Mr. F. slowly made his way up the mountain, anticipation bubbling within him. He was eager to see if his experiment had succeeded. As he ascended the steep path, he could feel the faint pulses of magical energy emanating from the vineyard's grapevines on either side. The air around him seemed thicker with magic, a telltale sign that something had indeed changed.

He stopped by the first vine on his right, one that radiated a distinct magical presence. After examining it closely, he realized it had become a magical plant—specifically, a rank 1 magical vine. A sense of accomplishment washed over him as he continued climbing the path, eager to assess the full extent of his success.

Halfway up the mountain, Mr. F paused and took in the surrounding view. To ensure he didn't miss anything, he extended his magical senses from the mountain's peak down to its base. The scan took no more than 10 minutes, and when he was done, he had a clear picture of how many vines had been successfully transformed into magical plants.

There were around 5,000 rank 1 vines, 1,200 rank 2 vines, and 300 rank 3 vines scattered across the mountainside. Roughly 65% of the souls he had released had successfully merged with the plants, a higher success rate than he had anticipated. This filled him with satisfaction. Though he could have done the process manually, the time saved by using a large-scale method had been well worth it.

As he considered what he had learned about nurturing magical plants, Mr. F. knew that grapes still required sunlight to develop flavor, but to unlock their magical potential, they also needed to absorb ambient magical particles from the air. Herein lay his first problem.

The magical particles in the air were already thinning. The newly awakened vines had begun draining the surrounding magical energy almost immediately. If this continued, not only would the vines starve, but it would also become increasingly difficult for Mr. F. to regenerate his own magical power.

"I'll need a master of arrays to craft a large-scale mana-gathering array for the mountain," he thought, knowing it was crucial to resolving the issue quickly.

As he approached the mountain's peak, he reached the large, flat plateau. The area, spanning roughly 100 by 200 meters, was perfect for what he had in mind. He took out the rank 7 sapling he had carefully nurtured and planted it in the soil. The protective enchantment around the sapling dissipated, and its roots began to slowly burrow into the earth. For now, it was safe, but Mr. F. knew additional precautions were necessary.

Channeling a large portion of his remaining magic, he erected a protective barrier over the vineyard. The barrier was designed to block any magical energy from being detected from the outside, making it appear as though the vineyard was perfectly ordinary. Anyone looking from a distance would only see regular vines, and the small sapling would look like a mere weed.

The barrier cost him 50% of his magical reserves and would last only two days. It bought him time, but he knew he needed a more permanent solution soon. He decided that, the next day, he would venture into the city to find an array master and inquire about the cost of setting up a mana-gathering array.

Mr. F. descended the mountain and made his way back to the house. To his surprise, the once-empty home had begun to take shape. On one side of the room, three mattresses had been laid out with blankets, and on the other side, a large pot sat over a fire that Betty was tending with her magic.

Albert was busily tossing ingredients into the pot—carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, and even some chicken. Betty saw Mr. F. and waved him over, a warm smile on her face. She knew that Mr. F. didn't need food to survive, but even a powerful mage could take joy in a hearty meal from time to time.

Mr. F. sat down beside the fire, his face calm and reflective. He took the ladle hanging near the pot and dipped it into the bubbling soup. He tasted a few drops, remaining silent as he savored it. The taste was simple—neither extraordinary nor unpleasant. He had eaten far more extravagant dishes in his lifetime, yet this humble meal brought an inexplicable warmth to his chest.

A small smile crossed his face, and he handed the ladle back to Betty, who happily filled a bowl and handed it to him. The three of them ate together in silence. Betty and Albert whispered among themselves about how dependable their master was, how they could always rely on him in the most dire circumstances.

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After finishing their meal, they retired to bed, their stomachs full and their hearts light. Mr. F. lay down between his students, staring up at the ceiling.

"I've grown soft," he murmured to himself, shaking his head with a wry grin. "Damn that elixir."

With that, he turned on his side and drifted off into a deep sleep.

…

The next morning, Mr. F. set his students a task. "In the coming days, I want you both to resume practicing your alchemy."

With a wave of his hand, 100 sets of catalyst materials appeared before Betty, along with 100 beast crystals that Albert had ground down previously.

"I don't need to explain what to do with these," he said.

Betty and Albert nodded in understanding.

"I'm going into the city. When I return, I'll check on your progress," he said before flying off into the sky, disappearing toward the city.

…

Meanwhile, Gustav had just woken up and was still in his morning robe. He was about to relieve himself when he suddenly sensed a surge of magical power. Alarmed, he reached for the sword in his spatial pouch and prepared for a fight.

Mr. F. appeared before him, completely unfazed by the situation. Gustav's robe had swung open in his rush, leaving him exposed.

"Ahem, ahem," Mr. F. coughed, averting his gaze. "I'll wait in the next room."

Without another word, he disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. Gustav, still in combat mode, quickly tied his robe and made himself presentable. Once ready, he joined Mr. F. in the next room. Neither man spoke of the incident, but a silent agreement was made to never mention it again.

"I've settled on a vineyard outside the city," Mr. F. began, breaking the silence.

Gustav gave him a steady look. "I hope you didn't come here so early just to tell me that."

"Not exactly," Mr. F. admitted. "I've run into a problem with the vineyard. The magical particle density is too low for the vines to thrive. I need a mana-gathering array, something large enough to cover the entire mountain. I was hoping you could recommend someone."

Gustav leaned back in his chair, thinking. "I do know someone. He's a rank 6 array master, and his work is near the level of a rank 7 mage. But…"

"But?" Mr. F. pressed.

"He's eccentric. Known for being a bit... extravagant with his tastes. He often shows up drunk to his assignments, and it's caused problems with clients in the past. He's also infamous for demanding magically-infused alcoholic drinks as part of his payment. Some say he'll even accept alcohol as full payment, though the price is exorbitant."

Mr. F. raised an eyebrow but already had an idea of how to handle this.

"Can you give me his contact information?" he asked.

Gustav hesitated but eventually gave him the man's address. "We also have a few capable rank 4 and one rank 5 array master in the family. If this doesn't work out, you can always come back to me," Gustav added. "But maybe knock next time."

Mr. F. smirked. "I'll try, but our meetings are meant to stay secret, after all."

With that, he leaped out the window, leaving Gustav shaking his head.

"Secret meetings my ass," Gustav muttered, watching him fly off. "We'll see how long that lasts."

…

Mr. F. arrived at the array master's address and was initially unimpressed. The place was rundown, with dried leaves scattered around and a half-fallen sign hanging over the entrance. He checked the address three times to make sure he had the right place.

Despite the dilapidated appearance, Mr. F. walked in. As soon as he stepped through the door, the world transformed around him. The shabby exterior gave way to a luxurious interior filled with gleaming gold decorations and symbols of power.

A young woman sat at the counter, smiling flirtatiously. "Good evening, esteemed guest. How may I assist you?" she asked, leaning forward to show off her cleavage.

Mr. F. remained unfazed. He was all too familiar with this trick.

"You're quite perceptive, sir," she purred. "We're currently inside one of the master's arrays. He likes to keep things… hidden from prying eyes."

Mr. F. ignored her charms and began walking around the room, tapping the floor and shelves with his foot. The golden shelves rang with a metallic sound, further confirming his suspicions.

"I have a question," Mr. F. said abruptly.

"How may I help you, sir?" she asked sweetly, still trying to seduce him.

"How about you drop the act and come out?" Mr. F. said, his voice stern.

She froze for a moment. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," she replied, her voice wavering.

"I've got places to be," Mr. F. said, turning to leave. "If you don't want the magical wine I brought, then I'll just go."

Suddenly, the woman's voice shifted to that of a man. "Wait!" she called.

The room shimmered, and the illusion fell away. The golden shelves transformed into simple metal ones, and the grand decorations faded into plain, functional furniture.

The young woman turned into a middle-aged man in his fifties, grinning sheepishly. "Alright, you got me. How did you figure it out?" he asked.

"You overdid it," Mr. F. replied. "An array within an array is nothing new, but the seduction act was too much, and those gold shelves were ridiculous. Might as well have covered them in diamonds."

The man chuckled nervously, realizing he had been caught. "Well, you've got my attention, old man. What can I do for you?"

"I need a rank 6 magic-gathering array, about 10 square kilometers in size, placed on a mountain outside the city," Mr. F. said, getting straight to the point.

The array master's demeanor shifted to seriousness as he listened to the request.

"Take a seat," he said, gesturing to a chair. "Let's discuss the details over a glass of wine."