Adrin knew helping people was a sure way to invite trouble, but he couldn’t help it as soon as the guy mentioned flying swords and shields. How could have he ignored it if it was the jackpot he was searching for all day long?

Luckily, he had a few exit strategies planned. All those scavenged metals would be repurposed to help in his escape attempt, and no one should be able to see it coming.

Adrin also had been spared of talking too much by acting mysterious and aloof. He had said nothing but a few words, just enough to humanize himself. The plan was to keep it at the minimum so no one could have recognized him by voice. He had told the group of five to leave without him and took his time before he headed towards the exit.

And as expected, there was a band of loyal ‘Azura's light’ worshippers waiting for him just outside the dungeon. He knew this would happen when the priestess had a scary look in her eyes, and there was no way he was going to be any part of them.

He managed to slip past the blockade because he probably didn’t fit any description the priestess had told them. No one was waiting for the man in pristine full metal armor and a huge tower shield. People looked at him suspiciously but no one stopped him as he walked past the crowd.

Adrin felt like he had dodged a bullet there. He tried his best to stay calm as he walked past the guards. Luckily, they were more busy ogling the busty priestesses than doing their jobs. He could be staring too if Lily didn’t happen.

Every single pretty female seemed to be curvy in this world, and it made him suspect something sinister was going on. A magical version of plastic surgery, perhaps? Or was there an attribute that led to prettier faces or sexier bodies?

‘Maybe there is a book about it,’ he mused as he walked past the medical tent, the food vendors before he could slip into an empty back alley. As soon as he was sure no one was looking with [Sneak], he used [Metallurgy] to turn everything back into metal ingots.

He carried them in a sack he found before he could buy something to hold them. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough for his first project. He could turn them into money if he wanted to, but maybe he should think of another way to collect metal.

There should be something like a bag of holding or something when his magical black tag existed. He couldn’t find any last night because not all shops were open during the night.

Adrin ate his brunch at the nearby inn while he listened to the rumors. Sure enough, the rumor about an astounding [Shell] mage already spread like wildfire. Oddly enough, there was no mention of blue flame anywhere in the rumors.

Luckily, his description ranged from a handsome young mage to a fugly bastard. It should be safe for him to walk around to look for something to carry his loot.

He paid five tokens for the food and left the inn with the sack hanging on his back. The waitress didn’t even give him a second look when she grabbed the tokens as he looked no different than the rest of the patrons. Just another average young man over here.

At times like this, he was glad that he didn’t attract attention just by existing, or simply by showing his face around. On the way back, his eyes were opened to the magic or skill-based economy.

A baker's hand was glowing red as he controlled the fire in the oven. The blacksmith and his apprentice were similar as he hammered the metal into shape. The seamstress was on another level entirely. She was weaving yarns, threads into clothes right in between her dainty little hands.

The glassworker, woodworker, and almost every profession used their earned skill to create things to be sold. It felt like he looking at another world entirely compared to what he remembered. Of course, the more traditional workers did exist, but they didn’t have a place here.

After enough sightseeing, he stopped by at one of the marked locations near the first dungeon. A shop that might be able to help him to get rich.

Dan’s Trinkets and Tools was a small shop a little hidden from plain view. Emi had a kink to find places like this and everything already looked promising. The item sold inside the shop was for Divers mostly, and what interested him was the odd designs these items had.

Most of them were borderline useless, of course, but he appreciated the ingenuity of the creator. He was a man with a vision. Adrin especially loved the scissor-sword as it was something he would think of himself if he hadn’t awakened.

The creator was of course none other than the shopkeeper himself who looked bored by the counter. The middle-aged man was smoking and puffing something while his head wasn’t even in the shop if he had to guess.

Adrin wondered how the shop was kept from closing.

“Nice collections you have here,” Adrin started off as he got close.

“Oh, yeah? Which one?”

“I like the scissor-sword but I don’t think it is practical.”

“You have a better idea then?” the man scoffed. “Get out if you won’t buy anything.”

“In fact, I do have a better idea,” Adrin smiled. “Do you want to make a deal?”

The man perked up and his eyes narrowed. “How do I know your stuff is any good?”

“Want me to show you?” Adrin reached into his sack and pulled out his prototype.

It looked like a simple metal cylinder in one glance, but it held another secret that would make it popular with the dungeon divers. A mesh between metal and glass should shake the foundation of lighting everywhere.

He showed the cylinder to the shopkeeper and twisted the end to activate it.

A bright light shone and lit up a spot further into the shop. The concentrated light had made the man gasp while he waved his hand in front of the light. His prototype was no other than a spotlight, an excellent tool in the dark caves and on top of the walls.

Adrin knew he got the man when his smoking pipe fell from his hand and onto the counter. He quickly recovered but they both knew the truth.

“How- how do you-” the man stopped himself. “What kind of deal do you want?”

“It’s simple, you find out how to make this spotlight cheap and we’ll share the profit fifty-fifty.”

The man was surprised to hear his ‘foolish’ offer but he kept it to himself.

“You want to make an Oath out of it?” The man asked.

“Why? Won’t a deal be enough?”

“I don’t want you to change your mind suddenly.”

“Okay, I’ve never done any of this Oath, but sure, have it your way.”

“I’ll get the writings down,” the man jumped on his feet and hurried to the back of his shop. He came out later with a paper and the deal already written down.

“I usually use this to write down loans I give out, it keeps people from running away. Read the clauses carefully and drop your blood here,” he pointed at the bottom of the paper.

A shopkeeper and a loan shark, what a great combination. No wonder he could afford to keep the shop open without any customers.

“I’ll get horrible nightmares if I share the same thing elsewhere?” Adrin said as he read it.

“Do you have a better idea?” the man replied. “It worked for me,” the man shrugged.

Adrin continued reading the detailed contract. The shopkeeper had covered every loophole he could think of, the man was experienced in this. He couldn’t help but chuckle at the shopkeeper’s paranoia.

Regardless, the man was fair at least. Adrin couldn’t find any way for the man to screw him as it was stated that all sales and profits would be shared fifty-fifty.

To be honest, Adrin had wanted to make the deal wasn’t really for the money. The real reason was for him to be able to use the ‘invention’ without being singled out. He loved the old world’s convenient designs and he wanted them to exist in this world too.

He didn’t mind if the man had tried to cheat him. Making money was just a small part of the grand scheme. Besides, there were still a lot of things he could introduce to this world while making money out of it.

Adrin chuckled as he pricked his finger and placed his blood. The man did the same and the contract paper glowed for a few seconds before it dimmed.

“My name is Daniel,” the man offered a hand.

“Mine’s Adrin, but try to keep it to yourself,” he shook his hand.

“Is that why you said nothing about the ownership of the invention?”

“Yes, feel free to own it, Dan,” he smiled. What could he say, it wasn’t his invention in any way.

“I can take a look inside then?”

“Let me,” Adrin offered to open up the metal tube.

“A [Lightstone], as suspected,” Dan said after Adrin slid the metal open in the middle. “But what are these? Curved glasses?”

“Yes, I call it a parabolic reflector and lens,” he said as he pointed at the respective parts.

“A para-what?” Dan asked before he held up his hand. “So, the curved glasses are what made the light appear only on one spot?”

“Yes, but the curve must be smooth and shiny.”

“But why not use silver on the inside?”

“Simple, silver does reflect light but mirrors are simply better at it.”

“Yes, it makes sense, and it’s cheaper too!” the man perked up. “Curved mirror and glass, this is brilliant!”

“I’m happy that you agree,” Adrin said.

He was more glad that he didn’t need to explain every single thing to the equally brilliant and observant man. Not many would notice the glasses were curved at a glance, even less would care to ask why.

Adrin left the shop while the man was still checking on his invention.

Hours later, a certain blue-haired girl stopped by and entered the same shop.

“Uncle Dan!” she called out. “What’s so important until you call me to come all the way here?” she asked as the man showed up with a big smile on his face.

“This better not be any of those perverted stuff!” another girl, her dark-haired retainer warned.