CHAPTER 209: 103 BLOODLINE WITCHCRAFT INHERITANCE (PLEASE COLLECT)

Carl had too many secrets. He lived alone, receiving regular supplies of daily necessities, and had even cultivated a piece of land on the island, planting various crops to satisfy his palate.

After the winter snow, a type of colorful mushroom abounded.

This mushroom was thick-fleshed and delicious. If prepared well, it was an exquisite delicacy.

Prepared poorly, it was poisonous!

Barefoot and wearing a white sleeping robe, Carl carried a bamboo basket, occasionally bending over to pick the colorful mushrooms.

「In the early morning hours.」

The cold wind was biting. He seemed unaffected by it as he picked a colorful mushroom, dusted it off, and placed it in his basket.

"TSK TSK..."

A light, teasing sound came from nearby. "Is this what you eat?"

The voice was sultry, carrying the allure of a mature woman.

Carl looked up at the sound. Indeed. It was a mature woman, not just in age, but also with a figure that her robe could not entirely conceal.

"Occasionally." Carl nodded towards her. "Are you a friend of Hibell’s?"

"Alesya Linton. I was a guest who arrived yesterday. I drank a bit too much, so I borrowed a room for the night," the woman said with a smile. "You can call me Alesya."

"I heard you saved Hibell. Knowing her personality, she shouldn’t be so cold to her own lifesaver."

"Cold?" Carl shook his head. "Hibell treats me very well."

Really? Alesya raised an eyebrow. If their relationship was so good, why wasn’t Carl mentioned at yesterday’s banquet, nor invited? They were disciples of the same tutor and lived nearby, yet they seemed like neighbors who never interacted.

"The colorful mushrooms aren’t bad either." Alesya’s eyes darted about, and she smiled. "Besides being edible, these mushrooms are also a Magic Material. They can be used to concoct certain hallucinogenic Potions."

"I see you’ve planted a lot, and the yield isn’t small. How about you let me handle them? I’ll give you a satisfactory price."

"No, thank you." Carl stood up. "I quite like their taste." He paused, then murmured, "HMM... Are you a merchant?"

"Yes." Alesya placed a hand on her chest, leaned forward slightly, and performed a somewhat peculiar curtsy. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am a Wizard Merchant from the Kingdom of Slo. It’s a pleasure to meet you, honored Alchemist Carl!"

「The Kingdom of Slo.」

It bordered the Sake Kingdom, and its people were devoted to the Earth Mother Goddess. The two kingdoms were constantly in dispute. The authority of the Master of Dawn partially overlapped with that of the Earth Mother Goddess, leading to mutual hostility even among the common folk.

Of course, Wizards had no faith and thus did not share these conflicts.

"Slo?" Carl looked surprised. "You actually came all the way to the Black Swamp?"

The two kingdoms were separated by Sake; a carriage journey would take almost a year to get here.

"TEE HEE..." Alesya giggled softly. "It seems Hibell was right. You’re too immersed in the knowledge of witchcraft and lack understanding of the outside world."

"Which Wizard wouldn’t be interested in the Grey Robed Wizards trying to establish a Star Gate to the true Wizard World?"

"Apart from the Kolong people, Wizards and Wizard Apprentices from other regions have been rushing to the Black Swamp ever since they heard the news."

So that was it.

Carl suddenly understood. He had indeed oversimplified things. No wonder Heidi had been so excited lately; the more people who came, the more valuable the land she held became.

"I operate a small shop in the Swamp Coalition’s encampment, selling various materials and Demonized Items."

Alesya tossed him a wooden token. "If you need anything, feel free to come to me."

"If you have any Demonized Items you’d like to sell, you can also bring them to me. I’m sure you’ll be satisfied with the price."

Carl took the wooden token. Two lines of small print on it read: *Alesya’s Secret Shop, seventh Paulownia tree, turn left, second establishment.*

No wonder she was so enthusiastic; she had her eye on his ability to craft Demonized Items.

"A Black Wizard from Slo specializes in auctions, and I have a spot to attend." Alesya smiled. "Occasionally, Advanced Magic Items appear at these auctions, attracting many participants."

Where there were people, there was purchasing power. As someone qualified to attend the auctions, Alesya could make a significant profit. She was also willing to purchase various Demonized Items, and Carl was precisely her target client.

"Advanced Magic Items?" Carl was indeed more interested in these. "Things that only Official Wizards possess?"

"Not necessarily." Alesya smiled. "Besides Official Wizards, some Wizard Apprentices have them too. Just like you, Mr. Karl—you have one."

Carl indeed had one: ’Jina, the Lady in the Painting,’ left by Adolf. However, ’Jina’ acted more like a librarian and possessed no other special features. To be honest, in his opinion, ’Jina’ hardly seemed worthy of the title ’Advanced Magic Item.’

"Mr. Karl," Alesya’s eyes twinkled. "Have you ever considered selling that Advanced Magic Item of yours? I can offer two hundred Magic Stones for it."

Two hundred Magic Stones? Even for an Advanced Magic Item, that wasn’t cheap; her offer was quite sincere.

"No." Carl shook his head. "I don’t have any plans to sell it at the moment."

"That’s a pity." Alesya sighed, not pressing further. "I hope we’ll have a chance to cooperate in the future."

"Of course," Carl replied. "If there are Advanced Magic Items at the auction, please let me know. I’d like to see what they’re like."

"No problem." Alesya smiled. "You’re an alchemist, after all. You might even be able to craft Advanced Magic Items yourself one day."

"Alesya!" Hibell’s lazy voice interrupted. "You’re not trying to steal my business, are you?"