Beyond the Bloody Finger, the Isolated Merchant's stock held many other tempting wares. Ritual Pots, a Beast-Repellent Torch, and all manner of rare materials—each one valuable in its own way.
Among the materials, several caught Lucian's eye immediately:
Trina's Lily : essential for crafting Sleep Pots, always worth stockpiling.
Smoldering Butterfly : used to make Immunizing Cured Meat, a safeguard against abnormal statuses. With Aeonia's scarlet swamp ahead, this would be invaluable.
Arteria Leaf : a plant often mocked in Lucian's memories of the game, marked with purple rarity and mistaken for a key item. Yet, despite the deception, it was genuinely useful.
The Arteria Leaf's thick veins pulsed faintly, the crimson surface quivering like a beating heart. Items crafted from it invigorated the body, stirring blood and quickening emotions. The rush it gave was said to mimic the exhilaration of brushing against death itself.
In desperate moments, one could even chew the leaf raw for a fleeting boost. But when properly processed into items—such as Exalted Flesh—its effects lasted far longer.
Other goods included Dewkissed Herba, found only in the depths, and Golden Rowa, harvested from the Altus Plateau. The former had little practical value, and the latter was mostly a curiosity—but their presence astonished Lucian, proof that the merchant had traveled far and wide.
Torrent, however, perked up at the sight of the golden fruit. The spectral steed's rare enthusiasm left Lucian amused. In the end, he purchased nearly all the merchant's materials.
Torrent trotted closer, clearly begging for a taste of the dried golden fruit. Unlike ordinary Rowa Fruit, this variant gave off a rich, honeyed fragrance. Shrunken like raisins, they were oddly appealing. Lucian tried one himself.
Sweetness burst across his tongue, rich as nectar—nothing like the tart, fibrous fruits he remembered. In the Lands Between, where sweetness was scarce, it was a rare indulgence.
But it was still no grape. The fibers made it tough to digest, leaving the texture unsatisfying. Perhaps, he thought, it would serve best as chewing gum.
Breaking off a few pieces for Torrent, Lucian's attention shifted to a pile of translucent gray crystals.
They resembled Ashes of War.
"What skill does this Ash carry?" he asked.
The merchant shook his head. "No skill."
Lucian blinked. Ashes of War without skills? Impossible—by their nature, they were remnants of warriors' memories.
Seeing his doubt, the merchant explained; "I thought the same once. But these are different. The memories they once held have long since faded, leaving only the husk."
"Still, they are not useless. Empty, yes—but that emptiness allows them to bear any memory anew. Fill it with another Ash, and it becomes the real thing."
Lucian nodded slowly. So it was the Lost Ashes of War, used for duplication.
He purchased two Ritual Pots and a Beast-Repellent Torch as well. The torch, in particular, had broad uses—most creatures recoiled from it, unlike the dragon's aura he occasionally relied on. And Ritual Pots were scarce in the Lands Between. Missing the chance to buy them now would only bring regret later, especially when Hildegard would need them for crafting.
With his business nearly done, Lucian asked for information and maps the merchant had collected. Two rumors stood out:
A ruined cave nearby, where someone was said to be hiding. If his memory was right, it should house two Cleanrot Knights and the Gold Scarab Talisman.
A portal within Fort Gael, leading straight to Redmane Castle. Lucian rarely used that method, but Fort Gael itself was worth visiting; he recalled useful incantations and talismans hidden there.
Another piece of intelligence, the location of a concealed cave behind Sellia where Master Lusat was imprisoned, was unnecessary—Lucian had already discovered it on his own.
As for maps, the merchant's travels had been extensive. Lucian acquired fragments of both the Altus Plateau and the Siofra River.
Before leaving, curiosity tugged at him. "Those Monstrous dogs and herds outside—they're all yours, aren't they?"
The merchant, reclining in his chair, smiled at the question. "Yes. The Dragonbarrow is far from civilization. Men avoid it, dragons sought refuge here to escape scarlet rot. I, too, came to live in seclusion. But food and safety must still be managed. So I tamed the beasts, using skills learned during my wandering years."
Lucian frowned. He could not recall any tradition of beast-taming in the Lands Between. "Where did you learn this craft?"
The merchant chuckled softly, brushing the question aside. "Ah, nothing worth remembering. Not sure myself anymore."
He clearly avoided the topic, but Lucian let it pass. Instead, another question rose to mind. "I heard from a friend of mine… the name of the Great Caravan. Do you know it?"
At the mention, the merchant stiffened. Though half-hidden by his scarf, his reaction was unmistakable.
"…I'm afraid I don't know."
Lucian caught the lie immediately. "You do know. I saw your reaction. Don't worry—I ask not for myself. My friend is of your wandering folk, and he has spent his life searching for the truth of the Great Caravan. Surely, as one of his kin, and his elder, you might know something?"
The merchant sighed, resignation softening his voice. "Tell him to give it up. The Great Caravan… it was once our home. But now… it is gone. Disbanded. Our people must drift, rootless as always. Better he stops chasing shadows."
It was a kind lie. If the Caravan truly had dissolved, he would have spoken plainly. The hesitation betrayed knowledge—perhaps of fragments erased from history. But Lucian chose not to press further.
He bid the merchant farewell, then called upon Melina to carry him back to Sellia.
There, he sought out Stella once more.
"Sir Lucian, you've returned so soon?" she exclaimed, surprised. "Has your task already been accomplished?"
"More or less," he answered. "But this time I came to ask you something."
She straightened at once. "If I know the answer, I will tell you everything."
"You once said the Academy contacted you—told you of my presence, and commanded you to kill me. I want to know how they contacted you. Was it magic? Some other method? And how did they show you my face?"
Her heart lurched, fearing he sought retribution. But his calm tone reassured her.
"It was magic," Stella admitted. "A communication spell. With it, one may link a pair of Glintstones carved with matching sigils. Each time the spell is invoked, words—and sometimes images—can be transmitted. It is not perfect; messages can fail, and there is no real-time speech. But it works."
She offered him the Glintstone used for her contact with the Academy. Etched upon its surface were their sigils and crest. Lucian studied it closely, but without knowing the spell itself, he could not use it.
"This could be useful. Record the method for me," he said.
She quickly inscribed the formula on parchment. It demanded considerable intellect—no less than thirty, he guessed—and crafting such stones required artisans with both magical and technical skill, likely mages themselves. No wonder the spell had not spread widely.
Perhaps Iji could help, he thought. The troll smith's skill surpassed nearly all others. If even Iji could not craft it, then surely no one outside the Academy could. Provided, of course, that Iji had not yet left Stormveil…
For now, the thought would wait. There was also the matter of Ranni, and the secrets of the Night of Black Knives that haunted his mind. Cooperation with her would not be simple—but perhaps not impossible either.
Stella, meanwhile, also offered him several other Night Sorceries of Sellia. "We are under your rule now," she said, "and must serve faithfully."
Lucian accepted them without hesitation. Whether loyalty or flattery, it mattered little; he had no intention of treating Sellia unfairly, and its magic was well worth having.
With his business complete, he returned through grace to Stormveil. The newly acquired maps meant he would never risk missing the festival at Redmane Castle.
Time remained before the event began. He planned to check if Iji was still in the castle—and to prepare the Drakeblood Knights for their journey to claim their steeds at Sellia.