"You are right, we indeed need money, especially if we want to oppose the entire Fiore empire, or any other empire for that matter. So, how do you plan to get that money?" Candace inquired.
"There are many ways to earn money; we are a noble family after all. However, it obviously won't be enough if our goal is to stand against an empire. I've thought of ways to earn money, and the first involves utilizing my smoke ability."
"Your smoke ability, can you explain?" Victoria asked, perplexed.
"Instead of explaining, I'll show you what I meant," said Alex before taking out his pipe and taking a puff.
He exhaled a light brown smoke and explained, "This smoke has an attribute that allows it to erode wood. If it comes into contact with wood, it will erode it. However, since it's just smoke, it will take a lot of time to erode even a small piece of wood."
To demonstrate, Alex directed the brown smoke to touch the wooden platform on which he stood.
As everyone watched, the wood of the platform started to erode, but it was at such a slow pace that even after a few minutes, not even a small part of the platform had disappeared.
"As you can see, its eroding power is really low, but if I do this..." Alex increased the eroding attribute of the smoke, turning it into a dark brown.
Under everyone's astonished gaze, the brown smoke that struggled to erode the wood until now began to erode it at an incredible speed.
"Huh?"
"How is something like that..."
The only time Alex used this characteristic of his smoke ability was when he fought En. At that time, there was smoke all around the arena, so no one could see what Alex did, which is why they were surprised to witness such a thing.
Alex cleared his throat to get the attention of people on him and continued:
"I can increase the attribute of any kind of smoke to a point that the smoke might even be more potent than the thing vaporized or burned. With an ability like that, I can do many things, like enhancing the potency of a potion."
"This..." Candace and everyone didn't know what to say because if what Alex was saying was true, then it might indeed be something they can use to make money.
"Your idea is indeed good. For example, if you can enhance the potency of a healing potion to make it do something it can't, then it's indeed a great way to gain money quickly," admitted Candace after her shock subsided.
"However, your idea is only good on paper. In reality, it will be impossible to make money with something like that," added Candace.
"Why are you saying that?" asked Alex.
"How will you prevent the smoke from dissipating? Even if you manage to bottle up smoke, it will still dissipate over time. No one is going to buy a potion that would disappear in a few hours or days, no matter how potent it is.
"Even if you manage to resolve the problem mentioned earlier, you should consider the fact that once the current main branch learns that we are selling such things with high lucrative revenue, they will try to force us to give them the method of production, while the royal family will surely impose absurd taxes on us to prevent our branch from rising again.
"There is also the main issue – you are the only one able to enhance the attributes of potions. If something were to happen to you and we can't communicate with you, the business will be closed."
Alex pondered on what Candace said for a moment before replying to her :
"Your concerns are valid, but I still think that it's possible. Firstly, about whether or not I can bottle up smoke, you don't have to worry about that. I will find a method to bottle up smoke and make it last as long as the container isn't opened.
"As for me being the only one supplying the potions or whatever we decide to sell, you don't need to worry. I can probably make a large supply each time; enhancing the attribute of smoke doesn't consume a lot of mana. Regarding the issue with the royal family or the main branch pressuring us the moment they know that our branch is selling smoke potions better than liquid potions, it's simple – we don't sell the potions as the Eswald family," said Alex.
"And we will sell the potion as who?"
"Arcane Nexus Society."
"What is that?"
"Arcane Nexus Society is the secret organization we are going to create."
The moment Alex said this, everyone facepalmed.
"Wait, wait, wait, don't discard my idea before fully hearing it," hurriedly said Alex.
"So, you want us to create a secret organization, did I hear right?" asked Ava with the same dumbfounded expression as everyone else.
"Yes, but think about it, it's the perfect solution for our predicament. With that secret organization, we are going to sell our potion, but not only that, we can establish ties with some of the powers of the continent. Those powers might even help us the moment we wage war against the Fiore empire," explained Alex.
"His idea is not so bad. With a secret organization, we can indeed sell our goods without the empire or the main branch pressuring us," supported Candace.
"So, the organization will only be selling smoke potions?" Amelia inquired.
"No, we will also sell technological devices that have never been seen. It's those devices that would actually make the big power move. After all, which big organization would allow itself to be left behind in terms of technology?"
"And how do we acquire those technologies?" asked Talia.
"Of course, we will create them, or rather, she will create them," said Alex as he pointed to Scarlett.
"You all are not without knowing that my daughter here has a big brain. I'm certain that even now, she possesses technology that has never been seen on this continent. So she will be the one to create those technologies. She can even-"
"Hey, old man, why are you bringing my name into all of this? I never gave my-"
"If you accept, I will give you blueprints of things you have never seen and will also continue to update you about you know what," said Alex.
"From what I know, you are not an engineer, right? Where would you acquire the blueprints of new technologies?" asked Scarlett, clearly not believing her father.
"Do you want them or not?"
"Okay, deal. I will take your offer, but you better not scam me by giving me lame blueprints," said Scarlett.
"You don't need to worry about that," replied Alex.
'Of course, they are going to be good. I will be giving you the blueprints of Earth technologies.'