Lyle looked at Imina; her usually cold face showed indignation, which was rather cute. "There's no need to waste time on such schemes and calculations."
"When the sun shines, even the darkest corners cease to exist."
Lyle, instead, chuckled softly, then his eyes flickered slightly. "What's more, this might not be a bad thing."
"Starting tomorrow, continue to release the Regeneration Potion, but this time, it won't be free."
"The price is set at one gold coin, with only five bottles available daily, sold publicly at the Adventurers' Guild."
This price...
Imina's amber pupils blinked, and a rare, bright smile appeared on her cold face. "Understood."
Three days passed.
The entire Imperial Capital's potion market was thoroughly disrupted; the Adventurers' Guild was packed with people, with only five bottles of Regeneration Potion available daily, priced as low as one gold coin.
It was directly resold in the black market for over a hundred gold coins, and the price continued to rise.
Its excellent effect of treating disabilities, coupled with hunger marketing and limited supply, especially since no one on the entire market could replicate the alchemical potion Lyle created, led to this.
As a result, countless astute merchants, workers, and adventurers fell into a frenzy.
Snatching a potion for one gold coin and reselling it for a hundredfold profit was no different from outright robbery.
One must know that...
The highest-grade healing potion only cost eight gold coins or more.
No one would turn down money.
The title of "Genius Alchemist!", which was originally only spread in small circles, completely spread throughout the entire empire, and "Genius Alchemist" also became the more specific title of "Black-Haired Genius Alchemist."
At the same time, another equally shocking piece of news spread throughout the Imperial Capital.
The Lockbournes family and the Imminsters family, two great noble families, were completely wiped out overnight; all family members were reportedly killed!
However, this news was too horrifying, and most people didn't believe it.
The spread of the news also seemed to be somewhat suppressed.
Coupled with the stir Lyle had caused in the past few days, it did not attract public attention.
Night.
Deep in the noble district, a brand new courtyard.
Lyle did not intend to be blocked at his door, so after selling the alchemical potions, he found a new address.
He had been staying there these past few days.
Every day, besides casually refining a few alchemical potions, he spent the rest of his time injecting most of his magic into the Orb of Death.
"Orb of Death: 90/280"
The magic stored inside had already reached 90 points.
With a magic capacity of "280," he wouldn't need to worry about a lack of magic for a while.
"Was it Renas who did it?"
Lyle stopped injecting magic into the Orb of Death, toying with the magic item in his hand, recalling the rumors of this period.
The Lockbournes family.
That was Renas's family; if someone said this had nothing to do with Renas, Lyle wouldn't believe it for a second.
As for the other Imminsters family, he hadn't heard of them, but if Renas also did that, then it was probably the family of her fiancé.
"Wiping out an entire family, this woman."
Lyle was a little speechless.
She looked so cold and indifferent, yet she was so fierce.
Imina's agile figure flipped into the courtyard, and she quickly walked towards Lyle, who liked to sit in the courtyard, stroking the little imp hound.
"Lyle, do you know how much the price of the Regeneration Potion has been driven up to in the black market?"
Imina's purple ponytail swayed, and her eyes showed an indescribable excitement.
As the indirect driving force behind all this, Imina had personally witnessed the entire process of a Regeneration Potion, originally worth at most ten gold coins, soaring from a price of one gold coin to the current five hundred gold coins.
This was simply incredible!
"500 gold coins? That's about right."
Lyle wasn't too surprised; the principle of scarcity making things valuable was the same in any world.
What's more, the current Regeneration Potion was no longer just for healing; it also had financial attributes. "Tomorrow, besides the five Regeneration Potions normally given to the Adventurers' Guild, I'll give you five more to sell in the black market."
Huh?
Imina's excited expression froze. Could it be operated this way?
Suddenly.
"You're being followed."
Lyle looked up, gazing into the deep darkness of the courtyard.
"How could that be!"
Imina's expression changed. He had deliberately circled several times before entering here, and with her agile skills, not many people could keep up with her.
Moreover, she always disguised herself during her usual activities, so very few people should know she was connected to Lyle.
"Don't blame her."
A clear, yet tired voice, echoed from the darkness of the corner.
Hearing this familiar voice,
Imina's eyes narrowed, then her face showed surprise: "It's you!"
She naturally knew about the recent horrifying rumors in the Imperial Capital; she was the one who told Lyle about it.
Renas, wrapped in a black robe, emerged from the darkness, a faint smell of blood emanating from her.
Imina immediately became vigilant.
However,
Renas ignored Imina, walking calmly and purposefully to Lyle, taking out a leather pouch from her bosom.
"This magic leather pouch contains 5000 gold coins; this is the maximum a magic item can hold."
"Unfortunately, many valuable things couldn't be taken away."
Renas's fair and delicate face was a little pale, then a slight smile appeared on her thin lips.
"Two thousand gold coins is too low a price."
Lyle looked at Renas at this moment; she hadn't changed much from before, but her whole being gave him a feeling of being alive again.
"Such a strong smell of blood; you killed many people."
Lyle didn't take the magic leather pouch.
Renas nodded slightly, saying without hesitation, "I need to use their blood to wash away the humiliation on me."
"You hate killing people?"
"No, I'm just surprised that you could wipe out two families by yourself and not die."
Lyle shook his head.
In the original plot, after Renas joined the Four Imperial Knights, she used the power of the Blood Emperor to destroy her own family and her fiancé's family.
This was already a woman who was somewhat indescribable.
Renas was stunned, and a brilliant smile appeared on her pale cheeks.
"I swore a long time ago that if I could break the curse, I would pay any price."
At this point!
Renas's expression became serious, her golden hair swaying in the wind.
Suddenly!
Renas knelt on one knee, her right hand clenched into a fist and held to her chest, bowing slightly to Lyle, her clear and melodious voice rang out:
"Under the glory and light of loyalty,"
"I, Renas Lockbournes, hereby make this declaration of allegiance, dedicating my heart, courage, and life to your nobility and honor."
"In the name of my heart, I swear that I will be unswervingly loyal to you, becoming your indestructible shield and incomparably sharp sword."
"In the name of my heart, I swear that your every command is my mission, my glory."
"In the name of my heart, I swear that my heart will forever remember this oath, and my actions will forever uphold this loyalty, even if light is swallowed by darkness."
"Should I violate this, may the Knight's Lance abandon my soul, and my body be forever cast into the fiery abyss!"
The firm voice echoed in the courtyard.
Imina instinctively took a step back, her face full of shock and disbelief, her amber pupils widening.
This was... the Knight's Oath!
A declaration passed down only by ancient nobles, a sacred ceremony to swear eternal allegiance.
It was usually sworn by lower nobles to the direct descendants of higher nobles, or to the Emperor, the true ruler of the empire.
Imina had never heard of a noble swearing allegiance to an adventurer; this had probably never happened in history.
Lyle was also stunned, but was quickly replaced by seriousness.
Although he didn't quite understand noble etiquette, he understood that such a solemn oath was not something he could casually refuse, like joining his adventurer team.
Honestly.
Suddenly, it became so serious.
Lyle sighed in his heart, stood up from his seat, and walked to Renas, who was kneeling on one knee before him, head bowed.
He raised his palm and gently placed it on her left shoulder.
He could feel Renas's body visibly relax.
"I don't believe in any gods, so I cannot give you a corresponding vow."
Lyle spoke softly, also in a serious tone, "However, I will do my best."
"To make the Lockbournes surname great again because of you."
A smile appeared on Renas's fair cheek; she looked up, took Lyle's left hand from her shoulder, and moved it in front of her.
"Renas Lockbournes."
Renas bowed her head again, kissed Lyle's hand, and spoke once more:
"I pledge allegiance to you!"