Mr. F and Bjorn had made their way up the mountain and were surveying the terrain for the mana-gathering array. Initially, Bjorn noticed nothing out of the ordinary. But soon, he felt a surge of magic emanating from the nearby plants.

Curious, he approached a nearby vine and examined it closely. His suspicions were quickly confirmed—it was a magical plant! He could feel the mana coursing through it, pulsing with life. As he moved further, he detected another plant exuding a similar magical energy. Then another. It became clear that many of the plants around him were radiating a high level of magic.

This could mean only two things. Either Mr. F had pumped these plants full of mana, or—more astonishingly—he had already successfully cultivated magical plants.

Bjorn turned to Mr. F, his surprise evident. "These vines… have they already been cultivated into magical plants?"

"In fact, they have," Mr. F responded calmly, though he concealed a crucial detail. "But they're reaching the limit of their growth potential without enough ambient mana to sustain them. That's why the mana-gathering array is urgent."

What Mr. F didn't share was the most shocking truth—that these plants weren't just magical; they were awakened, possessing souls of their own. If Bjorn knew this, it might shatter his entire understanding of plant cultivation and magic.

The difference between regular magical plants and awakened plants was significant. Regular magical plants remained at whatever rank they were cultivated to, unable to grow stronger unless influenced by external forces, such as a mage channeling mana into them or being placed in an environment rich in mana. Awakened plants, however, had the ability to increase their rank independently. Even a low-ranked plant with a soul could eventually grow in power over time, without the need for outside intervention.

This gave Mr. F immense confidence in the future of his vineyard. He knew that in time, these vines would evolve into something far greater, their ranks increasing naturally. Only specialized equipment or rare mages could detect such souls, and with soul mages nearly extinct, Mr. F felt secure in his secret for now.

Bjorn, unaware of the hidden complexity, focused on his task. He used his magic to cast out particles that spread over the entire mountain, mapping the landscape in fine detail. Mr. F observed in silence, noting the exceptional control Bjorn displayed over his magic. Although only a Rank 5 mage, his skill in manipulation was advanced, allowing him to cover the entire mountain efficiently.

Satisfied that Bjorn was capable of the task, Mr. F began descending the mountain to check on his students. When he reached the house, it was eerily quiet. Curious, he headed down to the basement, where he overheard voices.

"And what exactly are you brewing all these potions for?" Lena's voice rang out, casual and inquisitive. "I thought you were here to help my father with his plans?"

"We're not sure, but Master surely has his own reasons," Albert replied.

At that moment, Mr. F entered the room. His presence caused the students to jump slightly in surprise, halting their conversation.

"Taking a break, are we?" he asked, his tone sharp but not unkind.

They fumbled over their words. "Just a short one!" Betty quickly responded. "We're getting back to work now."

Albert and Betty hurriedly returned to their tasks, while Lena casually sipped her tea, seemingly unaffected by Mr. F's sudden arrival.

"You can tell your father," Mr. F said, eyeing Lena, "that I plan to open an alchemy shop in the city. It will allow me to establish connections with various families and serve as a base of operations." What he didn't mention was that the shop would be little more than a front, disguising his true intentions for the establishment.

Lena's face flushed slightly as she realized she had been caught in her role as a spy for her father. She quickly composed herself, playing it off. "I'm not sure what you mean, but of course, I'll relay the message to my father," she stammered, trying to sound nonchalant.

Mr. F let out a sigh. It was just like Gustav to send Lena to spy on him so poorly. He could have simply asked, but perhaps this was one of Gustav's ways of amusing himself—sending his daughter on these little missions under the guise of 'learning experience.' Still, it was annoying.

"Let me see your progress," he commanded, turning his attention to his students.

Mr. F moved to Albert's workstation, where several vials of ground beast crystals were lined up. He noticed some of the powders had inconsistent colors.

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"Your speed is improving, Albert. That's good. But you've mixed crystals from different elements. A water beast crystal should be used by a water mage. But you've combined it with an earth crystal in this vial. The elixir won't reach its full potential unless it's used by someone who can wield both elements."

Albert looked down, clearly embarrassed. He had hoped to impress his master by grinding two crystals at once, but instead, he was scolded.

"Still," Mr. F added, "Good work. Just be careful not to mix them in the future."

Then, Mr. F turned to Betty. Several vials on her workstation contained failed potions, except for one. A thick, dark liquid swirled inside it.

"Congratulations, Betty," he said, his voice warm. "It looks like you've succeeded."

"Thank you, Master," she replied with a wide smile, pride evident in her expression. Albert, while pleased for her, couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy—alchemy was where Betty truly excelled.

Mr. F's attention was caught by a charred and blackened cauldron nearby. It looked like a disaster, the kind of mess an amateur would make when attempting a catalyst.

"What happened here?" he asked, running a finger through the thick layer of soot coating the inside of the cauldron. "Did you lose control of your fire?"

Betty's face flushed. In truth, this had been Albert's attempt, under her guidance, but neither of them wanted to admit it.

"Oh, I was trying something new and… it didn't work out," Betty lied.

Mr. F could sense the dishonesty but decided to let it slide this time. After all, she had succeeded in making a catalyst.

"Whatever. The array construction will take a few days. Stay inside and don't disturb the workers outside unless it's necessary."

"Yes, Master," both Albert and Betty replied, immediately returning to their tasks.

Mr. F then turned to Lena. "And you—don't distract them while they work. Understand?"

Lena nodded innocently, still sipping her tea as if nothing in the world could disturb her peace.

As soon as Mr. F left the room, Lena smirked, glancing toward the door. "What a grouch. Do you guys always have to work this hard?" she teased.

Albert and Betty exchanged a quick glance before shaking their heads.

"It's not like that," Albert said. "We owe him a lot, and we actually enjoy the work."

Betty nodded in agreement. "We work hard because we want to live up to our master's expectations."

Lena found their responses strange. She had never experienced such dedication. Growing up in a wealthy family, she only trained for a couple of hours a day, then did as she pleased. Yet despite her laid-back attitude, she was still a Rank 3 mage and a Rank 2 array master.

"Maybe I'll check on the others later," Lena said casually, taking another sip of her tea.

Mr. F was back outside, searching for Bjorn. He found him gathered with his team at the base of the mountain, analyzing the data they had collected. They were in the process of creating a map of the terrain, laying the groundwork for the mana-gathering array.

The plan was to establish four anchor points—two within the river, which carried magical particles beneficial for plants, and two on either side of the mountain. This would create a roughly 4x4 km zone where the ambient mana would concentrate, enhancing the growth of the magical vines.

But then came the bad news. "Unfortunately, I can only set up a Rank 4 array in this area," Bjorn explained, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Though I've successfully built Rank 5 arrays in the past, the terrain here isn't suitable. The anchor points in the water will be particularly challenging, and I'm not very experienced with aquatic setups."

Mr. F knew well the difficulties that came with such a task. He nodded, understanding the constraints. "That's acceptable," he replied calmly. "Proceed as planned."

Bjorn's face brightened slightly. "Since it's only a Rank 4 array, the setup will take about three days. In the meantime, we'll set up tents at the base of the mountain to rest."

"That won't be necessary," Mr. F interrupted. "You can stay at my place."

Bjorn raised an eyebrow, surprised. He hadn't seen any signs of a house, but perhaps it was hidden underground. He decided to take the offer. "Alright, thank you for the hospitality," he said, and the crew got back to work, constructing the anchor points.

The anchor points were intricate structures made from various materials. Everyone worked diligently, and hours passed as they crafted the first point. By evening, the first anchor was complete—it resembled a massive "T," with the right arm twisted at a 90-degree angle.

As night fell, they began constructing the second anchor, but fatigue set in, and they only managed to finish half before deciding to call it a day. Following Mr. F, they made their way to his mysterious "home."

When they arrived, the entire group was stunned as the large tree at the base of the mountain parted, revealing a 200-square-meter room within its hollow trunk. It was like stepping into another world.

"You can set up your beds over there," Mr. F gestured to a corner of the expansive room. "But the basement is off-limits. My students are practicing alchemy down there."

Bjorn nodded, still marveling at the treehouse. "Understood. Thanks again," he said, but curiosity flickered in his eyes.

While the crew got settled, Mr. F quietly descended the stairs to check on his students. He found Albert, Betty, and Lena asleep on their mattresses, lying side by side. Deciding not to disturb them, he tiptoed over to their workstations to inspect their progress.

Albert had successfully crushed ten beast crystals into powder, and Betty had completed a second catalyst. A rare smile appeared on Mr. F's usually stoic face as he admired their achievements. Gently placing the vials back on the table, he made his way outside.

But he had one more plan in mind—something he needed to act on before the night was over.

Though he was pleased with the progress of the array and the work his students had done, Mr. F's mind raced with calculations for the future. He couldn't afford to be idle. He needed to push things forward faster. The Rank 4 array would stabilize the mana flow, but for his plants to truly thrive and for his hidden ambitions to take shape, the environment needed to be secure.