CHAPTER 61: CH 61: INTERUDER- PART 1

The car ride back home was filled with a comfortable silence—at least for Rick.

Fenrir sat back against the plush leather seat, eyes turned to the window, watching the blurred scenery flash past, his mind still caught in the events of the day.

The tension hadn’t fully left his body, though it was masked well behind his composed expression.

"Does my brother have any message for me?"

Fenrir finally asked, breaking the quiet.

Rick didn’t even glance at him.

"He’s too busy to say anything to you right now."

Fenrir snorted softly, unsurprised.

"But, he did instruct me to inform you that the company will be filing a formal complaint against the school. You’ll be transferring out sometime next week. Expect the paperwork to come in soon."

Rick continued.

Fenrir gave a slow nod, then muttered.

"Thanks for the heads-up, I guess. But honestly, I’d prefer not to deal with school at all."

Rick finally looked at him with a raised brow.

"Maybe. But having a degree does wonders for your credibility. More importantly, it keeps your identity as Mr. ’X’ hidden in plain sight. A student attending school regularly is the last person anyone would suspect of being the mysterious alchemist revolutionizing the market."

"I’m not a fan of playing pretend."

Fenrir replied dryly.

"Nevertheless, it’s in your best interest."

Rick adjusted his cufflinks before continuing.

"Also, there will be an announcement released soon stating that you’ve officially joined the company as a research consultant. You’ll need to confirm it through your verified account. It’s been dormant long enough."

"Give me a heads-up when that happens. I hate scrambling to keep up with your PR department."

Fenrir said, rubbing his temple.

"I always do."

By the time they reached the gates of Fenrir’s home, night had fallen.

The security system registered Rick’s vehicle immediately and opened the gate without delay.

The sleek black car pulled up to the front steps and slowed to a stop.

Fenrir opened the door, but before stepping out, Rick’s voice stopped him.

"One last thing."

Fenrir turned, half out of the vehicle.

"What?"

"Louis Gram has disappeared."

That caught Fenrir’s full attention.

"Disappeared?"

"Vanished three days ago. We’ve launched an internal investigation, but there’s nothing yet. And since you’re the reason he was fired in the first place... you should be careful."

Rick said simply.

Fenrir frowned, trying to picture Louis.

All he could summon was a vague memory of someone who used to stand quietly behind his brother in meetings, always expressionless, always silent. Hardly worth remembering.

"Doubt he could be a threat. He’s too forgettable."

Fenrir said.

"Danger comes in many forms. Especially from the ones no one notices."

Fenrir didn’t reply. He just shut the car door and gave Rick a halfhearted wave.

The car pulled away quietly, disappearing into the night as Fenrir turned to his home.

The house was quiet. Too quiet.

Fenrir’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped forward. The air in his home felt... different.

There was a shift in the mana around him, a trace of movement he hadn’t authorized. His instincts flared.

He pulled out his gun slowly, the weight of it familiar in his hand as he stepped across the threshold and shut the door silently behind him.

There. A whisper of motion near the kitchen.

He raised the gun as he turned the corner, ready to shoot—and stopped cold.

Reine stood in front of his open pantry, munching on a half-eaten bag of his favorite crisps, a piece of chocolate already melted in her other hand.

She blinked at him, utterly unfazed by the weapon pointed at her.

"Oh...You’re home. Took you long enough. You really need better security, by the way. Didn’t I tell you this before as well?"

She said cheerfully, cheeks full.

Fenrir didn’t lower his gun immediately.

Fenrir felt a stab of irritation crawl up his spine as he stepped into his home and saw Reine lounging on his couch, a bag of chips in one hand and a cold drink in the other, both unmistakably from his pantry.

She didn’t even flinch at the gun in his hand, instead offering him a grin, cheeks puffed with food.

"What are you doing here?"

Fenrir asked flatly, lowering his weapon but not holstering it yet.

Reine chewed a bit longer before answering.

"You told me to bring back the ingredients. I did let myself in."

She gestured vaguely behind her, and only now did Fenrir notice the large pack placed neatly beside the wall.

Fenrir exhaled sharply, not quite a sigh, but close.

"I never said you could help yourself to my food."

"I was hungry. Do you not feed your employees?"

Reine shot him a smirk and went right back to munching.

Unamused, Fenrir stepped over to the pack and began inspecting its contents.

His brows furrowed slightly as he sifted through the neatly packed bundles and vials.

Most of the ingredients looked fresh—well-handled, clean, sorted, and labeled properly. Even the more delicate specimens had been preserved with care.

Despite how clumsy Reine acted, she was good at this.

"Where’d you learn to handle ingredients like this?"

He asked, glancing at her sideways.

Reine shrugged.

"I took some jobs as a harvester before. I’m not just a pretty face, you know."

Fenrir ignored that last part and turned back to the bag.

"You want more work?"

Reine’s chewing slowed.

"More dungeon runs?"

"I’ll pay you in potions. Recovery, strength, stamina. Whatever you need."

He said, already doing calculations in his head.

Reine dropped her now-empty bag of chips onto the table.

"Can I at least get my reward for this one first before I go risking my life again?"

"You’re getting it now."

Fenrir said.

He reached into his storage pouch and pulled out five potions, placing them on the table in front of her with precise clinks.

"Two Recovery Potions, two Strength Potions, and one Stamina Potion."

He said, counting them off with a finger.

Reine leaned forward and picked up one of the Recovery Potions, inspecting the vibrant red liquid inside the glass vial.

"This is the famous one, huh? The one people are going crazy over."

Fenrir said nothing, but his expression was answer enough.

Reine pocketed the potions, looking pleased.

"Not bad. Still, a few more wouldn’t hurt."

"I need time and materials to brew more. Which I now have, thanks to your haul. I’ll get to work on it later tonight."

Fenrir replied.

"Then I guess you don’t need me hanging around anymore. I’ll head out. Got a few places I want to check out anyway. Call me if you feel bored or need any help."

Reine said, stretching lazily.

"I won’t."

"Liar. Later, Mr. Potion GeniuS."

She winked and headed toward the door.

Fenrir watched her go, only relaxing once the door shut behind her. He stood there for a few seconds, arms crossed, letting the silence settle in.

Reine was... manageable. Surprisingly so.

He had expected her to be more of a headache, but she hadn’t pushed him beyond his patience—yet.

Her easygoing attitude made her tolerable, and her skills with ingredient collection were undeniable.

With her out of the house, he finally had time to work.

Fenrir turned back to the pack and began sorting the ingredients properly into his storage.

His mind was already running over potion formulas, measurements, the refinement steps.

Now that he had both time and the right materials, he could begin restocking his personal supply and preparing for whatever came next.

And something was definitely coming.

That gut feeling hadn’t left him since the moment he locked eyes with Betty Rose again.

For now, though, he would focus on what he could control and that was not make more potions.