Chapter 18: A Convenient Arrangement

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: A Convenient Arrangement

After leaving Gideon Lowell, Xavier stepped out of the academy’s alchemy wing.

For a moment, he considered looking around the building and familiarizing himself with his new workplace. However, it was his first day, and drawing attention to himself was the last thing he wanted.

There would be plenty of time for that later.

He was now officially an apprentice in the alchemy room. As long as he followed the academy’s rules, he would be able to come and go through the areas assigned to him without anyone finding it unusual.

More importantly, this position gave him access to something he desperately needed: resources.

The thought of finding more valuable items for Mira made Xavier smile. Perhaps things really did become easier for men who cared about their wives.

With his thoughts occupied by the future, Xavier made his way back toward the academy’s training grounds. By the time he arrived, the security assessment had just ended.

"I got first place!" Marcus said, his loud voice immediately catching Xavier’s attention.

"I actually got first place!" he repeated.

He looked so excited that anyone unfamiliar with the situation might have thought he’d just won a fortune.

A tall, slender candidate approached him with an unhappy expression.

"I didn’t expect you to come first," he said.

The man had finished third. That meant he had lost one of the most desirable advantages of the assessment. The top two candidates were allowed to choose their assignments themselves, while everyone below them would simply receive whatever position the academy assigned.

For security personnel, the difference was significant. A guard assigned to one of the academy’s safer facilities could enjoy better working conditions and higher pay, while those sent into the regular patrol teams had much more demanding duties.

The man clearly wasn’t willing to accept that outcome.

"Marcus, why don’t we make a deal?" he said.

He took out a First Tier Vitality Elixir.

"This is worth a decent amount. I’ll give it to you if you let me take your right to choose an assignment," he said.

"No," Marcus said, not even hesitating.

The man’s expression tightened.

"I can offer you something else," he said.

"No deal," Marcus said, crossing his arms.

"My wife already told me which assignment I should choose. I’m not giving it up," he added.

The man opened his mouth again, but before he could make another offer, Caleb stepped forward.

"That settles it. The assessment is over," he said.

He addressed the candidates who had passed.

"The six highest ranked candidates will stay. Everyone else can leave," he said.

The disappointed candidates slowly dispersed, while the successful ones gathered together.

Marcus immediately spotted Xavier.

" Xavier!" he said, hurrying over with a grin.

"I can’t believe it. I actually got the assignment I wanted," he said.

He looked extremely pleased with himself. Then his expression changed.

"Wait. What about you? What job did the academy give you?" he asked.

"I’m an alchemy apprentice," Xavier said.

His answer caused the people nearby to fall silent. Even Caleb looked at him in surprise.

"An alchemy apprentice?" Caleb asked.

The reaction was understandable. Arcadia Academy rarely accepted new alchemy apprentices. Most of the academy’s high level elixirs were supplied by its resident alchemists, and positions under an established alchemist were highly sought after.

For someone like Xavier, who had only just joined the academy, receiving such an opportunity was extraordinary.

Marcus stared at him for several seconds before breaking into a huge smile.

"That’s incredible!" he said.

He suddenly laughed.

"I’ll be guarding the academy’s valuable supplies, while you’ll be working with the people who make them. We’re practically coworkers in the same building," he said.

"Looks that way," Xavier said, smiling.

Caleb then approached them.

"Xavier Kane, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Xavier said.

"My name is Caleb Hart. I’m in charge of the academy’s security personnel. Since you’re new here, you can come to me if you run into any problems," he said.

Xavier shook his hand.

"Thank you. I’ll remember that," he said.

Caleb’s attitude toward him had clearly changed after learning that he was an alchemy apprentice. Xavier didn’t blame him. Alchemists were rare, and even an apprentice could have considerable value if they eventually became a full-fledged alchemist. Having a good relationship with one could prove useful.

Marcus suddenly raised his hand.

"Supervisor, I’d like to choose my assignment now," he said.

Caleb glanced at him before nodding.

"You finished first, so you have priority," he said.

"Thank you!" Marcus said, immediately grinning.

He quickly selected the position he wanted. The remaining candidates then made their choices in order.

Once everything had been settled, Caleb brought out the employment contracts.

"Read through the terms carefully before signing," he said.

The contracts were for three years and contained no probation period. The salary and benefits were clearly stated, while anyone who broke the agreement without an approved reason would have to pay a substantial compensation fee.

The conditions were considerably better than Marcus had expected.

One by one, the candidates signed. Not long afterward, the various team leaders arrived to collect their new personnel.

Marcus waved at Xavier before leaving.

"See you later, Xavier!" he said.

"See you," Xavier said.

Xavier watched him disappear with the others. Their paths were already different. Marcus had secured a stable security position, while Xavier had entered the alchemy wing.

And Xavier knew his position carried considerably more potential. If he eventually became a true alchemist, his status would rise dramatically. People who currently ignored him would likely change their attitude entirely.

Gideon himself was preparing to attempt a breakthrough into the Fifth Tier. Xavier couldn’t help thinking about what that would mean. If Gideon succeeded, perhaps Xavier could eventually ask him to refine a high tier resource for Mira. The thought alone made Xavier excited. A high tier resource invested through the system could potentially bring him an enormous return.

But that was a problem for the future. For now, Xavier needed to focus on what was already within his reach.

He checked his phone. It was already past four in the afternoon. His gaze fell on one particular contact.

Evelyn Whitmore.

Xavier had added her contact after the incident at the equipment shop. There was a reason he had made sure to keep it.

He opened their conversation and began typing.

Xavier: Miss Whitmore, I have a few valuable Second Tier resources that I’m looking to exchange. Would you be interested? ℴ

He had no intention of openly selling his system rewards. Evelyn came from one of the most influential families in Valemont. If she was willing to trade for his resources, Xavier could avoid attracting the kind of attention that came with publicly selling rare items.

The academy gave him another option now, but having alternatives was never a bad thing. What if the academy didn’t have the resource he needed? What if an item was available through the Whitmore family but nowhere else?

The more legitimate channels he had, the easier it would be to keep his system hidden.

Xavier leaned back and smiled. The Whitmore family was powerful. If he handled this carefully, they could become another useful connection.

Meanwhile, at the Whitmore residence, Evelyn was having an argument with her mother.

"Mom, I already told you that I don’t like Ethan. Please stop trying to change my mind," she said, clearly irritated.

"And don’t involve me in whatever arrangement the family is trying to make with him. If he keeps bothering me, I’ll deal with him myself when I see him at the academy," she added.

Her mother’s voice continued from the other end of the call, but Evelyn was having none of it.

"Ethan is barely a First Rank Body Tempering practitioner, while I’m already at the peak of Third Rank Foundation Mage. Do you really think I’m afraid of him?" she said.

She ended the call before her mother could say anything else.

The moment the screen went dark, Evelyn’s annoyance deepened. She couldn’t believe Ethan had actually gone to her mother after she rejected him.

What kind of person did that?

Instead of accepting that she wasn’t interested, he had apparently decided to use their families’ connections to pressure her into changing her mind.

"Unbelievable," she said.

Evelyn dropped onto the sofa, still irritated.

Her phone rang again. She frowned, expecting another call from her mother. But when she checked the screen, her expression changed. It wasn’t her mother. It was a message from someone she had added at the Treasure Pavilion earlier that day.

She opened it.

A Second Tier Foundation Elixir and a Second Tier Breakthrough Elixir?

Evelyn’s irritation disappeared almost instantly. Her eyes brightened as she read the message again.

These were not ordinary resources. Foundation Elixirs were designed to strengthen a mage’s magical foundation, while Breakthrough Elixirs were particularly useful when someone encountered a bottleneck.

Evelyn happened to be in exactly that situation. She had already reached the peak of the Third Rank Foundation Mage stage, but despite spending a considerable amount of resources, she had yet to break through. She had used two Breakthrough Elixirs recently, but the results had still fallen just short of what she needed.

Another one might be enough.

The problem was that Breakthrough Elixirs were difficult to obtain, even for the Whitmore family. The younger members of the family received their allowance first, leaving Evelyn with only a limited number each month.

She wasn’t going to waste an opportunity to acquire another one. She immediately replied.

Evelyn: I’m interested. I’ll pay 2.4 million crowns for each. I’ll take all of them.

She had expected the other person to name a price. Instead, another message arrived.

Xavier: I don’t want to sell them. I’d rather exchange them. I have two Second Tier Foundation Elixirs, one Second Tier Breakthrough Elixir, three Second Tier Vitality Elixirs, and one Second Tier Purification Elixir. I’d like four Second Tier Restoration Elixirs in exchange. Are you willing?

Evelyn stared at the screen.

Four Restoration Elixirs?

She had plenty of them sitting unused in her family’s storage. Restoration Elixirs were primarily meant to treat injuries, and since Evelyn rarely participated in dangerous battles, she had accumulated more than ten of them over time.

From her perspective, this was an excellent exchange. She could trade resources she barely needed for several rare Second Tier elixirs.

Still, something bothered her.