The Herb King

Some people surrounded Aethelwolf as soon as he arrived in the premiere area. They wish to get to know this young Alchemist who was said to possess the same skill level as the Supreme Director of the Alchemy Tower.

"Where have you been, Sir Aethelwolf? I looked everywhere for you, but I only spotted Sir Anton and the others. They also didn't know where you are." Prince Calvin said.

"I had something to take care of." Aethelwolf chuckled.

"By the way, His Majesty told me that you should check the academy when you have the time. It is located in Maracas District. There would be a meeting for the faculty members of the academy and as the headmaster, you should be there, Sir Aethelwolf. His Majesty will also head there to observe the meeting. There would be an important discussion about the future of the academy. You have to prepare for it."

"Is that so? Tell His Majesty that I will be there. Please excuse me, Your Highness. I still have something to discuss with Sir Brian." Aethelwolf excused himself.

"Alright. Come here later. I still have a lot of things to speak with you about." Prince Calvin had been meaning to ask the matters regarding the Lassiter Household. Many people are curious why Aethelwolf gave the family head position to a low-ranking noble. They weren't even related by blood and their only connection was the little boy who was said to be his student.

Meanwhile, Julie who was reading the 'Art of Wine' was suddenly interrupted by her sister.

"Sister, it's that guy." Grace lightly tugged her sister's sleeve.

Julie lowered the book she was reading and turned her gaze toward Aethelwolf. She saw him chatting with the second prince. 'He seems to have a close relationship with the second prince...' She then moved her attention back to the Art of Wine. 'This is brilliant! How did he come up with these innovative ideas? He would need a team of skilled researchers to gather all this information, but he had just recently arrived in the capital. He must have collected this information a long time ago. I don't believe that he came up with all this knowledge on his own.' She was fascinated by the information written in the book. Everything was detailed and explained meticulously.

She raised her head again, but Aethelwolf was no longer in her sight. He must have gone elsewhere.

***

"Sir Aethelwolf, I heard from Henry that you have already refined the pill. Can you show it to me?" Brian tried to hide his agitation, but Aethelwolf saw through the ripples in his eyes. Even the most minute movements of his eyelashes didn't escape his sight.

Aethelwolf took out one Soul Eclipse and handed it to Brian. "My skills are lacking and I was only able to refine one pill with the ingredients you provided." He sighed regretfully. His acting was seamless and worthy of an award.

Brian received the pill with slightly trembling hands. He carefully inspected the pill and when he sensed the formidable energy contained inside, he laughed joyfully. Aethelwolf succeeded! "You really did it! Thank you so much, Sir Aethelwolf!" He could no longer control his happiness. With this pill, he would soon reach the peak stage of Level 4. When that time comes, he no longer needed to worry about threats from the Imperial Family or the noble households. They have been keeping a close eye on him because of his enormous wealth. They were afraid of the growing power of the Linaza Household.

Aethelwolf smiled as he looked at the joyful Brian. "That pill can strengthen the soul and the mind. It is extremely beneficial to Level 4 Espers. I'm just curious. Which person is lucky enough to consume it?"

Brian's smile immediately stiffened when he heard this. 'Did he sense my level? That shouldn't be possible. I have a Level 4 Aura Concealing Rune in my possession so it should be impossible for someone to sense my power. Is he testing me?' He stared at Aethelwolf and he noticed the man taking out an object that looked like a small stick from out of nowhere. He then lit it up and put it in between his lips.

"Oh, this? This is a cigar. It's a random creation of mine. It calms my nerves. Would you like to try one?"

"No, I'm good. I would only embarrass myself. I don't even know how to use that." Brian chuckled to himself as he kept the Soul Eclipse inside his storage ring. He then took out the Soul Jade and handed it to Aethelwolf. "You earned this. I have no use for it and I only kept it with me as a collectible. I have a hobby of collecting precious gems and minerals. If you need my help, just tell me and I'll try my best to help you." He said.

Aethelwolf's smile widened as he accepted the Soul Jade. He kept it inside his storage space and said as he handed a piece of paper to Brian. "Actually, I want to buy a few things, but they are precious so there might be no stock in the market. I need them tomorrow. Of course, I'll pay for them."

Brian read the listed items on the paper and furrowed his eyebrows. They were indeed precious with values in tens of millions. "It would be difficult to procure them, but I'll send them to your mansion tonight. I'll give you a 10% discount for all of them." The Linaza Household has a wide network and they were connected to many merchant families.

With a cigar in between his lips, Aethelwolf replied with a beaming look. "It is a pleasure to do business with you, Sir Brian." He extended his hand and shook Brian's outstretched hand.

"The pleasure is mine, Sir Aethelwolf. I hope that we can do more business in the future." Brian was satisfied by Aethelwolf. The man was difficult to read and also mysterious, but it was definitely a great idea to befriend him. His talent in Alchemy alone has already surpassed his expectations.