The Extra System: Summoner of Shadows

After the meeting with the king, the two sides were escorted to a temporary residence within the palace grounds. Cedric marveled at the mansion they were placed in, which was considered just a guesthouse. It even had maids to attend to their needs until the trial.

"I believe we made the right choice," Cedric told Ember as he poured some tea for them. The retainer sat stiffly, disapproving of his actions, which she considered unbecoming of a prince. "What do you think, Ember?" 

"Please let me serve the tea, Your Highness," she voiced, but Cedric shook his head in disappointment, indicating that this wasn't what he meant. Ember sighed. "I believe things will only escalate from now on."

"I couldn't agree more, but things are looking favorable for us. After all, the truth will be revealed, and the assassination attempt against me will further incriminate Caroline and her father. But… I know they have more schemes up their sleeves."

Cedric placed the teacup in front of Ember and sat down, sipping the exotic tea, unlike any he had tasted before. If he had to describe it, it had a strange aroma that Cedric did not recognize, but it calmed his mind.

"We need to prepare for the worst," said Ember as she picked up the teacup and began sipping from it as well. "Their first plan was to threaten you into accepting that ridiculous compensation. Since you were unfazed, we can assume they are going to take more drastic measures."

"We have until tomorrow to find out what they are planning," Cedric said with a smile as he set the teacup down. "And I have an inkling about what they're going to do."

"You do, Your Highness?" asked Ember, surprised.

"Ironhold is known not only for its warriors but also for its strategic location," Cedric mused. "There should be many auction houses here that sell grimoires."

In Elaris, skills can be obtained through various methods. One such method is classes; another is killing monsters. Another method, which is less risky but far more expensive, involves grimoires—books that contain ancient spells that grant the reader skills that defy logic. But here in Elaris, they were logic themselves, although the method of creating these grimoires was lost to time.

"Could it be…?" Ember realized what her prince was hinting at, and she thought about it before nodding. "It has to be. In order to avoid being found out, the duke will seek out a skill to counter the oath."

"I doubt any auction house would have it," Cedric muttered as he waved a hand. Ember was confused as she watched him stare into empty space before he smiled. "I think I know which auction house it is."

"What? Already?" Ember was again surprised. It was the first time Cedric had come to this kingdom, so how did he know which auction house Duke Ravenswood would visit?

"As far as I can tell, Duke Ravenswood has some connections to the Hand of the King. There is an auction house that belongs to the Hand, so it's almost certain that he would visit that one."

"And how would we prove that?"

"I'll take care of that," Cedric said with a smile. Ember was confused since Cedric was not allowed to leave the mansion until the trial, as was the case for Caroline and the duke. But for some reason, Cedric carried a confident smile.

---

Night descended, but the lively city of Ironheart was far from sleeping. Ironheart was a giant city by this world's standards. Since monsters roamed the wilderness, they had to create high steel walls to fend them off.

The Ardenthal built these walls through their rare affinity for metal, inherited through countless generations. This also made them unrivaled among warriors, ensuring peace throughout the land.

A disguised Cedric walked out of the palace under the eyes of the forgetful guards, who allowed him to exit without inspection. He entered the city while still monitoring Duke Ravenswood's character sheet, which he unlocked for 5 SPs. Although considered a waste, he hoped that clearing the first quest would be worth it.

Through his background information, Cedric understood the duke's connection to the Hand. It seemed Caroline's mother was the Hand's sister, making him the duke's brother-in-law.

Another thing Cedric learned about the Character Sheets was their search function. Although not explicit, Cedric realized that he could find the relevant section he was looking for just by thinking about it.

Cedric had to use his Observe skill to avoid running into thugs in the alleys of Ironheart. The last thing he wanted was a humiliating beatdown just for walking. After an hour or so of walking and asking passersby, Cedric found the auction house he was looking for.

Relic House.

The auction house itself was as big as a palace but had a more modern style than the Ironheart Palace. Guards surrounded the mansion, but they did not attempt to reveal Cedric's identity even as he walked inside.

Many of those entering the auction house at this hour were obviously after the underground auction. These auctions were held away from the public, with only a select few allowed to enter.

Cedric learned from the duke's character sheet about this underground society of merchants. However, to enter, he needed to find out an entry point. As he walked inside, Cedric tried to expand his observation to the max.

Although his range was only ten meters, five in every direction, it was more than enough to learn how things worked. Many of the visitors went to the reception and uttered a few words that made no sense.

Cedric realized that each cubicle was isolated from the others by some sort of barrier, making it impossible for him to listen to the conversations of others. However, his Observe skill even informed him about the barrier and the conversations happening inside.

"The raven seeks the hand that forged its destiny," said a feminine voice in the cubicle closest to Cedric as he advanced toward the receptionist, who greeted him with a warm smile.

"How can I help you today, sir?" asked the receptionist. Cedric repeated the same words from underneath the hood, and the receptionist nodded without a change in her expression before leading the way.

Cedric didn't understand where he was being taken but followed anyway. As far as he could tell, he wasn't in danger. The receptionist led him through a small hallway before opening a door for him.

The door led him to a balcony overlooking a dark hall with an illuminated stage in the center. Blue candles lined the balcony's railings, with one-sided double glass blocking the view from the outside. Atop the balcony was a couch, a table lined with refreshments, and a figure sitting atop the couch.

Cedric heard the door close behind him as the figure on the balcony turned to face him. It was a woman with violet eyes and silver hair tied in an elaborate bun. Once her eyes fell on the newcomer, she frowned.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Her question and glare told Cedric that he had intruded on a place where he shouldn't be. It took him a moment to realize that although he heard a lot of nonsensical passwords before entering, none of them were the same.

"What does one do at an auction?" replied Cedric as he strode forward confidently and sat on the couch. He could feel her piercing glare scrutinizing him. It was at that moment he decided to use the narrator.

[Professor Aria Valefire glared at the mysterious man who made himself comfortable. The academy had sent her alone to Ironheart, so it didn't make sense for someone else to know the password.]

Cedric then ended his narrator skill, knowing he would need his mana for later. However, he obtained just enough information to deceive the woman before him.

"Don't act so hostile, Professor Valefire," Cedric said as he picked up a cup from the table and sipped from it just to make his act convincing. "I've been sent here by the academy as well."

Cedric glanced at her from beneath his hood and saw her surprise before she looked relieved. However, she still regarded him with confusion.

"I don't seem to recognize you," said Aria with a frown. "Can you introduce yourself?"