"Have you heard? A Grade 4 Alchemist appeared in our Black Rock City, and apparently he's a young man!"
"I heard too. They say that young man is incredibly handsome. Everyone in the Alchemist Guild hall was supposedly stunned speechless when they saw him. I wonder if it's true!"
"I think it sounds a little fake too. Word has it that Lin Fei, the Black Rock City Lord's daughter, and even the icy goddess Xue Mei were both captivated at first sight. They even flushed on the spot—who knows, maybe they got wet. Can someone really be that handsome?"
"Really? Miss Lin Fei and Miss Xue Mei have so many admirers they could line up from one end of Black Rock City to the other. Plenty of them are good-looking too, yet neither girl ever gave them a pleasant look. What kind of man could make them react just because of his face?"
"Who knows! That's how the rumor goes, anyway. It's a pity we can't meet this young Grade 4 Alchemist. The Alchemist Guild is protecting him very well."
Early the next morning, all kinds of rumors spread through Black Rock City. News that the Alchemist Guild had produced a peerlessly handsome young Grade 4 Alchemist traveled like wildfire, sparking countless discussions throughout the city.
Meanwhile, the subject of their discussions had already boarded a flying magical beast bound for the Tagor Desert, arranged by Otto and Frank.
This was the central plaza of Black Rock City, where more than a dozen enormous flying birds were currently resting.
These birds were called Thick-Winged Birds. Strictly speaking, they were not Magical Beasts, but genuine birds. They possessed extremely gentle temperaments and were the easiest to tame among all creatures. However, due to their small numbers and the constant care they