Kent was stopped before he could enter the store. Of course, he had expected that, considering he was a nobody at the moment.
He didn’t even have any form of identification, which, in this context, would require proof of whether he belonged to a powerful family or not.
Alternatively, it could show that he held a status that qualified him to enter the store.
[The Alchemist’s Dream] was a highly reputable establishment offering various services, so the last thing they wanted was for some no-name individual to disrupt their business.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have any identification…” Kent said, sounding as polite as he could manage.
They always say the wicked are often the most respectful. You only see their true colors when they’re angry…
“Without any identification, you can’t enter,” the guard who had stopped him said, showing no signs of hostility. This unexpected politeness made Kent’s opinion of the store rise slightly.
“Although I don’t have identification, I am an alchemist and would love to enter this magnificent herb haven to purchase some herbs. Please, is there no other way for me to gain entry?” Kent asked.
“Yeah, well, if you are an Alchemist, then I am a Sage Alchemist…” Of course, just because one guard was respectful doesn’t mean all of them are.
Kent didn’t bother to look at the new guard, who seemed to have a lot of time on his hands, and chose to butt into his conversation with the first guard.
“Surely, there are other ways for me to enter this store. If there are any, I would like to explore them.” Kent was no fool.
He may be from Earth, but he knew there were many ways to do things in this life.
Take Earth, for example: aside from using your CV to get a job, there are many backdoors one can explore to land a paying job. Kent knew that no matter the world he was in, provided there were living creatures, backdoors would never close.
As expected, the first guard, who seemed to like the tone Kent was using, smiled. He looked at the second guard, who was about to explode, and gave him a look. This made him calm down a bit.
“If this young Alchemist wants to enter, he must donate to the cause of this noble store. I believe a couple of thousand spirit stones will go a long way,” the first guard said, making the second guard nod with a sudden glint in his eyes.
Kent just smiled and retrieved a pouch discreetly.
There were a lot of people going in and out, so the chances of somebody noticing what was happening were very high.
“Since we all want this noble store to keep growing, I would love to donate, of course,” he said, handing the pouch to the first guard as he began walking into the store.
Once Kent left, the guard peeked inside. Thanks to the enchantment on the pouch, he immediately counted the amount it housed.
He froze and nearly dropped the pouch. Thankfully, he composed himself and turned to the second guard.
“How much?” the second guard asked.
“500,000,” the first guard replied, making the second guard grin from ear to ear. They quickly moved away and shared the amount among themselves.
Of course, as they say, it’s not every day you meet your destiny changer, and in this case, Kent had blessed them with a million. But the wicked will always play the game of deceit… After all, there is nothing noble about taking a bribe.
Kent, who had managed to step inside the store, was blown away by the majestic-looking shelves filled with herbs that seemed to have been purposely placed in formations meant to keep them fresh for a long time.
“Welcome to the Alchemist’s Dream. How can I be of service, young alchemist?” Just as Kent was marveling at the display, a young lady about his age, dressed in a green alchemy robe, spoke to him.
Kent looked back at her and asked, “How do you know I am an alchemist?”
Of course, it was foolish to ask that, considering he was standing in a space filled with alchemists. But then again, he could just as easily be some random young master looking to buy a rare herb for his family.
“The look in your eyes shows you are someone who appreciates the craft. Not everyone your age would have such a dazed look in their eyes if they weren’t an alchemist,” the lady said with a smile.
Kent smiled back, making his handsome features even more noticeable. Of course, he wasn’t looking to cause a scene, so he quickly stopped smiling and said, “Then, since this young miss has uncovered my hidden obsession, may I trouble her to show me where I can find some Tier 2 herbs? I prefer herbs that can be used for poison pills.”
The lady arched an eyebrow at his request. “Poison pills… Those are expensive, even at Tier 2. But I have to ask—why would a young alchemist like yourself choose to delve into poison pill making?”
Kent smiled again. “Well, what can I say? Everyone has their quirks, I guess. But I didn’t choose poison pills out of an obsession. I just like to keep my survival chances open.”
The lady seemed to understand what he meant. With poison pills, he could indeed increase his chances of surviving even the most harrowing situations.
Then again, if he was looking to make money, poison pills also sold quite well. He could earn a fortune selling poison pills, regardless of their tier.
No matter how strong a person was, they would inevitably be affected by a poison pill, even if only for a few seconds—possibly giving him a chance to escape if necessary.
“Follow me,” the lady said, leading him to the section where the poison herbs were displayed. Along the way, she struck up a conversation, causing Kent’s opinion of her to improve slightly.
“So, from what I can tell, you are a Pill Master. I want to know—do you plan on joining the Pill Master competition happening less than three months from now?”
“Of course. I want to measure myself against the young and brightest of this kingdom and see where I stand,” Kent said in a polite tone, which made the lady give him a strange look.
She sensed some mocking undertone in his words, but she couldn’t quite figure out where the mockery was directed.
However, she didn’t comment on it. Instead, she asked something else.
“May I know which noble family you are from? The store offers discounts for certain families, so that could go a long way in reducing the cost of your purchases.”
Kent smiled inwardly. He knew everything she had just said was nonsense. Any discount would have been clearly stated when he got to the counter to pay for his goods.
It was obvious to him that the lady was fishing for information about his background. While she appeared young, Kent knew she was old in the ways of alchemy. His enchanted eyes revealed her true identity as a Pill Grandmaster and a Root Great Sage.
She was using a pill to disguise herself and suppress her cultivation base. But Kent didn’t care; he was only here to buy herbs.
“I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m not from any noble family. And by the way, you can just call me Kent,” he said, keeping his tone neutral.