They arrived on a grassy expanse with several high and low hills surrounding it, and it was very dark. One of the adventurers carried a torch for illumination—if it fell to the ground, the grass would surely be consumed.
Their male guide stopped abruptly after looking around. Infori, on the other hand, followed them and finally decided to assess the situation from the top of the hill.
"...This seems like a good fit," the man said, then turned to Lilith and Iris. "Alright, it's time for an exchange. You have something of value, right?"
"Show us your artifacts first, and then we'll pay you straight away," Lilith replied.
Consciously, the man glanced at one of his companions carrying a large bag. The companion immediately nodded, then took off his bag and placed it on the ground.
The others, including Lilith and Iris, simply watched intently. Their eyebrows were lowered, and their mouths were tightly shut. Their gazes were fixed on the bag, as if awaiting the arrival of the promised artifact.
"…"
He then took out an artifact from his bag: a long glove, also known as a gauntlet, that when worn would cover his arm. When held, the material was immediately felt—made of a light yet strong iron material.
It was metallic gray, with a line circling the gauntlet near the wrist. The gauntlet emitted a powerful aura and energy into the surroundings.
WOOSHHH
Lilith and Iris's eyes suddenly widened slightly. "Eh...?!"
"That's it...!" Iris said, pausing for a moment.
"Yes, the Gauntlet of Rebirth," Lilith said quietly.
On the hill, Infori, who could only watch from a distance, was slightly surprised by the aura emanating from the artifact.
(That artifact...)
"Hey, put it back in your bag!" Jill said.
Then, the man put the artifact back in his bag. This was to block the powerful aura from the artifact, which could attract the attention of others.
Everything was back to normal, and the transaction finally continued.
"So…" the adventurer suddenly asked, causing Lilith and Iris to look at him again. "…Is that what you want?"
The atmosphere now became more serious; the artifact purchase was about to begin. Lilith and Iris glanced at each other, then Iris quickly answered.
"Yes," Lilith and he each took out a heavy-looking pouch. "Each contains two platinum pieces. How about it?"
Infori, who saw this, remained silent, fixated on the pouch containing the platinum.
(…They should have paid ten platinum pieces for the artifact, not just four.)
His eyes then narrowed, his gaze sharpening. (That artifact, the artifact the Seraphim were seeking. Just that one statement could change the price at any moment. Moreover, they (the Seraphim) were buying the artifact for a reason.)
Infori then recalled the price he had offered Lilith when she wanted to buy the Blades of Mirage at his shop. He realized a mistake in his thinking at the time.
(Damn... If only I had known that artifact was so rare from the start, I might not have been so relaxed.)
Then, he overheard their conversation.
"Okay. Then, let's trade," the man said. However, at that moment, he... "But hand over the four platinum coins first, and then we'll give them to you."
Hearing that, Lilith and Iris agreed to his request. "Okay." Seeing that, Infori's eyes widened. His mouth opened slightly, and he stepped back.
He was shocked, as if something had just happened.
(Huh?! Are these two stupid or what?!)
He then noticed Lilith and Iris walking toward them, carrying the bag containing the platinum coins. However, Infori, on the other hand, could only helplessly watch.
"Damn... At a time like this, I can't do anything..." he said, his voice very low.
They both handed their bags to the man's companion, and he accepted them graciously.
"Then, give me the artifact," Lilith said.
"Of course," the man replied, inviting them to take their artifacts from the bag. With that, the two turned and were about to walk towards the bag they had left for them.
At that moment, one of his companions suddenly swung his sword at them in a swift swing—and then something black, long, and thin suddenly leaped from the dark ground like a whip. It headed straight for Lilith's head at incredible speed. Instinctively, Lilith turned back and moved to the left to avoid the swing.
"...?!"
In a split second, the sword sliced through nothing. Realizing this, Iris also moved towards Lilith and stood beside her.
Infori was stunned by their situation. "..."
"What's the meaning of this?" Lilith asked.
Their eyes narrowed again, staring at them in confusion. However, they weren't the least bit afraid. The man then spoke calmly.
"Oh, you think... We'll give it to them?"
"What do you mean? We already paid for it, right!" Iris replied.
"Yes. But paying doesn't guarantee that someone will give you what you want. Like me," she then stepped toward the bag, after which she immediately took it. "Something like this artifact will not be shared with anyone. Not even a Seraphim."
"...?!" Both of their eyes widened again, and they gasped for a moment. Even Infori was shocked to hear that.
(..?! Did he know from the start, or was he just guessing?)