Chapter 30: The Eccentric Artificer
The Drunken Adept House.
Judging from the name, it sounded like an elegant pavilion where adepts became drunk and passed their time.
In reality, it was a huge den of entertainment located on the border between the slums and the commercial district.
Even in the middle of the day, loud noise came from inside the building.
Slide.
Elliott opened the sliding door and stepped inside.
The smell of strong alcohol, the laughter of courtesans, and the shouting of men rushed toward him together.
"Welcome! How many people?"
A waiter hurried over, but Elliott raised his hand to stop him and pointed toward the second floor.
"Someone's expecting me upstairs."
He immediately climbed the wooden stairs.
'Where is he?' ,The second floor had a more expensive atmosphere than the first, but it was just as noisy.
At the innermost part of the floor, behind a folding screen, a familiar voice could be heard.
"Hahaha! Bring more! I'm in a very good mood today!"
Elliott pulled the screen aside.
Acke was sitting there with the upper half of his clothes open, holding a cup of alcohol with a courtesan on either side of him.
More than ten empty bottles were already rolling across the table.
"Adept Acke."
At Elliott's voice, Acke turned his head with half-closed eyes while emptying his cup.
"Huh? Who is this?"
The moment he saw Elliott, Acke pushed the courtesans aside and stood up.
His face was red from alcohol, but his eyes were surprisingly clear.
"Isn't this Adept Elliott? What brings you all the way here?"
He staggered over and slapped Elliott's shoulder several times.
For the past two months, Elliott had visited the branch often under the excuse of exchanging information.
Each time, he gave Acke things like Antidote Pills or Vitality Pills.
They also drank together and became familiar with each other.
By now, they were close enough to call each other brothers.
"You came at the right time! The alcohol was starting to taste bad. Hey, bring another cup!"
"No. I don't need alcohol. Drinking during the day isn't my preference."
Elliott refused politely and sat down.
Acke clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"Tch. You're too stiff. With your personality, there's no way you came here just to have fun. Do you need something?"
Acke sat down again and accepted the cup poured by the courtesan.
Elliott went straight to the point.
"I came because I want you to introduce me to someone."
"Someone?"
"I'm looking for a skilled Arcane Artificer. I want to have a personal Alchemy Cauldron made."
"Ah, an Alchemy Cauldron?"
Acke nodded.
"Right. Alchemists depend on their equipment, don't they?"
'What is he talking about? Skill is ninety percent, and luck is ten percent.'
Elliott felt strangely offended, but he did not show it.
Acke rubbed his beard and thought for a moment.
"Hmm... There is someone."
Acke frowned as though the matter was troublesome.
"There's an old man whose skill is excellent. The problem is that his personality is complete trash."
"His personality?"
"He won't even pick up his hammer unless he feels like it. Even officers from the Black Serpent Syndicate have gone to commission things from him and been thrown out at the door more than once."
Acke chuckled and emptied his cup.
"But the things he makes are reliable. This bracelet I'm wearing was also made by that old man."
Acke held out his wrist.
It was a crude bracelet made of black iron, but the energy inside it was heavy.
It was an Arcane Artifact that concealed the wearer's aura.
Elliott's eyes brightened.
"Where is he?"
It did not matter whether his personality was strange or terrible.
As long as his skill was real, Elliott was confident he could persuade him somehow.
Acke dipped his finger into the alcohol in his cup.
Then he began drawing a map on the table.