They also went to try out some exotic food. Some were decent, as there were some decent plants that could be converted to spices. Some were a bit spicy, other tastes a bit like cumin.

They were a bit stingy, though. They just shared a stick to share and took a bite of the dry buns. Anyway, none of these could compare to Alterra’s good food, so a taste sufficed to satisfy their curiosity.

Josef: I’m feeling awkward!

"I’m treating you, there is no need to be so frugal."

The two didn’t explain and just continued on to their destination. After a few more streets from the market, they finally arrived at the information broker’s place.

"Erol, I brought people," Josef said as soon as he entered, looking at the middle-aged tanned man sitting on the lounge.

The set-up for the shop was like a living room, but with a lot of shelves and a few dividers. There was also a room at the end of the hall. There were only two people. One was a young lad, obviously an assistant, and the other one who was called Erol.

Erol put down his papyrus and lifted his head to look at Josef, and then at the two people with him. He studied them for a few moments before he stood up, going to the door at the end of the hallway.

"Come in," he said, and they saw that the room was actually an office. Josef excused himself then, but not before telling Erol that they were his friends.

"What do you know about the Wall of the Undead?"

"That is 320 gold."

"That would depend on the information, right?"

"Exact location, including the map."

Their eyebrows rose and thought the price was steep, but somewhat acceptable.

However, although they were rich, spending so much gold still made them feel reluctant.

The value of money in Alterra was so good that their mental calculations automatically converted to what they could buy in Alterra with the same amount of gold.

The same amount of money in Alterra simply had a lot more purchasing power than elsewhere, so they were especially against spending so much money outside.

For example, that amount of gold was downpayment for a studio unit already.

The best compromise here was taking advantage of scarcity, i.e. selling cheap items from Alterra for a high price elsewhere.

"What about a discount? In exchange, we can give you this," Althea said, finally taking out a small bottle of alcohol. This was the first bottle of consumable they were willing to trade out during this trip.

Erol, unsurprisingly, "Psh, a bottle of what?"

"The best alcohol."

"..." So confident?

Althea smiled. This bottle was one of her earlier trials and was indeed inexpensive. However, it could still sell for a hefty price when taken outside in Alterra, let alone elsewhere.

Althea opened it, and an enticing aroma wafted out.

Erol’s pupils constricted.

Gulp

Althea skillfully took out a tiny shot glass and poured a bit for him to taste.

The man’s eyes widened, feeling that this drink was super special!

More than taste, Althea’s alcohol...actually contained a bit of aether.

It was something that just happened as she mastered [Elemental Integration], a passive effect, if you will. As long as she concentrated, even if she didn’t spend even a trickle of mana, whatever she made passively contained more aether than other things processed the same way.

Of course, the effect was minor so it didn’t register as a new item in the system. However, anyone who drank it often enough could actually tell the small difference. Erol’s tastebuds was more sensitive than others, so he noticed it immediately after a sip.

Most of all, the beverage was extremely tasty and gave special warmth to the pores and the soul.

Althea was a bit impressed that this guy knew a lot. She wondered if he was an alcoholic connoisseur or something. Regardless of what it was, it was a good thing for her.

"If you tell us good information, you can have this," she said, offering the small 80mL bottle.

They ended up paying nothing.

He even volunteered to be a guide until the walls, if they gave him another!

...

Althea and Garan naturally did not reject him.

The trip was set to happen early in the morning three days from now. Erol said that he had clients scheduled and that the trip itself needed preparation.

This was understandable. The desert wasn’t for the weak, and that definitely applied to the areas near the Walls.

In the meantime, the couple decided to head to the inn for now. Inns were not really a place to ask for discounts, so despite feeling like it was so overpriced, they could only pay.

The room was not too bad, fortunately, though definitely dingy compared to what they were used to. Of course, they did not leave Alterra without the mind to adjust.

It was just that they knew the living conditions wouldn’t be too good, but it didn’t mean that they’d enjoy it. Althea took out a mattress from her space, and Garan covered it with a nice-smelling comforter.

After setting up the room, the couple decided to get cleaned up. Bath water was a separate order, and could cost several silver for a pint.

Fortunately, Althea had stocked large amounts of water from her space, and she herself was a water user.

Althea condensed water from the air (it was not easy, as the place was a bit arid) and filled up a pot over a heater.

While part of the water was getting heated up, she (slowly) filled a wooden tub from her space with water as well. This way, after mixing the heated water, the bath water would be a bit lukewarm.

It took fifteen minutes to finish everything, and Althea was prepared to take a bath when a familiar warmth appeared behind her.

"Wife... water is still finite, and producing water here is not easy," he said. His face was still a bit stoic by default, but his next words broke that image.

"Don’t you think we should share bathwater?"

"..."