113 DUPLICATING A MAGIC KEY
[Assassin Workshop Marketplace]
"You're wasting my time dragging me out here to shop. You have legs. You could have come yourselves," Grangya complained.
"We would come ourselves if we could get in here. You are the only one with access here," Leo said.
"Yes, we'll need all the supplies we can get if we are going to survive Sodom's ruins," Yun-Yun added.
"I don't mind coming along," Bara said, holding Grangya's hand. "I haven't been here before."
"Follow me," Grangya said, leading them into a dark alley.
"Isn't this a dead end?" Bara asked.
"Not if you know the trick," Grangya replied, waving her hand. A door appeared in the blank wall. "Now, everyone put on the black cloaks and masks."
They quickly cloaked themselves and stepped inside.
"Who are you? This area's restricted," a cloaked guard demanded.
Grangya flashed a token.
"Operative business," the guard asked coolly before adding, "who's the others behind you?"
"These are my assistants, and I don't have time to sort out the paperwork for everyone. The mission's urgent." She handed him a small ticket.
"What's this?" he asked.
"An appointment with Dame Rosa da Turquoise's- Court la Mood. Complimentary access," she said smoothly.
The guard pocketed the ticket and nodded. "Make it quick. Next shift's coming soon."
They slipped inside the hidden Assassin Workshop marketplace.
"So, where first?" Grangya asked.
"Poisons," Leo and Bara said in unison.
They moved toward the poison section, where vials of every color and concoction imaginable lined the shelves.
"I'll take everything," Leo told the shopkeeper.
"Everything? Planning to poison an entire city?" the shopkeeper asked, eyebrows raised.
"Nobody questions Workshop missions," Grangya reminded her.
"Of course," the shopkeeper said, wrapping the poisons and antidotes.
"Where next?" Grangya asked.
"Torture tools," Bara said.
"Grangya, why don't you show her around? We'll look around on our own," Yun-Yun suggested.
Grangya nodded, taking Bara toward the tools section. Leo and Yun-Yun walked around before they headed over to a quieter area, rarely visited.
"What do you sell here?" Yun-Yun asked the shopkeeper.
"Poisonous bees," the shopkeeper said, gesturing to a large container holding thousands of bees.
"Poisonous bees?" Leo asked. "What are they?"
"These bees are immune to poison, but they spread any poison they're exposed to. They respond to the handler's commands if given the right ward," she explained.
"Interesting. Why don't they sell better? Your business seems slow here," Leo asked.
"They're costly to procure, and they have short lifespans. Unless someone has a specific use for them, they go unsold."
"Can't you keep a hive and breed more?" Yun-Yun asked.
"The queen bee only survives in the wild. They need to be freshly sourced each time," she replied.
"How do we transport them?" Leo asked.
"You'll need this warded ring," she said, handing him a ring. "Inside is a small magic storage space that acts like a hive, minus a queen. You'll need to replenish the bees after each mission."
"A magic storage ring- that is a treasure?" Yun-Yun asked.
"It's a broken storage ring. Its useless for most purposes except for rearing bees", the shopkeeper replied.
"I'll take the ring and fill it up with bees for me please," Leo said, paying her. After that she taught him how to use the ring.
They moved on to the armor and clothing section.
"I made you a cloak once with elemental protection," Leo said to Yun-Yun.
"Yes, but they were burned by Destiny's Retribution," she replied disappointedly.
"Should we pick up some new clothes?" Leo suggested.
"What can we help you with?" the shopkeeper asked.
"Do you have Dragon Silk?" Yun-Yun asked.
"Dragon Silk?" the shopkeeper said, surprised. "Few know of such a rare material from the east. We have a pair of Dragon Silk cloaks, originally intended for a foreign king and queen, but a war prevented delivery."
"Let's see them," Leo said.
The shopkeeper brought out an exquisite cloak with a shimmering texture.
"What's special about it?" Leo asked.
"It provides camouflage. Even magical eyes can't see through its enchantment," Yun-Yun explained.
"You know your Dragon Silk," the shopkeeper said, impressed. "It's a pity it's so fragile. If only it could be combined with resistance armor."
"It's not a waste," Leo replied. "Do you have matching resistance cloaks for elemental protection?"
"Yes, but they're costly," the shopkeeper replied.
"I'll take them," Leo said.
"I'll make you another cloak," he told Yun-Yun.
"Thank you," she said, leaning close to him.
Once they'd gotten everything they needed from the marketplace, they left, slipping back into the shadows of the alley.
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"Hey, check this out," Bara called out, tossing a token at Leo shortly after they returned from the Assassin Guild Market.
He caught it with a quick snatch, eyes narrowing. "Wait... is this Grangya's token for the Assassin Workshop?"
"Borrowed," she corrected with a playful grin. "I just borrowed it. Now we can go down there whenever we want."
Leo gave her a skeptical look. "You know you can just ask Grangya to take you. You don't need to steal her damn token."
"Yeah, but it's so boring having her tag along every time, she's always nagging," Bara shrugged. "Besides, I've got some friends from the academy who are dying to see the secret marketplace."
"You're fucking crazy," Leo muttered, eyeing the token. "You know the Battle Angel is going to kick your ass for this, right?"
"Worth it," Bara said, unfazed.
Leo looked at the token carefully as if in thoughts.
Yun-Yun, who'd been quietly listening, leaned in. "So, what's the problem?"
Leo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, Bara's got a point. It's not always convenient asking Grangya to babysit us just to get access to the secret shops of the Assassin Workshop."
"See? Told you," Bara said, her grin widening.
Leo held the token up to the light, inspecting it. "Let me hang onto this for a day. I'll have the woodsmith whip up a perfect replica."
Bara's eyes lit up. "You're a genius, Leo."
"Make sure Grangya doesn't hear of this."
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