Chapter 45: Mr. Gaston's Beyonder Gathering
In the Dream Labyrinth Tower, the first three levels mainly tested a challenger's reasoning and analytical abilities. The variety of scenes generated suggested a connection to one of the pathways tied to omniscience and omnipotence. Regardless of which card of the Omnipotent Five might lie hidden here, Enber was certain he needed it.
"Moreover, the White Tower Card is the most likely candidate! The Dream Labyrinth itself is in the form of a tower, and the reasoning tests are far too deliberate to be mere coincidence..."
Taking a deep breath, Enber suppressed the restless longing in his chest. He knew that, as he was now, reaching the top levels of the tower was impossible. Even if he somehow managed it, he wouldn't be able to hold onto what he found there. After all, Roselle might very well have set the final floor as some kind of "multiplayer battle royale."
In the days that followed, Enber busied himself with odd jobs—filling in for teachers at the school, helping townsfolk find lost items—all while studying Aeloris's Notes on Mysticism, which he had obtained from the tower. The rhythm of his life was fulfilling.
Xio, meanwhile, spent her time chasing down clues about the Sheriff potion materials. Recently, she seemed to have found some information about "Fear Worms," which she was now verifying.
As for Mr. Gaston, he spent at least twelve hours a day inside the Dream Labyrinth, his obsession resembling that of an internet-addicted youth from Enber's previous life.
The Busy days passed quickly, and Thursday evening soon arrived.
Since he was hosting a Beyonder gathering, Mr. Gaston refrained from entering the Dream Labyrinth that day, arriving early at the Sword and Fire Tavern to prepare the space.
Enber and Xio hadn't accompanied him. Instead, they disguised themselves separately and used the code word he had provided to enter the tavern's private room.
Because this was a small island town, wearing formal attire would have drawn unnecessary attention. Enber had chosen a clean but slightly worn sailor's outfit, dabbed himself with the oil paint favored by sailors, and tousled his hair until it was a complete mess. When he checked himself in the mirror, he was pleased to see he hardly recognized his reflection.
But when he met Xio in the tavern's back alley, he froze. She was dressed exactly the same—sailor outfit, oil paint, messy hair. The only difference was that she was a head shorter than him, even with her padded shoes.
"If only one of us dressed like this, it would be inconspicuous. But the two of us together... people are bound to notice. And is it just me, or does her version look neat while I just look ridiculous?"
"What are you staring at?" Xio asked, frowning as she checked her clothes for flaws.
"Uh... I was thinking, we might as well just go in together. No one will doubt we're a pair anyway," Enber said with a sigh. There was no helping it now. As the saying went: there's no shame in matching outfits.
Xio didn't mind in the slightest. No one here knew them anyway, and as long as they avoided exposing their faces to the authorities or pirates, it would be fine.
At 7:55, with his entire savings and a few freshly crafted charms in hand, Enber felt a mix of hope and nerves as he stepped into the meeting room Mr. Gaston had arranged.
In the end, he had thrown a black robe over his sailor outfit, using the hood to shadow his features.
"Eight hundred forty-five pounds in cash, plus five low-level charms... that's my entire fortune. I wonder how much will be left after this gathering..." he thought as he found a seat and let his eyes wander around the candlelit room.
Most of the attendees were men. Excluding Xio, only two women were present. Which one of them was "Miss Gwen"?
A few minutes later, Mr. Gaston entered wearing a special mask. Hee took his seat at the center and clapped his hands lightly signaling the beginning of the gathering: "Let's begin."
As his words fell, one of the women—a tall figure in heavy, concealing robes that only faintly outlined her frame—spoke up eagerly. She lowered her voice and asked, "Is the person who wanted to buy the Crown Jellyfish Venom Crystal here?"
"Yes," replied a man in the corner.
The tall woman let out a visible sigh of relief, then urgently said, "I need a weapon that can counter large serpents. Anything will do. Even if it has severe side effects or limited efficacy—it doesn't matter! If you have one, this box is yours!"
"I don't have such a weapon... but would money work? I'm willing to offer 150 pounds," the man in the corner asked after a pause.
The tall woman frowned, about to answer, when Mr. Gaston interjected with a smile. "I have such a weapon. I can sell it to the gentleman for 150 pounds, and he can then trade it with you."
The tall woman's eyes lit up, though she still asked cautiously, "What kind of weapon?"
"Serpents that live in caves usually fear light," Mr. Gaston said after some thought. "This is an arrow made from the feather of the Holy Sunbird. If I remember correctly, you're skilled with a bow. You should be able to use it.
"When it hits its target, it ignites pure, holy light within the target's organs. It's powerful, but it only has one use left, hence the low price.
"It will remain effective for three months. If you're willing, you may trade now."
The tall woman and the man exchanged a glance. Both knew the arrow's price was inflated for a single-use item. But with no better options, she nodded reluctantly. "Deal."
Watching all this, Enber became nearly certain that this tall woman was Gwen.
First, the Crown Jellyfish had appeared in Gwen's Cave Adventures, hunted by her team. Second, according to the story, her team was slaughtered by the Dragon-Eyed Python, and she alone escaped to seek revenge. Her desire for a weapon against pythons fit perfectly.
But how would he approach her?
As Enber pondered, the trades continued.
Someone purchased a pair of "Ocean Boots" for 600 pounds. The boots allowed the wearer to move freely underwater for up to half an hour and perform limited water-based spells. Another item, the "Fruit of the Elder Tree," fetched a staggering 750 pounds.
Enber recognized it immediately—it was one of the main materials for the Sequence 7 Psychiatrist potion.
Could the buyer be a Psychological Alchemist Member? he wondered, glancing at the woman who had bought it. Besides Xio and the tall woman, she was the only other woman present. She was of average height, slightly taller than Xio even with her padded shoes. Her face was hidden, but distinctive red hair spilled from beneath her hood—though that could be dyed.
Enber noted the detail and looked away. He had no plans to approach her; he was just being cautious.
More trades followed, some successful, others failing. Most attendees had clear goals and weren't willing to spend on just anything.
When no one else spoke up, Enber finally said: "I need precise information on the location of a Dragon-Eyed Python. Two hundred pounds."
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt the tall woman's (Gwen's) gaze lock onto him.
(End of Chapter)