Yumi sat casually on her chair, a sly smirk playing on her lips as she leaned back. Across the table sat Liorra, her expression tense and determined. The room was quiet except for the faint crackle of the fireplace in the corner.
"So, how do we start?" Yumi asked with a playful tone, her smirk widening.
Liorra leaned forward, her hands clasped tightly on the table. "Just give me the price you want to sell the recipe for the Golden Apple," she said firmly, her gaze sharp.
Yumi chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Oh, come on. You know I'm not going to give that up," she replied mockingly, her tone dripping with amusement.
Of course, Liorra already knew that. If she had the recipe, why would she need to buy Golden Apples from Dreadhaven? She could just produce her own and cut Yumi out entirely. But this was a ploy, a move to see if Yumi would slip up.
What Liorra didn't know was that there *was* no recipe. The Golden Apples were a result of Scarlett's dense mana, something no one else could replicate unless they had the same extraordinary power.
Still, Yumi decided to play along, her expression calm and composed as she pretended there was a secret formula.
Liorra's lips tightened into a bitter smile. "Fine, then tell me the price you're willing to sell the Golden Apples for."
Yumi tapped her finger against the table, feigning deep thought before replying casually, "One hundred gold coins each."
The words hit Liorra like a thunderclap. Her eyes widened in shock as she shot up from her chair, slamming her fist on the table. "One hundred gold coins only? That's ridiculous! People would still buy them if you sold them for a thousand. No, even two thousand gold coins!"
Yumi didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her smirk never wavering. "Of course, I know that," she said smoothly, her tone as calm as ever. "But you see, I'm a kind girl. We just want to help people, not exploit them. So, a hundred gold coins per apple is enough for us. You can sell them for one hundred and fifty if you want and still make a nice fifty percent profit."
Liorra froze, her mind racing as she processed Yumi's words. Slowly, she lowered herself back into her chair, her sharp eyes narrowing at Yumi.
"You don't understand what you're doing," Liorra said quietly, her voice laced with frustration. "If you set the price so low, people from all over the world will flood you with orders. How will you even meet that kind of demand?"
Yumi rested her chin on her hand, her smirk softening into a confident smile. "Oh, don't worry about that," she said nonchalantly.
Yumi stood up from her chair, a determined look on her face. "Come with me!" she said, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.
Liorra followed her, her curiosity piqued, as they walked toward Dreadhaven's garden. As they arrived, Liorra's eyes widened in awe at the sight before her. The garden was filled with rows of golden apple trees, their branches heavy with dozens of gleaming golden apples. The sight was breathtaking.
"Wow… What a beautiful scene!" Liorra gasped, her throat dry as she took it all in. It felt like stepping into a dream.
Liorra shook her head in awe, but her tone grew serious. "This is indeed a great quantity, but even this isn't enough to satisfy humanity's greed and desire," she said. She turned to Liorra, her gaze sharp. "Are you sure you want to set the price that low?"
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Yumi's eyes narrowed, her expression darkening. "Don't even think about selling it for more than two hundred gold coins. If you do… well, I'm sure you already know what Ms. Scarlett is capable of."
Liorra's face paled as beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. The mention of Scarlett made her stomach twist. She slowly nodded but couldn't shake the confusion that clouded her mind. "Only one hundred gold coins?" she muttered to herself. "For ordinary people, It seems impossible, but there are so many people who can easily afford it. Why would she limit it so much? I don't understand…"
Suddenly, a chilling thought crossed her mind, and her eyes widened in realization. "Wait… Don't tell me… Is she trying to do that?" Her face went pale, the weight of the thought sinking in as her mind raced.
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Kingdom of Gwarga: Capital City Rem
Scarlett and her companions were walking along a road that ran high above the rest of the city, offering a stunning view of the bustling capital below. The palace and the warrior academy stood on even higher ground, while the rest of the city spread out below them. It felt like walking on a small cliff, a world above the chaos and noise.
As they walked, Scarlett couldn't help but admire the beauty of the city. From up here, she could see everything: the stone statues scattered around, the colorful butterflies fluttering through the air, and wyverns soaring gracefully in the sky. Elves, humans, dwarves, and even beastkins bustled about, tending to their work. Children ran and played, their laughter ringing in the air.
It didn't seem like a kingdom that had just lost its king. Everything looked so peaceful and full of life.
"Last time I was here, I didn't get the chance to explore," Scarlett thought to herself, a smile tugging at her lips. "But now… I can see how beautiful this place really is."
Her companions, an orc woman and a female demon, were just as captivated by the sights. Their eyes were wide with excitement, like children experiencing something new for the first time.
"Wow… They have glass windows here," the orc woman bella said, her voice filled with wonder. "We only have wooden ones in our village. I wonder what it's like to look through glass."
The female demon Callista was equally excited. "Look at those children! They're blowing air from their mouths, and cute bubbles are coming out of them!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her feet. "How adorable!"
Their enthusiasm was contagious, and Scarlett couldn't help but chuckle at their childlike wonder. They were so full of joy over the simplest things, and it made her smile.
Behind them, their maid, who had joined them as part of their guild, walked quietly. Her face was calm, but her mind was racing with thoughts. "When I first heard I'd be accompanying demons, I thought I'd never survive the experience," she thought, her gaze flicking to Scarlett. "But now… to see this girl, the ruler of Dreadhaven, standing before me…"
Her eyes swept over Scarlett, taking in her beauty. "Why is she so crazy stunning? Even though I'm a woman, just looking at her makes my heart race… I heard she was beautiful, but I never imagined she would be this… breathtaking. She surpasses anything I could've imagined."
The maid's gaze then moved to Li Feng, who walked beside Scarlett. His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, and his striking features left her breathless. "And that silver-haired man… he's so handsome! Are all demons like this?" she wondered, unable to contain her awe.
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In a certain place in kingdom of Mystveil.
A concert was taking place, unlike any other. The air was alive with excitement as hundreds of people watched, captivated by the performance. On the stage stood a girl who was no ordinary singer. Her name was Vesilisa, and her presence commanded the room. She danced with elegance, her silver hair flowing behind her like a ribbon, her every movement graceful and free. As she sang, her voice was like a spell, soft yet powerful, wrapping around the audience and pulling them in.
Her words were beautiful, filled with emotion, and her silver eyes sparkled, making everyone in the crowd feel as though they had fallen in love with her at first sight.
"Ms. Vesilisa, you are my goddess!" one person cheered, their voice filled with adoration.
"Please marry me, Ms. Vesilisa! I'll give you everything I have!" another shouted, their voice trembling with passion.
The song was nearing its end, the moment when everything was supposed to come together in perfect harmony. But then—
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A loud sound came from the pocket of Vesilisa's beautiful gown. The music faltered, and the crowd's cheers quickly turned into mutters of frustration.
"Ugh, this idiotic ruined everything! Where did it came—" someone groaned, but before they could finish, a chilling sound ripped through the air.
Swung!
The sharp sound seemed to freeze time itself. Suddenly, the entire concert hall went silent. No one moved. Not a single person made a sound. It was as if the world had paused, and the only one still moving was Vesilisa.
She calmly reached into her pocket, took out a small device, and spoke into it, her tone soft but carrying an air of annoyance.
"Why did you call me at such an important time, Bruce?" Her voice still sounded sweet, despite the irritation in her words.
A man's voice crackled from the other end. "Lady Vesilisa, it's because the council meeting—"
But his words were quickly cut off as his voice became panicked.
"Lady Vesilisa! Something's wrong—everyone around me has stopped moving! What's happening?" he said in a hurry, his voice filled with fear.
Vesilisa sighed and slapped her forehead in disappointment. "Mr. Bruce, has your memory problem still not been fixed? I stopped the planet's time. Right now, it's just you and me who can still talk," she said casually, as if the situation wasn't unusual at all.
"Oh… sorry, I forgot you could control time," Bruce said, his voice now calmer but still embarrassed. "Actually, the council meeting has been arranged. And as captain of the holy knights, you're expected to attend too."