When Arian returned to his workshop, he instinctively knew something was off.
The room looked exactly the same with no traces of disturbance, but the pungent smell of olives filled the room, making him grimace.
First off, he wanted to get rid of the smell ASAP, so he expanded his soul energy and easily dissolved the weaker energy.
With the smell of vanilla wafting through every corner of the space, it oddly wasn't overbearing and just seemed like it was everywhere rather than too much.
Satisfied and more comfortable with his own familiar scent, Arian flicked his wrist towards a tiny crystal ball hovering in the corner of the workshop, and it instantly shot towards him, fitting itself snuggly into his palm.
By infusing his soul energy into the ball, a moving picture was displayed.
"Ha!" Arian's expression contorted with disdain.
Walking towards a small drawer and fishing out a crystal vial, it only took one sniff to devise a plan.
I wonder how this'll turn out.
* * *
A large stadium stood tall as soul apothecaries from across the lower realm shuffled in, buzzing with enthusiasm.
Despite the fact that watching people present their research or creation submissions one by one isn't the most exciting thing to witness, for the hundreds of thousands of apothecaries with a burning passion for soul science, it was a huge thing to look forward to.
While the seats gradually filled with eager spectators, the behind the scenes were filled with both confident and nervous competitors.
Much to many arrogant PIAD members' dismay, Arian was far from nervous. He was neither complacent nor anxious, keeping his head high with a relaxed smile on his face.
His nonchalant attitude as he swayed the vial in his hand, grinded the nerves of his peers with an inferiority-complex.
Publicly, Arian Flurren was just a defective soulless with subpar skills, desperately holding onto his life. Naturally, his fellow soul apothecaries thought the same, so the fact that Arian was so calm, while they were dying of anxiety, enraged them.
"Damn soulless…"
"He really thinks he's better than us?"
"It's getting on my nerves…"
While the members of the PIAD were practically chewing their nails off, the apothecaries coming from elsewhere were utterly confused.
"What's got them so angry?"
"Beats me."
Unfortunately for them, Arian was oblivious to their resentment. He was too lost in his thoughts to pay any mind to their petty whining.
His blue eyes, clear as the sky and bright as the ocean beneath the sun, tracked the surrounding people, observing each detail meticulously.
It seemed that they had no other measures to hinder him. They really are bad at their own game.
The corners of his lips tugged slightly, but he made sure to stay alert. Underestimating the situation could be his downfall.
Of course, this was only a competition, and not some life or death scenario. But Arian wanted to prove himself and shut everyone's mouths for a while.
Even more than that, he wanted to impress Kaidyn with the final improvement he made to the potion.
His chest fluttered at that thought, and he grew giddy.
Let's do well!
* * *
The participants of the concoction category were led to a designated portion of the stands to spectate the research category first.
Arian was eager to see something interesting, hopeful that this year would be different.
The past competitions he had watched were honestly a bit disappointing to him. The concoctions seemed a little subpar and the research were things that he had naturally realized and explored on his own.
He was genuinely confused on how these supposed experts could only come up with such things even after a year of preparation or more.
They would boast about how hard they worked to come up with their innovations and things that Arian viewed as simple were given high praise and recognition by others.
But this time, he had some extra hope.
According to the rumors, the advanced desciple of a revered, senior soul apothecary was going to compete in the research category.
Arian had such high expectations that he brought his far viewing device for the first time.
Many people spectated with magnification lenses or expensive viewing stones. These would allow them to discern the happenings far below through their own eyes or the public input stones.
But Arian disregarded those inefficient methods and brought his own invention. It was only functional through soul energy utilization, meaning he couldn't monetize the device, but it was incredibly useful for countless situations.
As the host of the event began his introduction, Arian threw a couple beads into the air. With a flick of his wrist, they zoomed to the platform and began recording the key details with an intelligence close to sentience.
He could sense multiple prying eyes surrounding him, their burning curiosity practically radiating off of them, but Arian ignored them, hiding his smugness.
Once the presentations officially began, Arian was manipulating the beads with practiced ease, showcasing the content clearly.
One by one, the plethora of competitors droned about their discoveries. While everyone else was jotting notes down enthusiastically, Arian forced himself to swallow a yawn.
So far, it was the same thing as before…
* * *
[Now! With our next contestant! Let us welcome the top disciple of the profound Emrys Tollack, Miriam Lovesworth!]
Arian, who was initially slumping with boredom, perked up at the introduction he had been waiting for.
Settling into his seat, he used the beads to take a look at the young woman's face.
Her clear skin and tightly tied hair gave her a neat appearance. She wore a small smile as she began to speak articulately.
As expected of the top disciple of a renowned apothecary. She's quite confident.
Arian felt his anticipation grow as she presented her findings on a blackboard.
[With my research, I decided to go back to the basics. I thoroughly studied the roles of reactants and stabilizers, categorized them by their respective affinities, and simplified our overcomplicated notions about them.]
With this introduction, Arian had his interest piqued. Going back to the basics was a very smart idea. It could not only improve our current understandings, but could also improve the overall competence of future apothecaries.
After a brief pause, Miriam continued with eloquent descriptions.
[From what I've found, reactants can be divided into categories based on their affinities. Depending on the characteristics of both their origin and their current condition, they will develop affinities with other similar traits. I have organized their affinities into elemental groups, then further separated those groups based on reactive behavior. The groups are as such…
Then, with this organization, I observed that the already extracted reactants could develop different behaviors and traits if given certain treatments…]
As he listened, Arian belatedly realized that her presentation was basically what he already instinctually understood, just written down and expounded upon in words.
Still, he gained many new insights and deeper understandings through her project, and Arian felt that it was more than worthwhile to acknowledge.
Exceptional. She developed such an incredible depth of comprehension. I wish I could meet her… That'd be amazing.
When Miriam finally wrapped it up, the stadium was quiet for a few seconds before it erupted into a standing ovation. Arian was truly impressed and had no qualms with joining the crowd and standing up to applaud.
It was clear she would be the top rank in the research category. There was no room for doubt.
* * *
Soon it was the concoction category's turn.
All of the participants lined up in order near the entrance to the stadium, and Arian turned out to be dead last.
This was going to be a very long wait…
With a bored expression, Arian stared blankly at the entrance as the routine of muffled silence, applause, and then the entrance of the next contestant cycled continuously.
Fortunately, Arian's time spent in lala land passed by quickly and he was now the one entering the stage.
Taking deep breaths and calming his nerves, he stepped out and adopted a determined spirit.
"Hello." He bowed politely, and after getting the go-ahead, his demonstration began.
But Arian had no intention of obediently following the typical routine.
He pulled out two vials and held them up with an innocent smile. "Tell me judges. Which one do you think was tampered with?"
Silence…
When the quiet persisted, Arian's bright smile grew even brighter.
"It seems no one has a clue, so allow me to explain further. One of these two, seemingly identical, vials have been mixed with the acid of the serpentine cavern's basilisk." Arian raised his eyebrows. "Funny isn't it?"
Gasps spread across the stadium at my words projected through the costly sound amplification appliance.
The serpentine cavern's basilisk was a monster known for its acid's record breaking potency. One pure drop was capable of burning a hole through an individual's arm.
"In case you're wondering which is which, I'm happy to help. Let's take this vial," He lifted one up and then nonchalantly popped it open. "And see it's effect."
He deliberately poured the potion at an unbearably slow pace, but once it made contact with his milky white skin, a loud sizzle echoed.
As his arm slowly began to melt, Arian utilized his soul energy to maintain his calm, and immediately opened the second vial while it hovered in the air with his power. Grabbing it out of the air, he poured it onto his dissolving arm with astonishing tranquility.
During this entire process, the whole stadium was dead silent. Some held their breaths while others looked away from the gruesome scene, but all of them didn't make a single peep under the almost tangible tension.
What is he doing?!!!
Kaidyn almost shot up from his seat, his eyes wide as grapefruits, but he belatedly managed to stay in his chair upon seeing Arian's pure confidence.
He decided to trust him.
He wanted to trust him because even if Kaidyn tried to do something, it was an irreversible thing that couldn't be fixed with anything currently known in the lower realm.
In the end, the king could only tighten his grip on the table until it began to splinter and let his back drip with cold sweat. He was utterly powerless, and his heart felt like it was about to explode.
Please be okay… Oh, soul lord, please protect him…
Maybe his prayers had been answered, or maybe Arian was just much more competent than he had previously thought, but the large hole in that precariously thin arm began to heal at a mind-boggling pace.
Arian's subtly distorted face quickly eased and the arm was recovered back to its previously uninjured state. Without a single blemish, it looked as if nothing had ever happened.
If not for the big clock on the clock tower in the distance, it would've been easier to think that time had been reversed.
"My concoction can heal even detached limbs with a large enough amount, alleviate pain entirely, and recover any and all fatigue." Arian held up his arm for everyone to see and grinned from ear to ear.
"Ah, that's right. You all must be wondering whether this had been staged, or who the culprit of the tampering was. And so, let's do a quick investigation right here and now, yeah?"
With a smirk, Arian threw a tiny crystal ball into the air, and it drifted over to the middle of the stadium. In front of the confused crowd, the ball suddenly expanded into a humongous cube, showcasing its surfaces in all directions.
Sounds of awe and surprise could be heard everywhere, but Arian had no intention of addressing their amazement.
"Can everyone see the surfaces clearly? If so, let's watch a short, little clip of my workshop while I was out!"
At his words, the faces of the cube began to display the recording Arian had found last night.
In the recording, a man with a fatty build could be seen sneaking into the workshop and opening multiple drawers, obviously looking for something.
With a quiet exclamation, the man pulled out a familiar vial from a drawer and unhesitatingly opened it. He dripped some greenish liquid in, closed it, and shook it, as if mixing in the substance.
With his mission complete, he put the vial back and left the workshop looking exactly as it was before.
"Now, I assume that all of the soul apothecaries present are smart enough to understand what's happening in this recording, so I will skip the explanation."
With a snap of his fingers, the cube winded back to a specific frame and zoomed in on the hand of the culprit.
"Despite tactfully not showing his face, it can be observed that the culprit was wearing this ring on their finger."
Like a skillful technician, a live display of a particular man in the stands was shown in a PIP format. Then, another PIP showed the ring on his finger.
Then the pictures were brought together to compare the jewelry, evidently identical to one another.
"Oh my. Director Liam Rethnad! What is your response?" Arian asked cheerily.
The fat man sat blankly for a few moments, his mouth wide open in bewilderment. Then, he finally found the words to speak.
"Th, this is my disciple's ring. He gave it to me this morning." With a slightly shaky voice, he gave a fairly valid excuse.
But it wasn't very smart as a second live recording began to display a scrawny young man wearing a look of betrayal.
"This disciple?"
When the director nodded meekly, Arian feigned surprise.
"Incredible! His weightloss journey was amazingly fast! I'll have to ask him about his methods later."
Contrary to his innocent words, the screen deliberately compared the figures of the two suspects and the figure in the recording. The truth was undeniably plain.
"I'll see you in court, director~!"
And with that flabbergasting outro, Arian the soulless left the stage.
• • •