Chapter 182: Surveillance

Merlin was absorbed in the feverish process of crafting alkaline earth potions. He devoted nearly all his time and energy to this work, and in just two days, he had used up the materials for almost thirty batches of the potion. His familiarity with the potion-making process had grown significantly, and his success rate had increased as well. Out of nearly thirty sets of materials, he managed to craft twelve potions—over a 30% success rate.

With his newly crafted potions in hand, Merlin headed directly to Mage Fladi's residence.

The moment Fladi saw Merlin, a broad smile spread across his face. "Haha, Merlin, I had a feeling you'd be here today. So, how many potions did you manage to make from the thirty sets of materials?"

"Twelve potions," Merlin replied, handing over the vials to Fladi for inspection. Fladi examined them carefully, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"Over thirty percent success rate! Impressive. I also have good news for you: the six potions you provided last time, I sold them all. Each fetched 250 elemental stones!"

"Two hundred and fifty per potion?" Merlin calculated quickly. Each batch of potion ingredients cost 50 elemental stones, so the materials for the six potions had cost around 900 stones. Selling all six potions had brought in 1,500 elemental stones, leaving him with a net profit of 600 stones. This was indeed lucrative, explaining why skilled potion-makers were often quite wealthy.

It was clear that Fladi, as an alchemist, had access to resources far beyond what a mage like Brunton could manage, and this difference was evident in how easily Fladi could afford hundreds of stones' worth of materials. This wealth, however, was only possible for alchemists with high success rates in crafting potions.

Fladi handed Merlin the 1,500 stones with a smile. Merlin nodded, saying, "As agreed, you'll take a 30% share from each batch. The potion materials cost 900 stones, leaving 600 in profit—your share would be 180 stones. You can deduct your share directly after each sale."

Fladi accepted the stones without hesitation. Then Merlin handed him all his elemental stones, adding, "I owe you for the 30 potion batches' worth of materials, which is 1,500 stones. Let's use these stones to buy more ingredients."

Fladi shook his head with a grin. "That won't get you very far. Let me continue providing the materials and deducting their cost after each sale. What do you think?"

Fladi was more than willing to provide materials, given Merlin's impressive success rate. With this level of reliability, the cost of a few hundred or even a thousand stones was inconsequential.

Merlin agreed, appreciating the gesture, as he still had a high demand for stones. With more ingredients from Fladi, he returned to his quarters to continue crafting.

---

Recently, rumors had spread across Floating City among the alchemists, all centering on a unique potion—the alkaline earth potion. This potion, while not entirely rare, could temporarily boost an alchemical creature's strength and speed, enhancing its physical abilities across the board.

While the effects were temporary, the potion had minimal side effects, making it highly desirable, particularly in life-threatening situations. Demand for the potion soared, but due to its complex crafting process, it had always been in short supply. However, recently, the well-known Fladi had announced that he was crafting and selling these potions, attracting countless alchemists.

At first, Fladi only had six potions for sale, then twelve, then twenty, and then thirty. Every ten days, he had another stock ready, and the volume of potions coming from Fladi made his name a point of interest. The price of each potion soon rose from 250 to 300 elemental stones, with demand still outpacing supply.

---

In a dimly lit room, a young mage respectfully reported to his purple-haired mentor, "Master, I've investigated as you asked. The alkaline earth potions everyone's talking about are indeed being sold by Mage Fladi. Although he's only a first-level mage, he's achieved a certain reputation in alchemical research."

The purple-haired elder extended his hand, "Colton, let me see the potions you acquired."

Colton obediently handed over a few vials. The elder examined them carefully, nodding. "Yes, they're indeed alkaline earth potions. However, I don't believe they're entirely Fladi's doing. Watch his residence, Colton. I suspect there's another alchemist behind this."

Despite a flicker of confusion, Colton nodded respectfully before leaving.

The room fell back into its oppressive silence.

---

Merlin exhaled, looking over the freshly made alkaline earth potions laid out before him with a satisfied smile.

"This should be enough. It's been over a month of non-stop potion crafting, and not only has my success rate improved, but I've also amassed enough elemental stones. It's time to head to the Silver Tower and buy the ingredients for the phantom magic and blueberry potions."

He muttered to himself, feeling a sense of accomplishment. With costs covered and a steady stream of profits, he now had a solid reserve of 30,000 elemental stones. The sheer amount was astonishing and reflected how lucrative potion-making could be for a skilled alchemist.

Standing up, he left his room, carrying the 50 newly crafted potions to Fladi's residence.

Fladi was beaming as he greeted him, clearly delighted with their partnership's success. "So, how many potions this time, Merlin?"

"Fifty-three," Merlin replied. "I should mention that I might slow down production soon."

Fladi nodded thoughtfully. "A slower pace isn't a bad idea. We've sold so many that most alchemists in Floating City have already bought a few. If we keep flooding the market, we might have trouble selling them all."

"That's good to hear. I'll be on my way then." Merlin nodded his farewell and headed out.

However, as he left, a subtle frown crossed his face. He had the distinct feeling of being watched as he entered the courtyard. Though the sensation had vanished, Merlin scanned his surroundings, finding nothing. He dismissed it and continued toward the Silver Tower.

Just as Merlin disappeared around a corner, a faint shimmer stirred near the courtyard wall, like ripples across the surface of a pond.

In a flash, a young mage materialized in the shadows. Holding a small magical device that had concealed his presence, he watched Merlin's retreating figure with a gleam of excitement.

"As Master predicted, the alkaline earth potions weren't solely crafted by Mage Fladi. There's someone else behind the scenes!"