Author: Mad Flower | Original Source: SFACG | Word Count: 2157 characters |
Translator: Keissen | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1193 words |
Editor(s): NeedHydra |
The magic crystal that Little Blue revealed had a deep black color and was about the size of a cookie. Upon closer inspection, it emitted a faint glimmer, resembling the ones Yaeger had collected in the Swift Black Dragon’s cave beneath the cliff. She had gathered quite a number of them.
“Oh, Master, have you encountered these [Black Magic Crystals] before? Your knowledge is impressive,” Little Blue praised Yaeger, but her expression soon turned regretful. “Unfortunately, you don’t possess any.”
Alicia also shared in the regret. Even the royal family didn’t possess such a precious item, let alone someone like Yaeger, an outsider. Yunuen and Little Fairy felt a pang of sympathy for Yaeger. They had thought this would be her greatest reward, only to find it useless.
As regret filled the air, Yaeger silently produced a black rock, approximately the size of a cookie. She nonchalantly asked, “Is this the Black Magic Crystal you’re referring to?” The sight of the crystal nearly made everyone’s eyes bulge. Just as they had pitied her, she unveiled it so effortlessly.
Little Blue’s eyes widened, her jaw practically dropping to the floor. Her heart trembled like an earthquake of magnitude twelve. Alicia was equally astounded. Yunuen and Little Fairy stood there, dumbfounded. Their thoughts aligned, “As expected of Princess!” Yaeger always proved herself capable of extraordinary feats. Black Magic Crystals were highly coveted, yet she produced one so effortlessly. How could it not be impressive?
“Is this…is this real?” Little Blue finally regained her composure, her voice filled with astonishment. “You’ll find out when you examine it,” Yaeger replied calmly, handing over the black crystal. As Little Blue took hold of it, she trembled with excitement, nearly letting out a scream. The crystal exuded a pure and potent magic, at least 70% purity. The Black Magic Crystal Yaeger had nonchalantly presented turned out to be exceptionally rare.
“Now, can you confirm that it’s a Black Magic Crystal?” Yaeger asked.
“Indeed, this is a Black Magic Crystal…” Little Blue started to express, her sentence abruptly cut short as Yaeger declared, “That’s it then,” truncating Little Blue’s unspoken caveat that there was only a single piece.
In response, Yaeger brandished a second black rock, akin in size to the first, and with a swoosh, the scene was plunged into a stunned silence. The revelation that Yaeger had another piece had astounded everyone, leading them to question the origins of this seemingly affluent woman. Alicia, who had previously presumed Yaeger’s destitution given her constant city scams, struggled for breath. To her shock, Yaeger nonchalantly produced two of the precious Black Magic Crystals, an act proving her wealth to be tantamount to an oil baron’s.
In recognition of the stones’ value, both Little Fairy and Yunuen sat, eyes wide open. They had already been treated to numerous surprises by the Princess, and it seemed there were yet more in store. The continuing barrage of surprises thrilled them to no end.
“My… Master…” Little Blue’s features flushed, hands trembling as her gaze locked on the Black Magic Crystals in Yaeger’s hands, resembling a famished ghost upon discovering food. “You would require numerous Black Magic Crystals to mend the [City of Chaos], correct?” Yaeger calmly inquired.
The Black Magic Crystals were indeed valuable, but converting them into money was challenging. The greater their worth, the higher the chances of attracting unwanted attention, making trading large quantities of the crystals perilous. Instead, Yaeger contemplated, it would be better to utilize them for her own [City of Chaos], mitigating any unnecessary risk.
In an ironic twist of fate, the seemingly ordinary rocks she had picked up casually in the past had turned out to be of immense value and utility. However, she was soon to return to her state of impoverishment since she intended to invest the crystals in the [City of Chaos] restoration.
Witnessing Yaeger consecutively pulling out Black Magic Crystals, leaving the ground strewn with them, the group shifted from extreme shock to numb disbelief. Their jaws dropped, eyes popping out, their capacity for further shock completely depleted. Especially Little Blue, who for the first time, found herself perceiving her master as divine.
Alicia, Yunuen, and Little Fairy too found themselves trembling, their hearts throbbing in an escalating cycle of joyous waves as they watched Yaeger casually construct a small mountain of Black Magic Crystals. The spectacle of such wealth display proved to be strangely entertaining and pleasurable.
Once the presentation was over, Yaeger clapped her hands and turned to Little Blue, “Is that enough?” Little Blue, recovering from her reverie, forcefully nodded. The amount of Black Magic Crystals was more than enough for the restoration, the surplus serving as a long-term energy source. Coupled with the [City of Chaos]’s ability to self-recharge through spatial gaps, it ensured an extended operational period.
Little Blue could finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that she wouldn’t have to search for energy sources for a long time.
“Little Blue, please prioritize the repairs to those areas. We can’t stay here for much longer,” Yaeger requested, her fatigue reaching its peak. She knew that if she didn’t take action soon, she would be forcefully logged out of the game within a few hours.
With no clear indication that Alicia’s mission had concluded, Yaeger remained unaware that she had already completed it. Nevertheless, she couldn’t log off without ensuring Alicia’s safe return from the palace.
Initially, Yaeger harbored concerns about their exit strategy from the maze. Now, however, with the impending repairs, they could escape the palace taking the entire city along.
“No problem, I’ve got this! With all these Black Magic Crystals, it will be completed in a mere fifteen minutes!” Little Blue declared eagerly, an emotion she hadn’t felt so intensely in a while. Reflecting on the common Magic Crystals previously received from royalty and comparing them to the ones scattered on the ground, a sigh escaped her. Mooching off a wealthy master certainly had its perks!
“Fifteen minutes…” Yaeger, taken aback by the promised fifteen-minute timeframe, had been anticipating a process of several hours. Still, she found comfort in the shorter duration. The quicker they left, the safer Alicia would be, preventing any untoward situations. No sooner had she come to this realization than the underground maze began to tremble.
“Master, our city is under siege! The attackers are mounting a formidable assault!” Little Blue’s exhilaration faded, replaced by a burning rage.
“Are we able to fend off the attack?” Yaeger instantly thought of a certain individual. Alicia too, had the same suspect in mind – the Emperor, Richard. He had finally caved in and decided to act!
“Of course, even in its most vulnerable state, the [City of Chaos] is no pushover. Given our surplus of Black Magic Crystals, defending against such an attack is child’s play. Had this place not been so damaged, I would have initiated a counterstrike already!” Little Blue retorted irritably.
“I entrust this to you.” Yaeger said in a subdued tone. In comparison to Richard’s assault, her thoughts lingered more on Lili, their ace in the hole against Richard outside the maze. “I hope she’s unharmed.”