"Fuck… This guy did that intentionally."
Arlo was sick in the head just like his second step-brother, Roy thought.
Just like how a journey of thousand miles starts from a single step, a person becomes an alchemist after learning everything about being a herbalist. The end of the journey for an herbalist was the start of an alchemist. Arlo was gloating to his nephew about his achievements.
Roy eyed all of him.
"What-"
"Uncle, I don't mean to be rude, but from head to toe, you don't look intelligent."
"Never judge a book by its cover."
Arlo smacked his shoulder while laughing.
… but that was too much for Roy to bear.
He wasn't a bear, so how could he bear a bear's smacks? His entire body was rocking like a boat hit by a high wave, and the bed was creaking.
"Are you trying to cripple me?"
Arlo stopped.
'This guy had already given me an inch. Maybe he won't mind giving me a mile. Right?' Roy thought.
He smiled.
Arlo saw it and felt something bad was going to happen to him.
"I got a message from your father. He told me to give this to you. Just sign it and end your relationship with that lass. You're not worthy of her." Arlo sounded so rude that Amelia glared at him. Roy's expression also darkened. But what he said next erased the tension in the air. "You're worthy of a True Princess." Arlo was good at pissing people off unintentionally. Roy had to give that to him. "Don't waste your time and feelings on a whore. She's to marry the Son of Achlys in three months. She just broke up with you but had already jumped ship. I wouldn't be surprised to find evidence of a thousand logs stuck between her legs."
"Be respectful. There is a lady here."
"That's why I didn't go overboard."
"I don't mind."
Amelia took the betrothed certificate and handed it over to Roy.
Rose Charlotte had called off the wedding, so what? Things between nobles weren't so easy. They had eaten the Count's money and formerly established this contract. One party was disagreeing, but the other hadn't said a word. Unless Roy also disagreed with this marriage, it wouldn't be called off officially, making it hard for Rose to get together with her lover.
"Why didn't that man come himself? Is he too busy?"
"Nah, he just hates you."
Amelia coughed. Roy rubbed his temples, controlling his tongue from lashing out. Alright, it was certain. Arlo had a penchant for pissing people off.
He opened up the scroll in his hand and looked at it deeply.
Then, a hideous smile propped up on his face.
It was a smile only a true villain could produce.
Seeing him smiling so evilly, Amelia found him cute, but Arlo felt a chill creep up his spine.
"What are you planning?" Arlo asked, his expression a mixture of tension and interest.
Roy raised his head and looked at him. He had one crazy look on his face. "She wants to get rid of me, but how can I let go of her so easily? I love her so so much that I can't live without her. But it's because my love for her is infinite… I am unwilling to keep her caged by my side. I'm not worthy of her. She is for the stars. That's why I will set her free but for a little price."
"And what might that be?"
"I've already written them here."
Roy tore the paper on which he had jotted down the recipe of the Parasite Killed in half and gave it to Arlo.
Arlo looked at it, and his eyes widened to the Size of Saucers.
The Shell of an Iron Turtle Man
The Flower of Genesis
The Blue & Yellow Panacea
Water from the Lake of Fire
Crazy… fucking crazy!
Arlo looked up at his nephew in shock and asked, "Why don't you just go and loot their warehouse?"
All the ingredients weren't unique, but they were rare. It was hard to come by them in the Far West. Yet, just to break off an engagement, Roy was demanding all of them. If it were one or two, it wouldn't be hard for the Charlotte family to give in to his demands. No one wanted their reputation to go down the drain. And it would be hard for their daughter to marry her lover without becoming the butt of a joke if she was still engaged to a loser. So they would've given away two. But Roy was asking for five!
He wasn't taking a plant but aiming for the entire fucking garden.
"Believe me. They'll give all that to me. Just tell them if they don't, we won't be officially breaking off this marriage."
"Why are you… so certain?
"They can slap our face with an annulment message and go back on their words with us. But can they do the same to the Achlys? No, they can't. The Achlys is a legacy family of mages just like them, but they have the Northern Duke backing them. Uncle, what do you think would happen if the daughter they were marrying off to the son of the Main Family Tree was still officially engaged to a loser?"
Arlo pondered over Roy's words.
Car A was leased by Party A. But Car A wanted her driver to be Party B. Party B was also very willing to Drive her. However, Party A was the one that leased it. He had rights over Car A.
Roy was Part A. Rose was Car A. And the Son of Achlys was Party B.
If they got married without Roy breaking off the engagement with Rose, there would be a huge trouble in the future.
"Oh… I see!"
"We aren't desperate to cancel this engagement. They are. Isn't it our duty as Baldwins to take advantage of the bastards that have backstabbed us?"
"What do you need for, though?"
"I'll tell you…." Roy came closer to his ears and whispered, "… After you get them to me."
"This brat…" Arlo was speechless.
"I have a favor to ask. If you do it for me, I will take it as you've always been a responsible Uncle to me." Roy said, crooked plans forming in his mind.
A thoughtful silence took place. After which, Arlo said, "I will decide after hearing you out."
"Muddy the recent rumors about me or stop them from reaching Rose's ears. Can you do that?"
"Something so little… just a word from me will be enough. Why, though?"
"If she knows I've changed for the better and advanced to the Sixth stage of Body tempering, she might jump ship again and force herself on my lap. I definitely don't want that to happen."
"But don't you love her?"
"I was being sarcastic!"
"Wait, what did you just say?"
"Muddy the recent-"
"No, not that."
"I've changed for the better and advanced to the Sixth stage of Body tempering?"
"You are at the 6th stage? When did you reach it?!"
Roy had reached the 5th stage of Body tempering at the training ground. But now he was at the 6th stage. How did he level up again in such a short time?
"After I returned, I advanced by a level. You know how the world is awake. Maybe it's blessing me for my efforts." Roy farted out of his mouth.
Bullshit! The world was alive, and it loved to bless the hard workers and the capable. But when in God's name did walking to and fro from the count manor to the training ground become an impressive feat?! Arlo's word view was shattering!
Arlo wasn't done overreacting, but Roy continued, "Secondly-"
"There is more?"
"Yeah, I want you to promise that you'll fulfill three wishes of mine?"
"Do I look like a genie to you? No way."
"How about two?"
"Only one. Take it or leave it."
This was what Roy had been aiming from the very start.
Roy shook his hand forcefully. "It's a deal then."