Chapter 172: A Smooth Start

  Alex and Nanalie had no idea what Culia had run off to do. They merely watched as she dashed away in a hurry, only to return just as hastily—this time bringing an elderly man with her. The moment Nanalie saw the old man, she immediately tensed up.

  "President!"

  "President?"

  Hearing Nanalie’s words, Alex turned his attention to the elderly man before them. Indeed, from his demeanor alohe man carried a distinguished presence. However, he didn’t seem to possess overwhelming strength—her a warrior nor a mage. Yet, with just a gnce, Alex felt like his eyes were about to go blind.

  The sheer magical radiance emanating from this man was simply too dazzling.

  How many high-tier magical artifacts is this guy wearing?!

  True wealth was blinding. If Alex cast Detect Magibsp;on him right now, the old man might just turn into a sed sun.

  "Hello, Na’s been a while."

  Like all individuals in high positions, the old man’s tone was warm and approachable, without the slightest air ance. After greeting Nanalie, he immediately began carefully iing his surroundings. He walked from one end of the greenhouse to the other, closely examining the crops, even reag out to pinch the es, feel the branches, and scoop up a handful of soil to study it carefully.

  Only after a long while did he straighten up and nod in satisfa.

  "A very clever idea. Many people believe that alchemists seek the pinnaystery, but iy, ging the world doesn’t always require powerful magic… You’ve done well, Nanalie."

  As he spoke, the old man turo Nanalie again, smiling.

  "I know a bit about your past. Seeing how much you’ve grown makes me quite pleased. hink that an iion using something as simple as slime is insignifit. In fact, the more ordinary the material, the more it tests an alchemist’s true skill. Anyone use dragon’s blood to create a strength-enhang potion—that’s nothing special. But if you craft the same potion using something like a power mushroom, now that would be true talent. From what I see so far, your iion is both mature and practical."

  "Thank you, President!"

  Hearing such high praise, Nanalie’s face flushed with excitement. She was well aware of the old man's status, and holy, she had never even dreamed of receiving such reition from him.

  "Now, tell me—how did you e up with this idea?"

  "Well…"

  At the old man’s question, Nanalie hesitated slightly. After a brief moment of thought, she decided to aruthfully.

  "Actually, President… it was Mr. Ezio and Miss Ikaros who gave me the idea. I only hahe execution. To be ho, I never expected it to work so well at first…"

  "Oh?"

  The old man was clearly surprised by this response. He lifted his gaze to look at Alex and the blue-haired angel beside him.

  "Are these two also alchemists?"

  "We’re not alchemists."

  Alex shook his head in response.

  "In fact, we’re more like Nanalie’s distaives… as well as her employers. We’re looking to establish some business ventures here, and since we have some es with Miss Nanalie, we decided to i in her skills to develop alchemy-based trade opportunities."

  When it came to weaving half-truths, Alex was at least Level 5. Whether others believed it or not wasn’t his problem.

  "I see."

  The old man nodded in apparent uanding, without pressing further. Just as many panies in Alex’s world ied in research bs, it erfectly normal in this world for merts to fund alchemists. In fact, many of the Alchemist Guild’s most signifit iions came from suvestments.

  Even so, the old man gave Alex a meaningful gnce. Ordinary merts might e up with iing ideas, but turning those ideas into reality was a pletely different challenge.

  From Nanalie’s earlier words, it seemed this young man not only provided the initial inspiration but also suggested the materials—while Nanalie merely applied alchemical teiques to refihem. In other words, the real mastermind behind these iions wasn’t Nanalie, but Alex himself.

  "What is your name?"

  "My name is Ezio. Ezio Auditore."

  "Mr. Ezio, your ideas are truly fasating… Hmm, from what I see so far, they hold signifit value. What do you pn to do ?"

  "Of course."

  Sihe versation had shifted to business, Alex naturally wouldn’t let the opportunity go to waste.

  "In fact, the greenhouse and slime fertilizer are only the first steps. Ohe time is right, I pn to research hydroponic cultivation."

  "Hydroponic cultivation?"

  The old man’s eyes widened in shock. The term itself was easy to uand, but precisely because of that, he found it hard to believe what he was hearing.

  "Are you saying… you want to develop a teique that allows crops to grow without soil? Is that even possible?"

  "Of course it is. However, as for the details… allow me to keep that a secret for now."

  Alex only thought of hydroponic cultivation after firming that slime fertilizer could accelerate pnt growth. While hydroponics was a highly teical field, with Ikaros and Nanalie assisting him—along with the effects of slime fertilizer—creating a nutrient solution for soil-free cultivation wouldn’t be difficult.

  However, this all depended on one crucial factor: the slime fertilizer itself had to be safe.

  If there was any issue with it, then Alex’s entire pn would go up in smoke.

  "Grandpa!"

  Culia, having waited impatiently while her grandfather chatted with others, finally called out loudly. Hearing his granddaughter’s voice, the old man chuckled.

  "Alright, alright, I uand… Leave it to me."

  As he spoke, the old man reached into his robe and pulled out a small box. Seeing this, Alex raised an eyebrow.

  "What is that…?"

  "Hehehe, to be ho, I came here mainly because my dear granddaughter asked me to analyze the position of these fruits… Hmm, though in my opinion, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual about these es, a proper examination is still necessary."

  As he spoke, the old man opehe box. Immediately, a pure water sphere floated out, transf into a bird-like creature that gracefully nded on his shoulder.

  Aal being.

  Seeing this, Alex narrowed his eyes. As a mage specializing in juration, he uood the significe of elemental beings, especially those capable of shape-shifting on their own—this one was undoubtedly of a high rank.

  What surprised Alex even more was that, unlike mages who summoned elementals from the elemental phis old man possessed one as a perma panion.

  So, alchemists are not to be uimated either…

  "What is that?"

  Curious about the waterbird, Nanalie couldn’t help but ask.

  Hearing her friend’s question, Culia puffed out her chest—though there wasn’t much to puff out—with an air of pride.

  "This is my grandfather’s stro panion! Don’t uimate it. It analyze the elemental position of any food aermis properties. If these es have any dangerous or harmful substances, it will be able to detect them!"

  "Really?"

  Alex’s eyes lit up. The reason he insisted on careful testing was because he khat no matter how much he cimed the es were safe, people wouldn’t believe him without solid evidence. Without repeated experiments and reliable data, it would be impossible to reassure others.

  But now, if the president of the Alchemist Guild himself vouched for their safety, then there would be no more s on that front.

  The old man smiled at Nanalie and Alex, theended a hand and whispered something to the waterbird on his shoulder. The small, sparrow-sized creature spread its wings and flew toward one of the e trees. Then—

  Snap!

  Like a s suddenly opes beak wide and swallowed the entire e tree, roots and all.

  "………………"

  That’s possible?!

  Alex’s eyes widened in disbelief. The e trees weren’t particurly tall—more like shrubs, standing at just over half a meter—but the bird was only the size of a sparrow! And it mao swallow the ehing?!

  After ing the e tree, the waterbird’s body swelled like a balloon. Alex and the others could evehe tree inside, floating as if submerged in liquid. Slowly, the tree began breaking down into a pale green substance, which the bird absorbed.

  As the tree was fully deposed, the waterbird’s body turned an even more vibrant shade of green. Watg this, Alex couldn’t help but twitch his lips—

  Why does this remind me of a certain green-skinned muscle monster…?

  And e to think of it, slimes were green too…

  Did we screw up?

  "I never expected…"

  At that moment, the old man’s eyes widened in astonishment as he stared at his now emerald-green waterbird. Theurned sharply toward Alex and Nanalie.

  "Mr. Ezio, Miss Nanalie—your iion is truly extraordinary!"

  "………………"

  Huh?!

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