Coming out of a building, Alice showed a tired face while taking a deep breath. "Negotiation. . , is never, my stong point."

   As every negotiation could be, this one became quite heated in a matter of minutes, if not scorching. Alice herself always wondered; How could someone goes against such a fierce confrontation. Because different from a battle which relied more on combat strength, the art of negotiation itself relied more on psychological warfare full of trap and deceit. 

   It was mentally exhausting, she had her sanity dropped for every second she stayed inside. That's why she really appreciate Julian willingness to act as her negotiator. 

   Truthfully, she expect nothing more than a fair trade, yet unexpectedly, the ordinary-looking shopkeeper turned himself into a demon during negotiation. Julian dominate his opponent to the corner, somehow managed to earn three milion and two hundred thousand Valis. Save for her flabbergasted expression and the regretful face of jewelry shop manager.

   Yet, three milions was too much of a money to carry everywhere, especially if it was Valis that took a form of coins made of metallic material. Not only it was inconvenient, the weight alone would crush her into minced meat. 

   For that reason, Julian in his consideration suggested to divide most of the money into serveral banknotes, that could be used or exchanged anytime. While she keep the rest in the form of physical currency for necessity, which Alice instantly agreed on.

   Letting out a small chuckle, Julian follows behind Alice a little later. Shrugging. "I can understand your point. But you are really calm for someone that hates pressure."

   "Being calm, is one, but the tense, atmosphere, is unwelcoming." she replied wryly. "Still, thank you, for your help."

   "Eh, sure, it's my pleasure anyway."

   After catching a breath of silence to calm their nerves, Alice finally says, "Let's go back, to your shop, shall we?"

   "But of course." Julian replied with a bright smile.

   In the end, Alice pick a few blank notebooks as the one she uses almost run out of pages, and some inkwell. 

   "Alright, that is one thousand Valis." Julian counted the cost.

   Alice put a hundred and one thousand Valis on the table, pushing it toward the man. "Including the, payment, i promised."

   "Thank you." the shopkeeper smiled brightly, ignoring the bottomless pocket in the shape of her robe. Eh, it wasn't his problem to think about. 

   And before the girl leave, Julian reminded with a stupid grin plastered on his face, "I'm always open if you need me for something similar again."

   That slightly shameless sentence managed to get a small giggle from Alice herself, "I will, surely, keep that, in mind." 

. . .

   After leaving Julian's shop, Alice was suddenly at loss after realizing that she had nowhere to return even after all the things she had done for the day. 

   She couldn't just going back to the previous abandoned church, and claims it as her own, right . . ?

   Not to mention it was a rundown building which is obviously uncomfortable to live in. It was also dangerous, as in the scenario where the building suddenly collapsed―hopefully not―killing someone in the process. Including the chance of being marked as suspicious person if she was discovered living in such place.

   Renting a room from an inn may be a suitable solution, but it isn't something for the long term, as Alice herself doesn't know how long she will be in Orario.

   I should buy a house. Alice thought. It wasn't far fetched, as she had more than enough Valis to do so.

   Its just was the setting sun that remind her to wait for another day, the orange ball of light hanging itself slightly above the city wall. Alice finally realized that it was already the end of the day. 

   "An inn, it seems." Alice sighed. 

· · ·

· · ·

   As the most famous and bustling city, business like an Inn is quite well promising in Orario, growing like mushrooms in every part of the city.

   Or that's how it was supposed to be. 

   Now however, with Orario becoming Evilus playground, the flow of people coming to Orario took a massive hit, reducing it to almost a one fifth of it's normal amount. That alone causes many of them, mostly smaller inn, went out of business. Although some managed to survive relying on the Adventurers as their main source of income.

   Despite that, looking for such a place is an easy task still. The only thing Alice need to do is wander around the street for a few minutes before finding herself one in particular with a sign hanging on it's wall that simply says; Inn. 

   Pushing the door open, she was greeted by a rather small dining room, and a rather thin old man on the side of the counter.

   "Are you looking for a room?" the man asked to the point, skipping any warm welcome. Though, it doesn't really matter as Alice is already tired.

   "A room. Just to rest, for a night." Alice said.

   "Two thousand Valis." 

   Putting the right amount without batting an eye, Alice quickly moved to her room after receiving the key. It was after Alice entered her room that the man remarked with a low voice. 

   "What a rich kid. Heh. Pity that it's only for a night."

· · ·

   Her room itself was nothing fancy. Only one single bed, a desk and magic lamp along with chair to a window. A plain design without any decoration or some sort, but not surprising because the owner itself, probably the one before, doesn't even bother to think of giving a name for this Inn.

   Throwing herself to the bed, Alice took a long heavy sigh, while every inch of her body is absorbing the softness of human greatest invention―a bed.

   But before long, she muttered. "My covers, failed, once." Once it was, but alarming.

   Her eyes shifted to the robe she was wearing, or more specifically a certain part around the edge of her clothes. It was barely noticeable, but if someone look closely at the golden lines that decorated her white robe, they will find that there is an intricate pattern spreading around the edge through it's fabric. The things that gave her ability to sneak around while remain unknown to many. 

   Though, calling it an intricate pattern might be foolish because it was something widely known as Rune; An arts of invoking the meaning and representation behind words that held a secret of the world―hence sometimes called Arcane, or secret, arts―into reality. 

   There is more than one way to use the Rune itself, but mostly divided into two types. The first is to activate it by drawing them in the air like a certain immortal-sadistic-teacher-old-hag. While another chooses to apply them on physical objects. 

   Alice was the later of course, for a reason that is rather simple; less of a hassle than the first. All she need is to give them constant supply of magical energy―Mana, Aether, Ether or whatever it was called. Even so, Alice dared to say that she was quite skilled at it, along with her mastery over Magic.

   After scrutinizing the entire lines of Runes that could make anyone dizzy, Alice finally could take a breath in relief. "They were, all intact. . ."

   A relief indeed, because repairing an array of Rune took not only a load of precious materials but also time, to which she couldn't spare any at the moment.

   Yet the fact that the Enhancement remained intact turned her relief into a short-lived one.

   Simply says, if Alice's Enhancement is her own house filled with the words 'safe', having them fail is similar to watching it crumble before her own eyes, while she was taking a bath in the middle of it.

   The corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably with that image. But that itself begs another question in minds.

   How did that happen? Alice thought in puzzlement.

   The first one that had to bear Alice suspicion is no one else but the Gods walking around Orario, since she was first discovered by the elf from Astraea Familia. Not the Deity itself, Alice's main attention directed toward the source of Adventurer's power; Falna.

· · ·

   Having been blessed by their respective God or Goddess, one will have a Status Sheet on their backs that records a few things. Level, Basic Ability, Developmental Ability, Magic and Skills.

   In Falna, Level is something which determine the rank of every Adventurer. It could be crudely translated to; the higher one Level is, the stronger they are than the one belom them.

   Basic Ability in the meanwhile, is reflection of a person prowess that defined by numerical value devided into five types; which is Strength, Endurance, Dexterity, Agility and Magic.

   Development Ability however, is a bit different. They are something that could only be obtained through a Level Up after meeting a certain conditions required. Developed, indeed.

   Next is Magic, or in this case, a Spell. A great power, most people says, because they are something from the outside of common sense. They gives their casters an ability to do something akin to a miracle, starting from creating a ball of fire to freezing an entire field, or healing one's injury. 

   Skills on the other hand is quite vague. They are generally almost similar to Development Ability, but could be obtained regardless of Level Up. They also had no exact requirements, as the Skill itself is a life record crystalized into ability.

· · ·

   Alice's focus lies within Development Ability and Skills. 

   Is it possible for the Adventurer to develop or gain a resistance against effect of her Enhancement? If that is the cause, then. . . Alice's palm covered her face as she was a bit stressed.

   True, Alice doesn't yet to know if it was possible, yet the possibility itself gives enough pressure to Alice's mind. 

   Alice herself wasn't strong as she admits that readily. It was also because she understand her own shortcoming, the girl chooses to rely on equipment to compensate it. But there goes a saying; one day, the tools you use will fail in one way or another. And it was a clear warning for someone that relied too much on an object. 

   "What to do. . ."

   Losing one main source of her strength is akin to having one of her hand amputated. While it's not that dire, it affects her greatly. She had a plan to move around and gathering information from risky place, and even considering the chance to infiltrate Evilus, but now all bet ls are off as her own safety couldn't even be guaranteed.

   But before it struck true for the worst to come, Alice prefer to find the solution. Its just happen that the solution itself is the source of her problem.

   "Falna, is it. . ? Why not." Alice muttered. "I shall, play along, with their rules."