Chapter 1696 Relying on the Mountain <TOC> Chapter 1698 Crystal Disc
Translator: SumTLMan
Angel pondered, “Apart from the method I’ve mentioned, is there any other way?”
Antonio replied, “Indeed, Lord. You could opt to issue a task, allowing others to safeguard the Breezy Magical Materials Shop. This could provide a measure of protection for the shop. However, such an approach does come with its own set of problems.”
Without Antonio elaborating further, Angel could already discern the flaws of this method. To issue a task surely demands a corresponding reward. While the Breezy Magical Materials Shop might be able to provide these rewards, who knows how often and for how long such tasks would need to be issued?
Furthermore, the members of the Profound Alchemy Association have deeply infiltrated Sky Mechanical City. Even some members of Achillea have been compromised. It’s highly probable that those who take on the task might belong to the Profound Alchemy Association, resulting in a scenario where the entrusted might turn treacherous, complicating matters further.
“Is there another alternative?” Angel asked, unable to suppress his curiosity.
Antonio responded, “There are certainly other methods. However, the costs, and naturally the risks, would be increasingly high. In my perspective, the method you proposed remains the simplest and most stable.”
In essence, after all this back and forth, Angel was still in a dilemma: either enlist someone’s help or handle it personally.
Seeing Angel’s hesitancy, Antonio, with a sudden chuckle, advised, “Lord, why fret over this? This matter bears no downside for you. You don’t even have to bind contracts with others like Van Nathan did, as your membership within the Research Institute alone wields enough clout to clear all obstacles.”
“You’re merely allowing the Breezy Magical Materials Shop to bear the title of——’Possibly Backed by a Member of the Research Institute.’ Outsiders won’t even be privy to the identity of said member.” Antonio paused momentarily, then continued, “Moreover, once the Breezy Magical Materials Shop becomes part of your circle, any future works of yours can be released through them, sparing you significant hassle.”
Angel could see the logic in Antonio’s words. Indeed, there was no downside for him in this arrangement, but neither was there a clear advantage.
Moreover, Angel wasn’t well-acquainted with the specifics of the Breezy Magical Materials Shop. While he held Viking in good regard, the latter was only a temporary shopkeeper. Once Frandy returns, Viking would have to step aside. At that juncture, whether Frandy turned out to be an ally or adversary would be hard for Angel to gauge, especially since he might have already left Sky Mechanical City by then.
Angel voiced his concerns, to which Antonio simply responded with a smile, “What does it matter if it’s good or bad? In this bilateral relationship, Lord, you can withdraw at any time. But they cannot.”
Upon reflection, Angel realized that Antonio had a point. When one is in a dominant position within a relationship, external factors no longer hold significant importance.
With this realization, Angel felt a decision forming within him.
After discussing this matter, Angel prepared to bid Antonio farewell. However, Antonio suddenly said, “Speaking of which, I have something to share with you.”
Under Angel’s curious gaze, Antonio slowly revealed, “It’s related to the reward of the Novastar Competition.”
The top ten participants of the Novastar Competition are granted an opportunity for a custom alchemical service. Those ranked fourth to tenth receive their custom alchemy from alchemists of the Achillea Comprehensive College, while the top three receive theirs from members of the Research Institute.
This was precisely what Antonio was referring to.
“Since this reward has already been publicly announced, it’s naturally on the agenda. The custom prizes for those ranked fourth to tenth are already in the works by Achillea’s alchemists, but the rewards for the top three are currently stalled.”
The reason for the delay is that no member from the Research Institute was willing to take on the task.
Many members of the Research Institute hail from various organizations and seldom stay permanently in Sky Mechanical City. Presently, excluding Angel, there are only five members remaining in Sky Mechanical City——
They are ‘Mediocre’ Muse, ‘Water Ripple Witch’ Farina, ‘Potion Master’ Midora, ‘Mushroom Witch’ Regina, and ‘Moon Silver Master’ Cicero.
Out of these five, Muse outright declined, citing a lack of time. Farina is in retreat, and both Midora and Regina are specialists in potion studies. According to an official survey by Infinite Battle Tower, the top three custom alchemy rewards mainly lean towards weapons, armor, and special tools.
“In the Novastar Competition, the apprentice who ranked third, known by the moniker “Sleepy Trickle to Flowing Stream”, did mention potions. However, she desired a potion that would make her forever unaffected by sleep. Both Potion Master and Mushroom Witch deliberated on this and concluded that such a feat was too challenging to achieve, primarily because her excessive sleepiness was innate, and it’s difficult to eradicate such conditions with acquired potions. Consequently, she eventually leaned towards customizing weapons and armor instead.”
Angel could discern Antonio’s intention; he was hinting at the prospect of Angel taking on this task.
After some contemplation, Angel inquired, “I remember Master Cicero is also an expert in mineralogy, isn’t he?” Moreover, Cicero was part of the blending school of thought, which is considered the most orthodox within the field of mineralogy. “Why not approach him then?”
Antonio paused momentarily and replied, “My original plan was to contact Moon Silver Master first and then discuss it with Lord Pat.”
It seemed both Angel and Cicero were on Antonio’s radar. However, due to certain matters related to the Breezy Magical Materials Shop, Angel connected with Antonio earlier. So, Antonio decided to flow with the current situation and broach the subject.
“Lord Pat recently purchased the ‘White-Cheeked Domain Demon’s Forehead Eye’, so the lord probably doesn’t have many points left, right? This alchemy customization task offers reward points, with each customization worth 20 points. If you’re running low on points, maybe you’d like to consider this offer?”
Faced with Antonio’s suggestion, Angel felt inclined to decline. Yet, Antonio had just smoothed over the controversies surrounding Cherie, and he also offered assistance with the issue at the Breezy Magical Materials Shop.
Even though Antonio’s primary role was to serve the members of the Research Institute, Angel felt a bit awkward always relying on his help without giving anything in return.
After some thought, Angel proposed, “How about this? Send me the Intentions of Custom Alchemy from the top three first. Once you’ve spoken to Master Cicero and heard his thoughts, I can then decide on the next steps.”
Upon hearing Angel’s words, a palpable sense of relief washed over Antonio.
While Angel didn’t explicitly state it, the subtext suggested that he had indeed accepted Antonio’s proposal.
“Understood. I will promptly relay their intentions for alchemy, as well as their personal details, to the lord. Lastly, I wish the lord a good night.”
As his words faded, the light blue sprite gradually disappeared from sight.
Angel took a deep breath. Nothing of value comes for free; one must give something to receive in return. He had been reaping the benefits of being a member of the Research Institute for some time now, and it was about time for him to give back.
As he had yet to receive the custom requests from the top three, and there was no response from Master Cicero, Angel decided to momentarily set this matter aside. He would focus on crafting the platform that accommodates the “Passionate Song of Fate” before attending to other concerns.
However, before starting the alchemical process, Angel needed to deepen his understanding of the Passionate Song of Fate.
While he was familiar with this magic formation and knew all the runes involved, combining them into a functional magic formation would still require some effort on his part.
Chapter 1696 Relying on the Mountain <TOC> Chapter 1698 Crystal Disc