Chapter 329 329 True Power
"COME ON!" he yelled; "It'll be worth it. I promise!!"
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A few moments later, Nora was standing adjacent to him- arms on her waist- shoulders back, string at Nexus with wide open in shock.
"WAIT- what?!!" unbelief curled right out of her tongue; "THIS GRASS?!"
Nexus- both eyes glazing, nodded excitedly. His head bobbed up and down as he gestured with frantic movements of his hands:
"Yep, this is it, this is the one. With this grass, we can turn around around your family's fortune. . ."
Under her curly lashes, her blue eyes kept darting back and forth, looking at the foot tall weeds swaying in the wind- searching for something divine about it.
"Are you sure?" She asked quietly: "I mean, it looks pretty ordinary to me."
Swiftly, Nexus dove into marketing mode;
"Have I ever lied to you Nora? Since that day we met in the forest, chasing the silver fox, have I ever been anything but truthful to you?"
She held his gaze- noting the seriousness in his voice- "No. . ."
"Good!" his hands slapped the sides of his thighs; "I'm telling you now, this grass can be synthesized into something extraordinary! It will be able to revitalize the stamina of anyone who takes it!!"
He shook his fingers at the patch of hexagonal shaped land before them;
"I'm not exaggerating, but this will be the next hottest thing out there- both for mages, and non mages alike! It might not look like much, but this will bring in so much gold, you'll be able to make a your toilet bowl out of gold!"
That was the part that hooked Nora.
Across her face, clouds of joy budded in refreshing waves. Her blue eyes cackled noiselessly- flickering with rising flames. She dropped to a squat- stretched out her right arm, and ran her fingers through the blades of moist green grass.
"You see the irony here don't you?"
"I don't know about irony, but I can certainly see the army of gold coins rolling in. . ."
She chuckled- "Yeah, that too. But I actually meant, we're turning the scraps of the order families into gold. . ."
Understanding lit up Nexus' eyes:
"Alchemy at its finest."
"Exactly," she heaved herself up, letting her shadow slither across the dark green. "So, what now?"
"Selina." He answered instinctively: "We're going to need her help for lots of reasons."
She swallowed excitedly, leaning into Nexus' fantasy.
"That makes perfect sense. She could be our main broker to the public. That way, we stay out of sight."
"I like that." he agreed: "True power stays in the shadows."
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The room buzzed with an energy born from newfound hope and potential.
Nexus, Crystal, Selina, and the rest of the Russel household were gathered in the intricately decorated waiting room. The walls adorned with exquisite tapestries seemed to echo with the possibilities presented by the gem in the so-called barren land.
Excitement hung in the air as they discussed the best ways to harness the potential of the newly discovered gem. Nexus, the catalyst for this newfound optimism, took charge of the conversation.
"I think the first thing to do now is build a proper Alchemy Furnace to make these vitality elixirs," Nexus proposed, his eyes gleaming with the fire of determination.
Monica, the ever-pragmatic voice in the room, considered his words and nodded in agreement. Crystal and Selina, aware of the transformative power this venture held, mirrored the sentiment with approving nods.
Madeline, the matriarch of the Russel family, contemplated the practicalities. "But we need a good fire to refine these grasses into a solid form first," she added, ensuring every detail was considered.
Nexus, confident in his abilities, reassured them. "The fire is not the problem. With my upgraded power of heavenly flame, we have all the fire we need to refine the grasses and create our special vitality elixirs."
However, a note of caution crept into his voice as he continued, "But there is an issue, and that's why we need a very good alchemy furnace."
An air of concern settled over the room. Monica voiced their collective worry, "A problem?" The word hung in the air, a palpable reminder of the fragility of their aspirations.
Nexus, ever the tactful communicator, tried to allay their fears. "Well, not much of a problem if I must say. It is just that because my upgraded heavenly flame carries even more extreme burning power and high temperatures than normal flames, it might be hard using it to get what we want."
Understanding dawned on the faces of the Russel family. Nora voiced what everyone was thinking, "Oh."
Nexus elaborated, "Yes, normal materials like the elixir grasses might not be able to withstand the flame, and they may end up wasted, which is what I want to avoid."
Selina, always quick on her feet, proposed a solution, "Then the solution is a very strong furnace that can withstand your flame and moderate to fit the material."
Nexus nodded in agreement, "Yes, that is the only solution we have.
The discussion shifted to finding a skilled alchemist who could craft the powerful furnace they needed. Madeline, pragmatic and cautious, questioned, "But who can we trust to create such a powerful alchemy furnace?"
Monica, knowledgeable about local alchemists, expressed doubt in their abilities. Nora, however, had a revelation, and her face lit up with enthusiasm.
"I know, I know!" she exclaimed, eager to share her revelation. "Dracula! Dracula is the perfect choice. This alchemist is quite famous around Castra City, where there are many unknown and rare materials."
The room collectively nodded in agreement. Madeline, admitting the oversight, chimed in, "Yeah, that is the right one. I can't believe I did not think of Dracula."
"Alright, then it is settled," Nexus declared. "I will first go and visit this Dracula person, and after that, we can move on to the next step."
The anticipation in the room was palpable as they envisioned the journey ahead, each step bringing them closer to realizing the untapped potential of the land they once deemed barren.
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Nexus, guided by Nora's instructions, followed the path to the alchemist's home. The details she provided were vivid: "Follow the normal path you know to the square and take a left turn that leads up to a hill; just there, you will find a cottage."
As Nexus reached the top of the hill, Nora's directions held true. Before him stood a quaint cottage, surrounded by blooming flowers, like a hidden gem nestled in nature's embrace. The wooden door, adorned with simplicity, beckoned him closer, and two windows on either side framed the humble abode. A hanging sign with the inscription "Dracula" confirmed his arrival.
"Well, it does say Dracula," Nexus murmured to himself, a mix of uncertainty and determination in his eyes. He knocked on the wooden door, the sound echoing in the serene surroundings. No immediate response came, but muffled noises emanated from within.
Undeterred, Nexus knocked again, this time more insistently, calling out, "Hello!" The silence persisted, prompting him to try once more with increased vigor. With the force of his hand, the door creaked open, revealing the mysterious interior.
"I feel like I'm in the wrong place," Nexus pondered.
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