Through this simulation, Rhett could basically confirm that Blackstar was backed by an organization. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how he had such accurate knowledge of the movents of evildoers. It would be nearly impossible for an individual to achieve this on their own—such efficiency in locating criminals surely required a well-established information network.
As he pondered this, Rhett felt even more perplexed. "If this organization is solely focused on capturing evildoers, does that an everyone in it is as eccentric as Blackstar?"
Shaking his head to dispel the odd thoughts, Rhett downed his blueberry juice in one gulp and stretched. Despite the peculiarities, this simulation had been quite fruitful. The foresight he gained confird that Henk was trustworthy, so he could now confidently share the secrets of the Snow Elf and the bloodline potion with him.
With that in mind, Rhett leisurely descended the stairs and headed to the alchemy laboratory. At that mont, Ryley was diligently taking notes with a blue ink pen, his expression one of humble attentiveness as he listened intently. Henk stood by the alchemy table, gesturing toward a bubbling alchemical cauldron as he patiently explained the process.
"I just talked about the fire control details for extracting essence in the Moonlight Potion. Now, let's move on to how to combine the properties of the essences to achieve alchemical sublimation. First, add 420 grams of ice water to the cauldron. Then, using ntal energy, control 20.5 units of Ice Crystal Lily essence and pour it over the ice water. Before the water temperature rises, add 6.2 units of Rock Bull Fruit essence. Simr on low heat, and when the temperature reaches 30 degrees, begin to gradually blend the two essences with ntal energy..."
Ryley listened with rapt attention, occasionally nodding thoughtfully as he made notes. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his father at the door. He set down his pen and said, "Father!"
Henk noticed Rhett's arrival as well. He stopped his lecture, extinguished the fla under the cauldron, and walked to the door. "Good morning, Lord Rhett."
"Good morning, Henk," Rhett replied with a smile. "I'm sorry to interrupt your alchemy lesson."
"It's no problem, Lord Rhett. Ryley is a very bright student—his mory and comprehension are excellent, and he learns quickly. We won't lose much ti," Henk said with a smile.
Ryley, standing nearby, added humbly, "You're too kind, Mr. Henk. Your explanations are very clear!"
Henk's smile remained as he asked, "Is there a task you need to handle, Lord Rhett?"
"No, not a task, but there are so things I need to tell you. As the head of the alchemy lab, this information might help you make decisions in the future."
"Please, go ahead, my lord," Henk replied, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
Rhett walked into the room and began speaking slowly, "Henk, as the most skilled alchemist in the territory, you need to know about the existence of the Snow Elf. It's here, in my territory, and it has recognized Ryley as its master."
Ryley, who was standing nearby, was initially surprised that his father had revealed this secret, but he quickly understood the reasoning and calmly added, "Yes, Mr. Henk, the Snow Elf is with ."
The gravity of this revelation hit Henk hard. He shuddered, his eyes darting between Rhett and Ryley in disbelief. Swallowing hard, he asked, his voice shaky, "A... Snow Elf? The one-of-a-kind spirit of legend with miraculous abilities?"
Ryley silently nodded in confirmation.
Henk stood frozen, taking several minutes to process the news. When he finally recovered, his face lit up with anticipation. "Master Ryley, may I see the Snow Elf? I'm incredibly curious about such a legendary creature! They say spirits can take many forms—so are liquid, so gaseous, others resemble beasts, and so even take humanoid shapes... Is the Snow Elf shaped like a snowflake?"
Realizing he might be overstepping, Henk quickly added, "But please rest assured, Lord Rhett, Master Ryley—I swear to keep the Snow Elf's existence a complete secret. I won't tell a soul!"
eting Henk's hopeful gaze, Ryley shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Henk, but the Snow Elf is special. It only appears in winter. The rest of the ti, it stays in hibernation. You'll have to wait until winter to see it."
"I see..." Henk said, nodding in understanding. After a mont of thought, he asked, "Master Ryley, I've heard that all spirits have unique abilities. May I ask what the Snow Elf can do?"
"Of course. The Snow Elf can double the growth rate of water-type magical plants and water-type magical beasts," Ryley explained, emphasizing the spirit's most significant ability. He then added, "It can also control the weather, lower temperatures, and bring snowfall, but those abilities are only available during winter."
Hearing that the growth rate of water-type magical plants could double, Henk's excitent reignited. Controlling the weather and lowering temperatures didn't interest him as much, but the ability to enhance plant growth was a massive boon for any alchemist.
"Incredible!" Henk marveled, murmuring to himself. "No wonder it's a spirit. Its abilities defy common understanding. I'm so curious about the source of its powers..."
Rhett raised an eyebrow—he was curious about that too. But with his current level of power, it would be difficult to explore such mysteries.
"So, with the Snow Elf's abilities, wouldn't it make sense to focus on cultivating water-type magical plants and then trade those for other types of magical plants?" Henk suggested after so thought.
"That's exactly what we're doing. Most of the plants in our cultivation fields are water-type," Ryley confird.
Henk nodded, excitent evident in his expression. "I know so well-connected alchemists. If we run into difficulties with plant trading, I can reach out to them for help."
With that, Henk sat down at a small table near the wall, taking a bite of pale yellow cheese as he processed the shocking information about the Snow Elf.
Just then, Rhett spoke again. "Henk, there's one more thing you need to know."
Henk blinked in surprise, wondering what else there could be. Could there be a second spirit?
"The second matter concerns Thales. Although the outside world sees him as an ordinary person, he's actually taken a bloodline potion. He may soon break through to beco an apprentice mage. He's passionate about alchemy, and when the ti cos, he will likely start learning from you."
The news of Thales taking a bloodline potion was significant for a Viscount's territory, but compared to the revelation of the Snow Elf, it seed almost mundane. Henk took a deep breath, feeling less overwheld this ti.
Yet deep down, he felt he had chosen the right path. Snow Elves, bloodline potions—either of these could cause a massive stir if word got out. But Lord Rhett had shared these secrets with him without hesitation, showing deep trust. Henk was profoundly moved by this trust.
Standing up, Henk bowed slightly. "Lord Rhett, I understand. Thank you for trusting . I promise that everything I've learned today will stay with —I won't ntion it to anyone."
"I believe you," Rhett said with a smile, patting Henk's shoulder. He then added, "Tomorrow, I'm planning to take Tark, Ryley, and Thales to hunt in the Darkfeather Eagle's territory. We'll be away from the territory for two to three months. During that ti, so of the magical plants in the cultivation fields will mature. I'm counting on you to take care of them."
"Don't worry, my lord. I'll look after the plants," Henk assured him.
Ryley, surprised by the news of another hunting trip, didn't object. This was a rare opportunity for real combat experience, a chance to test the skills he'd honed through practice.
For Rhett, the timing of this hunting trip was deliberate. In previous simulations where they didn't hunt, Thales had broken through to apprentice mage status during this period. If they delayed the hunt until after that, their pace of accumulating Fate Points would slow significantly. After all, Dick, their youngest, was still just a year old—hardly soone who could take down magical beasts.
That evening, Rhett gathered his three sons for a brief family eting. The next day, they set out for the Darkfeather Eagle's territory.
In the vast plains, Rhett rode atop Greygoat, watching Ryley ahead of him on Whitegoat. A trace of envy crossed his mind. He wanted to ride a magical beast too—not just an ordinary horse.
"When will I finally be able to ride an eagle into the sky..." he thought wistfully.
"Whitegoat, slow down a bit!" Ryley noticed the increasing distance between himself and the group and patted Whitegoat's head. "Don't leave the team behind!"
"Roar!" Whitegoat let out a low growl and obediently slowed down, coming alongside Blackgoat.
But Blackgoat seed intimidated by the magical beast, its pace faltering. Tark gently stroked its mane to calm it down.
"Ryley, you'd better keep your distance. You're scaring my Blackgoat!" Tark grumbled.
Over the past year, Whitegoat hadn't yet evolved into a mid-tier magical beast, but it had grown significantly larger—over two ters long and full of grace. Ryley, riding atop Whitegoat, moved with the wind, faster than the Blackgoat he had once envied.
Seeing Whitegoat, Tark couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. His eyes darted around before he turned to Rhett and asked, "Father, can I get a magical beast cub when we reach the Darkfeather Eagle's territory?"
Thales, overhearing, quickly chid in, "Father, I want one too!"
Rhett rolled his eyes. "Do you think magical beast cubs are as common as cabbage? You can't just pick one up! Especially you, Thales. You haven't even beco an apprentice mage yet—you wouldn't be able to ta one."
"But, Father!" Thales protested. "My ditation has been stuck lately. I can feel a breakthrough coming. Once I beco an apprentice mage, I'll definitely be able to ta a cub!"
"Mmmpf! Mmmpf!" Thales's protests were cut off as Tark clamped a hand over his mouth. Thales's eyes widened in outrage as he struggled to free himself.
Tark hurriedly said, "Father, rember—first co, first served! Last year, I already asked for a magical beast cub, and you promised one. So if we find one, it should go to !"
Hiss! Tark suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand and quickly withdrew it, glaring at Thales. "Thales! Did you just bite ?"
"Ugh!" Thales spat a few tis, his face twisted in disgust. "Your hand is so hard, and now my teeth hurt! Why does it sll so bad too?"
Tark froze for a mont, then burst into laughter. "Oh, I forgot to ntion—I cleaned up Blackgoat's manure earlier, and I guess I got so on my hand without washing it off!"
Rhett turned his head and silently stared at Tark, at a loss for words.
Upon hearing this, Thales's expression beca even more animated, and he shouted, "Tark, you're the worst! How can you not wash your hands after cleaning manure? That's so un-noble of you! You must have done this on purpose!"
But with his youthful voice, Thales's outburst sounded anything but intimidating.
Tark laughed heartily, relishing his rare mont of teasing his younger brother without feeling guilty.
"Do you need help washing your hands, Tark?" Ryley asked with a grin after watching the exchange.
Tark sniffed his hand, recoiling in disgust. "Yes, please, Ryley!"
As Rhett watched his sons banter, he couldn't help but smile. But the mont passed quickly, and his expression grew serious. He raised a hand and said quietly, "Stay alert—there's a magical beast approaching!"
Instantly, Ryley, Tark, and Thales beca focused. Ryley gripped his staff, Tark drew his sword, and Thales scanned their surroundings, searching for the source of danger.
Thud, thud, thud.
Heavy thudding sounds ca from the southeast. Their eyes locked on a massive wild boar erging from the small forest!
As it appeared, it crashed through a thick tree trunk that would take an adult's arms to encircle as if it were nothing. The boar spotted Rhett's group and charged at them with terrifying montum!
"Father, that's a Bloodhoof Boar! Judging by its size and aura, it must be at least Tier 3!" Ryley exclaid, his pupils contracting.
The mont Rhett sensed the disturbance, he dismounted and positioned himself in front of his sons, gripping his staff.
As the Bloodhoof Boar charged with ferocious speed, Rhett focused his ntal energy and cast a Quicksand Spell!
In front of the group, the grassy field transford into a patch of yellowish-brown quicksand, with shallow whirlpools that tugged at anything above them.
Rhett narrowed his eyes, preparing to follow up with an attack spell as soon as the Bloodhoof Boar's movent was hindered by the quicksand...
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