to the designated meeting spot.
Once we found a seat, a waiter brought us drinks, snacks, and light meals without us even ordering. After taking a drink, we began to inspect our purchases.
The waitstaff here are well-trained not to pry into unnecessary details, staying out of the way unless needed and standing a bit away from the guests.
"It’s surprising to see a mana-sealing bracelet. They must be rare even in a black market."
"Indeed. When we were in the camp, we couldn’t remove these bracelets no matter what. If someone is forced to wear one, it’s not just a loss of power; it’s despair. I want to find a way to break it."
That’s why I bought it for research.
"That makes sense, but how?"
"Can your identification magic help? Maybe it can reveal a weakness."
"Don’t be unrealistic. I’m not good with magic. Advanced identification magic is beyond my capabilities."
I knew it would be difficult. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be a problem.
However, I won’t give up without trying.
"You said you’re not good with magic, but you’ve been training your mana a lot, haven’t you?"
"Yes. Since leaving the camp, I’ve been practicing daily. My mana has improved immensely compared to before."
"Then you have enough mana and some aptitude. It’s just a matter of visualization. Start with something simple and build up gradually."
"That’s true. I still struggle with advanced magic, but I can now use sixth-level spells. Intermediate-level spells might be within reach."
It’s hard to overcome a fear of something, but she’s made progress. Moving from seventh-level to sixth-level spells is a significant step.
Reaching fifth-level spells, which are considered intermediate, is a realistic goal.
"Exactly. Once you can use intermediate spells, advanced magic will be within reach. Work on it gradually, even if it’s just a little bit."
"I’ll focus on identification magic. But what about the mana-sealing bracelet?"
Without immediate access to advanced identification magic, research will be challenging.
"...Is there a way?"
"You could ask a high-level identification mage or use an identification artifact."
"I don’t know any other identification mages besides Frederica, and identification artifacts are the same. I don’t want to ask around."
"What about a different magical artifact? One that boosts magical power. With my identification magic, it might help me reach intermediate-level identification."
I had seen such boosting artifacts advertised. Let’s check them out again. With Frederica, we can determine if they’re effective.
"Let’s look for magical artifacts that boost magical power. I saw some earlier, so they should still be around."
"Good idea. Roberta hasn’t returned yet, so we can take another look."
We set out together to find the artifacts.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anything that would significantly boost our needs.
While there were artifacts claiming to enhance effects, none were powerful enough to elevate a low-level spell to an intermediate level. As expected.
We managed to buy a ring with a slight effect, which Frederica said would help, though only marginally. I bought it for her to encourage her to reach intermediate-level spells.
Even a small boost is better than nothing. Despite its modest effect, it was expensive, and some people looked at me as if I were foolish for buying it. But I ignored them.
The design wasn’t bad, and Frederica seemed to like it, which was a plus.
The ring had a fake blue stone, which I quickly replaced with a sapphire as a small gesture of kindness.
We bought a few more items and returned to the meeting spot. Roberta was waiting at a corner table, looking unusually tired, sipping tea.
"Roberta, sorry to keep you waiting. You look a bit off."
"She seems exhausted. Did something happen?"
"Ah, you’re back. Well, I looked at the swords, but they were all out of my budget..."
While there were some stolen goods and loot at bargain prices, she likely avoided them. As a new member with no savings, it’s understandable that she couldn’t afford the proper weapons.
I could buy one for her, but doing so for one person might seem unfair. Roberta is the type to decline such favoritism.
"Are you thinking of upgrading your sword?"
"The one I have now is just a beginner’s weapon. I had to have a sword, but I couldn’t trust it. As a swordsman, it’s a matter of pride."
Sometimes, budget constraints are unavoidable. Everything costs money.
"That’s true for everyone."
"Yes, everyone has the bare minimum weapons. Honestly, the training weapons are more durable and better."
It’s a sad situation. As the president, I need to address this issue.
"...Yukari, we have savings. Let’s discuss it when we get back. The Kikyo Society needs to strengthen the weapons of the new members."
"Yes, that’s true. I can provide the ingots, and we can consult the blacksmiths on Sixth Avenue."
Instead of buying pre-made weapons, we’ll have custom-made ones created.
"Really?"
Until now, the initial members had to acquire their own weapons, but the economic situation is different for the new members.
Using subpar weapons could lead to unnecessary casualties.
Improving the members’ combat capabilities is beneficial for the Kikyo Society, so we’ll discuss it and implement the changes.
The initial members already have high-quality weapons, but if they have any requests, we can address those as well. Even if they don’t need to change their main weapons, they might want secondary or experimental weapons.
"The weapons won’t be ready immediately, but let’s head back now. We’ve seen what we came for."
"It’s quite late."
"I’ll help with the luggage."
Roberta, seeing my large bags, offered to help.
Wasting nothing, I finished the remaining tea and stood up.
The black market’s entrance and exit are separate, and we had to use the designated exit. It’s a one-way path.
As we were leaving, some men were greeting everyone loudly. Their boisterous farewells were a bit annoying.
One man stood out: a well-built individual with slicked-back hair and silver-rimmed glasses, looking sophisticated but somewhat devious. Another, a young and energetic man with thick eyebrows, stood slightly behind him, likely a subordinate or underling.
It’s hard to avoid them, so we walked past normally.
"Thank you for coming today. Kikyo Society’s Yukarinowe-dono."
This is similar to what happened at the Martzio Family’s casino.
When called out by name, a polite response is expected.
The black market was enjoyable, so I should thank them.
"...Thank you for the invitation. It was enjoyable, and I genuinely mean that. I hope to be invited again."
"We’re glad you enjoyed it. Please come again."
"I look forward to it."
With a brief exchange, I headed towards the exit.
Suddenly, I heard a whisper.
"Damn, acting so high and mighty for a woman."
I have good hearing. In a quiet room, even a whisper is audible.
The voice wasn’t the slicked-back man’s, so it must have been the thick-eyebrowed subordinate.
I could pretend not to hear, but such comments from the inviting party are inappropriate.
I stopped to cast a glance at the men.
Frederica and Roberta were about to speak, but the situation changed before they could.
"—What are you saying to a customer, you idiot! Get over here, you fool!"
The slicked-back man, catching my eye, immediately confronted the thick-eyebrowed subordinate with a punch.
He didn’t stop at one punch but continued to beat him until he fell, then kicked him repeatedly.
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please forgive me, brother!"
"You’re apologizing to the wrong person, you fool! Apologize to her!"
The subordinate, bloodied and bruised, crawled towards me.
"I’m truly sorry for what happened."
"That’s not enough, you fool!"
"P-please, forgive me."
The excessive punishment was unseemly.
The slicked-back man, who was calm and composed earlier, seemed like a different person. He’s a dangerous individual.
"...That’s enough. I’ll forgive you this time because of your condition. Step back."
The bruised and bloodied subordinate, his face swollen and clothes disheveled, shuffled off to a side room.
"I’ve forgiven you, but you’ve embarrassed me. Remember that."
The slicked-back man’s final words were heard as he left. Indeed, he’s scary.
After that, he apologized profusely, but with others watching, we left quickly.
Teaching subordinates should be done more gracefully. We won’t be like that.
On the way back in the jeep, we talked about today’s purchases, and the conversation naturally turned to the incident at the exit.
"What happened at the exit?"
"The thick-eyebrowed man made a comment."
"He said something? That’s a harsh punishment for that."
Everyone present, including Frederica and Roberta, was taken aback.
"Maybe it’s their way of doing things. We shouldn’t take it personally."
"That’s scary."
Indeed, it’s scary, but it’s not our place to comment. We’re in the same line of work, after all.
Though we won’t use such methods.
"It’s quite late. I wonder if everyone is still awake."
"They’ll be waiting for the souvenirs, so they’re probably up."
"I didn’t buy anything. What should I do?"
"Don’t worry. We’re looking forward to your stories. I’ll distribute the souvenirs, so you don’t need to worry."
Driving back at a safe speed on the empty night streets, we returned to the Kikyo Society.
Seeing the headquarters lit up, I confirmed that everyone was waiting.
Entering the office, I found a messy scene: empty bottles and scattered snacks. Sophie, usually the first to clean up, was drunk and had fallen asleep with Sarah on her lap. Despite the unseemly scene, it looked cute in a way.
Valeria was curled up on the sofa, and Rosabel was sprawled out, snoring loudly.
"Hey, Yukari. You’re late."
"Yeah, you’re back. We were waiting."
Gradena and Zieglune, who were sitting on the sofa, turned to me, their faces flushed with drink. They were clearly drunk, though they still spoke clearly.
Fresh from our return, we exchanged tired glances. We had planned to distribute the souvenirs and share stories, but now it seemed pointless.
"Well, I’m going to take a bath and go to bed."
"Good idea. We’ll do the souvenirs tomorrow."
"Suddenly feeling sleepy."
We navigated past the drunk members and went to our respective rooms.
After changing and taking a bath, I decided to sleep. It was late, and dealing with souvenirs and stories was better left for the morning.
There’s no need to stay up late for it. We can do it tomorrow.