Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

Though the bookshop was dusty, it was well-organized. In contrast, Leonard's living quarters, located at the back, were clean and tidy. Clearly, he took pride in his personal space; the bookshop's dustiness stemmed from a lack of customers.

"Leonard is an experimental mage," Beatrice commented as they searched his room. "We should assume he has a secret room for his work, which might also connect to the sewers."

Most mages had a private space for research and experimentation, a sanctuary free from distractions. William himself appreciated such a space for his training. It fostered concentration.

They began their search, focusing on potential hidden passages in the walls or a trapdoor leading downwards. There was no other logical possibility.

They pulled on suspicious-looking books and examined every piece of furniture, but found nothing. Frustration mounted as their efforts proved fruitless.

They considered the possibility of Leonard having a separate location for his experiments and the sewer access, but it seemed illogical. If that were true, he would have activated the traps in his shop and home.

Just as they were about to give up, William's demonic sword, Asura, offered a solution.

"I sense mana in a specific location," Asura's voice echoed in William's mind. "It might be something."

William was taken aback. Neither he nor Beatrice, a powerful mage, had sensed anything. How could the sword detect mana so easily? Was it because Asura was a magical artifact, or were demonic objects inherently better at sensing mana?

William knew Asura could sense demonic energy from afar, but this sensitivity to 'normal' mana was new.

"Are you certain?" William asked mentally. "Can you tell me where it's coming from?"

Beatrice watched as William seemingly spaced out, unaware of his mental conversation with the sword. Asura provided directions.

"There's a trace of recent mana usage behind a bookshelf in Leonard's room," the sword informed him.

The bookshelf Asura mentioned was one they had already examined, pushing it aside to check for hidden mechanisms. They found nothing at the time. Could Asura be mistaken, or had they missed something?

William decided to investigate. He crossed the room and pushed the bookshelf aside once more.

"What is it?" Beatrice inquired, curiosity piqued. "Did you find something?"

She was puzzled by William's sudden shift in focus but chose to observe.

The bookshelf scraped against the wooden floor, and as it moved, William's eyes fixed on the wall behind it.

As expected, the wall appeared bare. They had inspected it thoroughly just moments ago.

"Place your hand on the wall and channel your mana," Asura instructed.

William obeyed, while Beatrice observed with curiosity. She understood what he was attempting, but she hadn't sensed anything unusual about the wall.

Suddenly, a section of the wall shimmered and vanished, revealing a hidden passage. It had been concealed by an invisible barrier!

'I've seen this in some cool games back on Earth,' William thought, amused.

"How did you know?" Beatrice asked, astonished.

Unable to reveal Asura's involvement, William simply said, "I can sense mana quite well. I'm not sure why I couldn't before."

Beatrice accepted the explanation without further questioning, relieved that they had found the hidden passage. It was a descending corridor, not a straight path.

"Will this be safe?" William asked, apprehensive.

Beatrice took the lead. "Let me go first and check."

As the stronger mage, she felt responsible for William's safety.

William nodded and followed. The corridor was well-lit by magical torches with blue flames, creating an eerie ambiance.

They encountered several doors. "These must be Leonard's research rooms," Beatrice deduced. "We shouldn't intrude. He wouldn't appreciate it. Let's continue towards the sewers."

Despite her words, Beatrice approached the doors to check for any sign of Leonard or James. "Leonard? James?" she called out.

Silence met her calls. Satisfied that the rooms were empty, they continued onward.

They eventually reached another door, this one reinforced with additional security measures.

"This leads to the main sewer area," Beatrice explained. "The doors here are usually well-protected to prevent unwanted intrusions."

Many people had similar passages within their homes, not just Leonard.
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"Can you open it?" William inquired.

Beatrice smiled confidently. "Yes, I'm quite skilled at unlocking things. And since we're approaching from the inside, it's much easier than attempting to unlock it from the sewers."

"That makes sense," William agreed.

Beatrice examined the door, her fingers tracing the intricate runes etched into its surface. She muttered a series of incantations, her hands glowing with a faint, ethereal light. The runes responded, their glow intensifying as they pulsed with magical energy. With a final flourish, Beatrice pushed the door open, revealing a dark, damp passage leading into the depths of the city.

"After you," she gestured, a playful smile gracing her lips.

William, steeling his nerves, stepped into the unknown. The air was thick with the stench of mildew and decay, and the only light came from the faint glow of Beatrice's magic. The passage descended steeply, the rough-hewn steps slick with moisture.

William observed several similar doors scattered throughout the sewer area. Two narrow walkways flanked a central channel filled with foul-smelling water. William was determined to avoid stepping in it.

"Let's move," Beatrice urged. "They must have gone to the main chamber."

The sewers led to a spacious chamber where illicit trade flourished. Beatrice navigated the maze with ease, heading towards the building where transactions took place.

"Do you come here often?" William inquired, impressed by her familiarity with the place.

"Occasionally," she replied. "It's a good source of information and valuable items. I come here on behalf of the noble house I work for, not for personal gain."

They reached a double door guarded by two imposing thugs. Their strength was evident. Beatrice approached confidently, and when challenged with a secret phrase, she responded correctly, granting them passage.

William entered a large, open room teeming with people from all walks of life, most cloaked to conceal their identities. He glanced at the various stalls, his eyes widening at the sight of potions, enchanted items, slaves, stolen artifacts – all manner of illicit goods.

"You can find bargains here," Beatrice explained. "Most items are stolen, so they're sold cheaply to ensure a quick turnover. You can't sell stolen goods to legitimate shops; they can identify them."

"Wait, what? How?" William asked, intrigued.

"When crafting an item, an imprint of your mana is left on it, including potions. If you're the crafter, selling it is easy. If not, you must prove you obtained it legitimately," Beatrice clarified.

William was unaware of this practice. The sewers provided an outlet for those who stole items they didn't intend to use.

"I presume such places exist in most large cities," William commented.

"Absolutely. It's a massive market. Now, follow me."

Beatrice led him to a corner of the room and opened a small door. Inside, they found an old man with a wrinkled face and a long beard, emanating a foul odor.

"Ah, it's you," the man greeted. "What do you need?"

He didn't know Beatrice's name, as anonymity was common in the sewers. People recognized each other by appearance or code names.

"I'm looking for two men who arrived here today..."

Beatrice described Leonard's appearance, then asked William to describe James, in case he looked different since she last saw him.

The man listened intently, his mind racing to recall the faces they described.

"Can you wait a moment?" he requested. "I'll check with my informants."

This man had eyes and ears everywhere, a valuable source of information. However, his services were costly, but Beatrice was prepared to cover the expense for William.

After a brief interval, the man returned with news. "They were here earlier tonight, but a group captured them."

"Captured them?" Beatrice gasped, shocked.

"Indeed. They used magic-suppressing handcuffs, it seems. No one knows their identities, but they left the sewers through a passage leading outside the city, towards the forest," the man explained.

Beatrice, trusting the man's information, was perplexed.

"I'll pay you next time I'm here," she promised.

The old man nodded. Beatrice was a valued customer, and he wouldn't risk losing her patronage.

William hurried after Beatrice, who wasted no time heading towards the passage leading out of the city.

"We need to follow them," she declared. "The kidnapping was recent, so we must search for them immediately."

William agreed, and they hurried through a long tunnel resembling the one they had used to enter the sewers.

"Why didn't anyone intervene?" William questioned.

"This is a lawless place," Beatrice explained, "or at least, law enforcement rarely ventures down here. The only explicit rule is against outright fighting and killing. But from what we've gathered, someone ambushed Leonard and James, quickly restraining them with magic-suppressing handcuffs."

"Aren't those handcuffs incredibly powerful?" William asked, concerned.

The ability to completely nullify a mage's powers was a significant threat. That random individuals could subdue James and Leonard so easily was alarming.

Beatrice nodded. "Yes, they are rare and expensive. I'm baffled by how these people acquired such items."

Questions swirled in their minds, unanswered. William clung to the hope that James was safe.