The Shepherds Are Dense-Chapter 15: Transcendent Ring: Noble Red

### Chapter 15: Transcendent Ring: Noble Red
With their unstated show of capabilities, objectives, and agendas, Aiwass and the shadow demon came to a temporary agreement.
As the shadow demon withdrew into Aiwass's darkness, the sludge-like shadow that had covered the bar was drawn back below him.
As a drain-opened pool, the shallow lake of shadows rapidly "dried up."
Warm winter sunlight flooded the bar once more, filling the room.
The wet darkness that had shrouded the area seemed but a fantasy.
—*Good.*
Aiwass breathed more easily.
The four priority chores were complete:
He'd avenged himself, dispatching his traitorous "friends"; destroyed his own incriminating proof; obtained the next clue to the investigation; and awakened and appeased the shadow demon.
Now, it was time for the best part—plundering!
Aiwass listened intently, ensuring Haina still combed the basement, not yet returning.
—*Time to scavenge!*
Rubbing his hands nervously, he set out hunting for his booty.
He soon discovered a thumb-sized circular box, reminiscent of a tin of balm, marked with a crescent moon with the face of a man and engraved with "1886-03-071, Quicksilver Workshop."
He immediately knew it.
A pinch of Dream Draught, a Star Antimony product.
"Good stuff. Great beginning," Aiwass grumbled, his lips twisting as he slipped it into his pocket.
Dream Draught, a Balance Path alchemical item, stabilized dreams and anesthetized the body so as not to awaken from shock. It was potentially useful as surgical anesthesia but was most commonly used to enhance breakthrough rates in advancement rituals.
On a wuxia scale, it was similar to a Foundation Pill. On low doses, it hugely raised breakthrough success rates.
They nicknamed it the "Minor Advancement Drug," similar to classic MMORPG potions that increased gear enhancement chances.
In game lore, increasing profession levels meant a complex, high-fail-rate dream ritual. In the game, it was a cold success rate, enhanced by certain rituals or materials.
Success granted a flashy effect, a ten-level cap boost, and three Path traits to pick from.
Failure sent you back to level 19. Players only needed new materials to try again; NPCs had a cooldown increasing with level, at least half a month.
Veronica, a level 19 Demonologist, was about to level up or had failed several times, thus the Dream Draught.
Aiwass's first-to-second-tier promotion was all but sure, so he didn't require it yet.
It'd be beneficial for his level 19-to-20 leap.
Being a two-Path practitioner, he'd require two doses.
Dream Draught was not uncommon, priced at 46 White Crowns in Star Antimony. But, as a product handcrafted by alchemists, supply was strictly limited, requiring booking and buying quotas.
More importantly, it was difficult to obtain in Avalon.
Two years back, Star Antimony had become Avalon's foe.
Avalon prohibited export of their alchemical products to Avalon, and Avalon prevented importing them, with also banning its own minerals and timber from being exported to Star Antimony.
Avalon's Dream Draught was in short supply, only to be bought at ten times the normal price from scalpers.
Five hundred White Crowns would be a minimum bid—out of the question for Haina, a decade's worth of wages for a common worker.
Aiwass could easily afford it.
But he didn't wish to make scalpers rich so readily.
Nor would he let it go to the Inspectorate—they'd sell it for profit, probably to the Moriarty clan.
Everybody knew Young Master Aiwass, a priest now, would be requiring Dream Draught soon.
—No use in letting middlemen gain.
Regrettably, after the Dream Draught, his fortunes dried up.
He discovered only ritual material—human material, such as placentas or baby scalps. Worthless to him and inedible.
Having taken an oath against employing kin material for rituals—and finding such cruelty unpleasant—he left them on Veronica as proof of her crimes.
Her scarlet robe was worth something too.
…But Aiwass questioned whether he could do it.
Not merely because it was women's attire he couldn't wear—Veronica wore minimal underneath. Shedding it off would be… perverse.
Furthermore, the robe would do him no good.
In the game, players, with no permanent identity, could use the robe to infiltrate the Noble Red Society. But as Aiwass Moriarty, he'd never get through their screening.
If he signed up, they'd have control over him. Exposure would destroy him in Avalon, damaging his adoptive dad, brother, and Yulia.
"…Huh?"
Aiwass discovered a shiny brass ring with a golden luster.
It showed a scarred fist, tightly clenched, blood oozing from its fingers. The "blood" was ground ruby powder, sending viscous dark red light in the sun, like actual blood.
A light screen materialized:
[Noble Red]
[Transcendent Accessory (Light Purple)]
[Jewelry - Ring]
[Trait: Minor Command Resistance (Only triggers on Transcendence Path)]
[Spell: Severe Choking Cough (Once daily, 1/1)]
[Requirement: Dark 2]
[Gesture, Medium Range, Instant Effect]
["—We are the wounded fist, the blood-clenched hand, the scaleless blade."]
Jackpot!
Aiwass's eyes glowed.
Best drop from Big Purple!
The Minor Command Resistance canceled first-tier Authority Path command spells and maneuvers such as Intimidation Shout, and reduced control effects beneath the third tier by one tier.
Avalon's most prevalent Authority Path was the Authority Path. When this was worn, Aiwass would be immune to control abilities from transcendents under level 10, and those under level 30 would be downgraded by around ten levels in power. The only negative aspect was that it was too noticeable—wearing it might get one misidentified as a Noble Red member.
But its usefulness was certain, particularly in the beginning. As a user of Transcendence Path, Aiwass could activate its passive. He'd carry it in his pocket, only wearing it when necessary.
The ring's spell, "Severe Choking Cough," was ridiculous-sounding but functional.
Needing two Dark mana points to cast through the ring indicated it wasn't low-grade.
"Choking Cough" was a top-level Transcendence Path spell, causing a drowning-like sensation. Aiwass could learn it if he had the proper occult book.
"Severe Choking Cough" was its second-level version, inducing extreme coughing, like pouring chili oil or seawater up the nostrils, lasting a few seconds.
Uncontrolled coughing drained strength from weakened breathing. On-screen, it decreased damage, accuracy, attack, and speed by 10% for three seconds, but Aiwass estimated the figures were low.
In life or death, it might provide a mortal opening if it caught one by surprise.
Victims were unable to speak or scream while under the effect, and even after it wore off, injured mucous membranes could induce further coughing.
Authority Path command powers demanded shouting.
As such, the ring was designed to counteract the Inspectorate, to escape through incapacitating enemies.
Aiwass experienced a rush of relief.
—Fortunately, he'd lured Veronica into attacking Haina.
She'd thought his shot would be too weak to penetrate her defenses, intended to tank it, pretend to die, and attack Haina when she dropped her guard.
Veronica avoided appearing too dangerous to make Haina underappreciate her.
Academy types such as Haina tended to lapse mentally.
Veronica was aware of this—and Aiwass too.
He had anticipated that she would underestimate Haina, so he pretended to target Veronica in order to provide her with an opportunity to implement her scheme. As she approached success, she relaxed her vigilance.
Fortunately he had laid a trap and attacked her.
Otherwise, in a fair fight, even if her directed spell failed, she might have employed "Severe Choking Cough" to weaken Haina.
Additionally, the ring was membership in Noble Red—only members formally received it, not peripherals such as the bartender.
In the game, it was merely equipment.
But Aiwass considered, in real life, it could have other purposes.
Just as he avoided wearing it to avoid being confused as a member, so perhaps the opposite could apply.
(End of Chapter)