Infinite Mage

Chapter 187: Nor’s Haven (1)

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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INFINITE MAGE

"Is this Nor’s Haven?"

"Yes. It's a place strongly imbued with the essence of light. It can accommodate hundreds of Norins. I heard it was once the site of a shrine of light, and the remnants of its power linger."

"It’s more peaceful than I expected. Is it safe from invasions by extraterrestrial species or heretic hunters?"

"It’s not far away, but it’s hidden by a veil of light. From outside Nor’s Haven, it looks like nothing more than a plain."

The principle was similar to invisibility magic.

Invisibility cloaks bend light using electrical power to render one invisible. Here, the light’s reflectivity is set to 100%, making it blend with the scenery like a mirror.

Anyone with sharp eyes might notice the repeating patterns, but no one would likely conduct such an operation over this vast land.

"Of course, the higher-ups of Heaven could find it if they were aware. But no one cares about life in Purgatory. Only Kergosians and starving extraterrestrials are interested."

A makeshift tent village had formed near the forest. Vendors sat on mats, chatting idly without customers, as if they weren’t expecting to sell anything.

Gardrock explained they were traders heading to the main shops. This was merely a rest stop, and for proper goods, one had to visit the Nor shops.

Nonetheless, occasionally, citizens seeking Nor items came here, such as Kanya and Rena.

Kanya had been tense since arriving. While Purgatory was a neutral zone, this place was within the territory of heretics.

Hence, she didn’t make eye contact with Shirone’s group and asked Gardrock,

"Where can I find Nor medicines?"

"Hmm, has the herbalist arrived? Look over there."

As Kanya walked away, Gardrock shouted after her,

"Just remember one thing. Never fight in Nor’s Haven. Got it?"

There was no reply. Instead, Rena turned to Shirone with a smile. It was a pretty smile meant to cover for her sister’s rudeness but also held her own feelings.

"See you later."

"Sure. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Nor’s Haven wasn’t very large, but once outside the radius of Arin’s Spirit Zone, communication would be impossible, making it a farewell of sorts.

Shirone watched Kanya’s receding figure.

She seemed anxious.

What had she left Heaven to seek?

While Shirone was lost in thought, Gardrock examined his abdominal wound. The bleeding had stopped, but the wound was in bad shape. Without proper treatment, it could be dangerous.

"I need to rest for a bit. The bleeding has left me exhausted. Clove will explain how to buy things. You all need to know this to survive in Purgatory."

Seeing his master’s pale face, Clove couldn’t refuse. He led Shirone’s group to the stalls, noticing there were more merchants than usual.

"Hey, about the White Elixir, are you going to use it now?"

"Not sure. I’ll look around first and buy what I need. Why?"

"If you’re willing to pay a brokerage fee, I can haggle for you. You’re new here, so you don’t know what’s good."

There weren’t many items worth a White Elixir in Nor’s Haven. It was like paying gold for an apple.

However, since Shirone didn’t know the value of items here, there was a chance to get something worthwhile through good negotiation.

Shirone checked his friends’ locations. They were scattered, looking at goods. With the mental channel still connected, there was no need to gather them.

-Clove wants a brokerage fee. What should we do?

-We probably need a broker. Honestly, I can’t tell what’s good here besides clothes and food. Can we trust him?

Arin responded to Amy’s question.

-I can find out.

Shirone made his decision.

By using Inner Eye, they could see if Clove was cheating. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. Paying a fee was fine, but wasting time on pointless arguments was a loss for both sides.

"Alright, show us around and introduce us to the items."

As Clove led the way, the others gathered around Shirone.

The variety of goods indicated the presence of many mainland merchants.

Initially, they saw daily necessities. Food, clothing, pillows, and blankets seemed common but were essential for heretics living in Purgatory.

Clove pointed to a white bread-like object that looked like a pebble.

"This is Kalaya, a travel essential for heretics. It’s made with Elixir and keeps you full for a whole day with just one piece."

Amy squatted to inspect it.

There were various colors, but nothing else to indicate the taste.

Kalaya seemed useful for a day’s meal but wasn’t necessarily a top purchase priority.

"Hmm, it’s cute and round. Should I try one?"

Amy baited, and Clove bit.

"This is a fantastic item. Even if you’re stuck in the wilderness, you can survive a month with just this. Buy as many as you can while you have the chance."

Clove winked at the merchant.

Arin scratched her head, not needing Inner Eye to see through his blatant lie.

Assuming her friends knew this, she skipped the details and got to the point.

-Should we just do it ourselves? He doesn’t seem serious.

Even Amy was exasperated by his audacity.

-It seems so. But let’s keep him around. Who would’ve guessed this pebble was food? We still need someone to introduce the items. He’s not lying, right?

-Right. He’s just eager to earn Elixir. He must really want it. Seeing him like this, I almost feel sorry for him.

Canis sneered.

-Probably. Forget magic; his situational awareness and quick response are pathetic. Could he even hunt properly? That must make him greedier.

Magic power varies widely in effectiveness, but it’s not the sole measure of superiority. Efficiency and compatibility depend on the environment and situation.

A Vortex Serpent’s magic power was overwhelming, but Shirone had defeated it.

To gauge a mage’s level, one must see how quickly and accurately they make magical judgments.

This takes time, more than learning magic. Mercenaries often hired mages based on visible skills, only to be wiped out due to the mage’s mistakes.

Canis, who had traveled the continent searching for Arcane’s will, had more experience with this than anyone.

Reviewing the three battles since arriving in Heaven, Shirone and Amy’s decisions were crucial, showing Clove’s incompetence.

Next, Clove led them to an apothecary stall.

Shirone had overheard Kanya arguing with the herbalist but couldn’t understand due to the broken mental channel.

Clove introduced various medicines.

Small flasks contained colored potions made with Elixir.

Red potions healed wounds, blue ones cleared the mind. These were the most common.

Other potions had unique effects.

Pink potions amplified love emotions, brown potions made specific memories permanent.

Shirone pointed to a white potion she had noticed during Kanya’s argument.

"What’s this potion?"

Clove squinted in surprise and picked up the flask.

"Oh? This is a rare one. It’s hard to make."

"What’s it for?"

"This is an awakening potion, Epinephrine. Drinking this keeps you awake for a week without sleep. It’s excellent for mages. If you’re hit by Howling and your mind wavers, this will help you endure."

Shirone tried to make sense of Clove’s explanation. The blue potion enhanced magical power, while the white potion seemed to boost endurance.

"This is perfect for you. It’s pricey, but I can get you a good deal. How about buying it?"

Shirone wasn’t interested in Epinephrine. Its effects were impressive, but bringing consumables back to the original world felt wasteful.

Unique items were hard to use judiciously. In Purgatory, they might drink it whenever needed, but in the other world, it could be more of a burden.

She briefly considered its usefulness before an exam but decided against risking expulsion for banned substances.

After a frivolous analysis, her thoughts returned to Kanya.

An awakening potion.

What did she plan to do with it?

As Shirone refocused, the group had moved to the next stall.

Seedlings that grew into massive vines within ten minutes were essential for traveling through rocky areas, and powder that boiled water when sprinkled on it was fascinating.

Watching Clove’s explanations, Shirone noticed Amy staring intently at something.

Curious, Shirone approached.

Inside a basket like a birdcage, something was moving. A ball of fire.

Fire that moved on its own?

When Clove joined them, Shirone pointed to the cage.

"What’s this?"

Clove, peering inside, widened his eyes in surprise.

"Wow! A spirit? Sir, where did you find this? You hit the jackpot."

"Haha! It’s a long story. I had a good dream, so I went hunting outside the community, hoping to get some Green Elixir from sulfur worms. But all I got were Reds. Frustrated, I was about to head back when a ‘Flame Claw’ caught me. I ran for my life, thinking of my wife, and fell off a cliff. Turns out, it was a fire spot where sulfur gas had been burning for ages. As I tried to note it, a flame bounced towards me. I freaked out, used a spirit trap, and caught it. That’s the story, haha!"

Clove wasn’t amused. Why didn’t he have such luck?

Sulfur worms were common in Muspel, the land of fire, and lava regions. They were one-meter-long worms that sprayed lava but were slow, making them easy for Clove to catch.

But Flame Claws were a different story. Surviving an encounter and catching a fire spirit was beyond fortunate, akin to being born under a lucky star.

Shirone looked at Amy. Her eyes pleaded silently.

She understood the desire. If it had been a light spirit, she wouldn’t have been able to resist either.

Shirone seriously inquired about the price.

"Sir, how much for this?"

Using telepathy was unusual for a merchant, but he only blinked, responding calmly.

Shirone inferred a possibility from his reaction.

They might not be the only ones in this world who didn’t use the citizen’s language.

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