After finalizing the details of the real-world gathering through Madame Helaās messenger, including the time, place, password, and method of the meeting, Lumian quietly listened to the members of the Academy group exchanging ideas, occasionally joining in the discussion.
With his current mastery of mysticism, he no longer needed to hide his ignorance.
After a while, Lumian asked if anyone had the potion formula and related ingredients for the Harvest Priest, but the answer was no.
He then walked over to another group near the ancient palaceās gate.
Called the āFarm,ā it was a group of Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society members who enjoyed planting and accumulating wealth. Lumian had once overheard their everyday conversations about how many hectares they had purchased, their plans to save for a ranch, their forest harvests, the effectiveness of their compost, the Church of Earth Motherās batch of modified wheat seeds suitable for arid regions, their growing savings, and how work brought them joy.
After that, Lumian never eavesdropped again.
As he approached the Farm members, he smelled the earthy scents of soil, fertilizer, grass, grains, and livestockāa familiar and comforting aroma that transported him back to Cordu Village, back to his sisterās side.
The experienced Lumian instantly became alert.
Thisā¦ reminds me of life in Cordu for one thing, but on another level, the acts of farming, herding, and harvesting resonate with the Omebella bloodline within me. The Goddess of Harvest is indeed living up to Her name; as expected of the Great Motherās Child of Godā¦
Lumian quickly figured out the reason.
Although consuming the remnants of Omebellaās umbilical cord hadnāt enhanced his powers or abilities, it had attracted the Great Motherās gaze, allowing creatures She had created or blessed to sense his bloodline, though it hadnāt been without effect.
Omebellaās residual bloodline subtly altered his perceptions of certain things, indirectly affecting his psyche.
As Lumian listened to the Farm group members discussing, he keenly observed each personās reactions.
Although only creatures lacking necessary intellect would mistake him for a child of the Great Mother, those who had received the Great Motherās boons or were directly created by Her could sense the Omebella bloodline in him, though they wouldnāt misidentify him.
This would help Lumian determine through any unusual reactions among the Farm group members whether they covertly worshiped the Great Mother.
After a few minutes, Lumian tentatively confirmed that none of the Curly-Haired Baboons Research Society members in this area were problematic.
He then mimicked Auroreās voice when she pressed her voice down, looked around, and asked, āDoes anyone have the Harvest Priestās potion formula or related ingredients? If youāre unwilling to disclose the formula, you could sell me a ready-made Harvest Priest potion.ā
āMuggle, I thought you were a āWarlock,āā a Farm group member called āBreeder Masterā asked, puzzled.
He was tall with a rugged, wild demeanor and wore a primitive tribal mask made from animal fur.
āI Know someone who needs it,ā Lumian laughed, āand I thought I might make a small profit while helping out.ā
Breeder Master further inquired, āYou should know that a ready-made potion needs to be consumed quickly before it is absorbed by the container and becomes a Sealed Artifact with strong negative effects. Moreover, trading through Madame Helaās messenger would delay things. You have to drink it immediately upon receipt. Will there be no issues?ā
After questioning and observing, he was sure that the Doctor potion from Lugano had been fully digested.
This was a Doctor who had treated an Angel and fake Angel!
After Ludwig was brutally beaten by Loki, it was Lugano who had treated and healed his wounds. Lumian himself had received Luganoās treatments on multiple occasions.
After contemplating for a moment, Breeder Master said, ā20,000 gold risot for a ready-made Harvest Priest potion.
āItās pricier than just buying the ingredients separately, but we have to respect intellectual property rights. Normally, Iād charge between 30,000 and 35,000, but since weāre all members of the societyā¦ā
About 40,000 verl dāor, Lumian nodded slightly in agreement.
āNo problem.ā
He already had 19,000 gold risot in bills and coins on him, so he made an upfront payment of 10,000, agreeing to pay the balance upon receipt of the potion.
They brought in 007 from the Sanctuary group to notarize the agreement.
āPleasure doing business,ā said Breeder Master with a smile to Muggle as he pocketed the deposit.
He then turned to other members of the Farm group and exclaimed, āNow I have the funds for more experiments! Iāve been studying those mushrooms created by the legendary Druid Frank Lee. I find his philosophy intriguing and worth following.
āGiven the myriad supernatural beings in this world, including Beyonders, why not merge the blood, flesh, milk of these beings with ordinary plants? Whether through hybridization or genetic modification, with the aid of mystical powers, it can be done relatively easily, and after several generations, the traits stabilize, resulting in plants with magical effects but no Beyonder characteristicsā¦ā
As Lumian listened, a strange unease began to form within him.
He never felt this way even when discussing death-related topics with the Purgatory group!
The first time he heard the name Frank Lee was in the Cordu Village dream, where an official Beyonder named Ryan mentioned a saying that circulated at sea: āIād rather come face to face with Pirate Admirals or even Kings than run into a bloke named Frank Lee.ā
Later, when Lumian was at sea, he heard no rumors about Frank Lee, nor did he know if Ryan was exaggerating in the dream or if those who knew of Frank Leeās deeds dared not or chose not to mention him again.
Sanctuary team.
Franca looked towards a member nicknamed āSomeoneā and asked with a smile, āWerenāt you looking for the Marauder pathway Sequence 5 Dream Stealerās Beyonder characteristic? Still need it? I just got one from a friend.
āIf you donāt want it, Iāll go to an Artisan to craft a mystical item with that Beyonder characteristic.ā
Someone, wearing an eyepatch-style black half-face mask, sized up Franca and replied, āIt seems your friend isnāt you.
āI donāt need it anymore, but wouldnāt mind another.
āOne flat rate, 5000 pounds.ā
Thatās about 120,000 verl dāorā¦ Franca laughed and said, ā200,000 verl dāor, not a coin less.ā
āSomeoneā calculated for a moment and countered, ā150,000 verl dāor at best, or forget it.ā
Franca thought for a few seconds and said, āYou can pay in two installments, the first right now of 120,000 verl dāor, and the second of 60,000 within three months of receiving the Beyonder characteristic, secured by 007ās notarization to enforce the contract.ā
Someone paused to think, then asked with a smile, āArenāt you worried Iāll default after getting the Beyonder characteristic? A Notaryās notarization isnāt foolproof, remember, I was once a renowned Swindler.ā
Franca smiled. āWhoās better, you or Bard?ā
Someone fell silent.
āBard has already been dealt with by me and my comrades. Unless youāre willing to give up a very useful trading platform over 60,000 verl dāor, Iām not worried about you defaulting, your Beyonder characteristics are also quite valuable.ā Franca, who had mafia ties, made her intimidating remark as casually as discussing whatās for dinner.
āIt wonāt be long before I surpass him,ā replied Someone after a few seconds, āDeal!ā
āNo rush,ā Franca said with a smile, āThe final payment must be in gold.ā
ā¦
In the following days, Lumian had no particular business and wandered around Trier, tracking several Mirror People and looking for Harrisonās whereabouts based on intelligence provided by 007.
He was supposed to collect a reward from Mr. K, but his heart resisted, and he kept delaying.
Franca completed her transaction with Someone from the Sanctuary group, receiving a down payment composed of bills and coins totaling 5000 pounds.
She also gave Jenna 15,000 verl dāor in bills, stipulating that the remaining payment of 60,000 verl dāor in gold belonged entirely to her.
Jenna lost the Dream Stealer Beyonder characteristic but also paid off the 45,000 verl dāor she owed Franca, now possessing 16,000 verl dāor and gold Loen pound worth 120,000 verl dor.
She had never been so wealthy before.
She always knew that potion formulas and Beyonder characteristics were valuable and even knew their approximate price range, but she had never paid in full in one go nor truly sold any until now. Now she was experiencing what it felt like to earn money like the Pirate Hunter Gehrman Sparrow.
That evening, just as Lumian returned to his rented apartment planning to change his clothes and muster the courage to see Mr. K, the wall lamp in his room suddenly tinged with eerie green and pale colors.
They blended bizarrely together.
Then, Lumian saw his messenger, the mummified Penitent in a black clergy robe, emerge from the void.
Almost simultaneously, Madame Helaās messenger, a skull made of pure silver, appeared shrouded in darkness.
Shortly after, the silhouette of a doll messenger rapidly took shape.
āā¦ā Lumian was somewhat stunned.
Would the messengers fight each other?
Do! have three letters?
One should be for the Harvest Priest potion, another likely a Sealed Artifact made from the Beyonder characteristics of Hisoka, but what about the third?