"You wish to get insects instead?" Rockcrust asked.
"I'm afraid so," Alex said. "None of these artifacts catch my eye, so I can only ask for payment in something else. And since you are the Hall of Insects, I can't imagine what other things I can ask for."
Rockcrust seemed to hesitate. "But the insects that we have are only for the members of the palace. We don't really sell them to outsiders."
Alex tilted his head. "Can you not make an exception for 200 Heavenly Silkworms, senior?" he asked.
"I..."
"If not for the worms, then what about me?" Alex asked. "Surely the Storm God's search for me hasn't overshadowed my achievements so much that it's all been forgotten."
That gave the man pause, long enough to look at Alex in a new light. It almost seemed like he had long since forgotten who Alex was and was only just remembering. He swallowed a little, recalling the events of the Alchemy Tournament that he had heard about.
