The laboratory had been tidied up.
"So the effect of this plant improved your meditation efficiency, allowing you to break through to become a Tier Four mage?" Professor Hicks sat in a chair, staring solemnly at the purple flower on the table as he asked.
"Yes." Mason nodded repeatedly beside him. "At first, I didn't believe it either, but that shop has imperial backing, and I was desperate enough to try anything, so I bought the flower to see what would happen. I didn't expect it to work so well."
"Incredible... I've never heard of a plant like this before..." Professor Hicks pondered for a moment, still astonished.
Yet as the floral fragrance gradually filled the office, Hicks felt his mind grow clearer, and the concentration of magical elements in the room was indeed slowly increasing.
Everything seemed to indicate that Mason hadn't been lying.
Besides, Mason had genuinely advanced to Tier Four. There was no faking that.
Professor Hicks was clearly a very meticulous person, though. After thinking for a moment, he still wasn't sure. "A shop with imperial backing... Could the people at the Imperial City Magic Academy have developed it?"
Since the shop had royal connections, and Andre III seemed to be involved, Hicks couldn't help but grow suspicious.
This matter also involved the Glorious Mercenary Group, but he wasn't close to its leader, Webster, and couldn't learn much about what was going on behind the scenes.
The dean had a good relationship with Webster, but this matter wasn't serious enough to bother him.
Hicks thought it over, then said to Mason, "Since a plant with this effect has appeared, we need to study it in depth. Mason, go back to that flower shop today and buy five Nether Orchids. Bring them to the laboratory, and charge all the expenses to my account."
Since the shop had the Empire backing it, they could only follow the proper channels.
The Nether Orchid's fragrance alone had such an effect. If it were combined with other ingredients, could it be made into a more potent potion?
If so, perhaps the Magic Academy could try to establish a partnership with the flower shop and purchase Nether Orchids in bulk. That might be a good option.
Of course, all of this depended on whether Nether Orchids could be used as an ingredient in potions.
That would take time to verify.
"Understood, Professor," Mason replied at once.
Professor Hicks turned to Harper and ordered sternly, "And you, Harper! Once the Nether Orchids arrive at the laboratory, take over the research and try to make a Meditation Potion. For the next few days, behave yourself!"
Harper opened his mouth to refuse, but Hicks immediately added, "Edith will be your assistant."
At the mention of Edith, two enormous snowy peaks appeared in Harper's mind. His eyes lit up, and he patted his chest, nodding eagerly. "No problem, no problem! Leave it to me!"
Ruby District, Eckley Street.
It was nearly four in the afternoon.
Ron, lounging in a chair behind the counter, checked the time and set down A Brief History of the Elven Race. A certain unabridged copy of the Elf Illustration Album tucked inside immediately fell to the floor, making him scramble in a panic.
Ron put the books away and nervously glanced outside the shop. Then he breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'd better read it in my room next time..." Ron muttered. He got up, hung a "Temporarily Closed" sign on the door, and headed to the barbecue shop next door.
Since he'd arranged with Lyle yesterday to try the food, Ron had closed up an hour early.
There hadn't been many customers all afternoon anyway, and they were all ordinary people looking for ordinary bouquets. But after seeing the only kind of flower in the shop priced at twenty gold coins, they'd turned away with scowls.
A few bad-tempered ones had cursed him out, but Ron ignored them and went on reading his history book.
It seemed that dwarf hadn't spread the word about the Nether Orchid at the Academy yet, because no mages had come rushing to the shop today either.
Could he be a particularly selfish guy? Ron wondered.
If that dwarf Mason didn't want anyone else to know about the Nether Orchid and kept it to himself, that would be a bit of a problem.
Would Ron have to resort to "begging on the streets"?
Ron shook his head and put the thought aside.
He wasn't in a hurry, anyway.
He'd been living comfortably these past few days. The flower shop's lack of customers didn't stop him from enjoying life.
Practicing the Bright Sword Canon had filled his body with vitality.
Daily meditation kept his mind sharp.
He no longer suffered from the aching back and fatigue he'd once known as a shut-in.
And with his handsome looks and impressive endowment, he was practically living the dream!
He wondered which girl would be lucky enough to have him.
After indulging in a bit of self-admiration, Ron walked into Lyle's barbecue shop.
Lyle had clearly been waiting for him. He hurriedly ushered Ron into the courtyard behind the shop.
After learning how to make the different seasonings last night, Lyle had invited Ron over to try the barbecue with the new seasonings and offer some suggestions.
Ron was only too happy to accept a free meal.
Besides, back in his old world, barbecuing with friends over beer at night had been one of life's great pleasures.
He'd been missing that kind of fun since arriving in this world.
So Ron had been making a conscious effort to help Lyle improve his barbecue shop, which also meant indirectly improving his own meals.
Cooking for himself all the time could get pretty tiring, after all.
"Ron, I made the black pepper sauce, cumin, and pepper just like you suggested. I tried some myself earlier, and it tasted amazing!" Lyle greeted Ron excitedly and led him to sit at the wooden table in the courtyard.
"Did you get the skewers I suggested yesterday?" Ron asked after sitting down.
Lyle's barbecue was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of flavor, but it always came in big chunks.
A piece of barbecue the size of Ron's palm was enough to fill him up, and it got tiresome quickly.
So Ron had thought of the way barbecue shops prepared their food, threading small pieces of meat onto wooden skewers. The portions were small enough to finish in one bite, letting people sample several kinds of meat at once.
And after a meal, a table full of wooden skewers would give people a great sense of satisfaction.
"I got a batch made just like you said. Two of my guys are threading the meat onto them right now," Lyle said at once, then laughed. "I don't know where you get all these unusual ideas. If you hadn't brought it up, I wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with serving big pieces of barbecue."
"I'm only offering an idea. Whether people like it is up to your customers," Ron said with a modest smile.
The two chatted and laughed in the courtyard. Before long, the barbecue shop's staff had finished preparing the skewers and started grilling them.
What Ron didn't know was that Mason had just left the Magic Academy and was on his way to the flower shop.
You know how it is~ (/w＼)
Before you continue