High School of Demon Hunting

Chapter 2266: Chapter 487: Payment Complete

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

Ka-ka.

Ding.

Dong dong.

Ka-da, ka-da.

In the shop of the Hooke Brothers, the distinct sounds of clocks ticking intertwined with each other, echoing through the four walls of the store. The walls were covered with various clocks, most designed to measure time, such as old-fashioned mantel clocks, new pendulum clocks, clunky table clocks, and delicate pocket watches; the styles varied, dazzling to the eyes. A small portion were antique artworks, similar to the hourglasses used by Persian princes, sundials spun by witch rituals from the Shang Dynasty, cracked guibiao, and rusty armillary spheres. There were also some more unique items, such as evil-warding clocks carved with runes, astronomical clocks with star signs forming the dials, flower clocks that report time based on the blossom times of different plants, and so on, countless in variety.

Zheng Qing moved among the time measuring instruments, feeling anxious about his limited time.

On the counter, two wooden boxes had been carefully opened by Big Hooke, revealing moonlight boxes lying on velvet cloth inside. He had every reason to be careful, as this transaction alone was quoted at sixty jade coins, meaning the two boxes contained what equated to half a month’s revenue for the shop.

The customer took out a delicate monocle from his pocket and slipped it under his hat.

The customer was naturally Zheng Qing.

The monocle slipped under the hat was a gadget frequently used in alchemy class, used to check whether the alchemical items were qualified. Zheng Qing had just used it in the morning.

On the reddish-brown wooden base was a spherical crystal cover, its transparent dome decorated with exquisite pavilions, lotus pond gardens, gardens with lawns, flower beds, fruit trees, shrubs, paths paved with blue stone slabs, perilous black rockery, and a witch with a blurry face clad in a rosy garment, holding a book and strolling in the garden. At her feet, two indistinct air masses chased each other playfully around her.

”You only need to hold onto the crystal cover—like using a crystal ball for divination—then import the aura you’ve prepared in advance, and the character inside the box will change accordingly.” Big Hooke carefully introduced the product use method to the customer and reminded him: ”I must remind you, importing the aura only has one chance. If the character image becomes abnormal due to an incorrect aura, our shop doesn’t take responsibility for after-sales service.”

”How do you collect this ’aura’ you mentioned?” Zheng Qing cautiously asked. The first thought that flashed through his mind was discreetly collecting a wisp of fragrance when passing by a witch.

”We wouldn’t recommend directly collecting the target person’s body scent.”

Big Hooke seemed to have guessed someone’s thought, smiling broadly: ”Once, a customer did that, and the witch’s head inside the moonlight box turned into a rose...and even worse, sometimes the scents get mixed, and the doll’s face inside the box resembles a patchwork monster, looking different from every angle...If possible, the target person’s hair is the best option.”

Under the hat, Zheng Qing’s face wrinkled into a mass.

Hair.

Jiang Yu’s side was easier to handle; just give Li Meng a signed photo of Su Councilor, and getting one strand of hair wouldn’t be difficult; but dealing with Su Shijun’s side was truly challenging, as the warlock couldn’t imagine himself or Su Ya managing to pluck hair from a Big Wizard.

”Is it okay to use anyone’s hair?” The customer suddenly asked.

”What?” Big Hooke was taken aback by the question, looking properly surprised.

”Is it okay to use anyone’s hair?” The warlock clearly repeated his question, then added: ”What I mean is if I get a Big Wizard’s hair...will this box explode from being overwhelmed?”

Big Hooke immediately patted his chest:

”Not to mention a Big Wizard, even if you get Vice Principal Shi’s hair, there wouldn’t be any problem.”

Vice Principal Shi was none other than Lady Shi Hui from First University. Although she had resigned from her position at the school this semester, the elders in Beta Town were still accustomed to using her previous title.

Of course, a smart businessman will never speak too absolutely.

”...but you should know, high-level wizards have very sensitive perceptions,” the alchemy shop owner smoothly supplemented: ”If they refuse—just speaking hypothetically—if they refuse to appear in a magic photo, then we’ll only ever see their back on the newspapers.”

”Are there any other things I need to be aware of?”

Under the hood, the customer nodded heavily, continuing to inspect the gift inside the box meticulously, squatting down with his back hunched. The transparent crystal cover was as thin and clean as a soap bubble, even with the wiping cloth placed beside him, the warlock dared not touch it, fearing it would leave unsightly fingerprints.

Big Hooke paused for a few seconds, then immediately started eloquently explaining the intricate features of the moonlight box: ”Every moonlight box is unique, its manufacturing blueprint certified by the Alchemy Association, absolutely safe and reliable...employing various precious magic materials including unicorn horn powder, feathers of Ji Guang, tears of a merman, and molted skins of the sand time worm...”

”What about the moonlight?”

Zheng Qing impatiently interrupted the shop owner’s advertisement, as he had heard these words innumerable times while ordering the box, and at this moment, he was more interested in the box’s various effects: ”...I remember you promised that in the production of this box, real moonlight would be utilized, not cheap magical reproductions...

Big Hooke snapped his fingers, and the light in the shop suddenly dimmed.

Then, a patch of silver-white moonlight rose within the transparent crystal cover of the moonlight box, like a trickling stream, subtly allowing one to hear the sound of moonlight flowing inside.

Zheng Qing was satisfied to see a patch of moonlight, seemingly both golden-yellow and silver-white, slowly rising from the lotus pond, transforming from the moon shadow into a realistic full moon, filling the entire ’soap bubble’, making the witch in the garden look even more enchanting.

A beauty under the moonlight; there is no better portrayal.

More importantly, Zheng Qing could clearly feel that the serene moonlight contained no trace of magical fluctuations, filled with the natural rhythm of true nocturnal moonlight.

”That will be all.”

The warlock finally straightened up, removed the monocle from under his hood, and nodded in satisfaction before pulling out a grey cloth bag, counting fifty jade coins of the remaining payment, and stacking them on the counter.

This semester, he had made a good profit from burning figurines.

The pile of fifty jade coins was astonishing, stacked there like a small mountain, emitting a alluring bluish glow; just gazing at it for a few more seconds made one feel reborn with energy.

If he wasn’t aiming to conceal his identity, Zheng Qing could easily pay with a Sam’s Pass check or student card for this expense.

Big Hooke swiftly finished counting the jade coins.

”Payment concluded...here’s your receipt along with the change of late fee fine, please keep it safe.” The shopkeeper’s face was plastered with a wide grin, respectfully handing over the parchment receipt and five bronze coins of change to the customer: ”Welcome to visit us again!”