Bai Shi looked toward the source of the voice.
On a dark red stall, various pot-like items, throwing knives, and perfume bottles were displayed.
The stall's owner was a woman dressed as a Depraved Perfumer.
The apron of her long robe bore the blasphemous embroidery of a giant red serpent coiled around the Erdtree—a curse upon the Erdtree.
As for how Bai Shi knew it was a woman, it was from her voice, of course.
‘A Depraved Perfumer? Why is one here?’
Bai Shi was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly remembered.
When he first came to the Roundtable Hold, Nepheli had pointed to an empty stall and told him it belonged to a wandering perfumer.
This was that exact spot.
He just hadn't expected this wandering perfumer to be a Depraved Perfumer.If she was a Depraved Perfumer, then she might really have some good things.
Uplifting Aromatics and Ironjar Aromatics were both rather potent perfumes.
These aromatics took effect after being consumed, and ordinary perfumers would neither make nor use them. Thus, only Depraved Perfumers would have them.
To willingly drink an aromatic that affects the body and nerves was a heretical practice among perfumers and a symbol of depravity.
Bai Shi walked up to the stall.
Seeing a customer arrive, the Depraved Perfumer began her introduction:
"Hello, I'm Hilbert, an item craftsman."
"I mainly deal in perfumery, but I also sell pots and other throwing items to some extent."
"By the way, I offer delivery services here. As long as it's not a particularly remote location, other Tarnished will bring the items to you."
Bai Shi nodded and began to carefully select his items.
He had to admit, this stall was worthy of Nepheli's special mention.
All sorts of pots and throwing knives made from common materials were available here.
Not only that, but several rows of empty pots were stacked behind her. It seemed she could even take custom orders if the materials were provided.
Bai Shi picked out two Fire Pots and one Oil Pot; any more would be difficult to carry.
Throwing knives and similar items didn't seem particularly useful to him, so he didn't buy any.
As for aromatics, the only ones he needed here were the Uplifting Aromatic and the Spark Aromatic. Bai Shi took one of each.
Although Bai Shi wanted the Ironjar Aromatic, it wasn't displayed at the stall.
"Do you not have Ironjar Aromatic?"
Hilbert was surprised that the person before her even knew about Ironjar Aromatic.
However, it was true that she didn't have any here.
"Ah, I don't usually craft Ironjar Aromatic because I won't ask people to hunt Living Jars."
"Of course, if you provide the materials, it's not impossible for me to process it for you."
Although Hilbert wore the attire of a Depraved Perfumer, she was actually just dressing the part.
Of course, she still drank the aromatics, since after leaving the capital, she no longer had sinners to test them on and could only use herself as a subject.
"If you don't have it, then forget it. I don't plan on actively hunting Jars either."
"By the way, can you craft other types of pots? I have some materials I'd like to use up."
Bai Shi wanted to craft the five St. Trina's Lilies in his possession into Sleep Pots.
He had picked these lilies a while back in the Tombsward Ruins, and they'd been sitting around for quite some time.
He had specifically brought them with him on this trip, wondering if he could trade them for some equally rare and valuable materials.
Of course, it would be best if Hilbert could turn them into Sleep Pots.
Hilbert's interest was piqued.
"Go on, what material is it, and what kind of pot do you want to make?"
"St. Trina's Lily. I heard it can be made into Sleep Pots. Can you do it?"
Hilbert excitedly licked her lips.
"Of course. I haven't used such a precious material in a long time." Bai Shi nodded. As long as she could make them, it was settled.
"I have five of them. I'll give them to you in a moment. What's the price?"
"F-five of them!?"
Hilbert was emotional. Such a precious material was usually hard to come by even one at a time.
This fellow was able to take out five at once. Incredible.
"Um, I'll craft them for you, and take one lily as payment. How does that sound?"
Hilbert was a little nervous. After all, it was a precious material that she also had a use for.
The people she'd met before only ever had one, which was used directly to craft a Sleep Pot, leaving none to spare.
Bai Shi readily agreed.
His main goal was just to get them crafted so they wouldn't just sit around collecting dust.
It wasn't like he had a specific, necessary use for them, so losing one didn't matter.
Bai Shi took out the five delicately shaped, light purple lilies that looked as though they were about to wilt from his small satchel.
Handing them to Hilbert, Bai Shi could clearly sense her breathing quicken.
It wasn't that Hilbert had never seen St. Trina's Lilies; she had even handled the much rarer Miquella's Lilies before.
She just loved it—loved collecting all sorts of precious materials, loved crafting items, and loved using those items.
So no matter how many times she saw them, she would always be captivated by these materials.
"Wonderful. Please wait a moment, I'll start crafting them for you now."
Hilbert took four pottery jars covered in cracks from behind her.
"Hm?"
Bai Shi suddenly noticed that among the pile of jars behind Hilbert, one was a little different.
That small jar had arms and legs and a red lid on its head. It was a Living Jar.
It had been mixed in with the other jars, so he hadn't noticed it right away.
The small jar behind Hilbert, seeing Bai Shi look over, timidly hid by Hilbert's leg.
This person was just asking for Ironjar Aromatic. So scary.
Hilbert noticed Bai Shi's gaze on the small jar and immediately spoke up:
"Ah, I'm sorry, but this little one is not for sale."
Bai Shi nodded. He wasn't some heartless monster.
He couldn't bring himself to do something like proactively hunting Living Jars, let alone think of killing one that was someone else's companion.
Hostile jars and scavenged living jar shards were another matter.
"Is this a Living Jar you made?"
Bai Shi was a little curious. He remembered that Living Jars were created by placing human flesh and blood inside a pot, combined with a special ritual.
As Hilbert mixed various materials in preparation to put them into the cracked pots, she chatted with Bai Shi.
"No, I found him outside. He's very well-behaved."
"I was passing by a Jarburg that had been plundered by poachers. The other jars had already been taken, and only he managed to escape. So I brought him back with me."
Bai Shi didn't expect this Depraved Perfumer to be so kind-hearted.
No wonder she was recognized and brought into the Roundtable Hold.
"I see. I hope he can become a fine warrior jar one day."
Hearing Bai Shi's words, the small jar peeked out with half its head, pumping a fist as if to thank him for his encouragement.
Before long, Hilbert placed four completed Sleep Pots in front of Bai Shi.
"All done. Thank you for your patronage. The two perfume bottles come to 1200 Runes."
"The three pots you picked out earlier are very cheap, you can have them as a gift."
"If you get any more precious materials in the future, don't forget to come to me for crafting."