The Undying's extraordinary ability and the Undying's negative influence did not conflict. One ensured a relatively powerful increase in the user's physical strength during use, while the other gradually led them into the embrace of the Death God under the 'curse' of a long-term demigod-level magical item. The extraordinary ability it provided could not offset the negative influence.
"Tsk, the impact is much greater than I thought."
'After all, it's a Sequence Four, demigod-level extraordinary item.'
The system explained, 'The current level of 'Craftsman' is insufficient to create extraordinary items with lower negative influences. So host, please try to collect the extraordinary characteristics of the Universalists.'
"What would happen if we encountered the God of Craftsmen?"
Tang was somewhat curious.
'Of course... we would recycle Him,' the system's electronic voice was sinister.
Tang's mouth twitched, and he thought silently, "Recycle a god, you really dare to say that."
He didn't know if the system had that ability, but he... he certainly didn't have the guts.
"Aren't you really afraid of being struck dead by lightning? Although that seems to be the authority of the Storm."
The food of this era was not delicious, even among the nobles.
Baron Ramd was about to leave. After breakfast, Owen forcefully inserted himself between his father and mother, wanting to be a big, bright light bulb.
He planned to ask about other issues related to the Death pathway, including clues about the main ingredients for the Sequence Five potion.
Tang, with great 'filial piety', pulled his dear brother away before he could do anything 'heroic'.
"I forgot to ask you yesterday, what kind of magical item do you want to make?"
Owen struggled for a moment but didn't insist on his idea. He mumbled something and then said to Tang, "Can it be customized?"
"You can talk about your preferences. That way, it will be easier to have a direction when crafting, and it won't waste a demigod-level extraordinary characteristic."
"Uh, if you put it that way," Owen pondered for a moment and said, "I would prefer to get a magical item that leans towards the spirit world and the underworld... Of course, 'Undying', this name should mean it can give people a very long lifespan?"
"Logically, yes," Tang nodded. He thought, "Then choosing all three options provided by the system shouldn't be a problem."
As for the negative effects, let Father handle them beforehand.
After all, he was a Sequence Two Fallen Angel. Even if he had amnesia, his grade was still there, so dealing with magical items of this sequence should not be a problem.
After confirming this, Tang asked again, "What kind of form do you roughly want it to take?"
Owen glanced at the suits of armor displayed as decorations around them.
Tang: "...Alright."
Leaving the castle, Tang headed outside the town, preparing to put his ideas into practice.
He released the demon he had turned into a marionette yesterday and brought it with him to the town.
Yesterday's extraordinary battle had not caused panic in the town. As long as one had some understanding, knowledge, or connections, and wasn't confined to their immediate neighbors, it wasn't difficult to realize that various strange and terrifying things always existed in this world. However, with the presence of the church, the priest, and the lord, they naturally didn't need to worry too much, as these figures would bear the brunt if anything went wrong.
Tang changed his appearance and, controlling the marionette, knocked on Lierda Senn's door.
"Who is it?"
Speaking with a heavy accent, a slightly short, dark, and fat man grumbled as he opened the door. He was immediately startled by the tall man standing outside.
"You, what do you want? No, no, I mean sir, what can I get for you?"
His initial dissatisfaction instantly turned into flattery. The short, dark, and fat man recognized the other person as one of the knights stationed in the town. Although he wasn't wearing armor, in this era where even getting enough to eat was difficult, someone who could grow to such a stature was unlikely to have a poor family background.
Seeing that the other party seemed to have misunderstood something, Tang didn't offer any explanation, controlling the marionette to say, "My master wants to buy a house."
"Good, good."
Seeing that the other party didn't seem to be making trouble, Lierda Senn secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He welcomed him in. "Sir, what kind of house does your master want to buy? But honestly, I have quite a few properties here, but most people are more willing to rent, not sell."
Not many people in the town were willing to sell. Most had lived here for generations; this was their homeland. Those without money couldn't survive if they sold their houses. Those with money had no problem keeping a property in town.
More people were willing to rent out a single room in their house or even just rent out floor space.
"Something bigger, most importantly, not too many people around, quiet enough, not easily disturbed by others," Tang said concisely.
Although this was his family's territory, and all the land resources, mineral resources, and even human resources within the entire territory belonged to his family, limited buying and selling, in addition to promoting local economic development, facilitating population flow, and increasing tax revenue, more importantly, was that he now needed to hide his identity, separate the connection between the marionette and his main body, so as not to be guessed.
This was also one of the acting principles of a Marionettist.
He wouldn't come forward himself.
Hearing the other party's request, Lierda Senn's smile became even brighter, and he began to introduce the properties.
There were old houses and new houses, some far from town and some in town. Tang picked and chose, settling on one closer to Ellison Street, relatively near his own home.
The former owner of the house had gone to Backlund a long time ago for some reason, and before leaving, had listed the house for sale with Lierda Senn. However, due to the slightly expensive price and its distance from town, few people were willing to buy such a house.
Holding a slightly old-looking bunch of keys, Tang controlled the marionette to enter the house, observing the surroundings through the marionette's eyes.
The house, built of black stone bricks, had a courtyard structure. There was a lot of dust on the ground, and the dust raised when they entered made Lierda Senn cough involuntarily.
"Cough cough, sorry, sir, cough cough, no one has cleaned here for a long time."
He very servilely welcomed the person in and then began to introduce the house.
The general idea was that although this house was far from town, in a bad location, somewhat dilapidated, without furniture, cold in winter and hot in summer, it was quiet enough, had a certain degree of privacy, and was big enough.
It seemed to meet his requirements, but only just met them.
His main body sat on a tree nearby, his mouth twitching as he bargained with the other party.
After some back and forth, the house was settled for the price of two hundred and ten pounds, and it came with the right to use some nearby land.
Before leaving, Lierda Senn even slipped some money to the person who was supposedly a servant of some master.
"He knows how to handle things, this guy."
(End of this chapter)