Chapter 52: Chapter 52
As they searched for a restaurant for lunch, Mart looked around and didn’t see any sweet shop, ice cream parlor or anything like that, which made him wonder "Who makes those cakes in the labyrinth?".
They entered the same restaurant as last time, this time Asfil accepted Mart’s invitation; even though it was a clear hint from Asfil, Mart was more excited to know what a demon whose grandmother was a human would order.
A few minutes later his dreams of normal looking food disappeared, as she ordered vegetables with crimson sauce, and dried golden beetles.
The crimson sauce, was made from the liver of a round, plant-eating, plant-only monster the size of a rabbit from the human world; and Selis was a real demon, she ordered red two-headed snake with slices of black Cerlt.
Black Cerlet was onion-like but its texture was soft and absorbent, making it a good accompaniment to all kinds of meat.
"I am a demon, I am a demon. I must broaden my gastronomic horizon, or I’ll end up making unicorn rabbits extinct," Mart thought wryly as he ate the same thing they had ordered."
••••
After leaving the restaurant, they went to a store selling potions. Mart looked at the prices, the advance type demonic potions, like the ones the director handed him were expensive and weren’t even of the highest quality; then Mart turned his attention to the demonic potions that restored demonic energy, they were at 5 first level gold coins, 15 second level gold coins, 30 third level gold coins; "Mart looked at Selis", he knew she was not a noble’s daughter, so those must have been a big part of her savings, that let him know that despite her shyness she was serious; he also remembered Asfil’s potions, he couldn’t help but sigh, he took out his notebook, to know how much he was going to have to spend, taking into account his current balance of 2600 coins after paying for the dresses and leaving Iristel 200 coins for her dresses before leaving.
Mart was making the notes, he saw the price of 80 gold coins for the fourth level demonic energy potion. And he began to remember that thanks to that potion he managed to absorb the second step of the higher level demonic energy absorption technique.
"If the book increased the amount of energy it absorbs, it is likely that the same thing will happen again; I will need two to guarantee the third step of the technique; and four more to achieve the fourth step; I hope I’m not wrong. That would be 7 fourth level demonic energy potions, over 560 coins; that book is expensive; only a stroke of luck will save the one without money; if I add to that the rest of the potions I owe them, it’s over 1000; I’m glad I saved Miss Alcariz."
Asfil approached him while Selis was looking at some potions for poisons, and said in a calm voice:
-No need to give it back to me.
-Don’t say that.
Asfil pressed her own skirt with her hands, and he said to her in a direct and sincere way:
-If I really cared about you, I wouldn’t leave you without resources.
A subtle smile appeared on Asfil’s pink lips as he turned back to Selis, Mart went back to doing the math, until he thought, "I am poor if I aspire to be powerful; I need money; I think I will go to the herbalist store first and then come back for the fourth grade potions I need, for now I will buy what I owe them."
After buying the potions, Mart hired a magical vehicle that floated and moved with demon stones with the will of the driver, who stood outside.
The interior was quite comfortable, to Mart the vehicle was similar to a carriage with no wheels and no horses, only a chauffeur who drove it with his will through demonic energy, thinking about it he found it a bit hilarious. On the four cushioned seats, Asfil and Selis sat together, while he sat in front of them, he watched them and found them more beautiful, then looked out a small window again.
[Several sources of demon god energy have been detected.]
At that moment Mart pulled out a spiral-tipped blade and held it in his hands as a precaution.
Almost an hour later the driver announced:
-We have arrived.
Mart paid the gold coin, for anything that used demon stones or demon energy had a high price although they offered undoubted convenience. Mart saw the surroundings, they were in the part of the city farthest from the Academy, the shops looked common but there were fewer people and the atmosphere seemed gloomy.
-Where did you want to go? -Asfil asked while observing the surroundings in the same way Selis did.
"I understand, even for demons there are places that are considered dangerous," thought Mart, but he could see some familiar faces around, all mostly students corroded by demon god energy.
Mart looked at Asfil and Selis and said:
-Follow me. Let’s go to that herbalist store, but you two don’t buy anything without telling me.
-Is that okay? -said Asfil, a little confused.
The three of them walked to a three-story store, with gray walls and a somewhat old sign that said "Orchard of the Past", "we have everything you could want".
"What a suspicious name; and the message more so," thought Mart as he read the name of the store.
The three entered and were surprised by an elegant looking place totally opposite to the outside. The walls were a light brown, hanging lights illuminated the place adequately, whose floor was made of varnished wood, and all the furniture was made of wood, there were many shelves on which there were fresh ingredients for making potions, and there were also quality potions on the counters, first and second level potions, and it was only the first floor.