Chameleon earrings, crafted from chameleon gems and disguise enchantments, can be easily detected by experienced enchanters. If a Master Enchanter utilizes Enchanter’s Sight, they have the ability to see through our disguises. Typically, using this skill causes one's eyes to glow slightly. Lucky for us that during our meeting with Ariella, I didn’t notice any such glow, indicating she didn’t use Enchanter’s Sight on me.
This is precisely why I'm planning to create our own chameleon earrings. I aim to enhance their resistance to detection, surpassing the capabilities of the ones we currently possess.
But why not just wear them in a less conspicuous place, like an anklet, hidden from view? They can't detect what they can't see, right?
I've considered that too. It might be sufficient. However, I prefer to err on the side of caution. What if they conduct a full-body inspection? What if they possess a device that detects whether someone is wearing chameleon gems on any part of the body? Or what if we encounter a barrier designed to nullify disguise enchantments? I need to account for all these possibilities, ensuring there's no way for our disguises to be compromised.
With that in mind, we arrive at the black market entrance as usual. This time, it's no longer at the back of The Whispering Hare but behind a bakery called Fluffy Snow. To elude the authorities, the entrance location is changed every month.
"Hmm, how did you find this entrance so quickly?" I ask, turning to Sophia.
"Oh, it's simple, with this!" Sophia replies, pulling out a card.
It resembles our identity card but bears the symbol of a reptilian eye.
"This is called The Basilisk's Eye," she explains. "The market is operated by an underground organization known as the Basilisk Order. They issue these cards to their members. When I touch the card, instructions on how to access the market are transmitted into my mind."
Curious, I take the card to inspect it myself. It’s indeed an enchanted object! The Arcanum glows.
“Wow! These enchantments are very advanced!” I exclaim, impressed.
And they are dangerous too. The enchantments are of such a high level that I doubt even Sophia can look at them yet. It confuses any non-members who look at it, providing them with incorrect information. Additionally, it's capable of self-destructing if necessary.
“But are you sure it’s okay to show it to me?” I ask her.
“Absolutely! Because you're a member too!”
“Huh? Since when? Oh…” I trail off, realizing the answer before Sophia can provide it.
It must have been at the Adventurer’s Guild. That receptionist girl likely signed me up as well.
“But even then, there are other ways around,” I muse aloud. “For example, a Grandmaster Enchanter could easily nullify the protection spell on the card and reveal its secret.”
“But Jack,” Sophia cuts in, “where do you think an enchanter would go if they need rare materials? Even the Grandmasters have to rely on the black market for supplies.”
“Ah, of course.” I say, smacking my forehead lightly. “And even if they figure out how to access the market, it’s not like they can just shut it down, right?”
“That's true,” Sophia agrees with a nod.
If the Basilisk Circle is so capable, then I doubt anyone would dare go after them. The same thing happens on Earth too. Black markets, cartels, and gangs exist everywhere, regardless of how strict the laws are. And in almost every society, there are entities that are simply too big to fall.
As we open the door, the dark and spiral staircase appears once more. Slowly, once again, we descend.
—------------------
Later, at the black market.
“Hmm, it seems like we are looking in the wrong place,” I observe.
There are vendors selling chameleon accessories, but what I need are raw materials. I plan to enchant the items myself.
“Yeah, now that I think about it, those who sell raw materials are a different group. They don’t usually come here themselves; they just give the final products to these merchants to sell. That way, there's more profit and less risk for them,” Sophia explains.
“So, where to find the ones that sell materials?”
“Oh,” Sophia exclaims. “Why not revisit that dude who ripped us off last time?”
“Haha, good idea,” I agree with a chuckle.
We set out to find Curtis, but he’s not in the black market at the moment.
Fortunately, Sophia knows where he lives.
Chameleon earrings, crafted from chameleon gems and disguise enchantments, can be easily detected by experienced enchanters. If a Master Enchanter utilizes Enchanter’s Sight, they have the ability to see through our disguises. Typically, using this skill causes one's eyes to glow slightly. Lucky for us that during our meeting with Ariella, I didn’t notice any such glow, indicating she didn’t use Enchanter’s Sight on me.
This is precisely why I'm planning to create our own chameleon earrings. I aim to enhance their resistance to detection, surpassing the capabilities of the ones we currently possess.
But why not just wear them in a less conspicuous place, like an anklet, hidden from view? They can't detect what they can't see, right?
I've considered that too. It might be sufficient. However, I prefer to err on the side of caution. What if they conduct a full-body inspection? What if they possess a device that detects whether someone is wearing chameleon gems on any part of the body? Or what if we encounter a barrier designed to nullify disguise enchantments? I need to account for all these possibilities, ensuring there's no way for our disguises to be compromised.
With that in mind, we arrive at the black market entrance as usual. This time, it's no longer at the back of The Whispering Hare but behind a bakery called Fluffy Snow. To elude the authorities, the entrance location is changed every month.
"Hmm, how did you find this entrance so quickly?" I ask, turning to Sophia.
"Oh, it's simple, with this!" Sophia replies, pulling out a card.
It resembles our identity card but bears the symbol of a reptilian eye.
"This is called The Basilisk's Eye," she explains. "The market is operated by an underground organization known as the Basilisk Order. They issue these cards to their members. When I touch the card, instructions on how to access the market are transmitted into my mind."
Curious, I take the card to inspect it myself. It’s indeed an enchanted object! The Arcanum glows.
“Wow! These enchantments are very advanced!” I exclaim, impressed.
And they are dangerous too. The enchantments are of such a high level that I doubt even Sophia can look at them yet. It confuses any non-members who look at it, providing them with incorrect information. Additionally, it's capable of self-destructing if necessary.
“But are you sure it’s okay to show it to me?” I ask her.
“Absolutely! Because you're a member too!”
“Huh? Since when? Oh…” I trail off, realizing the answer before Sophia can provide it.
It must have been at the Adventurer’s Guild. That receptionist girl likely signed me up as well.
“But even then, there are other ways around,” I muse aloud. “For example, a Grandmaster Enchanter could easily nullify the protection spell on the card and reveal its secret.”
“But Jack,” Sophia cuts in, “where do you think an enchanter would go if they need rare materials? Even the Grandmasters have to rely on the black market for supplies.”
“Ah, of course.” I say, smacking my forehead lightly. “And even if they figure out how to access the market, it’s not like they can just shut it down, right?”
“That's true,” Sophia agrees with a nod.
If the Basilisk Circle is so capable, then I doubt anyone would dare go after them. The same thing happens on Earth too. Black markets, cartels, and gangs exist everywhere, regardless of how strict the laws are. And in almost every society, there are entities that are simply too big to fall.
As we open the door, the dark and spiral staircase appears once more. Slowly, once again, we descend.
—------------------
Later, at the black market.
“Hmm, it seems like we are looking in the wrong place,” I observe.
There are vendors selling chameleon accessories, but what I need are raw materials. I plan to enchant the items myself.
“Yeah, now that I think about it, those who sell raw materials are a different group. They don’t usually come here themselves; they just give the final products to these merchants to sell. That way, there's more profit and less risk for them,” Sophia explains.
“So, where to find the ones that sell materials?”
“Oh,” Sophia exclaims. “Why not revisit that dude who ripped us off last time?”
“Haha, good idea,” I agree with a chuckle.
We set out to find Curtis, but he’s not in the black market at the moment.
Fortunately, Sophia knows where he lives.
