122 The Boy Behind the Curtain
Finding Heide's estate was easy.
As a registered alchemist of the guild, he had been granted a residence by the empire—one that lacked even a single guard at the entrance.
William approached the door and knocked.
No response.
'Out buying more Moonlight Grass, perhaps?'
"W-Who's there?"
William tilted his head.
The voice was quiet—so faint it was barely audible through the door.
He raised his voice.
"I'm here to see the owner of this house."
"M-Master Heide isn't here right now! Please co back later!"
"I'm not here for the alchemist."
"T-Then you've got the wrong house!"
"No, I haven't."
William's voice dropped, laced with quiet amusent.
"I ca for the thief. The one using his master's na to buy expensive herbs behind his back."
Crash! Bang! Clatter!
The mont the words left his mouth, chaos erupted inside the house.
The distinct sounds of things toppling, shattering, and soone scrambling in panic.
A few seconds later, hurried footsteps approached the door before it was yanked open.
Clatter.
"I-It's a misunderstanding! I wasn't stealing! Master Heide asked to buy those for his research…!"
The boy standing in the doorway was practically drenched in cold sweat, his voice breaking in desperation.
But William wasn't listening to his words.
Because the face that appeared before him was far more shocking than any excuse.
'A… boy?'
Wide, deer-like eyes stared up at him.
The thief in question wasn't so seasoned criminal or rogue alchemist.
He was a child—one around William's own age.
"P-Please, have so tea."
Clink.
With trembling hands, the boy placed a tray on the table before William and Raymond.
William, however, paid no attention to the tea. His gaze remained fixed on the boy.
'This child… Is he really the one who developed that nectar?'
William was well aware that talent and experience didn't always go hand in hand.
There were prodigies in every field, even those who could rival Felicia's genius.
But there was a difference between instinct-driven disciplines, such as swordsmanship, and fields that required extensive background knowledge, like alchemy.
And by those standards, the boy before him seed far too young to be an alchemist of any significant skill.
"What's your na?"
"Uh… I-Ian."
"How old are you?"
"I'm seventeen…"
"You're young."
William hadn't ant to say it out loud, but the words slipped from his mouth before he could stop them.
Raymond, standing beside him, leaned in and whispered.
"Third Prince, have you forgotten your own age?"
William ignored him. Instead, he turned his attention back to Ian and asked,
"Are you Heide's assistant? Or his apprentice?"
Ian hesitated, his expression darkening before he answered.
"His… apprentice candidate."
"What? Apprentice candidate? What does that even an?"
"Master said I'm not his official apprentice yet. He told if I worked hard enough, he'd promote later…"
William scoffed.
He had a pretty good idea of what was happening now.
'So, rather than acknowledge him as an apprentice outright, he kept him in this vague position, dangling the possibility of promotion as leverage.'
The more William learned about Heide, the less he liked him.
After a mont's thought, he decided to cut straight to the point.
If the boy wasn't even an official alchemist, there was no need for unnecessary pleasantries.
"I t Heide not long ago. I wanted to ask him about Moonlight Grass, but he acted like it was a complete joke, not even worth his ti."
Ian flinched.
"I was disappointed, to be honest. I thought he'd at least know sothing useful. In the end, I gave up on him and just purchased the Moonlight Grass myself."
William paused, letting his words hang in the air before adding,
"But then I found sothing interesting. While we were eting with Heide, soone purchased a large amount of Moonlight Grass under his na."
Silence.
"I don't normally ddle in other people's affairs, but using your master's funds for personal research seems like a problem, doesn't it? Especially when those funds co from the imperial treasury—aning they're directly tied to His Majesty himself."
Ian's face drained of color at the ntion of the emperor.
William tilted his chin slightly, silently daring him to explain.
"I-I already told you, this is a misunderstanding! Master gave permission…!"
"Oh? Heide let you spend his money however you wanted?"
"Not exactly… He said I could use it for alchemy! As long as I produced results, it would be fine!"
William nodded to himself.
'So that's how it is. He gave his apprentice access to the non-negotiable portion of the funds while keeping the rest for himself. And if Ian ever succeeded in his research, Heide would simply take the credit.'
Still, that explanation alone wasn't enough to account for the sheer amount of Moonlight Grass that had been purchased.
"All of it?"
Ian remained silent.
William smirked. "I doubt it. The amount spent far exceeds what your master would have allowed."
Ian's shoulders slumped.
"…Are you going to report this to him?"
"That depends on your answer. First, tell —what exactly did you need so much Moonlight Grass for?"
Ian hesitated, but before he could answer, William spoke first.
"Amplification of magical energy to enhance the physical body."
Ian visibly trembled.
Raymond, who had been listening quietly, frowned in confusion.
"What are you talking about? The ingredients you listed sound like potion components."
William nodded.
"They are. But if combined correctly, they could create sothing far beyond a simple potion—a substance that could change the world. A formula capable of turning even the most diocre individual into a legendary figure."
Ian's breath hitched, his eyes widening.
"S-Soone else has researched this before?"
His excitent overrode his caution, and he instinctively stepped toward William.
Raymond reacted instantly, pressing the hilt of his sword against Ian's chest to keep him at a distance.
But Ian didn't even seem to notice the pressure—he simply leaned in further, desperate for an answer.
William gently pushed him back and nodded.
"Yes. But their research was incomplete. It was missing one key component—"
"Stalkflower!"
The mont William uttered the word, Ian recoiled as if struck.
His expression twisted in disbelief.
"How could I not see it before?! That's it! That's the missing piece! If I add Stalkflower, everything—ugh!"
Crash!
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