Seeking Investment

"How much does it cost? How much profit? Is it troublesome?" Caesar's eyes lit up as he rapidly asked.

"The cost... should be a little over a hundred Gold Coins. That includes the Blood Essence Potion and some strange things, probably something our third brother researched himself. As for profit... the price will drop with large-scale shipments, but it should be around thirty Gold Coins. If we can breed Dragon Lizard hatchlings ourselves, the cost can be reduced further. As for whether it's troublesome, you'll have to ask our third brother."

After saying that, Sheryl turned to look at Isaac.

Isaac looked at his eldest sister with some emotion. As expected of a big shot about to become a High Wizard—her eye for things was seriously incredible. She had only taken a casual look, yet she had figured out almost everything.

"It's pretty much as Eldest Sister said. It isn't troublesome; normal breeding is enough." Isaac shrugged.

Although awakening the dragon blood required his Golden Finger, he only had to visit during feeding. It would not take much effort.

And once his abilities improved a little more, he could completely incorporate the dragon-blood awakening process into the potion. Then a single bottle of potion would handle everything.

Caesar did some rough calculations, then nodded excitedly. "Good! Third Brother, sort out the information first and write down all the materials needed. The territory is investing in this project!"

Out of caution, Caesar did not directly mention how the profits would be divided. After all, he was only the first heir for now, not the true Viscount Solomon. The exact amount would have to wait for their father to decide.

Still, they were family. Isaac would not get too little.

Isaac understood that as well, so he did not press the matter. Instead, he lifted the black tarp covering the second carriage, which mainly contained his various experimental subjects.

"Hmm? Heart transplants, blood transfusions... this arrangement of yours..." Sheryl immediately noticed the four Demonic Rats that looked somewhat listless, along with the multiple surgical scars on their bodies. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Isaac in surprise. "You're catalyzing Magic Hearts and Magic Blood?"

"Yes, just trying it out." Isaac nodded with a smile. He was far calmer about this matter.

Compared to the Dragon Lizards, the experiment of catalyzing Magic Hearts and Magic Blood was child's play. This technique did not actually have much technical difficulty. Its main challenges were the line of thought behind it and its complexity.

Whether it was replacing a heart or changing blood, surgery was required. The procedures were highly complicated and rather dangerous.

At least, that was the case for other Formal Wizards of this era. The limited environment and immature surgical techniques were the greatest risks of surgery. Although spells could be used to avoid those risks, doing so would make the surgery even more complicated.

And in the end, all they would obtain were some Magic Hearts and Magic Blood. Naturally, no wizard would do something so unprofitable.

But Isaac was different. He was poor!

So long as there was a way to make money, he was willing to study it!

Besides, it was only complicated for now. Once his abilities improved, he could try to optimize it into a spell or ritual, making it far more convenient.

This was not Isaac's wild fantasy. In fact, that was how modern wizardry and arcane arts had come about: turning complexity into simplicity and improving practicality.

Take Arcane Missile from the Three Basic Arcane Spells, for example. In its earliest version, casting it required one to prepare an appropriate amount of arcane energy beforehand, a spell to maintain the arcane-energy structure, another spell to lock onto the target, and other complicated procedures. Though it was a combat spell, it could not actually be used in battle.

But now, Arcane Missile did not even require an incantation. One only needed to use magic power and mental power to activate the spell model in one's mind, and it could be cast directly. It was more convenient by countless times!

He firmly believed that one day, he would simplify this technique as well!

The Demonic Rat test subjects did not hold Sheryl's attention for long. Their technical content and value were both ordinary; only the idea was mildly interesting. Still, it was the sort of thing only poor people would bother with, and she did not care about such small money.

Her gaze was soon drawn to another Demon Rat sitting quietly in its cage. After lowering her head to examine it for a while, she said uncertainly, "Is this a God Seed?"

"Yes. I learned it from the wizardry manuscript Eldest Brother gave me."

Sheryl: "..."

After a moment of silence, Sheryl turned to Isaac and let out a heavy sigh. "Third Brother, it's such a pity you don't have talent for arcane arts!"

She had read that wizardry manuscript before. Although she had not studied it carefully, she could still tell how obscure its contents were. The alchemy recorded within was even more complex to the extreme; even she might not have been able to learn it.

Yet Isaac, who had only become a wizard not long ago, had actually mastered that wizardry manuscript and turned the alchemy within into surgical modifications...

Isaac merely smiled and did not answer. Those were matters of the past.

"How much is it worth?" Caesar could not see the technical content behind it. After the Dragon Lizard's stimulation, he only wanted to know whether it could make money and how much it could make!

"From the standpoint of magical knowledge alone, it's priceless. But economically speaking, it won't make much money. Even if you rolled it out on a large scale, it might not earn as much as planting Silver Moon Grass." Sheryl shrugged casually.

"Isn't it some kind of God Seed? Why does it sound so unimpressive?" Remington asked in confusion. Dragonkind was so valuable—could God Seeds really be worse?

"It's different. Dragons are valuable from head to toe. God Seeds, at most, are just somewhat unusual magical creatures. Their strength is unpredictable, and they are extremely difficult to tame, so they are not worth much. The value of God Seeds lies in the knowledge they contain, but that can't be sold." As she spoke, Sheryl gave the God Seed Demon Rat another once-over.

"Third Brother, why did you think of turning a Demon Rat into a God Seed? It's so weak. That seems like a waste."

"..." Isaac was somewhat speechless. "I'm not as rich as you, Eldest Sister. How would I have the right to choose?"

"That makes sense." After thinking about it, Sheryl nodded in agreement.

She knew perfectly well how difficult life was for wild wizards.

"Alright, we've seen enough. Have them put this stuff away. Come on, let's eat first." Caesar clapped his hands.

The other three siblings nodded. They handed the things here over to Smith and followed Caesar to the Fortress Cafeteria.

"From now on, you can conduct your experiments here. Just throw any magical waste into the trash bin, and the Tower Spirit will have the magic puppets clean it up."

After eating and chatting about family matters, Sheryl brought Isaac to her Mage Tower and temporarily gave him the unused third floor.

Looking at the much more spacious laboratory, Isaac nodded with emotion. This was quite an upgrade!

"Thank you, Eldest Sister."

"No need to say that." Sheryl smiled and shook her head. Then she took a Magic Book from her sleeve and handed it to Isaac. "You've finished the Magic Book I gave you before, right? If so, you can study this one."

"This is... the first volume of the Truth Wizard Combat Handbook? You can give this to me?" Isaac looked at Sheryl in surprise after reading the title.