For the next few days all thoughts and conversations led to Bella's breakthrough, her shockingly fast progress stunned teachers and students alike.

Aegon was leaning against the fence surrounding his garden, looking up at the moon which seemed particularly bright that night.

[I wonder what method she used.] It was a recurring thought ever since he heard Richard’s words.

The light breeze made that night distinctly chilly, yet that didn't seem to bother Aegon too much.

Lowering his gaze, he looked at the silent, lightless houses and the mountain path that snaked its way past them. Aegon noticed that most of his neighbors' gardens were either empty or sparsely populated with only the most basic of herbs.

He couldn't help but let out a snort.

Having been thoroughly taught by Miss Gertrude during the past couple of months, he naturally understood how important the quality of the seeds, as well as the care given to them, was so as to guarantee a harvest of higher quality. He couldn't help but feel contempt towards those that chose to plant such crude seeds for the sake of saving a few pennies and disgust towards those that made the whole thing worse by being negligent in their care.

Noticing the garden of one of his neighbors in its sorry state he shuddered at the thought of Miss Gertrude blabbering about how…“those might as well be given away for free or even with some compensation for the damages they would incur.”

He knew it was an exaggeration on her part, all plants had potential, even if only as an appetizer, but his teacher was already taking into account the lack of care those plants would receive which almost guaranteed they wouldn't amount to much more than that.

[But… if they were in a more experienced herbalist’s hands, that might be a different story.]

As soon as that idea fully formed Aegon’s face flashed a wondrous smile, a greedy smile.

[If I can convince my fellow students to give me a percentage of their gardens’ harvest in return for my expertise in treating those plants, I could soon have an abundance of spiritual plants…which means an abundance of money!]

Looking once more at the snaking road with his neighbors rooms’ dotted around, he searched for his prey.

Further up the road, light came out the window of a room, Aegon had a general idea of who that was, they had entered the Martial House at the same time after all. Elliot Russel, a name he only vaguely recalled after knocking on the poor guy's door to ask for some spare dung a few days prior, an inconspicuous fellow that had lost his first fight, won his second and lost his third in the entrance exam, just like him. In other words, the average type.

He struggled to remember any details about him, because he simply did not pay any attention to others' fights at the time, the excuse had been his theory that Mentor 1 already knew the outcome of the fights, yet thinking back with a bit of self reflection…

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[I might have been ever so slightly arrogant...]

He could only curse himself for not paying attention, even the tiniest details would help with what he planned to do, but now that his mind was set he couldn't let it go, he had to give it a try, and so, armed with nothing but unfounded confidence on his business idea, he marched towards Elliot’s room.

Knock

Knock

The door in front of Aegon opened to reveal a short young man, shorter than him by a good margin.

Gazing at the mostly average looking young man, he put on his best salesman smile and started his pitch…

“Hey Elliot, do you remember me?”

The poor young man looked at Aegon as though he saw an idiot.

[Of course I remember you, how could I forget the Dung Beggar himself.] Elliot showed a brief smug smile.

“Of course I do Aegon, what brings you here? In need of more shit?”

“Nah, actually this time I have a proposition to make.”

“Oh…” With a step sideways, Elliot indicated for Aegon to enter and they soon found themselves sitting across from one another.

As he served tea to both of them Elliot moved away from the idle chat which had been going on for the past few minutes and got straight to the point.

“So… that proposition of yours, tell me about it.”

“Ah yes.”

Straightening his posture, Aegon began.

“Well I bet you’ve noticed I’m interested in the way of the herbalist…”

[That’s a funny way to say you’re a lunatic from the countryside who likes plants…]

“... and I couldn't help but notice that your garden is mostly empty and the little plants you have planted… well, I'm sorry to say but they won't amount to much…”

Elliot’s face showed how annoyed he was by such words.

“... and you, being an intelligent guy, surely understand that plants, especially spiritual plants, need to meet certain conditions and have specific care given to them in order to achieve their full potential.”

At that point, the young man sitting across from Aegon seemed to understand the route the conversation was taking and cut it short.

“Ok, I think I get it, you are basically offering yourself to take care of my plants, right?”

Aegon simply nodded with a sincere smile.

Crossing his hands in front of his chest and leaning back on his chair, Elliot continued.

“But I gather you want something in return, what is it? Money? Contribution points?”

Shaking his head, Aegon answered calmly.

“Nope, I understand that you would probably be unwilling to pay me in contribution points because they are also important to you. As for money, well, although I do need it, it’s not that important right now, so no, what I really want is a percentage of the harvest.”

Before Elliot could ask, Aegon added.

“10%.”

“Of course I only take a cut if everything goes well and the harvest is actually good enough to merit my cut.”

With a confident smile he finished.

“What do you think?”

Looking at the youth sitting across from him, at those frankly enchanting blue eyes, Elliot felt that he could trust Aegon.

[Plus, he said he would only take his cut if the harvest was good…]

Looking down the road through his window, he saw Room 831 and the healthy green sprouts, illuminated by the light spilling out the window, that packed its backyard. He steeled his confidence and stretched his hand towards the infamous Dung Beggar.

With a radiant smile, Aegon shook Elliot’s hand.

“I will not disappoint you!”