Gravity Mage with Level-Up System Chapter 1812: Tomb goods!

Office

I chose to linger until the shop's shutdown hour. Yet, seeing that nobody was making any buys, I headed back to my quarters.

Swoosh!

Next, I materialized within the Gregor Mansion. Making my way to the hall, I transported the zero puppet over.

By inserting the mana stones into the core, I triggered its activation. Instantly, the zero puppet sprang to life the following moment.

"Master," the puppet saluted.

Afterward, I hauled the seized items outdoors and dumped them on the floor. Over 50 crates lay scattered there.

"System, verify if the items are secure," I queried the system.

[Ding! The goods are safe.]

A response came from the system. Following that, I instructed the zero puppet to unpack the items individually. My goal was to discover exactly what those Magic Lords had been protecting.

The zero puppet complied. It started unpacking the crates. Magic ores for crafting artifacts caught my eye first. Shortly after, various magic herbs appeared in several boxes.

Their quality wasn't subpar. These herbs reached at least Grade-9 or higher. The initial discoveries amazed me somewhat, though I realized they held little value to the Magic Lords.

The zero puppet kept at the task of revealing the contents. Soon, mid-grade magic artifacts emerged. Such items suit Wizards of Level-9 and lower.

Having advanced to Supreme Wizard status, these artifacts held no appeal for me. I bided my time further.

The zero puppet revealed various sundry objects next. One crate contained books and ancient notes. I overlooked them and kept observing.

At last, the zero puppet approached a particularly oversized box among the rest. Spotting it, recognition struck me right away.

This was a box originating from the Magic Lords' chamber. The zero puppet pried it open. In the instant that followed, a rectangular glass case became visible.

Sealed tightly, the case apparently held a body within. Swiftly, I positioned myself before the glass enclosure.

I halted the zero puppet's attempt to unseal it.

"System, what is this?" I inquired of the system.

[It is the human corpse of a Forbidden Wizard. However, the forbidden power no longer remains in the corpse. It poses zero threat to the host.]

The system's voice echoed in my thoughts. Upon hearing it, astonishment gripped me. Carrying a corpse was the last thing I anticipated from them.

Confusion lingered; the body looked ancient. Devoid of any power, it offered nothing. Should the Evil Wizards seek to utilize it, this corpse would prove utterly worthless to them.

"Is there another motive perhaps?" I wondered aloud to myself.

A firm intuition told me an unseen link existed. This justified the Magic Lords' vigilant escort. The corpse's true nature clearly mattered greatly to them.

My attention shifted to the remaining items—the books, artifacts, and assorted goods. A grim realization dawned.

These things appeared tied to the corpse. Perhaps they belonged to its former possessor.

Could these individuals have plundered a tomb or ancient site? Such a scenario fit, accounting for the nature of the haul.

"Tomb robbery?" I murmured to myself.

Expecting valuable finds, I instead seized pilfered loot from these culprits.

What kind of city is this? Hidden illicit dealings evidently thrived beneath the surface. Auction houses often relied on black-market sources for contraband items, as I well knew.

Yet, I hadn't foreseen Tulip City's denizens engaging in such hands-on operations. The Magic Lords and Supreme Wizards likely hailed from the shop or the influential wizard clans supporting it.

The establishment probably operated under joint wizard family control. How else could they muster so many Magic Lords?

With the pieces falling into place, a sense of relief washed over me. Had I suspected robbed merchandise, I would have skipped the venture. The escapade seemed pointless now.

Nevertheless, I resolved to examine the aged books and notes. Useful insights might emerge. Directing the zero puppet, I commanded it to sift through the literature.

Then, I teleported outdoors and returned to the gallery to check. Most patrons had departed; just a handful lingered.

30 minutes later,

With all visitors gone, the shop locked its doors. We reassembled in the living room and took seats.

All eyes from the team fixed on me. They eagerly awaited details on the haul.

"Don't raise your expectations. I managed to grab the goods successfully, but they're pilfered wares. A Forbidden Wizard's corpse and his possessions are included."

"No trace of power lingers in the body. It's worthless. His magic artifacts, notes, and miscellaneous items are there too," I explained to the group.

The others grasped the situation.

Patrick remarked, "Master, I'm quite acquainted with auction houses. Shady dealings dominate their inventory. Profiting legally on every acquisition would bankrupt them."

Otto backed him up, adding, "I concur. Backed by the Flame Elemental Tower, Tulip City surely turns a blind eye."

Hank stayed mute. His knowledge in such matters was the most limited.

Old man Rock alone pondered silently. Linking clues, he advised, "Master Vincent, preparation is key for us too."

"Green Elemental Tower spies visited today. They're surely plotting against us."

"Our own inventory needs scrutiny. Selling illicit goods here could drag us into serious trouble," he warned.

Gasp!

Shock hit Hank hard. Such lurking perils hadn't crossed his mind. Handling transactions, he received scant details on sellers' backgrounds.

Previously, it hadn't concerned him.

Meanwhile, I arched my brows. Old man Rock highlighted a crucial issue. Risks shadowed every item traded in this place.

"Alright. From tomorrow morning, I'll vet the backgrounds of all our stock," I assured them.

Relief spread among them at my words. We chatted briefly longer before dispersing. I retreated to my chamber.

Subsequently, I rematerialized in the mansion and stepped into the hall. The zero puppet held a tattered cloth fragment, examining it closely.

"Zero, what's that?" I questioned.

"Master, I've discovered a spell model in this," the zero puppet answered.