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Chapter 220: The Strangeness of the Association Master
He didn’t know why, but he felt irritated looking at this old man. Although the man’s face showed only the kindness of an elder and there was no ill intention he could sense, the irritation persisted. He didn’t ignore his instincts, knowing that even the smallest feelings could be clues to something significant.
"What a difficult life you have, young Aldrian. May I call you that?"
"Of course, Master. You can call me whatever you find comfortable."
"Then, would you like a permanent place here in this city? It’s unbecoming for someone of your status to be without one. Even if you don’t intend to stay in one place for long, this could be a place for you to return to whenever you feel weary in the future," Master Dan said.
Thinking it would be rude to reject such an offer, Aldrian finally nodded.
"Alright, I will accept it."
Hearing Aldrian’s answer, Master Dan smiled even more brightly.
"Good! I’ll notify you when the place is ready. You just need to bring yourself, and you’ll be all set to stay in your new home."
"Alright, Master," Aldrian replied.
Aldrian felt that something was off about Master Dan. When he tried to discern the old man’s intentions, he was left perplexed. Master Dan wasn’t thinking of anything malicious, nor did he harbor ill intent, yet there was an unmistakable wariness in his intent.
Why was Master Dan wary of him? Aldrian was certain they had never met before, and he was equally sure Master Dan didn’t know him. So what was it that made Master Dan so cautious? What exactly was he wary of?
Suddenly, a thought crossed Aldrian’s mind, but he kept his expression neutral. He continued his conversation with Master Dan and the three grandmasters as though nothing had changed.
"By the way, would you like the imperial family to acknowledge you?" Master Dan asked. "Usually, when a ten-star badge alchemist appears in the association, His Majesty invites them to the imperial palace. There, the alchemist is introduced to the entire empire and given rewards. With that, you could build connections with many factions throughout the empire."
"And I should tell you that the imperial family will become aware of your existence regardless, even if you decide not to announce yourself. In the end, they will still try to establish a connection with you. Their information network is vast, after all. They’ll connect the dots and reach out to you, even without a formal introduction," he added.
Aldrian pondered for a moment. It was true that this seemed like the easiest way to gain fame and establish a connection with the central power of the Doria Empire. While he was prepared to announce his existence to the entire empire—and even the continent—he realized that doing so now would alert the devils and traitors within the empire.
If that happened, it would create unnecessary hassle for him to deal with. For now, he preferred to operate in "half shadows, half light."
If the situation eventually forced him to step fully into the light, he would adjust his approach. But for now, he preferred the way he was operating. After weighing the pros and cons, he made his decision.
"I think I’ll pass on this one, or to be more precise, I’m not ready to be known by the masses yet, Master. I prefer the solitude, and I don’t like the crowd that will inevitably gather around me if my appearance becomes known to the empire. I think I’ll remain like this for a while. However, if the imperial family truly tries to reach me, of course, I won’t reject them. In fact, I’ll speak with them," Aldrian said.
Master Dan nodded, while the three grandmasters merely smiled at Aldrian.
"What a fine character. He’s not blinded by his capabilities and status, and he wants to remain low-key. For a young man as talented as him to stay humble is truly rare," Grandmaster Marco thought.
"Alright, if that’s what you want, I will respect your decision and act accordingly. But you must be ready in case someone from the imperial family comes for a visit. After all, the appearance of a ten-star alchemist is quite significant," Master Dan said.
After that, they talked for a while before Aldrian was finally able to leave the headquarters. As he walked toward the inn, he couldn’t stop thinking about his meeting with the association master.
"The reason he’s wary of me, I think, is because I’m a stranger who suddenly appeared. It’s not specifically because of me, but because he knows nothing about me," he mused.
"Even if it were someone else, I guess Master Dan would still be wary of them due to their unknown origin. However, the question is: what is he wary of? Why must he be wary? Is someone trying to harm him? Is he hiding something from others? Which one is it?"
"He wasn’t thinking about anything at that time, so I don’t know which of these is the truth. But maybe I can deduce something from his question to me. Let’s see. First, he asked about my family. Why would he ask about my family? It seems like a normal question, just to learn more about me, as he said. But for someone who’s wary of a stranger’s sudden appearance, this question could mean something more."
"It could be that he’s trying to learn about my family in order to track them for some unknown purpose. Perhaps he’s doing it to ensure that I’m not one of the people he considers a threat to him."
"Second, he asked where I came from. If I had to guess, he was trying to note whether I’m from a certain territory. If I came from a place he considers a threat, he would have to take action. But from what I can sense, it seems the Ivory Empire is not one of the territories he’s wary of."
"He also asked why I chose the association and not the imperial family. I think this was to check if I had any hidden motives for applying to be an alchemist in the association."
"Next, he offered me a place to stay. It seemed like he was gifting me this place because of my achievements, but to me, it felt more like he was trying to keep me under watch in one location. It would be easier for him to keep an eye on me in a place where he could easily reach me, like the designated place he chose," Aldrian thought as he looked at the road.
"But if someone truly threatened him, then who could they be, daring to threaten the master of the Alchemist Association? He’s a person of high status, respected even by the imperial family, and even under their protection because he is also a valuable asset to the empire."
"And another guess is that he’s hiding something—something he doesn’t want that stranger to know. Everything he’s done also seems to be an effort to conceal something, to keep those strangers who fall within his criteria from discovering his secret," Aldrian thought, looking at the Diamond Inn, now in sight.
"What secret could he be hiding?" As he almost reached the front of the Diamond Inn, he suddenly stopped.
"Wait... all those questions... What if, what if it has something to do with the devils?" Aldrian pondered seriously.
"If it has to do with the devils, then if he’s wary of someone from a certain territory or origin, it has to be...the Forgeheart Kingdom." This was because the recent chaos caused by the betrayal of several noble houses in the Forgeheart Kingdom had almost led them into civil war. The betrayal stemmed from their cooperation with the devils. The devils, along with everyone involved, knew that one of their secret infiltration formulas had already been discovered in the Forgeheart Kingdom.
It would be no wonder if someone from there, or someone who came from that territory, were viewed with suspicion by those in cahoots with the devils. Also, there is one thing that makes him feel this could be connected to the devils: the irritation he felt when speaking with Master Dan.
There is no doubt about Master Dan being an orthodox cultivator, as Aldrian had already seen his information through his Eyes of the Heaven. However, the feeling of irritation he experienced earlier only arises under one condition: when he encounters devils or something related to them, such as their energy, traces, and so on."
However, if Master Dan is truly an orthodox cultivator, how could he feel that way? Aldrian’s guess is that, if Master Dan somehow has a connection to the devils, his karma might be so strongly bonded with them that it triggers Aldrian’s senses and causes the irritation.
Aldrian frowned. If what he suspected was true, then this could lead to another chaos and a crisis for the empire!
