Located on the west side of Flying Fish Port, the Church family’s territory was only seven to eight kilometers away from Mulberry Valley, and it indeed didn’t take long to visit.
Baron Church also came, and it was Leider who entertained him.
Ivan took Justine and Lisa to tour the castle, feeling as if he were stepping into a battlefield because the two girls took an instant dislike to each other and continuously engaged in veiled verbal sparring.
“Mr. Ivan, I always knew you would become a hero. I never expected you could capture the Giant Silver Bone Ray alive. Blessed Virgin above! I don’t know how excited I was to hear the news, and unlike others, I was never shocked because I believed that you would eventually do something great, eventually becoming the most conspicuous figure.”
Lisa stared at Ivan, her admiration clearly visible in her eyes.
Justine chimed in, “Miss Lisa is right, I was nearby at the time, unfortunately not much help, but being able to witness Brother Ivan become a hero firsthand, that image, I think I could remember for a lifetime.”
Lisa immediately turned her head to glare at her, and as the two women locked eyes, it seemed as though invisible sparks flew between them.
As such scenes occurred frequently, Ivan’s head began to ache, and he would have preferred to entertain Baron Church in place of Leider.
“There are still matters to attend to in the territory, I’ll come back later to entertain you all.”
When they finished touring the castle, he found an excuse to leave the two with his sister Peggy, asking her to continue showing them around.
Turning around, he went up to the fourth floor’s collection room, which he had now converted into an apothecary lab, where he had placed all the old apothecary tools.
The territory was in dire need of refurbishment, and everything required money, selling potions was a good option. Baron Karl’s 150 Gold Coins came into play, and had Beaman use them to purchase a large amount of herbs.
He needed to concoct healing potions, detoxification potions, glorybower powder, Ocean Blue Potion, and both page class and knight class Bat Secret Medicines, as well as Goliath Frog Secret Medicines.
He actually also wanted to make nutrition potions, Physical Strength Potions, and Ginger Summer Water, but sadly those magical ingredients weren’t available here.
That Beaman was able to return so quickly was thanks to Pearney’s help.
Pearney sent back a letter, and upon reading it, Ivan couldn’t help but complain, “She’s changed, the young lady has grown mercenary.”
He had asked Pearney to gather some incomplete Breathing Methods for him, and in return, Pearney demanded three Physical Strength Potions as payment, showing none of the restraint typical of a noble lady, despite having previously mentioned to ask for help whenever needed.
In her letter, Pearney attached an important piece of information: the selling price of one Physical Strength Potion could be four low-grade magic stones.
Seeing this sentence, Ivan’s hand clutching the letter involuntarily shuddered, and he looked again to make sure he hadn’t read it wrong.
He hadn’t expected that in the world of sorcerers, an apothecary could have such a prosperous future!
No wonder Pearney reacted so strongly before boarding the ship.
On this path, he hadn’t realized how far he had traveled; Earl Hobson’s interest in him wasn’t without reason; the fundamental reason must be this.
He had always been worried about paying his academy fees, but now it seemed a trivial matter of just 3 Physical Strength Potions; he still had 28 Physical Strength Potions, and he estimated that the Endurance Ginger Water which was of even higher quality, would fetch an even higher price.
He suddenly remembered his deceased mentor Toyennes. From some perspectives, Toyennes was indeed fair—no, perhaps it was more generosity. Back then, it might have been Lahr who made that decision.
Ivan took three seconds to reminisce about Toyennes and Lahr.
Thinking of the laboratory on Lahr Island, where several Physical Strength Potions and nutrition potions were left behind, he felt an urge to return.
“Well, considering the title of the Marichadon family, I agree to your terms.”
Without much consideration, acknowledging the favor was a good thing, Ivan immediately wrote a letter to Pearney, stuffed it into the bamboo tube on the courier bird’s leg brought by Beaman, and walked to the window to release the courier bird.
After that, he began his grand apothecary enterprise.
In the afternoon, Miss Lisa followed Baron Church back to Black Pine Forest, while Justine had no intention of leaving. Ivan allowed this, as there was no shortage of living space or extra meals.
Ivan continued to busily prepare his potions. After reaching Level 4 in Apothecary Skill, potion brewing became effortless for him, except for the first-time brews of Bat Secret Medicine and Goliath Frog Secret Medicine; all other potions were successful.
Now, these could hardly grant him any more experience in Apothecary Skill or Energy Particle Skill.
Just four days later, Miss Pearney sent a team; one horse-drawn carriage trailed by two wagons, led by two knights from the Flying Wings Knights Squad.
Knight Givern handed over a thick letter, “Mulberry Valley Lord, this is a letter from Miss Pearney for you. There are items in the convoy that you need, as well as gifts from Miss Pearney.”
Ivan joined him to take a look. Inside the carriage, there were boxes of beast hide used in the Breathing Method, boxes of medicinal herbs, books, antique paintings, cages for carrier birds, and the wagons behind carried statues, castle crossbows, long spears, and strong bows.
“Why so many?”
Books, antique paintings, and statues were decorative items, used to enhance the family’s heritage. He wasn’t very familiar with these aspects, but it was unlikely that Pearney would send fakes.
The castle crossbows, long spears, and other items were for building castle defenses. He didn’t understand why there were boxes with medicinal herbs, as they were not what he had requested.
“Miss Pearney said, since she was making a trip anyway, she might as well bring you some extra bits and pieces.”
“Give my thanks to Miss Pearney,” Ivan replied.
Seeing that Knight Givern didn’t intend to stay long, Ivan handed him a box containing a Physical Strength Potion.
As he watched the two knights and their entourage depart, Ivan opened the letter, which included a recipe for a Calming Potion.
Pearney wrote that the Calming Potion was a special type of healing potion that could soothe internal restlessness, alleviate pain, and relieve negative symptoms. It might even help in suppressing the power of curses, and she asked for his help in brewing it.
So it was; even possessing such a potion recipe, he couldn’t help but admire the Hobson family’s heritage.
Pearney also mentioned that he could partner with her for selling potions and buying medicinal materials. She would send someone to trade directly, ensuring that Mulberry Valley would not be at a disadvantage.
This was worth considering. Ivan didn’t rush to reply. Turning around to call people to move the items, he realized that her team hadn’t taken the carriages, which apparently were also gifts. It was clear they were no strangers to wealth.
Late at night, near the Lord’s Hall.
Justine stood quietly in the corner of the wall, the moonlight casting her in the light of a forest princess lost in the mortal world.
After a while, steady footsteps approached from not far away, and upon hearing the sound, her face grew timid and anxious.
She had been rather depressed these days. Despite dressing meticulously every day in a different outfit to make herself look beautiful, the person she yearned for had shown no special response.
This person, if not cloistered on the top floor, was up in the mountains observing something, returning only late at night. At most, he would calmly compliment her and then… nothing followed. Was she not making her feelings clear enough?
Or had she been overshadowed by that Miss Church?
‘Justine, Justine, how could you possibly be inferior to that little girl.’
‘If shameless, then be shameless. I don’t believe you feel nothing at all, if not, then—’
Watching the increasingly closer figure, Justine clenched her teeth and made up her mind; she straightened her chest, lifted her skirt, and under the moonlight, she walked towards the figure with small steps.