novelraw Chapter 168: It’s a Pity You Didn’t Come That Night
Chapter 168: It’s a Pity You Didn’t Come That Night
Pandora sat in the empty chair across from Nicole. She pushed back her hood, revealing a face subtly altered by makeup.
She didn't speak right away. Instead, she picked up the glass of lemon blossom honey water that had been waiting and took a small sip. The cold liquid was crisp on her throat.
Finally, Nicole spoke, her voice low.
“What was that?” Her gaze flicked meaningfully toward the back door downstairs.
Pandora set her glass down, her finger tracing the rim. “A potion for a regular client,” she explained calmly. “We had a deal to trade through Ascension Road channels. But… well, you know how things are over there now.” She shrugged lightly, leaving it unfinished. “Anyway, that was her order. Her payment was this.”
Pandora reached into the inner pocket of her cloak and pulled out three items. Three optical discs, packaged neatly with smooth edges. The covers showed colorful, clean-lined cartoon art with cute, exaggerated characters against fantasy castles and clouds. Just looking at them, you could tell they were perfect relics from the Old World.
Game discs.
Pandora slid the three discs across to Nicole. “The games I promised you.”
Nicole’s eyes lit up the second she saw them. These were exactly what her little sister had been wanting. And what her sister wanted, she naturally “needed” too. She grabbed the discs. They felt cool. The packages were flawless.
She checked the cover art and the data side for scratches, then carefully tucked them into her lined bag. With the goods secured, she looked back at Pandora, her curiosity still bright.
“Can I ask… what potion you traded for them?” she added, her tone friendly-concerned. “Just making sure you didn’t get stiffed.”
Pandora gave a soft chuckle. “I didn’t. I gave her three bottles of Wormblood Brew. Pandora-grade.” She added the suffix herself.
“Pandora-grade” was her own term for the highest tier of potion she was willing to sell publicly. Most people had never heard of it. But Nicole was an exception—a partner in her quieter alchemy sales. So when Pandora said it, Nicole’s expression shifted instantly from curiosity to something sharper.
Her mouth opened slightly. Then her tone took on a hint of urgency and a very specific, frustrated disapproval.
“You said you didn’t get stiffed?” Her voice rose a notch before she caught herself and lowered it. “Didn’t I tell you the going rate for game discs on Eden’s black market? Even intact, rare ones, they shouldn’t be worth…”
Watching her, Pandora felt caught between amusement and exasperation. She raised a hand in a ‘stop’ gesture.
“Relax. We originally agreed on Rampart potions. But Rampart ingredients are scarce right now. You know how it is. So I took the initiative and swapped it for Wormblood Brew.”
Her tone was all businesslike calm. “Since I was the one changing the deal, I couldn’t exactly downgrade her, could I? Better she feels she got a bargain. Makes it easier to trade with her again, or use her to find other clients with similar ‘stock.’ Right?”
Nicole listened, staring at Pandora for a long few seconds as if weighing the truth of it. Then the breath she’d been holding over the “potential loss” slowly hissed out.
“Fine…” She leaned back in her chair, picked up her own honey water, and took a sip. “As long as you know what you’re doing. But if you need Rampart materials later, or anything else hard to find…” She set her cup down, her expression turning serious. “Order from me. I can’t do huge batches, but small amounts for your personal brewing shouldn’t be a problem.”
“No problem,” Pandora nodded, a slight smile on her lips. “That was the deal.”
With the business settled, Nicole seemed to unlock. It was like she suddenly remembered something explosive. Her eyes, already bright, got brighter. She leaned forward over the table, her voice lifting again.
“That’s right! That night! You really missed out!” She looked at Pandora, her tone full of the pity you reserve for someone who skipped the party of the year. “If only you’d come! You missed seeing Blighted Hand Wilbur, covered in gashes, running away like a kicked dog! It was perfect!”
“Is that so?” Pandora picked up her cup for another sip. To herself, she thought that she actually hadn’t seen Wilbur flee. In fact, she’d never even seen the man’s face. Her entire attack plan had carefully avoided the areas where the third-ranks were brawling.
The corner of her mouth twitched into a faint, complicated smile. “Yeah. What a pity.”
Nicole, completely missing the nuance in that smile, was already diving into her story. “You have no idea how wild that night was! The twists! My god, you’re clueless!” She was practically vibrating, the perfect gossip with a captive audience. “I have to tell you everything!”