Jackson's Invitation

The bitter cold of winter passed, and the weather began to get warmer as spring came around. Leylin was physically 15 years old now. Mentally, he was nearing his forties.

Standing on the balcony connected to his chambers, he could already see the minuscule colorful dots of blossoming flowers on his green fields. There were also hundreds of farmers laboriously working on the distance.

Leylin's hands pressed on the windowsill, and his eyes seemed to be disconcerted.

All of the Hove Violet Leaves available in Extreme Night City had been bought by him. With continuous brewing he had managed to obtain dozens of Azure Potions, bringing his Spiritual Force to 6.98 points. He was almost there.

While one could initially think that Leylin's excessive brewing of the Azure formula was a waste of his resources, it was anything but. Unfortunately, any potion would generate bodily resistance towards it when consumed regularly, and its positive effects would be reduced over time. This means that a huge amount of potions was the obvious solution to the lack of benefits.

With that said, Leylin had already taken measures to counter his developing resistance, and had arranged many trade deals that would secure him all the common ingredients he could possibly need for brewing the potion. He didn't need to resupply on magical ingredients though. This was because Aralis had optimized the formula even further so that the required catalysts were halved. Leylin had effectively turned the ancient formula of the Azure Potion into a nearly mortal recipe. A secret recipe, that is.

Leylin stoped resting on the windowsill. He stretched his hand and plucked a bunch of red berries from a nearby table, munching on them as early snacks.

As a Mysterious Entity, his basic needs like nourishment had become a paltriness since his daily intake of refined strength potions kept him in top condition at all times. He didn't even sleep anymore. Nonetheless, he enjoyed the mortal pleasures in life every once in a while; including his dark sessions with his prisoners. They helped him stay focused on his objective towards immortality by allaying the demon under the mask.

'Compared to other third-grade and even some fourth-grade acolytes, my progress rate is nothing short of godlike. After all, even the heir of a large family cannot afford to have ancient potions for breakfast every morning.'

Within a month, Leylin already caught up to the fifth-grade acolytes who had pulled away from him over a year ago. Thanks to his A.I. cheat and his endless ambition and cunning, Leylin had surpassed his peers and broken free of his limitations.

'I must say, I don't miss that underground academy in the slightest. Only when I am in control of my environment can I pursue my experiments without fearing the consequences, spend some quality time with my victims, and use potions such as these at my heart's content.' -Leylin was rejoicing over the perks that the inter-academy war had brought him.

[When do you plan to go back, Doctor? The academy quest will be completed sooner rather than later.]

'I shall exhaust my 3 years of leave, even if the war ends prematurely. By that point, I will already be a level 3 acolyte. Apart from the professors, everyone inside Abyssal Bone Forest will regard me as a more important member, especially considering my Potioneering expertise. This is precisely why I need to stay here as long as possible. With my years in the Poolfield Kingdom as an excuse, I'll have a better margin to cover my tracks and explain my growth in power.'

Suddenly, Anna knocked on the door, entering only after getting Leylin's unvoiced permission.

"Master. An emissary from the Viscount has arrived with an invitation for you." -The brunette maid told softly as she bowed her head.

Leylin signaled for his maid to deliver the letter to his hands, and he deftly opened it.

After looking the missive over, he turned around to hide the calculating air he was giving off.

'Friendly gathering, it says. Hah, as if. The last time I saw Jackson was when I became the fourth Baron of Extreme Night City... No, his is merely a poor justification. In the letter, it is specifically mentioned that the geezer Murphy and his band of empty-headed acolyte friends were also invited... Whilst not explicitly written, it is obvious this is an acolyte-only reunion. Minus the Viscount himself, of course.'

[What are you thinking, Doctor?]

'Jackson needs a favor from us. He will probably reach out to Murphy first since they are close, and then to me given my titles and my vast superiority compared to the scum that call themselves acolytes in this town... I believe something mystical has come up that requires the deft touch of an arcane bombardment. Either that, or he needs to pick our brains concerning a difficult matter. In any case, it must be magical in nature. Of that much, I am sure.'

[Could it be related to your quest?]

'Hopefully so. That way I can get benefits from the Viscount and kill the scheming Magus behind the withering woods once and for all. I don't think it's Murphy, after all. He's too placid and lazy to go out of his way like that. Or who knows, perhaps he is just that good with putting up a facade.'

[So you're still going on about that... I'm sorry, but I think you may be wrong this time. Not every mutated organism has to be the work of a sapient mind.]

'We can stay here all morning talking about it, but there's only one way to find out the truth.'

"Anna, have Welker prepare my carriage and then bring me a set of formal clothes; apt for having lunch with the nobility, but nothing too flashy. I will take care of some business in the medicine shop and then visit our city's lord." -Leylin said this without giving it another thought.

"Certainly, Master." -Anna replied with a discreet smile.

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In the heart of Extreme Night City, the Viscount's castle which was built using grey rocks was notably magnificent. Many soldiers were patrolling the area, exhibiting its prestige.

A black four-horse carriage suddenly halted in front of the first portcullis. One of the two armored individuals aboard opened the carriage door and a brown-haired noble youth stepped down from it. He looked more like a Knight than a noble, and his bright green eyes were filled with vigor.

At that same instant, another horse carriage made of reddish-brown wood halted alongside it too. From it stepped out a white-bearded old man who was carrying an antique book. He radiated a scholarly aura.

When he saw Leylin smiling at him, every wrinkle on the old geezer's face loosened as he too smiled. He took the initiative and spread his arms out: "It is good to see you again, Leylin."

"I'm also very pleased to chance upon you, Murphy." -Leylin gave him a firm handshake as he hugged the old man with his free arm.

His relationship with Murphy was pretty strong, all things considered. Leylin no longer visited Murphy once a week since he didn't need his help anymore, but they had nonetheless stayed in contact for the past few months. While this old geezer had his defects, it was undeniable that having him on Leylin's side would bring him more benefits than it would do harm.

Both of them conversed casually as they walked to the gates. They flashed their invitation cards at the same time as they went past the guarded entrance without a hitch.

Then, a butler led Leylin and Murphy through the gardens and brought them to a small-sized living room within the main building of the castle. No guard was on sight along the hallways, denoting the kind of trust the Viscount had on his magic-wielding citizens.

Several acolytes were already inside when Leylin and Murphy entered the living room, and they went forward to greet them with a respectful and dignified attitude in place.

There was a circular table in the middle of the living room, with cushioned ebony chairs surrounding it. It seemed to suggest equality in status, but nobody honestly assumed there was any actual equality between them. It was always the Viscount, Murphy, Leylin, and then the rest.

"Welcome, my friends. I thank you for coming here on such short notice... Scholar Murphy, please seat down! Ah, Lord Leylin, it's been a long time!" -The tough-looking Viscount Jackson entered and immediately directed his attention to his two main guests.

All the acolytes bowed their heads when they stood up to welcome their host, including Murphy. Except for Leylin. He remained sat when he smiled at Jackson and tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment.

He wanted to send a clear message of who he was and where he stood. Leylin's title may be inferior to Jackson's, but his status was elevated above him thanks to being the strongest entity in the region.

That said, most of the present acolytes did not truly grasp what encouraged Leylin to greet the Viscount so nonchalantly. Most of them thought he was just filthy rich but of sub-par arcane skill. This notion was reinforced by the fact that Leylin had been running his shop business with great enthusiasm, despite its extremely low yield in profits.

Viscount Jackson forthwith sat on the tallest chair, between Leylin and Murphy, as multiple serving maids that wore low-cut blouses entered the room. They served some red tea as refreshments with matching flavored cakes and biscuits.

The lord and his acolyte supporters began hanging out casually, and from time to time they discussed the latest news. In general, the atmosphere felt quite amiable.

[Viscount Jackson is known to be a cold-blooded regent. It is said that to suppress a riot, he immediately ordered the execution of a whole village, hanging all its resident's heads on wooden stakes. Yet he acts so kindheartedly and docile in front of you. Guess that even His Lordship must turn his ego down a notch when in front of a group of acolytes.]

'Do not be fooled by his acting. He's a treacherous bastard that would throw us all under the bus if it meant getting more power. That's how the game is played at all levels, Mysterious Entity or not. And I wouldn't have it any other way, really. Otherwise, it would go stale too fast.' -Leylin replied mentally.

[Still, he's just a mortal, right?]

'That he is. However, the greatest danger he poses to me is the ease with which I can dismiss him as a potential threat. Lowering my guard against him is something I cannot allow under any circumstance.'

"Speaking of Baron Fey, he has recently been distressed about the issues of the ambushing monster in our forest..." -Viscount Jackson inadvertently spoke of this while chatting idly.

"We have also heard of the withering situation of the Dark Night Woods for some time now. It is quite unfortunate that we have not arrived at any solution yet..." -An acolyte sitting at the side explained, playing at being a character interested in delving deeper into this topic.

Murphy's brows furrowed. "I believe that my Lord Viscount will definitely have a solution. Do you not?"

Viscount Jackson smiled wryly. "My friends, I have already sent ravens to inform the Royal Family, but up until today, I have not received any reply. I am completely at a loss about what to do in this situation..."

'Royal Family? Interesting.' -Leylin's eyes were filled with the desire to extract all knowledge in this subject from the bloody corpse of Viscount Jackson. But he immediately restrained and locked it away behind the sturdy gates of his gentlemanly veil.

[The Royal Family of the Poolfield Kingdom is supported by Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. The relationship between the two parties is extremely intricate. I guess the reason why that quest was given to you is an enigma no more.] -Told Aralis with a content voice.

'I know what you're thinking: this is the ultimate proof that my suspicions about the true nature of the quest were merely the product of my paranoia. Correct?'

Leylin did not wait for an answer.

'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Aralis. This proves nothing. Until I kill and examine the mutated beast's parent, there's no telling what the cause for its violent behavior and characteristics may be. And even if it were my paranoia and the beasts were the result of a natural occurrence, taking extra precautions is always the safest route.'

[I... suppose that is the truth...] -She conceded.

"Is it perhaps a high-leveled creature that mutated? Could it be that His Lordship cannot resolve this with his great battle prowess?" -A red-haired, middle-aged man asked.

Leylin recognized this person; he had opened an apparel store in Extreme Night City and his maid Anna was a regular patron. Most of Leylin's noble garments had come from there. The city's residents knew that the owner of this clothing store was a friendly, middle-aged man, who even had a beautiful daughter. But they never realized that he was secretly a magician.

"Truth be told, I have already struck against one such creature before. I have slain a lizard-type creature, but it was of no help towards this withering woods case." -Viscount Jackson flicked his hand.

"Right now, the withering crisis has expanded to an area equivalent to about two villages. If not resolved, sooner or later, it will encompass the whole of Dark Night Woods. When that happens, obtaining another herb from it would be only a dream!" -Viscount Jackson clenched his fists in anger.

The herb industry was the pillar of Extreme Night City's economy. Every year the city lord's castle gained a lot from the high taxes it imposed on these trades. Currently, its income tax revenue had been drastically lessened for that reason. It was no wonder that Viscount Jackson was unable to sit still.

"Could you let us have a look at the composition of some of that lizard's body parts?" -Murphy asked.

"Yes, of course, good Murphy." -Viscount Jackson clapped his hands, and a golden yellow-haired maid brought forward a silver tray. Displayed on it were some brown-yellow scales.

The surrounding acolytes all picked up a piece. Leylin too placed one in his hands.

The brown-yellow scales were the size of a thumb, cold to the touch.

[Undoubtedly, this scale belonged to a mutated creature; the lizard type. The surface emits light mana radiation, the quality is pathetic, and any extractable materials have been destroyed.] -Aralis informed her Master.

'No wonder the magicians in Brey Canyon did not react to this incident. This creature's body parts are completely useless. Its whole body would not even be worth a single magic crystal... My initial hypothesis may be wrong after all. If someone at this table had machinated this event, then the materials would certainly need to be of greater quality for it to lure greedy acolytes...' -Leylin analyzed coldly.

To Magi, benefits were paramount. They would rarely do anything that produced no tangible bonuses.

[This would also explain why no other acolyte has solved this problem. Nothing in it for them.]

'Yes, I thought that the beast held secrets that allowed it to elude capture, but now I see there wasn't a serious hunt for it to begin with...' -Leylin was feeling a bit disappointed. He had yet to satiate his need for a good fight.

"What a pity! It is not a high-level creature that magicians need, just a lower mutated organism, which has no use to us!" -Murphy exclaimed bitterly after picking up a magnifying glass and scrutinizing the scale.

"Well, do you propose any solutions? I am ashamed to admit it, but I am desperate. This seat is willing to give 30 magic crystals to each of you, in addition to 5000 gold coins, if you accept to personally scout the area for me. How about that? Such is my humble request, on account of us being friends." -Viscount Jackson put on a hopeful expression and looked at his guests. He saw the acolytes lacked interest. He could not help but clench his teeth as he stated this.

"What about you, Lord Leylin? Have you any input on the matter? I remember you having an assignment from your academy regarding this case. How strange that it hasn't been resolved by now. Mayhaps the medicine business is more profitable than academy quests and we've all been wasting our time." -Another acolyte told while giving a toothy smile at Leylin.

Some of the present acolytes chuckled, but those who personally knew Leylin just looked away. The Viscount seemed doubtful for a moment.

Inwardly, the Farlier heir wanted to reach out and strangle the man for his impudence. He had not uttered a word since he entered the living room.

Leylin stood up gradually, a chilling aura surrounding him for a second before it vanished. He looked the mocking acolyte dead in the eye.

"Regrettable. I was hoping one of you would prove his worth as an aspiring Magus, as a subject of our Lord Viscount, and deal with this trivial affair. But since you've made it clear that your apathy trumps over your sense of duty, this honorable son of Farlier shall take action."