The waiter was a sharp lad; upon hearing "Master Barnaby," his eyes brightened, and he respectfully pointed the way. "The Master is staying in the premium suite at the far east end of the third floor—the one with the balcony."
Leylo offered his thanks and headed straight upstairs. The third-floor corridor was covered in thick carpeting, making his footsteps silent. He arrived at the door on the far east end, where the name "Barnaby" was indeed engraved on the doorplate. After straightening his collar, he gave the door a gentle knock.
"Come in," a resonant voice called from within.
Leylo pushed the door open. The room was elegantly decorated, and the air was permeated with a peculiar scent—a blend of faint herbs and magic. A middle-aged man in a plain grey mage robe sat behind a desk, a heavy tome spread before him and a monocle perched on the bridge of his nose. This, presumably, was Master Barnaby.
"Good evening, Master Barnaby," Leylo bowed slightly. "Forgive the intrusion. I am Leylo, Lord of the Blackstone Territory. I saw your notice regarding the purchase of dragon scales and have come to pay a visit."
Master Barnaby looked up, his gaze appraising Leylo for a moment before he nodded. "Sit, Baron," he said, gesturing to a chair in front of the desk.
Once Leylo was seated, Barnaby set aside his book and leaned forward slightly. "Oh? You have dragon scales?" His tone was calm, but a flicker of interest betrayed itself in his eyes.
Without a word, Leylo carefully produced the five scales and placed them gently on the desk. The scales let out a crisp, melodious clinking sound that rang clearly in the quiet room. Barnaby's gaze was instantly captivated. He picked up one scale, bringing it under the light of a magic lamp to examine it closely. The silver scale shimmered with a moonlight-like radiance between his fingers, its complex magical circuits clearly visible.
For a long time, the only sound in the room was Barnaby's shallow breathing. Eventually, he set the scale down and picked up another, inspecting it repeatedly and even lightly scraping the edge with his fingernail. His brow furrowed and smoothed in turns. Finally, he looked up.
"Fine goods! These are indeed dragon scales, and... they are the rarely seen shed scales of a juvenile Silver Dragon. Top quality, brimming with mana, and exceptionally well-preserved."
A weight lifted from Leylo's heart, and a hint of joy appeared on his face. Barnaby pushed up his monocle, his gaze turning inquisitive. "Baron, forgive my bluntness, but where did you obtain these? As far as I know, Silver Dragons are elusive and rarely interact with humans. Furthermore, I haven't heard of any Silver Dragons residing in the Thunder Dragon Principality or its neighboring kingdoms."
Leylo was prepared and answered calmly, "The Master might not know, but my territory, Blackstone, is on the frontier near the Blackstone Mountains. Some time ago, a hunter in my lands stumbled upon these scales in a hidden cave on the mountain outskirts. I imagine a Silver Dragon left them behind while resting."
The explanation was reasonable; dragons shedding scales is a natural phenomenon, and the borderlands are often home to strange encounters. Barnaby nodded, seemingly accepting the story. "I see. Quite a stroke of luck, then." He picked up the five scales, his eyes full of admiration. "I am very satisfied with these. Per my notice, I can pay you in gold, or you may choose to trade for the potions I have brewed."
Leylo's goal was clear; he chose the latter. "Master, I wish to trade for the Earth Knight Breakthrough Potion."
Barnaby nodded and retrieved two small crystal vials from a specialized wooden box. Inside was a viscous red liquid that looked like molten gold, emitting strange energy fluctuations.
"Master, I noticed the advertisement mentioned these potions are 'Special Editions'?" Leylo asked curiously as he carefully took the vials.
"They are special because, while brewing this batch, I was fortunate enough to obtain some... well, special materials." He paused, lowering his voice. "I added a small amount of Dragon Blood into the mix."
Leylo's pupils constricted. Dragon Blood? This master's research into dragons ran deep indeed.
"A standard breakthrough potion has a success rate of twenty percent at most," Barnaby continued. "But these two special vials, having integrated the power of dragon blood, can raise the success rate to at least thirty percent! For someone pushing against the bottleneck of an Earth Knight, that extra ten percent is of monumental significance."
"Master, these are far too precious..." Leylo for a moment found himself at a loss for words of thanks.
Barnaby waved a hand dismissively. "The quality of the scales you provided is high; they are worth the price. I am currently launching a study on dragon scales, and Silver Dragon scales are rare—this is very meaningful for my research." He paused before adding, "Take them. Remember, the timing of consumption is key; it is best to take it when your blood-qi is abundant and your spirit is at its peak."
Barnaby handed the potions to Leylo. They felt warm to the touch, as if he were holding two spheres of burning flame. Leylo solemnly tucked them into his robe and thanked the Master again.
"If you come across such fine things again in the future, you are welcome to find me anytime," Barnaby said.
I certainly will, Leylo thought. The stockpile in that little guy Moonlight's belly is likely quite extensive.
Bidding farewell to the Master, Leylo's steps were light as he carried the precious potions back to his room. When he returned, Moonlight was lying sprawled out on the soft carpet, belly rounded from the meal, its silver fur glowing softly in the sunlight filtering through the window. It squinted its pale gold eyes, flicking its tail lazily in total contentment.
"You certainly know how to enjoy yourself, little one," Leylo laughed, shaking his head as he hid the potions close to his body. Their value was far more practical than a heap of gold.
He hadn't been sitting long when a knock came at the door. "Baron Leylo, my lord, Count Barton Megalith of Megalith Territory, wishes to invite you to a luncheon." A steady knightly voice sounded from outside.
The "main course" of this trip to Megalith City had arrived.
"Please inform the Count that I shall arrive shortly," Leylo called out.
"Yes, Baron." The knight departed.
Leylo glanced at Moonlight, who was still pretending to sleep on the carpet, and warned, "I'm going out for a bit. Stay in the room, don't go wandering, and definitely don't cause trouble."
Moonlight's ear twitched and its tail flicked faster—a response of sorts.