Chapter 140: An Unexpected Order, Angus's Move

Inside the tent, Verlin smiled kindly as he glanced at the unfamiliar noble standing beside Alcott.

“Verlin, let me introduce you. This is Viscount Algernon Barrett, a dear old friend of mine,” Alcott warmly said.

“Uncle Algernon, pleased to meet you,” Verlin said, placing his left hand over his chest and bowing slightly to the unfamiliar viscount.

“As expected, a man of remarkable bearing and promise,” Algernon returned the gesture, also placing his left hand over his chest and bowing gently.

“Cousin, Uncle Algernon, please have a seat,” Alcott invited.

The three men settled on the cushions in turn. Kyle set down a teapot on the small round table between them before quietly leaving the tent.

After some minutes of conversation, Verlin understood the purpose behind his cousin bringing this friend here.

Algernon had accidentally witnessed the effects of the Ice Blue Elixir and asked Alcott to introduce him to Verlin, hoping to purchase a batch.

According to the letter Belder had sent earlier, the second batch of Ice Blue Elixir was already in large-scale production. After paying the Southern Kur Trade Guild for six thousand bottles and reserving two thousand for inventory, there were still over three thousand bottles available. The rest awaited the maturation of the second batch of Ice Blue Grass later in the year, with an expected production of ten thousand more bottles.

“Uncle Algernon, the Ice Blue Elixir retails at twelve gold coins a bottle. But since you are a friend of my cousin, I can offer you a discounted price of ten gold coins per bottle. However, due to limited production, the maximum quantity I can provide is one thousand bottles,” Verlin said with a smile.

“Verlin, I appreciate your generosity,” Algernon replied.

He then produced a document and slid it toward Verlin.

“This is a leisure estate located within my domain. I present it to you as a token of gratitude for your kindness.”

Verlin politely declined, “Uncle Algernon, there’s no need. You have paid for it, after all.”

Seeing this, Alcott spoke up, “Verlin, you should accept it. I’ve envied that estate for a long time, but he never agreed to give it to me.”

“Well, if cousin likes it so much, I must accept,” Verlin said.

Algernon’s expression softened upon seeing Verlin accept the estate.

“Verlin, you are always welcome to visit my lands,” Algernon warmly invited.

“Certainly, I’m eager to see the scenery of the estate my cousin desires so much,” Verlin replied confidently.

“Let me know when you come. I will receive you with the utmost hospitality,” Algernon promised.

The two then signed an order for one thousand bottles of Ice Blue Elixir.

After Alcott and Algernon departed, Kyle entered the tent to clear away the tea set.

---

“With the market for Ice Blue Elixir opening up, I expect more and more nobles will come seeking it,” Verlin thought, looking at the order worth ten thousand gold coins in his hand. Making money seemed to be getting easier.

“Kyle, inform them. We set out the day after tomorrow. It’s time to return.”

“Yes, my lord,” Kyle replied, carrying away the tea set.

Verlin secured the order and lay back on his bed to sleep. Since night had fallen and he had no desire to practice magic, he might as well rest.

...

Half a month later, in mid-May, Verlin returned to the camp to deliver the second transport mission.

Calculating the time, it would be about half a month before the three mutated griffin eggs arrived—around the third transport mission.

At this moment, an urgent letter had already reached Windsor Castle in the Eagle Territory.

In the study, Angus opened the letter Verlin had sent him. Noticing the secret markings, he decoded a passage of seemingly garbled text through a riddle.

“The Blessed Moonlight Flower, in the cave one thousand kilometers from the border.”

This explosive information stunned Angus momentarily.

Thanks to the intelligence Verlin had provided earlier, a crisis was averted before it could erupt in Silver Prosperity City. Angus trusted about seventy percent of the letter’s contents. That seventy percent was enough to compel him to take a risk.

“Winstar,”

The old butler waiting outside the study opened the door and respectfully saluted Angus.

“My lord.”

“Prepare a griffin. I’m heading to the Western River Province. Inform Elissa—I might be gone for half a month.”

“Yes, my lord.”

That afternoon, Angus rode the griffin, flying twelve hours from Windsor Castle to a manor outside the Western River Province. After adopting a disguise, he entered the provincial capital and, using his clan identity, accessed the teleportation array to reach his father-in-law’s domain—the Duchy of Moravia.

Upon arriving in Moravia City, Angus activated a magical star marker in his hand.

Moments later, a squad of dragon riders descended from the sky, clearing the area and whisking Angus away to the Darachiran Hills, two hundred kilometers from Moravia City.

It had been ten years since Angus last visited Darachiran Hills, which remained just as he remembered.

As the war fortress of the Duke of Moravia, it was his nearly two-hundred-year labor of love—a massive floating city still under construction.

Near the Darachiran Hills’ airspace hovered a smaller floating city, covering about four hundred acres, serving as the Duke’s temporary residence.

---

This small floating city, named Kara, was home mostly to the Duke’s students.

Crossing the streets, Angus entered a wizard tower more than twenty meters tall at the city’s center—the heart of this floating city.

“Angus, why are you alone? Where is my daughter, little Elissa?”

The Duke of Moravia appeared a dozen meters away, his tone tinged with displeasure.

“Father-in-law, there are urgent matters, so Elissa did not come,” Angus explained.

“Speak then. What is it?” The Duke waved his hand, sealing off the space as he looked at Angus.

Angus proceeded to relay the details about the mutated Moonlight Flower.

“Is what you say true?”

The Duke’s eyes shone with excitement as he asked Angus.

“I’m seventy percent certain,” Angus replied.

The Duke then lifted the spatial seal and casually opened a portal, pulling out a young man dressed in a black mage’s robe, looking listless.

“Teacher, what are you doing? I’m conducting an experiment,”

Angus bowed respectfully, “Greetings, Lord Kralunus.”

“Ah, Angus! What brings you here?” the young man in black, Kralunus, smiled and greeted him.

“Master Kralunus, I have a difficult task for you. See if you can—”

“No, I can’t. I still have experiments to do,” the shadow mage Kralunus, at the Soul Intent level, refused without hesitation.

Suddenly, the Duke struck Kralunus on the head with his staff.

“Master, please don’t hit me! I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”

Finding the surrounding space impenetrable to the shadow realm, Kralunus clung at lightning speed to the Duke’s leg, pleading earnestly.

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