Chapter 399: Right Before One's Eyes

Xia Duo circled the Yinguang Ta several times, only to find a single shop selling Magic Items, and the Magic Items inside were extremely scarce. There were only a few pieces, and their Magic Aura was very dim. Xia Duo could not help but wonder: had this city truly declined to such a degree? Yet, thinking of the training sword in his hand, although it was not as good as the 【Blade of Veto】, it was undeniably a magic sword, and the other Apprentices in the training camp possessed the same magic swords.

If even a group of war orphans could be issued Standard Magic Swords, then the city shouldn't be so lacking that it didn't even have one or two shops selling high-quality goods! Xia Duo suddenly realized that he was quite unfamiliar with this city; in the memories of "Ruien," there were almost no memories regarding Yinguang City, while the name of another city was exceptionally clear.

"Emanstansiya!"

After searching his memory carefully, the name was still the same, but further memories were very blurry; unless he could see the scene of that city in person, he could not trigger further memories.

Although there were no clear memories, a vague comparison could still be made. Amanstesia, while still inferior to the previously projected Sukanweisa City, was far superior to the current Yinguang City.

"That's more like it!"

If the Elven Kingdom were all half-dead like the current Yinguang City, how could it suppress Netheril in the future! Of course, the current Yinguang City might not be as decayed as Xia Duo saw it; perhaps there were other reasons, but in Ruien's memories, Xia Duo could not find the answer.

Standing from the perspective of an outsider, it was difficult for Xia Duo, as a human, to understand such a situation. However, Xia Duo did not intend to become an Elf scholar; he only needed to know his goal.

Time, and Knowledge.

Since he had found a shop selling Magic Items, Xia Duo prepared to ask the shopkeeper directly about the origin of Mithril; in any case, the other party could not possibly imagine that a human consciousness was hidden beneath his Elf skin.

Moreover, his current identity as an underage Elf could also be used as a disguise, an advantage. Xia Duo first wandered around the shop a few times, finally stopping beside a belt with Mithril patterns.

His original intention was for the shopkeeper to greet him proactively, and then he would take the opportunity to ask questions, but after wandering around a few times, the shopkeeper still had no reaction, just polishing a Small Wood Carving to himself, as if Xia Duo did not exist at all.

"Ahem—"

Xia Duo coughed lightly, but still failed to attract the other party, so he had to take the initiative to speak, "Uncle, did you make this belt?"

"Mm." The shopkeeper responded casually, but his gaze did not leave the Small Wood Carving in his hands.

"Are the patterns on this Mithril?" Xia Duo asked again.

The shopkeeper's polishing motion stopped at this moment, and he turned to look at Xia Duo, "Little one, interested in that Lightweight Belt? It's yours!"

"Give it to me?!"

Xia Duo was a bit surprised; did a pie fall from the sky the moment he stepped out? However, what he really wanted was not this belt, but the method for refining Mithril; he was very clear about his goal.

So he said: "Uncle, this must be expensive, I can't accept it. I just wanted to ask if the patterns on it are Mithril."

Now it was the shopkeeper's turn to be surprised, "Accept it, this belt doesn't mean much to me. Besides, it is indeed Mithril."

"That's great!" Xia Duo could not help but feel nauseated by the Elf's childish voice, but the roleplay had to continue. He took out the Mithril Flower he had prepared from his Personal Space, showed it to the shopkeeper, and said with an excited face, "Then is this also Mithril?"

The shopkeeper took a look and gave an affirmative answer, "Yes! It is indeed Mithril."

Thus, Xia Duo, looking very happy, held the Mithril Flower and looked at it left and right, then pretended to ask casually: "Uncle, do you know where Mithril comes from?"

"Mithril is, of course, dug out from underground."

Xia Duo's eyes lit up; this time it was not a pretense. He asked excitedly: "Uncle, where can one dig for Mithril? Can I go dig it?"

"Haha!"

Seeing a young junior with such heavy curiosity, the shopkeeper could not help but laugh heartily. He thought of himself when he was young, also full of curiosity about the world around him.

"Little one, your small frame can't dig much, and Mithril has to be refined after being dug out to become the silver-shining appearance you see now. There is a Mithril Mine under Yinguang City; if you want to obtain Mithril, hurry up and grow up."

Under Yinguang City? A Mithril Mine? For the first time, Xia Duo felt that he was so close to Mithril Refining Technology. If he could really obtain it and bring it back to the Main Plane, he would truly be rich! Using it himself might not be realistic; after all, his Territory had no Mithril Mine, and purchasing it externally would easily arouse others' suspicions. But handing it over to the Princess, or the Arcane Union, would certainly earn him a huge reward.

Of course, Xia Duo preferred to keep it for himself. If he handed it over, perhaps he would encounter an assassination by Elves or Dwarves the next day; after all, the profits of the Mithril trade were simply too great.

And at this moment, the method for refining Mithril was right before his eyes. Xia Duo suppressed his inner excitement and asked: "Uncle, do you know how to refine Mithril?"

Although he felt this question was a bit strange, the shopkeeper did not suspect anything, just as if an alien asked an Earthling how glass was made; although it was a bit strange, it was impossible to suspect that the questioner was an alien.

"Little one, this question has stumped me. Refining Mithril has very complex procedures and processes. I only know that one must first select the ore, then smelt it, and finally, it must undergo Spell processing. You'll know the specifics when you grow up."

"……"

At this moment, ten thousand grass-mud horses galloped through Xia Duo's heart; growing up like you, wouldn't I still not know!

Asking further might be a bit conspicuous. Fortunately, he now knew that the refining method was not a very secret technology in this era.

After chatting with the shopkeeper for a few more sentences, Xia Duo left. Of course, he ultimately took the 【Lightweight Belt】 with him, because the shopkeeper used the excuse of Ruien's family sacrificing for the country to firmly demand he accept it.

Walking out of the shop, Xia Duo looked back at the shopkeeper who had already become immersed in his own world. The other party had recognized his identity; it seemed the preferential treatment received by war orphans was indeed quite substantial.

Racists were, after all, in the minority.

Then Xia Duo tried to enter the Yinguang Ta, but was stopped by patrolling soldiers on the grounds that he did not have permission.

This was quite troublesome! If there really was a Mithril Mine under Yinguang City, then Xia Duo was certain it had something to do with the Yinguang Ta, and the Mithril Refining Technology likely also required entering the Yinguang Ta to find.

But he just couldn't get in! "Permission, permission!"

Xia Duo repeated this sentence over and over, and thought of an Elf.

(End of chapter)