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nThe general rule of thumb when it came to quests was that the rewards and failure penalties adhered to the guidelines stated.

nThe only time this didn’t apply was when the outcome was undetermined. In that case, the information would appear as “???”, which Kieran had already experienced many times before.

nHence, when Isadora used her arbitrary and admittedly vague words, Kieran had to question her before attempting to claim his rewards.

n“When you say that I’m free to choose whatever I like, provided I don’t go overboard, what exactly do you mean by that?” Kieran questioned.

nAs he posed this question, his gaze shifted from Isadora to the nearby shelves several times. Aside from an absurd collection of precious items, Isadora’s shelves were also full of sheets of paper.

nThe size of each stack varied, but Kieran could tell from the quality of the paper and the sensation they gave off that Isadora had categorized the recipes to maintain order.

n“I mean what I said. I will let you choose… let’s say 3 recipes, but you may retrieve up to ten copies of each recipe. However…” Isadora suddenly grew quiet as she looked at the container of Quintessential Aether in her grasp.

nHer mood was at an all-time high thanks to Kieran’s success, so she naturally considered being extremely generous.

nThough, Isadora swiftly understood that she couldn’t be too generous.

nSometimes, spoiling someone too often could lead to them becoming complacent and entitled. With this in mind, Isadora decided to assist Kieran in another way.

n“If you’re unable to find an alchemist capable of creating whatever potion or elixir you may need, you can ask me to complete the item for you and I’ll do so free of charge,” Isadora offered.

nThis proposal made Kieran pause and stare at Isadora in disbelief.

nIt was a known fact that Isadora was one of the best alchemists within Xenith, which was why she ended up as the Head of the Alchemist’s Circle.

nHowever, Kieran understood that everything he had experienced thus far did not equate to everything Xenith had to offer.

nThere was still the presence of dark powers that had yet to be mentioned.

nAfter all, where there was light, there was darkness, and vice versa. Gaea’s warning only made Kieran even more wary of this fact.

n‘A looming darkness,’ Kieran thought.

nAfter a few moments of silence, Kieran gradually lowered his gaze to the container that Isadora cautiously embraced. “What’s the catch on this offer? To turn yourself into a personal alchemist… isn’t that something beneath your status?”

n“Well, I wouldn’t say I’d be your personal alchemist. I can’t just simply drop all of my obligations to cater to your every need. What I’m offering is that I can be your last resort at all times without you having to worry about paying an exorbitant fee,” Isadora answered.

n“I see,” Kieran muttered before nodding. “And the cost of this will be the Quintessential Aether?”

n“Nope. I don’t require any additional payment. The ten drops that I’ve requested far exceeds anything you consumed. You could even say that its value is enough to buy my services for a few lifetimes.”

n“If this is all true, then wouldn’t I be stupid to turn down your offer?” Kieran remarked.

n“Correct, you would indeed be stupid. Also, to reiterate once more and make myself clear, I won’t be mass-producing anything for you. I will only tend to what you need, like how you needed the Elixir of Destructive Renewal,” Isadora voiced.

nKieran didn’t expect this stipulation, but it was something he could agree to nonetheless.

nAll it meant was that he couldn’t ask Isadora to brew him ungodly amounts of potions in the same way he asked Agatha to create countless “mediocre” enchantments.

n“Also, considering that you managed to get the Elven Race to warm up to you… I’d say that you’re a pretty good judge of character. So, I’m giving you the ability to recommend someone to me. If they’re to my liking and are a part of my Alchemist’s Circle, I may let them enter my tutelage.”

nHearing that, not just Kieran, even Agatha looked at Isadora in shock.

n“No way, are you being serious right now? Is this the same Izzy that used to complain about how unteachable and infuriating people are? The same Izzy that said she would never take on a pupil?” Agatha gasped.

n“I was wrong,” Isadora openly admitted. “I can’t abide by the words I said during my naive youth any longer. Passing on knowledge and creating a legacy is a sign of true expertise. And if I’m being honest… perhaps teaching someone else is what I’ve been lacking all this time.”

n“Hmm.” Agatha considered Isadora’s sentiment and pondered over these words.

nAlthough she didn’t have any pupils herself, she considered Kieran to be a junior that she could teach. So, she understood the sentiment that Isadora was trying to convey.

n‘Though it is infuriating at times, experiencing the success of someone you’ve taught becomes more fulfilling than personal progress,’ Agatha thought.

nIn the meantime, Kieran suspected the “special opportunity” the system mentioned was precisely this situation. Until now, there had never been a person capable of making Isadora present this offer.

nHowever, this opportunity left Kieran conflicted.

n‘On one hand… I have the extremely talented Sorcia, who I know will benefit immensely from this opportunity, perhaps even reaching heights beyond my imagination. On the other… I have Aspaira, who has shown exceptional loyalty and persistence.’

nWith two incredible contenders, Kieran honestly didn’t know who to choose. Both decisions posed their benefits, but both also had their cons.

nThis was one of the issues of being the decision-maker, most of the deliberation and concern fell upon their shoulders.

nFortunately, Isadora didn’t place a time limit on this offer, so Kieran would have time to decide. ‘I’ll have to give this careful consideration to avoid the negative impacts that could arise.’

nAfter listening to Isadora’s offer, Kieran ventured around Isadora’s hut, perusing the available alchemy recipes in great depth. As he did so, Kieran also took into account the dungeons or other important content that he’d have to face in the near future.

n‘I don’t care for the quest line of other kingdoms, since I’m only interested in the main quest line of the Aeredale Kingdom and Xesian Empire. With that said… the events that lead those quests will require…’

nWith this in mind, Kieran scanned through the organized recipes, which were separated by the grade of the recipe and then further separated by complexity and odds of success.

nSurprisingly, Isadora even took the organization a step further and placed them all in alphabetical order.

n‘Isn’t this bordering on obsession? Holy crap…’ Kieran exclaimed in his mind, subconsciously glancing in Isadora’s direction.

nFortunately, she didn’t notice his strange look because she was too preoccupied with studying the Heart of Nature. Since Agatha was present, Isadora had her assist in determining the efficacy and ripeness of the fruit.

nIn the end, Kieran decided upon two potions and one elixir.

nThe difference between potions and elixirs was that potions could be continuously consumed due to their temporary effects.

nContrarily, elixirs could only be consumed once.

nFor example, the Elixir of Destructive Renewal—Kieran couldn’t consume that again and gain any benefits from it. After all, his physique had already experienced the change that came with it.

nDespite the wide variety of potions available, Kieran decided to focus on potions that others weren’t aware of.

nThe first potion was known as the Deep Stimulant Potion, requiring at least an experienced Alchemy Master to brew it. Kieran chose this potion for its versatility. It was not only limited to battle like the inferior Battle Stimulant. Instead, this potion promoted greater clarity in general.

nThe second potion was quite basic, but it was something no player could do without—Enhanced Health Potions. Though Advanced Health potions were available, Kieran ignored them.

nAfter reading through this recipe, Kieran found that Isadora made annotations to increase its effectiveness and reduced its complexity.

nWhat should only be achievable by an Alchemy Grandmaster could be accomplished by an Alchemy Master with enough practice!

n‘Isadora frequently mentions that she isn’t that skilled, but to reduce a potion to this level… that takes a frightening level of understanding,’ Kieran thought.

nAs this was Isadora’s trove of alchemy knowledge, Kieran doubted others were aware of a potion like this.

nLastly, the elixir of choice was something no players that intended to join raids could do without—the Elemental Resistance Elixir.

nIt was a special elixir that, when consumed, permanently increased the user’s Elemental Resistance.

nThis same resistance could mitigate the damage from harsh environments and elemental attacks.

n‘The resistance that we gain from Advancing is mostly related to physical and magical damage. The elemental aspect is negligible, so this item is invaluable for players that have yet to Awaken,’ Kieran thought.

nWith his three recipes chosen, Kieran stored ten copies within his inventory.

nSince Kieran had finished picking out what he liked, Isadora extended her hand, handing Kieran a rolled-up paper secured by an indigo ribbon.

n〈System: You have obtained «Isadora’s Recommendation Letter».〉

nInitially, Kieran thought this was related to the Alchemist’s Circles, but Isadora’s following words explained that it wasn’t the case.

n“I’m sure you might feel that our exchange is somewhat… unbalanced. Thus, I feel like I should at least give you this. If you bring it to the Merchant Association, it should suffice to let you apply for a VIP membership.”

nThe words VIP membership confounded Kieran.

nAs far as he knew, obtaining a VIP membership from the Merchant Association required an exorbitant donation to the organization. But not just that, it also required a lofty status capable of warranting a moderately deep tie to the association.

n“I wish I could do more, but the Merchant Association has its methods,” Isadora said, her tone embittered and guilt-laden.

nHowever, Kieran merely shook his head in response. This item was extremely valuable to him.

nAll of a sudden, Kieran glanced down, his eyes narrowing on the pulsating Bloody Hero’s Symbol.

n〈System: You are being summoned.〉

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