True Love's Seventh Kiss

Ch.17 Adventurer's Guild

One hooded figure took advantage of the stormy night to obscure their movement. This person followed clear and direct instructions before the sun rose that fateful night before word could spread too far and too fast about the countess being cured. An Adventurer's guild hall had finally calmed down as the late hours of the drunken night had passed and the lull began before the early morning heralded the comings and goings of everyday life.

A clean-cut gentleman in his forties finished up some paperwork at the counter. He was a staple in the Adventurer's guild for being about to stop fights between rowdy adventurers. However, his peg leg was a reminder that his career as a successful B ranked adventurer had come to an unfortunate end.

Since he had spent so much time in the Cliffgard forest during day and night expeditions he was a veteran in the Cliffgard territory and had mana-touched silver hair to prove it. When a shrouded figure entered the establishment on this rainy morning long before breakfast, he narrowed his eyes. It was an ill omen even in the best of times from someone to not reveal their face.

By his size, the hooded figure was a young man, and by the mud on his boots he had either come from the forest or he traveled far by walking this night. The silhouette of a cutlass was pressed against the fabric of his cloak. The material and design was upper-class and the young man carried himself with a noble confidence, so it was likely one of the many noble scions or merchant sons that visited the city.

Either way something told him this was going to be a troublesome matter.

The young man searched the bulletin board with requests and pulled off one that was worth the most. An impossible request. Then he approached the counter.

"Welcome to the adventurer's guild, my name is Bertram. How can I help you sir?" Bertram said as he straightened his back.

"I'm not an adventurer, but I would like you to verify an item for me. We may discuss this quest after that." the boy said. "Privacy would be appreciated."

Since the boy wasn't waving around his authority and was nice enough, Bertram consented and led the boy around to a private appraisal room set up just behind the counter.

Bertram placed a sign on the counter indicating anyone else would have to wait for his return. Then when he had secured the door, the young man thanked him.

"I'll make it short, this is Elven spring water, please verify its authenticity." The young man set a bottle of clear glowing liquid on the table.

Bertram withheld his surprise. It was either the real deal or a fake but in a business transaction it was vital that he retained his poker face. He held the bottle and began the appraisal system provided by the guild.

Under the table there was a chest for appraising items. He used a key and placed his hand on top to release both the physical lock and the tamper proof magic seal.

"Using a drop of the water is the most effective way to verify, may I?" Bertram asked. If the young man refused it was a red flag for scam.

"Please do, I want all the appropriate documentation. Just don't spill too much, savvy." the young man grinned from underneath his cowl. He had perfect white teeth which only proved he was a noble or merchant son. He may even be the count's son... but that was even more reason to keep his mouth shut and just do his job.

On the paper there was a square in the upper right-hand corner where he dropped a bit of the water. He evoked the spell with a drop of his blood in the opposite corner which doubled as proof he was the authenticator. Letters that had no set shape before the spell scrambled to make coherent words.

Bertram swallowed as he signed at the bottom of the page and soon it tripled into three copies that all said the same thing.

[Elven Holy water

- 12 ounces

- Quality: Pristine

- Collected in the Cliffgard Forest

- Freshness: gathered today]

It had a few more particulars but Bertram had no reason to hesitate anymore since this was the real deal. In fact, he had to start taking this much more seriously since the price of this water was incalculable.

"It is verified, what else did you want to discuss?" Bertram asked.

"I would like to discuss the terms in which I am willing to part with this." the young man said, tapping on the bottle.

Since this was the real thing, it would be easy for the young man to request many times, the price listed on the request form. And it was exorbitant to begin with.

"I'll be short and simple, one hour, I want to meet the requester and the one they plan to use this water on. Tell them I'm willing to negotiate for half price or less in person, and that they must consume it within the guild building before they are allowed to exit under the guild's watchful eye. If they cannot agree to these terms, I will take it to auction myself and they will have to compete with the Empire for it. Any funny business and I will smash the water on the ground myself." The Young man laid out his terms.

"One hour? As in right now?" Bertram asked.

"My time is short, and if I determine that they are trying to deceive me to make a profit with the holy water then the deal is off. I'd like to help someone with this, but if there is a profit to be made, then I will be the one making it." the young man grinned, and this time Bertram caught a glimpse of his lustrous purple eyes from under his weather-soaked hood.

"Unfortunately, we are short staffed to provide that kind of service due to the hour, can you give me two hours to rouse the Guildmaster and some staff to support?" Bertrand pleaded.

"My time is short, but since you asked so kindly, I can go as long as an hour and half. Is that fair?" The young man asked. "Then we don't have a moment to lose do we?" The young man pulled out a pocket watch, with a click it opened, and he checked the time.

"Very well, then allow me to show you to a waiting room in the meantime." Bertram escorted the young man to a room on the second floor that was much better furnished.

Twenty minutes later the Guildmaster arrived in a hurry.

"Excuse me, sir. I am the guild master Liam, are you the young man with the holy water?" A tall older gentleman entered. Instead of looking like a retired adventurer like Bertram, Liam looked like a retired sailor. Grizzled and gray with age and experience, he was dripping from the rain and which made him appear as if he had a lot of fish stories and cautionary tales to share.

"I won't try to fool you, Guildmaster, but I'd appreciate it if we kept my identity a secret after I crash landed in the city to bring this home." The young man said as he suspected his identity was already known by the guild staff.

"Very well, sir. How is your mother?" Liam said as he sat down on the sofa across from the young man in the waiting room.

"She's all better, but as you can appreciate having two of these will put a target on our back. It's better to get rid of it as fast as possible before nobles flood in." the young man said.

"What about getting more, aren't you sitting on a gold mine?" the Guildmaster asked.

"Not likely with the forest dragon guarding it. We only just escaped it and got home without it following us. I'm sure you will hear more from the count after I leave so I'll leave that as a conversation for you two to have." The Young man said.

"Very well, does he know about you disposing of this holy water this way?" Liam asked.

"He left it's use up to me for now or later, but I've determined it's best to use now." The young man said as he double checked his pocket watch. "Let's just hope they aren't late."

Then the young spent the rest of the time laying out his conditions with the Guildmaster and getting everything in writing. He also disclosed how to best lead the gossip of the transaction should everything go as planned and the Guildmaster could only shake his head and chuckle at the well thought out scheme.