(This will be the last chapter I'll be posting. Check AN for more info).
After Tiansu's conversation with Montero, the latter left the office with a list of names who were to be invited into the army.
An invitation wasn't a mandatory summons but one a student could reject if they wished to. This was because in the end, these students were geniuses, and unless necessary or without a choice, the military would not want to create dissatisfaction or leave a lasting negative impression on them.
. . .
While the various nobles, merchants, associations and powers held meetings on the students in the tournament, Asher and the rest had gone to the trade fair section to take a look around.
Asher was hoping to spot something interesting just like he had down so on his first visit to the capital's market. Considering this trade fair was organized by two academies, there was a high chance that Asher would find something to his liking here.
"I'm going to head over to this side to see if I find something I like."
"I'm going over here."
Noah and James, had at some point, separated from the others as they were interested in finding something that would suit them.
This in turn led to just Asher and Melissa being together alone. While Asher didn't think much about it and was perusing the items around, Melissa couldn't help but feel awkward.
"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?" Asher, who noticed Melissa's strange actions, asked as he walked alongside her.
"Hmph. You're the one who's sick." Melissa lashed back before proceeding to move a step ahead of him.
Asher froze in shock, but chuckled and shook his head.
'If there's one thing three million years of experience wouldn't teach you, it's the thought process of women.'
The duo went around the trade fair zone and checked a lot of products and material prices.
Along the way, Asher had even spotted the middle-aged man that had sold him his first batch of purple-streaked Jasper flower. Back then, the man had sold it at an absurd price of three silver coins when the actual product sold for forty-five copper coins at most, but Asher had bought it for two reasons, one of which had nothing to do with the plant but its container. After that experience, Asher had planned on having a new supplier for the plant for his mass production plan, but for some reason didn't go through with the plan and stuck to the man.
When the man learnt that Asher would be buying in bulk, he cut the price down to one silver coin, which albeit was still more expensive, it wasn't as horrifying as before. The special wooden box was also included in each transaction so Asher didn't mind the price. Instead, he had then entered a deal with the man to have him supply them the herbs needed for the True Calming potion. Apart from the purple-streaked Jasper flower the middle-aged man sold at a high price, the rest were somewhat the same as the official market price.
While one might wonder why Asher traded with the man despite his high prices, he had a few reasons of his own. One of which was that the quality of the man's herbs was higher than most. Also, even after the True Calming potion was released and became popular, the man still sold at normal prices to them despite easily guessing that Asher bought those plants to make the potions. Some merchants who are quite familiar with the market might ask for more or influence the market with the knowledge of the ingredients, however, the middle-aged man did no such which garnered the respect of Asher.
This remained the same even as the big families who got purple membership in the White Maple chamber of commerce and had access to the formula. Those families began buying up ingredients in large numbers and so, affected the price in the market artificially. The reason for this was that they were trying to make the potion. Even after figuring out they couldn't make the potion, these families continued this act to affect the Arnhaunts's purchase while they could then sell to them at a 'cheaper price'. For example, let's say they originally bought the herbs at forty copper coins, but after their mass purchase, the market changes the price based on demand and it increases to seventy copper coins. These families would then approach the Arnhaunts directly to sell at fifty-five copper coins or even sixty; an increase of 15-20 copper coins in profit.
In such times, the middle-aged man's price remained constant and unaffected by the market standards. The herbs were already costly and the only reason Asher still entered a deal with him was thanks to their higher quality and the wooden box used for storing them.
After greeting the man and inquiring on the next batch of materials, Asher walked around with Melissa by his side.
"So where next to?" Melissa asked.
They had already gone round the trade fair but Asher ended up not buying anything, and neither did she. Whether it be potions or equipment, Melissa's father, count Miller, had purchased them all for his daughter.
"I don't know." Asher replied.
"Then, let's go sightseeing outside." Melissa suggested with a smile.
"Well, alright." Asher agreed with ease.
In truth, his focus wasn't here but within his body. As he was moving around, Asher was also training his mana and he was at the crux of breaking through to the peak of the third-stage of the Guardian realm. Yes, the peak.
Unlike before, Asher was no longer holding himself back and with the above-heaven-defying constitution, the Chaos-Origin body, progressing was my h faster.
'Almost.' Asher clenched his fist just as he exited the trade fair's grounds.
'Now.'
Boom.
An low explosive sound rang within his body, but only Asher could hear it. This was the sound a mage would hear when they pushed the limits of an existing mana point, just like Asher did right now. A similar but more intense sound was also heard when a mage opened a new mana point within their body.
Feeling the new wave of mana being attracted into his body by the upgraded mana point, Asher couldn't help but release a sigh of comfort. Although he was still considerably far from his peak, the feeling of progressing quickly was something he couldn't help but be pleased with.
'But this isn't enough.' Asher thought as he recalled the strength of the vazīr, Fenrir.
Back then, Asher had almost died at the hands of the man if it weren't for the mysterious hand he had found. That experience had taught Asher something; he was weak, a lot weaker than he had initially thought.
Asher's original plan had been to destabilize the kingdom and the Castellan's rule once he had got to the peak of the seventh-stage or the eighth-stage of the Guardian realm. However, the presence of the mysterious organization which Fenrir belong to made Asher realize that if he tried to go against the Castellans without proper preparations, the other party would interfere when both sides are worn out and kill him.
This meant that to survive, Asher had to make even more airtight preparations and consider that he wouldn't be fighting one enemy, but two.
The best way to ensure that his plans succeeded was to get stronger, and this was why Asher decided to stop slowing down his growth. As for the side effects of a fast progression, he would figure out a way to settle them later on.
'After the tournament would be the sacred land's special classes and then the fourth year. From what I know, the fourth year is an 'intern year' where we are sent all over the kingdom to fulfil missions. I need to get to the fourth-stage before then.' Asher's eyes flashed with determination.