Night was like ink, enveloping Blackstone Castle in a blanket of tranquility. Tempest's agile silhouette traced an arc across the night sky, landing silently in the clearing before the castle. Under the moonlight, traces of the Illusionary Poison Toad's dark green blood still clung to his massive, armored talons.
"Lord Baron, you have returned," a guarding knight reported. "A distinguished guest has been waiting for quite some time."
"A distinguished guest?" Leylo arched an eyebrow, a guess already forming in his mind.
"Yes, an alchemist calling himself Master Barnaby."
As expected.
Leylo chuckled. This "Alchemical Genius" had moved even faster than he had anticipated. He gave his orders: "Find Ed. Have him send someone to process the carcass of the Illusionary Poison Toad. Then, invite Master Barnaby to the drawing room."
After a quick wash to remove the dust and the scent of blood, Leylo changed into clean linen robes and entered the room. Barnaby was already there, pacing slightly.
"Master Barnaby, my apologies for the wait."
"Oh, Lord Baron!" Barnaby rubbed his hands together excitedly upon seeing Leylo. "Not at all, not at all. It is I who have intruded."
Leylo gestured for him to sit and took the high seat. "For the Master to visit at such a late hour, there must be something urgent?"
Barnaby cleared his throat, his expression becoming somewhat mysterious. "Lord Leylo, I came because... well, I heard a rumor." He lowered his voice. "I heard that traces of the Silver Dragon have been spotted in your Blackstone Territory recently?"
Leylo laughed inwardly but feigned surprise. "Oh? Is that so? I haven't seen it myself."
Barnaby continued, "The Baron knows I am searching for the Silver Dragon. Therefore, I would like to stay in Blackstone Territory for a few days to investigate. I wonder if it is convenient for the Lord Baron?"
"It is my honor to have a master of your stature stay here," Leylo nodded slightly.
"Thank you, Lord Baron!" Barnaby looked delighted. "Furthermore, I have one more presumptuous request. According to the Duchy's land laws, everything within a territory—including migratory magic beasts—belongs to the Lord. Without your permission, outsiders cannot hunt. I would like to apply for... hunting rights within Blackstone Territory."
As he spoke, Barnaby carefully retrieved an exquisite wooden box from the spatial bag at his waist. He pushed it toward Leylo. Inside lay two translucent potions emitting a faint blue halo.
"A small token of my respect," Barnaby said. "Two Sky Knight Breakthrough Potions. I hope to exchange these for the hunting rights. As you know, researching potions requires fresh materials."
The Ancient Bait
The Sky Knight Breakthrough Potion! A treasure that money couldn't buy, capable of helping a Peak Earth Knight shatter their bottleneck. Barnaby was certainly paying a high price.
However, Leylo didn't just want potions; he wanted the "Genius" himself. He tapped his finger on the table, looking at the potions before slowly shaking his head.
"I appreciate the Master's generous gift, but the hunting rights..."
Barnaby looked disappointed, but before he could speak, Leylo shifted the conversation. "However, hunting rights are not non-negotiable. I happen to have an ancient potion formula. If the Master can clear my doubts regarding it, what are mere hunting rights?"
Leylo pulled a roll of parchment from his robes and handed it over. It was a copy of the Dragon-Blood Knight Auxiliary Potion formula he had transcribed from the inheritance slabs.
Barnaby took the parchment dismissively at first, but as his eyes swept over the archaic symbols and bizarre material names, his face drained of color. "This... this is..."
"Dragon-Blood Grass, Griffin Heart, and... Star-Iron powder?" Barnaby read the list, his brow furrowing. "The 'Moonlight Nightshade' listed here, the 'Reverse Scale of an Abyss Serpent,' and 'Titan Ape Spinal Fluid'..."
"Lord Baron, where did you get this? This is an ancient potion formula! These materials—let alone now—were considered legendary even in records from hundreds of years ago!"
Leylo felt a bit of regret. It seemed many of the ingredients were extinct. Was the formula useless?
However, Barnaby suddenly slapped his thigh, his eyes burning with an excitement far more intense than before. "Though these primary materials are extinct, there is hope! The pharmacological logic and the way materials are used in this formula give me immense inspiration! Many extinct materials do not have unique properties. Perhaps... perhaps through experimentation, I can find substitutes with similar characteristics or even better effects!"
As expected of a genius. He immediately saw a path forward, though such experiments would be a massive drain on resources.
The Contract
"Master, have you heard of the 'Dragon-Blood Knights' of the ancient era?" Leylo asked.
Barnaby nodded. "In the ancient times, when giants ruled and humans were treated like cattle, our ancestors offered their loyalty to the dragons for protection. Dragon-Blood Knights were the result—humans who used secret methods to absorb dragon essence, awakening draconic traits and gaining the power to fight giants. But those legacies have vanished into the river of time."
"Master," Leylo said solemnly, "to be honest, I recently acquired some ancient secrets and wish to invite you to study and learn them with me."
Barnaby was stunned. "The Baron's potion formula... was just one piece?"
Leylo nodded. "I intend to invite you to serve as my Magic Advisor. What do you think?"
Barnaby hesitated, but Leylo began adding weight to the scale. "Staying in Blackstone not only lets you study these secrets but also keeps you at the center of the Silver Dragon's sightings. Furthermore, I have subdued a flock of Storm Griffins and a Griffin King. If the Silver Dragon appears, I can dispatch the flock to assist you in your capture."
Barnaby was finally moved. "With such sincerity from the Baron, I am willing to serve as your Magic Advisor for a time."
"Excellent!" Leylo rejoiced. He had finally reeled him in.
"Lord Baron," Barnaby's voice trembled slightly, "do you mean you have the entire Dragon-Blood Knight legacy?"
Leylo nodded slowly. "I do. But many parts are obscure. I need your help to research them."
"Hiss!" Barnaby took a sharp breath. He knew the value of this—it was the key to a lost civilization. "Lord Baron, this is of immense consequence. If leaked, it would bring catastrophe. To ensure the secrecy of this legacy..."
Without waiting for Leylo to ask, Barnaby took the initiative. "Let us form a Magic Contract. I, Barnaby the Grey-Robed, swear never to reveal the contents of the Dragon-Blood Knight legacy to any third party. If I break this oath, let my soul fall into the abyss."
Leylo smiled with appreciation. This was a man of character. He extended his hand, and as their magical energies met, two arcane runes vanished into their respective brows. The contract was sealed.
Leylo then withdrew the inheritance slabs from his spatial bag and laid them out. Barnaby practically pounced on them, pulling out a monocle and muttering to himself, completely lost in the world of ancient power.
"Incredible... this energy guidance..." "I see! Using dragon blood to temper the body, but with these details..." "This cultivation method... the mortality rate of this essence fusion must be over ninety percent..."
Time ticked by. Leylo sat quietly, sipping tea and watching the researcher work. Moonlight curled up at his feet, watching the grey-robed mage crawl around on the floor over "old stones" with a look of feline judgment.