Inside the Emerald Heart Tavern, Elan sat in his usual spot. Across from him sat a woman with blonde hair, dressed in black.
"So, the Apothecary Association has brought everyone who can brew energy potions under their control now?" Elan was confirming the information he had just received.
"It's not that they've controlled everyone—they didn't even have that kind of power at their peak. Instead, they've offered heavy rewards to all the masters in this field," Celine said.
According to the Apothecary Association's standards, anyone who can achieve a success rate of slightly more than one bottle out of four attempts is considered a master of brewing energy potions.
The Association's main task now is to stabilize these masters. They've offered conditions such as joining the Committee and sharing in the Association's future revenue—these are the only terms the Association can still offer.
"They should be sending special commissioners to inspect the various branches now to see how many people meet this standard. For those who don't, they'll offer things like operating rights for the branch offices," Celine added.
"The Association certainly reacts quickly! If only they had been this fast when the civil war broke out in Antire," Elan joked.
Celine didn't laugh, but continued:
"So what do we do now? Our plan to disrupt the energy potion market is a failure, isn't it? What's next?"
"We failed, but we haven't lost anything. On the other hand, how many more times does the Apothecary Association need to succeed?"
Elan straightened his cuffs, drank a glass of water, and continued to explain:
"The real pillars of the Association are those apothecaries. If the apothecaries oppose it, the Association can do nothing."
"The Association realizes this too. Even with their current financial difficulties, they are still maintaining services for all apothecaries. Medicinal ingredients and potion resources can still be purchased in limited quantities at low prices. Their privileges remain, which is why many apothecaries are still waiting to see what happens."
"The independence of the two academy apothecaries you led was like a stab to its heart."
Celine picked up the conversation:
"So what if they're independent? This news probably won't get out. The Apothecary Association is truly bold, actually assassinating several High-level Apprentices..."
"Those two academies are temporarily blockaded now. Given the Association's methods, I expect this investigation will be extended by two months, until after the assessment is over."
Elan said slowly:
"Is it possible the Association is just lucky... and it just happened to be a fight between apprentices? Didn't Richter from Cuilan also kill a few people from Velos?"
"It just so happened that this occurred, and the Association is manipulating things to extend the investigation time to drag out this fatal matter..."
Celine drained the fruit wine in her hand and then said with disdain:
"Here you go again with that 'the world doesn't have that many conspiracies, it's all just a coincidence' talk. I really don't understand you. I don't know how you ever became a Formal Mage..."
"And that Richter is like a cancer among the apprentices. I've never seen anyone use 'privileges' so many times. Have all the people who became Formal Mages in the last ten years combined used as many privileges as he has?"
"He happens to be in the territory you manage. Why don't you do something about him?"
Elan continued to hold up his unfinished water and said:
"To become a Formal Mage, one naturally needs to have outstanding Spell abilities to advance. What are you thinking?"
"As for Richter, isn't that something the Reformation Sect should handle? I've dealt with him too; haven't you noticed he doesn't dare come to the Jade Heart anymore?"
Celine took another glass of fruit wine from the side, drank half, and said:
"I'm not talking about this with you anymore. Fine, are we still continuing with the plan?"
Elan replied:
"Of course we're continuing. We'll trip them up however we can. How many have you recruited on your end?"
"I only found two, and their success rate isn't even one bottle in five attempts," Celine replied.
"Then I win. Although I only found one, the success rate is slightly higher than that."
Celine pressed her hand to her forehead, her face dark as she said:
"With so few people, can we even scrape together thirty bottles by the end of the assessment?"
"What's wrong with thirty bottles? According to our pricing, we make 8 silver coins for every bottle sold now. Thirty bottles is 240 silver coins, which is two years' worth of income from my tavern."
Celine shook her head and continued:
"Fine, let's leave it at that. Contact me if anything comes up. I'll see if I can get a few novices to try brewing."
"Goodbye."
Elan watched Celine's departing figure and the several empty glasses of fruit wine on the table, muttering to himself:
"Maybe the Association will collapse tomorrow, and we won't even have to work this hard."
---
Half an hour after the meeting ended, Furan arrived carrying a case and sat directly across from Elan.
"How many bottles this time?" Elan asked. He thought Furan probably only had one or two on her; why bring a case?
Furan opened the case, revealing the six bottles of energy potion inside.
This was a bit unexpected for Elan. He hadn't expected six bottles. Based on Furan's success rate, she must have used at least thirty sets of materials.
He first examined each bottle to confirm they were made by a skilled hand without any errors in the process, then picked one up.
Opening the cap of the bottle, he leaned in to smell it. After confirming the rich scent of sunflowers, he spoke with satisfaction:
"Not bad. This quality will sell anywhere. I just didn't expect you to still have stock."
In truth, she had just brewed them. The three bottles left from last time had been consumed while she practiced the Wind Blade Spell. She had then gone to the Association to buy forty sets of materials, even though the price had gone up.
She couldn't suddenly produce dozens of bottles and say she had brewed them all; that would practically be writing "I'm suspicious" on her face.
She didn't deny having stock and followed along:
"Yes, I originally wanted to save up a few bottles before selling them. Since your price is higher, I came here."
After Furan received one large gold coin and miscellaneous change totaling eighty silver coins, she made her proposal.
"Uh... well, I have a friend who also knows how to brew energy potions. Can I help her sell them too?"
Elan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he had no objection to Furan's story. After all, it was normal for apothecaries to know other apothecaries. As long as someone was brewing, it was fine.
"I have no objection. As long as the money she spends on materials doesn't exceed the money she earns from selling the potions, I'll take as many bottles as she brings."
"I heard that a single set of materials for energy potions in the Association is almost three silver coins now. I hope she can make some money through me."
Elan laughed cheerfully, and Furan laughed as well. It was good to have someone help her handle these potions. From now on, she just had to bring more energy potions each time and say she had found another Apothecary.
Otherwise, she would have had to drink the excess like water.
"By the way, I want to buy a Combat Skill."
A Combat Skill? Elan was a bit surprised. Normally, buying a Combat Skill was nothing, but it was a bit unusual for Furan.
Before reaching the Formal rank, knowing two Combat Skills was considered decent, and Furan also knew a Breathing Technique. Logically, she shouldn't be lacking Combat Skills.
But only a fool would turn down money. What if she was buying it for a friend?