NOVPUB
Chapter 247: Meeting the Second Prince
A pair of eyes slowly opened under the light slipping through the window of the room. As Aldrian opened his eyes, he straightened his upper body and looked around.
"The sun is already quite high."
He had such a restful sleep that he lost track of time, a sign of how exhausted he had been from training his domain abilities. Scratching his head, he stood up and stretched his body. Feeling refreshed after a good sleep, he decided to check his own information. It had been a long time since he last looked at it.
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Aldrian Aster
Domain : Secret realm, Ivory empire, Demon Territory of Barisan continent, Forgeheart Kingdom
Age : 15 years
Cultivation : Low Marquess
Current energy : 720.127 (+3.6 /15m)
Energy needed for the next stage : 870.001
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Everything was going well. His cultivation was progressing rapidly, that breakthrough due to the enlightenment was unexpected, but it was certainly welcome. After checking his information, he extended his senses throughout the mansion to ensure there were no problems. However, he was stunned by the presence of someone inside the mansion.
He sat in the guest room and appeared to be in conversation with Sylphia.
"He’s here?" Aldrian thought.
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Inside the guest room, there were a few people present. Sylphia sat on the sofa, sipping her tea, while a young man across from her appeared to be enjoying his tea as well. Behind him stood another man, a guardian in knight’s armor beneath a white robe. They were engaged in casual conversation to pass the time.
The young man had already been briefed that he would meet an elf here. Although he knew she was in disguise, her mannerisms and the way she carried herself made him think she must be a high-ranking noble. He even recalled an elf with a similar demeanor to hers.
He wondered why an elf of such status was part of Aldrian’s group. Suddenly, the door to the guest room opened, revealing Aldrian. The man and his guardian were stunned by his appearance, prompting the man to stand.
Aldrian with his calm expression, glanced at the man and gave him a slight smile. n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
"This is truly surprising—to have the second prince visit my humble place. Forgive me for being late; I was just taking a rest," he said to the man.
The man was none other than Alderia Doria, the second prince of the Doria Empire.
After hearing from Hector about what transpired during Aldrian’s meeting with Emperor Durand, he had rushed to Aldrian’s residence as soon as the sun rose higher. Having already inquired about Aldrian’s location, he was determined not to miss this chance to meet the person who had caused a sensation everywhere.
Alderia, who was finally face-to-face with the person responsible for so many great achievements, could only stand speechless. For a moment, he forgot to respond to Aldrian’s greeting. He had already been told that Aldrian was still young, though no one knew his exact age. Even so, they had mentioned that Aldrian appeared to be much younger than him.
"He looks like he’s still in his teens!" Alderia thought.
"Your Highness," his guardian knight said, snapping him out of his reverie.
"Ah, yes," Alderia responded, regaining his composure. "I should be the one apologizing for arriving unannounced. I also apologize for showing you such an unsightly side of myself. I hope Sir Aldrian can forgive me."
"It’s okay, Your Highness. I’m already used to it, so you don’t have to feel bad," Aldrian said, walking beside Sylphia before sitting next to her. Only after that did Alderia sit again, though he continued to look at Aldrian curiously. Inwardly, he was truly shocked.
"I feel this sudden nervousness when I look into his eyes. Even his presence alone demands attention, without him doing anything!"
"So, Your Highness, I believe you have a reason for visiting this place despite your busy schedule. May I know what it is?" Aldrian asked him.
"Ah, Sir Aldrian, actually, I came here for personal reasons. I wanted to meet the person who can concoct the Six Stripes Pills. To be honest, I also enjoy alchemy. I’m currently an 8-star rank alchemist, and I wish to gain some insight from the one who can create a legend. I’d like to learn a thing or two about alchemy from you, Sir Aldrian," Alderia replied.
Aldrian nodded. Just as Hector had told him, Alderia seemed more passionate about cultivation and alchemy.
"To be honest, Your Highness, I can’t really teach you much because I’ve only been doing alchemy for a short time myself. I don’t feel like I’m worthy to teach you in this regard. However, if you still want to learn something from me, I will try my best with my abilities," Aldrian said.
"Thank you, Sir Aldrian. Even just watching you concoct pills is enough for me," Alderia smiled, then fell silent as he pondered something.
"Sir Aldrian, is it true that the master of the Alchemist Association is a traitor to the empire?" Alderia asked.
Aldrian glanced at Alderia. He sensed a trace of sadness in the prince’s voice when he asked this question. It seemed that Hector had already told Alderia about the entire problem.
"I’m afraid it’s most likely true, Your Highness. All the evidence I’ve gathered almost confirms that he was indeed in cahoots with the devils. I suppose Prince Hector already told you about this, but I will explain my perspective and the evidence I have as to why the master of the Alchemist Association, Master Dan, is most likely a traitor," Aldrian said.
He then explained what he had discovered about Master Dan, and what he told Alderia was the same as what he had told Hector that night.
Hearing Aldrian’s confirmation and explanation, Alderia felt a tightness in his chest. His body grew cold, but there was a burning sensation inside his heart. He wanted to believe this was still just an assumption, but his elder brother and father seemed to share the same belief as Aldrian. Hearing that someone so close to him could actually be a traitor made him both sad and angry.
The feeling of betrayal in his heart was overwhelming, and he felt an urge to rush to Master Dan and confront him personally.
"Don’t, Your Highness. Please refrain from meeting with Master Dan and exposing that you or anyone else is already suspicious of him. Although I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with him, for the sake of uprooting the devils’ operations in the empire, you must remain composed, even if you face Master Dan in front of you," Aldrian said.
Alderia was stunned, feeling that Aldrian could read his thoughts. He then let out a long breath to calm himself before sighing.
"Master Dan has been my teacher, teaching me alchemy for a long time. So hearing that he is most likely in cahoots with the devils is truly shocking, but also disappointing. I feel betrayed," Alderia said before drinking his tea until it was empty and standing up.
"I think I’ve already taken up too much of your time, Sir Aldrian. As for learning alchemy, I’ll come to you at a more convenient time in the future," he said, giving a slight bow.
"You too, Miss Sylphia. Thank you for accompanying me; it’s a pleasure to talk to you about so many things," he said to Sylphia.
"You can visit me anytime while I’m here, Your Highness. I’ll still be staying in the empire for some time," Aldrian said. He knew that Alderia’s emotions were in turmoil and decided to end the meeting quickly, wanting to cool his head. He only hoped that Prince Alderia wouldn’t do something reckless.
After that, Prince Alderia and his guardian left the mansion and walked away. Once they were gone, Sylphia, who was standing next to Aldrian and looking outside at where Alderia had gone, spoke up.
"I think he’s already suspicious of my identity."
Aldrian looked at Sylphia and smiled.
"What makes you think that?"
"He asked me if I’m connected to the Evergreen Imperial Family. I don’t know what about me made him think that, though. I thought I had hidden it well enough," Sylphia said, wondering.
"Maybe because he’s a prince and has already communicated with your family. He might sense that you’re somehow familiar. Did you meet him many times in the past?" Aldrian asked, smiling.
"Yes, I met him in the past, but we weren’t that close, so don’t misunderstand and think we were really close," she said, staring at Aldrian. However, Aldrian only gave a confused expression.
"Is that so? Why would I misunderstand? Do you want me to misunderstand you? Should I say something?" Aldrian asked, following up with a grin.
Sylphia’s face flushed as she saw Aldrian’s playful grin.
"Aldrian, you scoundrel!" she shouted, walking away from him. Seeing Sylphia’s reaction, Aldrian couldn’t help but laugh. Moments like these were truly enjoyable to him.
However, suddenly, he felt a tug on his soul, and he instantly knew what it was before a voice transmission reached his mind.
"There is a development from the Lucard family."
