Harry and Angus still could not understand why Sebastian dared to gamble with his own life.
From their perspective, the merchant had placed himself in a position where the failure meant absolute ruin. The promise he made in front of the Xavierius family was not a trivial matter. If the method failed, the consequences would not merely be the embarrassment or loss of reputation. The nobles might interpret it as deception.
And in the noble society, such deception was often paid with blood. Even though so, Sebastian had spoken with such calm confidence.
To the two elders, the reason remained a mystery. They did not know that the fat merchant was merely a puppet.
A puppet could be broken but the hand who was controlling it from behind the curtain would remain untouched.
If the promise could not be fulfilled, then Sebastian would be the one who suffered the punishment and not the one who had whispered the idea into his ear.
Of course, Baston had never intended to break the agreement in the first place. In truth, he also wanted Alicia to obtain the Gale element.
More importantly, he wanted to confirm whether the method truly worked.
The knowledge about Gale element inheritance that he possessed was theoretically complete. Every condition had already been analyzed and arranged carefully inside his mind.
Still, the knowledge alone was never enough because the reality had a way of mocking the theories. Until someone actually attempted the process, it was impossible to guarantee the success.
That was why he needed this experiment and Alicia Xavierius had unknowingly become the perfect subject.
Meanwhile, Harry and Angus could not hide the satisfied smiles that were lingering on their aged faces.
To them, today was only a small step. The event was like a single stone that was thrown into the river. The ripples would take time before reaching the distant shore.
For many generations, the Xavierius family had waited for this opportunity.
They had preserved their bloodline carefully through countless marriages and alliances. Each generation had endured the slow passage of time while hoping that one day, the family might regain its lost elemental affinity.
Many had already died before seeing that hope.
But today, the future finally seemed to open before them. Both elders silently thanked their ancestors.
They believed the spirits of their forefathers had guided them toward this moment.
However, the gratitude alone was not enough since they needed to prepare for the next steps.
If Sebastian truly possessed the method he claimed, then the Xavierius family would not hesitate to support and protect him.
They could give him the resources, money, and magic stones. Everything necessary would be provided. After all, he had already given them something far more valuable which was hope.
Yet, during their brief conversation earlier at Tasco's Barrack, Sebastian had made an unexpected request.
He refused the land and he refused the titles. Instead, the merchant had asked for something far simpler which was money. However, it had to be cash.
The magic stones and the other magical resources were also acceptable but the bank transfers were strictly forbidden.
At first, Harry and Angus found the demand to be quite strange. Using only cash was extremely inconvenient.
Transporting large amounts of gold required effort, secrecy, and trusted personnel. The noble families usually preferred the banking institutions precisely to avoid such complications.
Still, after thinking about it more carefully, the two elders slowly reached their own conclusion. Sebastian was trying to avoid the suspicion.
If his bank account suddenly received an enormous amount of money, someone might start asking the questions.
The investigations could begin and the curiosity from the wrong people might lead to dangerous discoveries.
Eventually, someone could uncover the secret relationship between the Xavierius family and the merchant. That would create unnecessary trouble.
From this perspective, Sebastian's caution seemed perfectly reasonable.
The two elders even felt a small sense of admiration. Not only the man was modest, he was also remarkably careful.
He was a wise merchant indeed but unfortunately, Harry and Angus had completely misunderstood the situation. Sebastian himself had never thought so deeply.
The true reason was far simpler since Baston did not have a bank account.
If the money was stored inside a bank, the kingdom would immediately notice it. Baston was currently drowning under a mountain of debt that was recorded in the official documents.
The moment the authorities discovered his sudden wealth, they would simply confiscate the funds to repay those debts.
In the blink of an eye, everything would vanish. He had no intention of letting that happen.
As long as he remained officially poor, the kingdom could not touch the money that technically did not exist.
Anyway, the cash was invisible, untraceable, and safe. As for the magic stones and magical materials, those could be stored or sold gradually in the future.
From the perspective, his current life as a poor person was not much different from living as a commoner anyway.
At least this way, he could quietly accumulate his wealth without attracting much attention.
While Harry and Angus continued discussing the arrangements for Sebastian's payment, he himself was somewhere else entirely.
*****
At the moment, Baston walked inside one of the most luxurious cafeterias in Luminos City. Across from him was Alicia. The noble girl had insisted on treating him to a meal.
To him, the matter seemed trivial but for Alicia, the situation was entirely different. Because of him, she no longer needed to marry a stranger.
From the beginning, she had already prepared herself to accept the arrangement. The noble daughters were often raised with such expectations.
The marriage was rarely about love. It was about the alliances, duty, and responsibility.
Although she never complained openly, she was still a young girl with her own dreams and the quiet resistance that was hidden deep in her heart.
She did not want to marry so early and she wanted the freedom to choose her own future.
For many days, she had lived with silent anxiety but then, Baston appeared. Suddenly, the impossible solution had been delivered right in front of her.
Just like that, the heavy burden that was pressing on her chest had disappeared.
Meanwhile, he had his own reasons for agreeing to the invitation. After all, the food that someone else paid for always tasted better. Rejecting such generosity would simply be wasteful.
The moment they entered the cafeteria, Alicia instantly became the center of attention.
Her noble bearing, elegant posture, and natural beauty drew countless curious glances. Several whispers quietly spread across the room.
"Look at her…"
"She must be a noble lady…"
"Which family does she belong to?"
"Such elegance…"
Several young men stared with undisguised admiration yet Baston received none of that attention.
His servant outfit made him look exactly like what everyone assumed he was. He was just like a servant who was accompanying his noble mistress. No one spared him a second glance.
Alicia had long grown accustomed to such reactions.
Ignoring the whispers, she walked calmly toward the reception desk. The manager quickly approached with his most professional smile.
"Welcome to our café, young miss. How may I assist you?"
"Do you have a private room?" Alicia asked politely, "I would like to dine in peace."
"Of course…" the manager replied immediately, "Please follow me."
He led them upstairs to one of the VIP rooms.
Inside, the space was simple but elegant. There were only two chairs with a polished wooden table and soft lighting at the ceilings.
More importantly, the faint traces of magic lingered in the air. A soundproof enchantment had been placed over the room. No conversation inside would leak outside.
The manager bowed before leaving, "If you need anything, just simply ring the bell."
Once the door closed, the silence settled over the room. Alicia sat first gracefully.
"Take a seat," she said, "What are you waiting for?"
Baston obediently sat down, wondering what would the young girl did next.
She handed him the menu, "Order whatever you like."
He flipped through several pages before speaking, "I'll take these two side dishes and a salad."
Alicia blinked in surprise, "That's all? You didn't even choose the expensive ones."
Inside his mind, Baston sighed, "It's because I'm on a diet…"
During the lockdown in Luminos City, he had spent most of his time trapped inside the inn with nothing to do.
His activity only focused on eating, sleeping, and eating again. Naturally, his weight had begun increasing at an alarming speed.
Unlike Luke, he had no intention of training like a knight. Just imagining swinging a sword made his bones ache. If he actually broke a bone during the training, the humiliation alone might kill him faster than the injury.
In the end, he stayed inside. And unfortunately, such boredom encouraged the eating.
Meanwhile, Alicia misinterpreted his hesitation entirely.
She believed that Baston was simply being polite. He did not want to take advantage of her generosity.
With a small sigh, she placed several additional orders herself which were large meat sandwich, grilled steaks, and fried meat platters. All of them was clearly meant for him.
After the waiter left, she smiled, "Thank you for everything."
Baston blinked, "For what?"
"For helping me…" she leaned back slightly, "Because of you… I don't have to marry that stranger."
Baston tilted his head, "I don't understand what you mean."
Alicia narrowed her eyes, "You think you can fool me? I already spoke with Sebastian."
The name made Baston's heart skip for a moment and his expression showed a flash just to ensure he was surprised.
"He told me a certain fat boy shared the method for learning Gale magic. That boy was you in the end."
For a brief moment, he did not answer. The silence inside the room lingered slightly longer than necessary.
Alicia narrowed her eyes, clearly waiting for his reaction.
Meanwhile, Baston calmly lowered his gaze toward the table as if he were carefully considering her accusation. In truth, the situation had unfolded exactly as he expected.
Sebastian had told her or more precisely, Sebastian had told her what Baston wanted him to say.
From the very beginning, the merchant had only been a convenient mouthpiece. Every word that he spoke earlier had already been arranged beforehand.
Alicia herself probably believed Sebastian was acting on his own judgment yet every step of the conversation had moved along the path that Baston prepared.
Allowing her to discover this small truth was not a mistake. It was intentional for his plan.
If she believed the idea originated from Baston, then her attention would naturally remain fixed on him. She would stop digging deeper into Sebastian's role and accept the explanation as the final answer.
And once someone believed they had uncovered the hidden truth, they rarely searched for another layer beneath it.
He slowly lifted his head again. The expression on Alicia's face was filled with quiet satisfaction.
She truly believed she had seen through him. Inside his mind, he almost laughed.
"Really?" he shrugged casually, "There are many fat boys in this city. I wonder which one you mean."
Alicia's eyebrow twitched, then she did the unthinkable.
"BAM!"
Her foot landed hard on Baston's, "Are you still dare lying?"
He yelped in pain, pondering why the noble lady became barbarian in few seconds.
"I know it was you! Sebastian already confirmed it!"
Inside his mind, Baston cursed. There was no need to be violent. After all, it was just his own fake performance.
Still outwardly, he simply coughed awkwardly. Alicia crossed her arms proudly after noticing how he surrendered.
"You might be clever but I'm not stupid. If I didn't question him carefully, I would never know the truth, so stop pretending. If you have more ideas, just tell me. I will handle the explanations."
Inside his mind, Baston sighed, "Sorry, but I'm still fooling you…"
The more Alicia focused on him, the less she would suspect Sebastian and the safer the puppet master remained. After all, he was trying to distract her from himself and Sebastian by switching the role.
The food soon arrived and the aroma filled the room. His stomach immediately surrendered.
However, Alicia suddenly switched their plates. His modest salad and side dishes moved to her side.
Meanwhile, he found himself staring at an entire mountain of meat.
The steak was dripping with barbecue sauce. There were also fried ribs and grilled sausages. His diet plan collapsed instantly.
In the end, he could only accept his fate. The celebrations indeed deserved such exceptions. As he happily devoured the meal, he casually asked.
"So, what happens next? When does your training begin?"
Alicia wiped her lips thoughtfully, "Tomorrow, probably… Sebastian seems eager to leave the city soon."
"He'll come to our place to teach me about your secret method…" her eyes sparkled with curiosity,
"You know… it might actually be better if you were the one teaching me."
Baston nearly choked, "Absolutely not… It's too troublesome..."
Alicia frowned, "Do you know how valuable this knowledge could become? You'd never worry about money again."
"I don't have what you need…" Baston replied calmly, "Sebastian does and he's the one your family trusts."
Alicia studied him carefully, "You could still assist him. I'm not used to learn from the strangers."
"Even though you were ready to marry one?"
"BAM!"
Her foot struck his leg again, "That wasn't my choice! Watch your mouth…"
Baston grinned painfully, "So, you really don't like fat men?"
Alicia nodded honestly, "That's true but Sebastian is different. He's not like the greedy or disgusting ones I've met before. Still… we barely know each other."
Baston nodded thoughtfully, "Then, what about Clark?"
Alicia's expression darkened instantly, "Don't mention him. That boy is arrogant and he only cares about the appearances. If he finds someone more beautiful someday, he'll abandon everything."
"Probably…" Baston agreed while chewing another piece of steak, "Then, I hope you will find someone better."
Alicia fell silent and her gaze lingered on him.
It was true that she disliked fat men yet somehow, the boy who was sitting in front of her felt different.
He spoke casually, teased her without fear, and treated her not as a noble lady but simply as Alicia.
And strangely, she didn't hate that at all.
In fact, she found herself wanting to understand him more.