Uninvited Guest

Landen eventually drank the Corona Ginger Juice, otherwise, there wouldn't have been the result of the previous soul vanishing and being usurped.

Before being rescued by Landen, Aila had been wandering in the Underworld for quite some time. He had gained a good understanding of the rules of this place, which was completely different from the Surface World. Naturally, he knew that Landen wouldn't easily trust him. Therefore, being quite intelligent himself, he chose the easiest and quickest method to gain acceptance.

Aila completely opened up his Alchemy Workshop, conducting the entire refining process under Landen's watchful eye. Then, for three consecutive days, after each refinement, he personally drank the Corona Ginger Juice.

Everything proceeded under Landen's surveillance. Thus, after three days, everyone discovered that Aila showed no other abnormalities. Not only was his spirit getting better and better, but his severe injuries were also recovering at an even faster rate. He finally believed Aila and began to drink the Corona Ginger Juice.

Then, to be precise, it was a week later when disaster struck.

Poor former comrade Landen fell into a coma shortly after drinking a cup of the Corona Ginger Juice. Aila, on the other hand, was immediately bound and locked up. Of course, this was thanks to Landen's last words before falling unconscious, "Lock him up!" Otherwise, Aila would likely have already become waste material for the Minotaur Butler...

"No!" Hearing Landen's words, Aila was startled and waved his hand as if to deny it. Unfortunately, he forgot about the heavy chains on his hands. As soon as he raised his hand, it was pulled down by the weight. He had no time to care about the searing pain on his wrist as he frantically shook his head and said, "No, Lord, I didn't want you to die. What happened to you before really had nothing to do with me!"

Aila knew very well that this conversation was a matter of life and death for him, and he certainly didn't want to die.

"I drank what you gave me, and then I fell into a coma, almost losing my life, yet you tell me it had nothing to do with you? Do you think anyone would believe that?" Landen took two more steps forward, leaving less than a meter between them. He stared down at Aila, an imposing aura pressing down on the other.

"R-really, I'm telling the truth, Lord... Lord, the Corona Ginger Juice I gave you absolutely doesn't have such side effects. Don't you remember? Before I offered it to you, I drank it myself!" Aila's voice was tinged with tears, as if he were about to cry.

"Can your life compare to mine?" Landen reached out and grabbed Aila by the collar, lifting him up. It had to be said, the other party was very light. Even with two heavy chains on him, it was barely any weight.

Landen looked closely at Aila's tear-filled eyes and his voice turned incredibly sinister, "Besides, who knows if you added something extra to what you gave me!"

His neck, wrists, and ankles throbbed with pain, but Aila couldn't care less. He opened his mouth, and whether it was from fear or because Landen was choking him, his voice became much sharper, "Really! There really isn't, believe me, please... please!"

Landen tightened his grip slightly, and Aila felt the pressure on his neck instantly increase. A suffocating sensation flooded his brain. He wanted to struggle, but his limbs could barely move. At this moment, Landen's voice rang out again, "Tell me the recipe for the Corona Ginger Juice!"

Aila's brain was in a semi-paralyzed state. Without thinking, he spoke as quickly as he could, "Chrysanthemum Leaf, Corona Root Ginger, a drop of Chira Oak Resin..."

In just a few seconds, Aila listed more than twenty ingredients, his speed no less than a crosstalk performer reciting a menu...

However, Landen's questions weren't finished. He continued, "How is the Chira Oak Resin processed?"

"Heat with the inner flame of an alcohol lamp for ten seconds, then add the first drop when it cools for twenty seconds, the second drop when it cools for thirty seconds, and the third drop when it cools for forty seconds!" This time it was even faster, taking only five seconds...

As soon as he finished speaking, Aila felt the pressure on his neck loosen, and he fell back to the ground with a thud. But he couldn't care less. His mouth was wide open, and he gasped for air frantically, savoring the feeling of surviving a near-death experience as oxygen flowed back into his body.

Landen's voice echoed in his ears, "Your answer is somewhat satisfactory, so you can consider yourself lucky that you won't die today. But in the future, hehe..."

Aila looked up blankly, following the sound, but only saw a retreating back. The next moment, the stone door closed again, and the small room was once again plunged into half light and half darkness.

Aila's heavy breathing echoed in the air, gradually calming down after a long while. However, Aila's heart was not as calm as his breathing.

"He really wanted to kill me? No, if he wanted to kill me, one hand would have been enough. He didn't even need to show up himself; he could have just sent anyone."

"Why did he ask me for the Corona Ginger Juice recipe? Right, he also asked about the processing method for Chira Oak Resin? How did he know about that most complicated step? Could it be that he really knows these things? Impossible, if he knew, why would he need me?"

Aila was not stupid, otherwise, he wouldn't have become both a Mage Apprentice and an Alchemy Apprentice at such a young age, and be on the verge of advancing to a formal profession. So, after his brain recovered oxygen supply and gradually returned to normal, one question after another began to surface in his mind.

However, his questions were destined to go unanswered, at least for the time being.

In the corridor outside the stone door, the Minotaur Butler automatically followed Landen. Seeing Landen, who was walking ahead, remain silent, he couldn't help but speak, "My Lord..."

"Oh, there were some things I wanted to ask but couldn't. You know, it's not easy to find someone skilled in alchemy. If I were to get rid of him so easily, it would be a huge loss," Landen said with an indifferent tone, completely different from how he was in the interrogation room.

After he finished speaking, the air fell silent again. It wasn't until they reached the stairs, as Landen was about to ascend, that the Minotaur Butler seemed to suddenly remember and said, "Right, My Lord, while you were interrogating Aila, someone arrived."

"Oh? Someone came to this rundown place of mine?" Landen stopped, asking in confusion.

"It's someone from Quint City, bringing a message from Miss Vivian," the Minotaur Butler replied.

"Viv... My second sister?" Landen was taken aback, a playful smile appearing on his face.