“Duke Leonard..We didn’t see any traces of young master Lawrence anywhere. According to the guards of the gates, they didn’t see any red-haired young man or a white-haired woman. " The captain reported as the Duke looked at the window. A sigh escaped from his mouth as he wants at least to see his son to confirm that he is fine.

“It’s fine. You can return to your patrol. Also, make sure to tell me if you have any information no matter how trivial it is” the Duke commanded as the captain bowed before walking away only to see Lennon still standing.

“Psst, Lennon! What are you doing?!” The captain glared

“Duke…this might just be my imagination but I think I saw young master Lawrence in an inn near the gate” Lennon speaks out as the Duke widened his eyes.

“Everyone! Head to every inn you can find especially the ones near the gate. Make sure to capture my son and bring him to me. I mean, tell him that I would only like to speak to him. Don’t force him since he can be stubborn.” He commanded to the nearby knights who bowed before hurriedly leaving.

“Thank you, Lennon. I’ll reward you later once we find him” The duke smiled

“I don’t need the reward. I’m only doing this as my duty. I swear I will bring young master Lawrence” Lennon bowed before leaving with the captain. The Duke wanted to tell his wife immediately only to stop himself. He needs to confirm the information first before telling his wife as it would disappoint her if it turn out to be false.

Meanwhile, a young man with a scar across his forehead can be seen walking to the gate of the Sekai Kingdom with a carefree smile. Wearing a black suit and pants, he walked confidently with a suitcase in his hand. Following him is a tan-skinned woman wearing a cloak.

“Purpose?” the guard asked inquisitively

“I’m here to check the disease outbreak. Here’s my identity” the young man smiled before handing an identity card to the guard who glances at it before nodding and returning it back to the young man.

“Welcome to the Sekai Kingdom, Mr. Seol. This must be your attendee?” The guard glanced at the cloaked woman behind the young man.

“Yes, she is” the young man smiled as the guard nodded before writing something on a piece of parchment. The guard signaled the young man to enter as a smirk appeared on his face.

“This is gonna be fun” he muttered to himself

In the yard of the witch. Lawrence has changed his appearance as the vial in his hands is empty. His red hair is slowly turning brown while reaching his back. His blue eyes turned to brown and his body is slimmer than before. He tied his long brown hair into a ponytail. His rigid and cold demeanor changed into a carefree and soft demeanor as he smiled sweetly.

“You look like a fuckboy. You know, someone who relies on a woman to get what he wants” Catalinna blurted out as Lawrence stared at her before shrugging.

“I didn’t choose this. This is the appearance chosen by Keiren to make my new identity more credible.”

“So what’s your new identity?” Luke asked

“I’m apparently a wandering alchemist that helped the poor and weak. I also cured some illnesses and diseases in some local towns. My name is Evan Everlock…this can be quite helpful once we start doing our business.” Lawrence smiled before pocketing the identity card.

“What business?” Geiryst asked as Catalinna explained their plan to distribute the cure for the red rot and maleosis. Samantha was amazed since she also tried creating a cure for those illnesses but she failed. Still, seeing how confident Lawrence and Catalinna are. She didn’t ask for evidence since she trusted them.

“I see…it’s indeed possible. With the help of a talented alchemist such as Samantha. The challenging procedure wouldn’t post a problem for her” Geiryst muttered as Catalinna agreed with him. Samantha tilted her head, wondering what they are talking about.

“The crowned princess would arrive in around….3 to 5 days from now. We can slowly teach Samantha how to create both of the cures. For now, both of you. Drink the vial.” Lawrence said to Luke and Catalinna who drank the vial. Luke’s black hair changed to shagged silver color. His fox eyes remained the same but his mischievous smile was gone and replace with a hard line. His demeanor becomes serious and aloof. He decided that it was better to not act anymore as long as he disguises himself like this.

Meanwhile, Catalinna’s white hair turned into a fiery red while a claw scar manifested in her right eye. She becomes taller and has more muscle tone compared to her slim figure. If before, she looks like a graceful and regal woman, now she looks like a ferocious and battle-ready woman with her blinding beauty still intact.

“It suits you.” Lawrence chuckled as Catalinna glared at him before sighing.

“You wouldn’t even have to act” Lawrence added with a smile

“Fuck you” she retorted before crossing her arms

“Is it alright if we stay here?” Lawrence asked Samantha who immediately nodded.

“No one lives here besides me so why not”

“Great. Vania, stay here. I want you to reach 2-star mage” he looked at Vania who appeared to be dazed. She winced before nodding

“O-of course boss” She replied with her hands balled into a fist. Determination welled in her heart as Catalinna smiled at her.

“I’ll head to the alchemist guild to register. Also, to gather materials. 10 gold should suffice for now. The rest of you…..you can do whatever you want” Lawrence shrugged before walking away. Catalinna decided to stay to guide Vania and to help her train. She advised her to meditate and strengthen her mana heart. She only needs to gather mana from the surroundings and incorporate it into her mana heart. She closed her eyes while sitting in a lotus position as a pink hue of mana slowly circles around her before getting absorbed into her body. Seeing that she is stable in gathering mana, Catalinna decided to train only to see Samantha walking towards her with a bag full of potions.

“Here. Drink this. It can speed up the mana-gathering process for mages. Also, here is a stamina refilling potion. It can give you back most of the stamina you lost.” Samantha gave Catalinna a bag full of it as she widened her eyes. All of this would cost about four hundred gold or more yet Samantha is willingly giving them up despite only newly meeting them.

“Wha- what are you doing Samantha! You can’t give them that much! They will go too dependent and they might use you for your naivety and generosity” Geiryst hurriedly went over to the both of them

“Really? Why?” she asked

“Why, I mean… you’re talented in creating a potion. They might only be friends with you so they can get free potions but once you need their help. They would ignore you! Trust me, I know”

“This will help her in the long run. Let me ask you this Samantha…can you fight?”

“I can’t…I only reached a 2-star mage to become a proper alchemist. I become a witch when I applied curses and dark magic in my potion-making. Though, it’s mostly for self-defense.” she said honestly as even Catalinna can’t believe her naivety. No one says that they use dark magic to make a potion in public, more so to someone you just met.

“Besides, you can’t protect her alone. You need our help.” Catalinna retorted

“I..i..can..tsk” he bit his lips before sighing, understanding that his stubbornness and pride might lead Samantha to danger. “You’re right.” he admitted

“Now now, don’t be annoyed. You can appear as a hero saving a damsel in distress later. For now, be a good boy and don’t interrupt us ok?” she smiled before drinking the potion that increases the mana that they absorbed, as she shakes Vania gently who opened her eyes. Wondered why Catalinna woke her up from her meditation.

“Drink this, although the mana in this place isn’t that good. This can help us for now. Don’t worry, I’ll take you to a place with mana rich environment” Catalinna handed the potion to Vania who drinks it immediately. She felt the change as the pink mana that surrounded her is getting thicker and thicker than before. Noticing this, she hurriedly absorbed the mana into her mana heart to strengthen it.

Besides her, Catalinna also sits on a lotus position as red mana started moving towards her as she absorbed them greedily. By the current speed of her gathering mana and strengthening her mana heart, it would take a month for her to reach the mid-stage mage.

She only notice that Luke was nowhere to be found but she shrugs it off. Thinking that he might be following Lawrence again.

In the middle of the busy street, Lawrence noticed that a lot of his father’s knights is looking around and scanning the area. Probably looking for him. Thinking about it, he decided that he will visit his father to make sure that they know he was safe and also to have some backing if he needs to create connections. Walking towards the nearest healing plant and herbs store, he looked around to find the needed materials such as light grass and violet heart herb. After buying a bag full of each material that cost 1 gold, he started heading to the nearby Alchemist Guild to buy another ingredient.

Arriving at the alchemist guild. It is a massive guild with a large garden full of flowers and herbs surrounding the building. Its white exterior made it look clean as there is an insignia of the alchemist guild attached to the top of the building. Walking forward, he entered the guild as he went to the middle of the hall where a line of alchemists currently stands. A white counter can be seen at the end of the line as 5 receptionists asked for the alchemist’s identity card and their purpose. Reaching the end of the line, Lawrence slides his identity card as the woman widened her eyes before showing a genuine smile.

“Welcome to the alchemist’s guild. What can I do for you, Sir Evan?” the receptionist asked

“I would want to register please” Lawrence sweetly smiled as the receptionist blushed before coughing awkwardly.

“Oh! I didn’t see that Sir Evan didn’t register yet. Don’t worry, it’s free” she reached behind the counter before stamping the back of the identity card with a green metal stamp as a green insignia of the alchemist guild appeared on the card. Returning the card to Lawrence. She asked politely “Is that all Sir Evan?”

“No, give me a bag of mana dust and aura dust. Preferably in a separate bag please”

“Alright…that would be 5 gold coins total with the added discount” she replied with a polite smile as Lawrence reached into his pockets before giving 5 gold coins to the receptionist. After making sure that it was minted by the Sekai Kingdom. She replied with a polite smile.

“Thank you for doing business with us, Sir Evan. You can wait in that room to receive the materials” she points to one of in rooms around the hall with the number 121 etched at the door.

“Thank you miss” he replied politely before walking towards the room. Opening it, there’s a single table in the middle room and two chairs facing each other. A cloaked figure is sitting in the back and behind the figure is a pile of bags full of materials.

“Are you here to buy my materials?” a rough voice responded under the cloak.

“Yes, sir,” Lawrence replied as the man went to the pile of bags sitting at the back before grabbing two bags and slamming them onto the table. He cut an opening in the bag as Lawrence leaned in to find the sparkling dust, each with a different color. After making sure that it’s the true mana and aura dust. He absorbed both of the bags into his space ring as the man didn’t bat an eye.

“Pleasure doing business with ya” the man replied

“Pleasure’s all mine” Lawrence replied before leaving the room with four bags of materials and the necessary ingredients for the cure inside his space ring as he went outside of the alchemist guild to look around the place. He wanted to explore the kingdom but decided against it. It was a waste of time as he hurriedly went back to Samantha’s mansion only to find Luke waiting for him outside the guild.

“What is it?” Lawrence asked, confused about why he was there.

“I have something to ask you but not here” Luke replied as Lawrence nodded.

Entering one of the famous pubs of the kingdom, they asked for a table as the both of them sits in the corner of the room and ordered some food to pass time as they silently waited for their food to come.

“What is it that you want to ask?”

“You said you’re a soul stealer then what the hell is a reincarnated?”

“It’s the same as a soul stealer, the souls are just humans from another world coming to this world by taking the body of others” he discreetly replied as luckily, the place is too loud for others to hear them talk. Besides, no one cared what they do at the corner or what they talked about.

“Then you lied?”

“Lied? No, you assumed that I’m a soul stealer. Though I doubt that your father is a soul stealer. He’s probably a reincarnated.”

“I see….thanks for clarifying.”

“Now let me ask a question, is he always like this or did he change randomly?” Lawrence asked

“According to Mother. My father is a nice and gentle ruler before he suffered from an unknown sickness. The sickness would mess with his pain receptors that he would be sleeping while screaming in pain. Randomly, he woke up and the shamans found out that the sickness was gone. Father didn’t explain how he got treated and what caused the sickness. Ever since then, he became more ruthless, paranoid, and treated everyone as tools for his goals.” Luke explained with a calm expression. The food arrived as they stopped talking and ate the food silently as Lawrence pondered over this new discovery.