Chapter 294 - Potions, Politics, and Secrets
Nathan Evenhart:
We arrived at our mansion in Apsalon over the weekend, giving us at least a day of rest before returning to our classes.
"My dears, I'll be having a small meeting tonight with the Norfolk family regarding the management of the healing potion stocks in the duchy. I'll need you all to avoid disturbing us in the second lounge while we discuss things," my aunt said during breakfast. We simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"I'll start planning the exclusive dinner for the meeting," Martha added as she placed several pitchers of juice on the table.
We continued eating, except for Cylla, who was still fast asleep on the chair beside me.
"Would you like me to help?" Kinue offered.
"Another maid will assist me, don't worry," Martha replied with a reassuring smile.
My aunt flipped through a copy of the Apsalon News, a new way of delivering the latest happenings in the city, compiled on paper. It worked well in Apsalon due to the city's smaller scale and extensive use of magical devices. Once a week, copies were delivered to noble estates, and from what I had heard, the idea was being considered for implementation in the Royal Capital as well.
"By the way, Nora will be joining us later, so you all can talk about the upcoming excursion," my aunt mentioned casually.
"Oh, that's right!" Chloe exclaimed, her excitement evident.
I kept eating my eggs and bacon, observing their conversation from a distance.
"I just hope it's not too dangerous," my mother said, sounding a bit concerned.
"Katie, let's be honest—it would have to be truly dangerous to pose a real threat to our young ones," Aunt Margie chuckled.
Kinue's fox ears twitched slightly.
"Don't worry, Auntie," Kinue reassured her. "I've been to the dungeons a few times before. They're just places where various magical beasts make their nests, but since we always go in groups and follow proper formations, we stick to floors suited for each academic year. There are monsters, of course, but everything is well-supervised."
I had tried asking Kinue about the dungeon's environment before, but she always refused to give details, saying she didn't want to spoil the surprise.
"The last time I went, I stopped at a floor that functioned like a mine. There were even people mining, trying to gather minerals to complete an assignment from the professor," Kinue said casually.
My mother seemed a bit more at ease with the explanation.
We had never been to a dungeon before. Some were quite famous—like the Labyrinth of the Curious in the Royal Capital, which explained the constant influx of adventurers in the area. Each of the three kingdom capitals had massive dungeons filled with valuable resources, attracting countless explorers. Smaller dungeons also existed, but the ones within the capitals were colossal.
That was likely one of the reasons my ancestor on my mother's side ventured into the elven kingdom. It was there that she met our High Elf relative.
Things must have been very different back then. Nowadays, special authorization is required to enter the elven kingdom, and very few outsiders know what its hidden capital looks like. Yet, somehow, our ancestor obtained that permission, and it was there that she met my High Elf ancestor. You already know the rest: the two fell in love and fled together to the Evenhart Duchy. She left behind her life as an adventurer, and he abandoned his noble standing among the elves. Some of their descendants remained in the duchy, leading all the way to my mother. She met my father, and eventually… I was born.
***
"I think this looks absolutely adorable on you," my mother said, holding up a piece of clothing for me to see.
"Mom… that's a pajama set," I tried to argue, but it was no use.
She examined the pajamas more closely, seemingly unimpressed by my protest.
"So what? You can look cute even when you're sleeping," she insisted, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
We were strolling through the city while my Aunt Margie was busy with her meeting back at the mansion.
"I think it looks really nice," commented Clara, Marvin's wife, who had decided to join us.
"See?" my mother beamed. "Even another adult agrees with me!"
I sighed in defeat.
Clara had decided to tag along while Marvin and my aunt were discussing the details of the healing potion stock for the duchy with factory staff and other officials. They had to organize the shipments and inventory control for the coming months. Strict limits were in place regarding how many potions each noble could purchase based on their rank, with only the dukes having access to substantial reserves. It was an expensive process, and careful oversight was crucial.
Women take forever when shopping for clothes.
Chloe, Kinue, and Nora were in another section of the store, browsing for their own outfits, while my mother—rather inexplicably—was looking at baby clothes.
I think she's really determined to have grandchildren soon.
Resigning myself to the situation, I sat down to wait, trying to be as patient as possible.
"This is taking too long..." muttered the gray cat sitting beside me.
"Agreed, Cylla," I sighed.
She glanced at the women's clothing racks with a hint of curiosity.
"Good thing I don't need any of this. I'm always naked," she remarked nonchalantly, catching me completely off guard.
"Hey, what?! Don't say stuff like that! I sleep next to you every night!"
"But it's true. I'm always naked in my animal form," she replied.
I rubbed my temples, trying not to think too hard about it.
This girl…
Leaving my mother and the others to their shopping, I decided to explore Apsalon's commercial district on my own. The city was already a hub of magical and technological innovation, serving as the center of trade for the Three Kingdoms, but its marketplace was even livelier—every street corner packed with shopfronts and street vendors selling their wares. Nearby factories churned out everything from potions to magical devices.
As I walked through the bustling streets, I kept a vigilant eye out for crows.
If I see one, I'm trapping it in a wind barrier.
"Hey, Nathan. Can you buy me something to eat?" Cylla asked, padding along beside me.
"Something to eat? You don't usually ask me for that," I replied, a little surprised.
"I eat mostly for the taste. You should learn to do the same—focus on the pleasure of eating instead of just treating it as a necessity. You barely need food now, anyway," she said matter-of-factly.
I nodded, considering her words.
"But I've seen you eat some huge portions before… and then ask for seconds," I teased.
"That was my dragon hunger. But in this panther cub form, I'm more restrained," she explained.
As we continued walking, I glanced around for something to buy her.
"There are some food stalls up ahead selling grilled meat skewers. I heard they use some pretty interesting sauces," I suggested.
Her ears perked up immediately.
"Sounds good. Let's go."
As we walked, I observed the movement around us. Many young people filled the streets—some probably just returning from their vacations, while others may not have gone home at all. It wasn't uncommon for students from less wealthy families to stay in Apsalon year-round since underground transport was expensive. Many of them had scholarships to study here, hoping to secure a promising career—whether in the military or in a well-paid position after graduation. The idea of earning 25 gold coins per month as a Recruit Knight was tempting for those from more modest noble families.
"That smells really good. So good that it's pulling me in," Cylla muttered, her feline eyes locked onto a food stall selling skewers.
I glanced around, scanning the nearby trees, searching for any crows.
"Relax. I'm on full alert. If anyone were watching us through a crow, I'd have already noticed it," she reassured me.
"Yeah… you're probably right. I don't see any crows either. Whoever Siegfried is, and whoever his master might be… looks like they've disappeared again," I replied.
As we approached the stall, I noticed something peculiar. It was different from the others—not just in design, but in the fact that it was completely empty. Despite displaying fresh and appetizing meats, not a single customer stood in line.
"Good evening, sir. Would you like something to eat?" The vendor, a woman with a warm smile, greeted me.
I glanced at Cylla, who sat at my feet, practically drooling.
"I've never seen this kind of meat here before. The smell is amazing," I commented, taking a closer look at the skewers. "And the price is surprisingly good."
The woman chuckled.
"I'm a traveler—I bring meats from places you wouldn't even imagine," she said playfully, giving me a small wink.
"I want that one. The red meat," Cylla declared, pointing with her tiny paw.
"We'll take the red meat," I relayed to the vendor.
She started preparing fresh skewers, and the rich aroma of sizzling meat quickly filled the air. Cylla watched in pure anticipation, her nose twitching as the scent intensified.
"Your little friend is adorable," the vendor commented. "I'll prepare something special for her. A growing kitten needs to be strong and healthy."
I smirked, glancing at Cylla, who was now practically vibrating with excitement.
"I'd say this little one is already strong enough," I joked.
I reached into my coat and pulled out a silver coin to pay.
"What's your name?" the woman suddenly asked.
"Nathan," I replied.
She took the coin from my hand, tossed it into the air and it vanished.
"Just a little trick, Nathan," she said with an amused smile. "Tell me your kitten's name, and I'll tell you where I put your coin."
A trick?
"Her name is Cylla," I answered, feeling no reason to hide it.
The woman leaned forward, placing a plate with the skewer right in front of Cylla.
"Nice to meet you, Cylla," she said warmly. "My name is Eira Green."
I watched as Cylla eagerly dug into her meal, completely absorbed in the simple joy of eating. Seeing her like that made me smile.
Then, Eira stood back up and turned to me.
"Nathan, I hope you continue taking good care of Cylla," she said.
She stepped back behind the stall, adjusting some of her supplies.
"Your coin is in your pocket. The inner pocket of your coat, to be precise," she added nonchalantly.
…In my pocket?
I reached inside and couldn't believe it; the silver coin was right there.
"How did you do that?" I asked, genuinely surprised.
"Just a little trick, Nathan. You don't need to pay for her meal," she said casually.
I got curious about magic. I had seen a few performances before, and the secret behind them was always about diverting the audience's attention.
Did she slip it into my pocket when she came over to serve Cylla's plate? If she's a wind mage, she could've easily made the coin float into my pocket without me noticing.
"Battle partner!" I heard a familiar voice right before feeling a heavy slap on my back.
"Damn it…" I groaned, feeling the pain radiate through me.
I turned to the source of the voice.
"Hahaha!" laughed Thyra, the wolf girl, with that rough and peculiar energy I had grown used to.
"What are you doing out here, Thyra? I thought you weren't allowed to walk around town," I asked, still recovering from the impact.
She puffed out her chest with pride. "Thyra got permission from Aunt Victoria! Thyra has gotten much better at controlling her beast form," she declared smugly.
Over the past few months, Thyra had been going through a phase where her body would involuntarily shift into her beast form. I learned that for demi-humans like her, who possessed such an ability, studying in Apsalon required special authorization from the headmistress. Between the ages of fifteen and seventeen, a demi-human's body underwent involuntary transformations, making them potentially dangerous if they weren't within the controlled grounds of the academy. In the demi-human kingdom, they had their own ways of handling these youths, but here, the rules were strict—no leaving the academy, not even during breaks, until they could fully control their transformations.
"Thyra has already learned to control the transformation," she continued. "Now, Thyra just needs to learn how to fight in that form! When Thyra's aunt gives her permission to fight transformed, Thyra wants to challenge her battle partner!" she announced eagerly.
I could only sigh.
A demi-human naturally becomes wilder when they transform, as the primal instincts of their beast body take over. In Thyra's case, the problem was even worse. She was already wild by nature, bursting with energy and always ready to fight. Now, imagine what happens when she transforms… She turns into an uncontrollable beast, overflowing with adrenaline, ready to attack anything that moves. It's like all her instincts multiply, making it impossible to predict or restrain her.
The two times I saw her lose control and shift into her beast form, things got tense for the students. The first time was during training, and the second was at an academy event. Both times, Headmistress Victoria—who seems to be the only person capable of handling Thyra in that state—had to step in. And the way she handled it was… well, let's just say it was brutal. With a single punch, she knocked the wolf girl unconscious, instantly stopping her rampage.
I don't know much about Headmistress Victoria's full powers, but what I've gathered so far is enough to understand that she's on a completely different level. She's classified as a Transmitter Mana user, a Combat Mage. However, her true strength lies in her absolute control over pure mana.
Victoria is already naturally stronger due to her demi-human lineage, but what makes her truly terrifying is how she combines that strength with her mastery over mana manipulation. She can concentrate raw mana into her punches, amplifying her strength to the point where she can knock out a transformed demi-human in a single hit. Every time I've seen her fight, she's never used complex magic—just raw power and precise mana control.
They say she's famous for mastering the mud element, which makes me suspect that, aside from her devastating punches, she can probably create an armor of hardened mud. The sheer power of this woman is no joke. No wonder no one dares to mess with Victoria. She's become a living legend among those who know her abilities, and now that I've witnessed a glimpse of her power, I understand why.
"Hey, Thyra's friend, are you gonna buy her a snack?" Thyra asked, giving me a few more slaps on the back.
I sighed again. "I'll take another skewer…" I told the stall vendor, resigning myself to my fate.
"Thyra wants two skewers!" she added excitedly, still smacking my back.
Despite her peculiar ways, she had remembered me on last year's Chocolate Day—and this year too—giving me a box of chocolates that… well, half were missing because she ate them, and the rest she licked to 'test' if they tasted good. But… deep down, she's a good person.