And so the gathering began.
It started with a few participants completing their previous transactions.
After that, the members began announcing what items or information they had brought today. A few others also started asking if anyone possessed specific things they needed.
"I need the potion formula for Sequence 9: Lawyer."
The voice came from a man wearing a white robe and a steel mask.
Jace looked around and saw that no one was answering.
So he raised his arm and said,
"I have it. I'll give it to you for 350 pounds."
The man thought for a bit before nodding.
"Deal."
Jace felt relieved.
He had many potion formulas in his head—he only needed to recall them.
But for now, he decided to stick to selling only low-sequence formulas for obvious reasons.
Right now, Jace had about 350 pounds on hand, not counting the transaction he had just made.
The reason he had come to this gathering was mainly to scope things out, and he had to admit that this gathering was better than he expected.
Of course, the gathering of Stanton Isengard from the Eye of Wisdom was still better.
But this one was not far off.
However, the real reason he had come here was to buy the main ingredients for the Sequence 8 potion: Clown.
Jace raised his hand and asked if anyone had the ingredients.
A middle-aged man with black cloth wrapped around his face spoke up.
"I don't have them right now, but if it's not urgent, I can get them for you by the next gathering."
"Alright, that's acceptable," Jace replied.
He still had to digest the potion, so he could afford to wait.
The gathering went on.
Jace wanted to buy an artifact or something useful, but he never saw or noticed anything that would suit him.
The dim torches flickered quietly along the stone walls as more exchanges continued in low, cautious voices.
At the end of the gathering, the participants exchanged products, verified them, and completed their transactions.
Jace received 350 pounds for the Lawyer formula, making him quite rich—since he now had about 700 pounds altogether.
Soon, people started leaving, their cloaks brushing softly against the wooden chairs.
Jace was also making his way toward the exit.
But just as he was about to leave, he was stopped by a woman.
She was wearing layered black cloaks with a hood and a wooden mask.
It was hard to discern her gender, but Jace's intuition as a Seer told him that she was indeed a woman.
"The host of the gathering would like to meet you," said the woman.
Jace wondered if he should accept.
Before coming to the gathering, he had performed multiple divinations about it—whether it was safe or dangerous.
The answers indicated that the gathering would not cause him harm and that it was relatively safe.
Only then had Jace dared to come here.
"Okay," he said.
The woman led the way.
Jace followed her through a narrow corridor into a different chamber, where the host of the gathering sat in a high-backed chair with their legs crossed.
The woman who had led him here moved to stand beside the host.
The host gestured toward the chair placed in front of them.
Jace nodded and sat down.
The host remained silent for two minutes, seemingly deep in thought.
Jace was not one to break the silence, so he simply sat there and waited for the host to speak.
Then, in the next moment, the host removed their hood and mask.
Revealing the appearance of a woman.