After their talk and catching up, Lawrence bade his family goodbye with a smile. He will return tomorrow as Evan to act as a newly hired alchemist by the Duke. This way, they can talk like a family without any suspicion and allow his plan to move. Acting as the new genius alchemist, added by the Duke’s influence and renown. He can hopefully convince the crowned princess that he has the cure for the red rot and maleosis and secure a deal with her. That would allow him to monopolize the cure without the kingdom’s interruption.

Arriving at Samantha’s mansion, the gate swings open as he entered to find that no one was outside. Shrugging, he walked towards the mansion before opening the door. There, he saw Catalinna sitting on the chair facing the door with a bored expression.

“You finally arrived. We can discuss my plan here if you want” she responded

“I didn’t think you would wait for me. Should I be flattered or concerned?” Lawrence slyly smiled before sitting at the nearby chair. It was already midnight since his mother keeps on insisting that he slept at their mansion. They also finally talked as a family for a while as Lawrence didn’t even realize the time. They talked about their concerns and misgivings, any topic that they can think of as Lawrence missed his family. It was a weird feeling since they only interacted for barely a month but he realized that he didn’t replace their son but Lawrence merely got the information about his life on a different planet or dimension. As if their souls have become one. Lawrence can’t explain it properly as he shakes his thoughts away. He looked at Catalinna who seems to be sleepy.

“If you want, we can talk about this tomorrow” Lawrence responded to Catalinna who was rubbing her eyes. Trying her best to stay awake.

“It’s fine. I already waited for a long time. You’re probably gonna be gone tomorrow to do what you want without telling us” Catalinna argued as Lawrence simply smiled.

“Anyways, I have a way to remove the cost of lifespan needed to use the Flaming Asura’s Manifestation. I need the cape of the icy snow and combined it with the cape of the fiery sun. It would result in the creation of the cape of eternal balance. Which would allow my lifespan to never be reduced by anything. I won’t die no matter what happens before reaching the end of my lifespan. It doesn’t make me immortal since I will still die at the end of my lifespan but I also can’t increase my lifespan in any way from pills or from consuming the water of eternal life. " Catalinna explained as Lawrence stayed silent. Normally, a warrior or mage can live for hundreds of years as long as they continually get stronger but if what Catalinna said is true, she would at best only live for 80 years. The longest non-cultivator can live.

“Why aren’t you responding?” Catalinna asked

“I’m thinking. Is it really worth it?”

“Of course! Most warriors and mages don’t even reach their full lifespan since their life is full of danger. This is simply a win-win for me. Also…there’s a fact that I have demon blood on me. If I’m a half-blooded demon, I can live for 300 years with my natural lifespan so yeah. It doesn’t matter” Catalinna replied with a shrug.

“I see however how do you plan on obtaining the cape? The north is on the other side of the continent. I don’t see a way for us to travel that far that quickly” Lawrence replied

“Since we will be returning to the north eventually, I figured I can familiarize myself with the body art.” Catalinna responded. She lied, she intended to practice the body art in case she needs a trump card in the incoming tournament. The tournament in the Sekai Kingdom happened in the novel right about a week from now. This was an event that Cain was able to attend despite a large amount of land he needs to travel with his allies. He won the tournament in the end and was allowed to enter the treasury of the Swordwin Empire. Something he took advantage of for his future plans.

“Also, my father overheard us talking about the descent of the demon generals and the destruction of the northern wall.” Lawrence said as Catalinna nearly fell off her chair as she can’t believe what he said.

“WHAT?! HOW?!”

“I don’t know….someone probably deactivated the sound tampering magic. The more important thing is that my father was able to get the help of sword saints. This would help the north on defending the wall against the demon general and their army”

“Really?! This is great!” Catalinna gushed with happiness and excitement as Lawrence nodded with a small smile.

“Indeed, this would help greatly help us in the north.” Lawrence replied as Catalinna brightly smiled. There was an awkward silence that followed as they awkwarly stared at each other, having no idea what to talk about. Catalinna coughed as Lawrence can’t help but chuckle

Well, i have to go to my room. Samantha should have arranged where our rooms right?” Lawrence replied

“Yep, yours is on the second floor in the most west room. At the end of the corridor with the number 7 etched on the door. That should be your room. I have to sleep too so see you tomorrow” Catalinna yawned before heading upstairs as Lawrence went to his room.

Upon reaching the room, he opened the door and immediately falls to the bed before closing his eyes. A smile appeared on his face as he lay there asleep without a care in the world.

In the morning, he decided to head downstairs upon waking up to find everyone sharing a meal.

“Good morning boss” Luke said with a smile

“Good morning to you too” Lawrence responded as he grabbed the remaining free seat before he looked at the delicious meals laid on the table. Grabbing a plate, he started eating. He noticed that Geiryst is still half-asleep with black spots under his eyes.

“Don’t ask…the damn cure took us hours to finish. It still wasn’t safe for using since someone!” Geiryst looked at Catalinna who looked at him as if beckoning him to say it. A sigh escaped from his mouth as he doesn’t want to fight someone this early in the morning.

“didn’t give us the exact measurement”

“Well sorry, I’m not an alchemist” Catalinna replied with sarcasm as Samantha panicked.

“Sorry, Geiryst. It was my own inexperience that we didn’t finish the cure. I’ll try again later, you don’t have to help” Samantha responded

“It’s fine. I’m just cranky this early in the morning. I’ll still help you. I don’t have anything to do anyway” He lied since he works for the church of light. He would have to enter the grand chapel regularly and praise the name of the goddess of light to receive the blessing. He is a special Templar that works under the supreme hand of the goddess. Someone who kills anyone that disgraces the name of the goddess of light or does dark magic. No one knows about this, even Samantha since it would complicate their relationship.

“I appreciate it” Samantha replied as Lawrence and Catalinna noticed her ears going red.

“By the way, Vania. Here’s some potion that can help you breakthrough. I noticed that you are about to reach a 2-star mage so I figured I might as well give this to you. ” Samantha passes a bag full of potions to Vania who awkwardly received it.

“N-no need. This is too much.” Vania was flustered as she tried giving it back only to be grabbed by Luke who smiled at her slyly.

“It’s rude to refuse a gift you know” Luke responded

“R-really?” Vania asked

“Really?” Samantha asked too with a confused tone.

“Eh?” Vania blurted out.

“Of course~ It’s common courtesy. Those potions took a long time to make and effort was put into one of them. So it’s really rude to disregard those” Luke smiled

“But it didn’t take a long time to make. It only took me a minute to make those batches. Should potions take a long time to make?” Samanta asked again. Geiryst face palmed while Luke chuckled.

“This lady is quite peculiar right white stick boy?”

“Don’t call me white stick boy. My name is Geiryst for god sake” Geiryst glared at Luke who shrugged

“Just take it, Vania. She gave it to you since she’s concerned. Right?” Catalinna interfered and smiled.

“I was concerned? I just thought that she needs them so she can get stronger. She seems to be determined about it” Samantha tilted her head.

“Thank you but I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you” Vania replied while smiling under her mask. Samantha stared at her and nodded.

“There’s no need but if you insist, as long as you become stronger and help me reach my goal. I can consider it as repayment” Samantha responded to her genuinely. She doesn’t know how to respond to kindness so she treats kindness as if it’s a transaction. She figured that since they are willing to help her reach her goal, she has to support them by giving them the potions they require or might need.

She might not look like much but she’s a 5th-star witch. The second-highest rank in the Union of Witches. The union only consists of witches that believe that dark magic can be used safely and effectively. They are continually hunted by the church of light but they only existed to protect their fellow witches. The union itself isn’t evil or nefarious in any way but their association with the dark magic makes them an evil organization in the eyes of the kingdoms especially the churches of different gods.

To become a 5th-star witch, they have to create a potion classified as 6th rank. The potion created by Samantha is the modification potion that would allow anyone to change their appearance in any way possible from height, body build, and even gender. Of course, finding the ingredients needed and the proper procedure for it took Samantha two years before she was able to perfect it. The one used by Lawrence and the others is the weaker version of the potion that is cheaper and easier to produce.

“Of course! I will make sure that I will be stronger” Vania declared with determination as Samantha nodded at her. After everyone finished their meal, Samantha grabbed every utensil before bringing them to the kitchen where Geiryst helped her with the dishes. They washed it using a cleaning potion that eats the remains on the plate, leaving it clean as Geiryst washes it with water before putting it in a small cabinet.

Luke watched Geiryst washing the plates with water as he sees an insignia attached under his clothes. A frown appeared on his face before looking at Samantha whose ears are burning red.

“I gotta go, see you later everyone” Luke stands up before leaving in a hurry. Lawrence also stands up since he needed to read the spear art and the body art he obtained yesterday. Leaving the table to head upstairs, Catalinna was left with Vania.

“Are you about to become a 2-star mage?”

“Y-yes but I’m scared I might lose control over my powers again. I don’t know what to do…” Vania replied with a slight frustration in her heart but Catalinna simply smiled at her.

“It’s fine, trust me. It wouldn’t happen again but to be safe. You should breakthrough in your room. Don’t worry, I’ll be waiting outside in case something happens”

“Thank you for always helping me,” Vania replied as Catalinna warmly smiled at her.

“Of course since I’m the best” she replied with a smug smirk as Vania chuckled.

Meanwhile, in Lawrence’s room. He locked the door before reading the double body art. It was a peculiar body art that has the same effect as a cloning spell used by illusion mages. It would allow him to have a clone that can fight like him at 50% of his strength and speed but other than that, it uses up his aura which is only used when he’s using the light sky step art. The main energy that he uses when fighting is mana and especially qi. With the mana only being used to be converted into his qi to allow him to control gravity and use his gravity-based spells. His aura isn’t used as much but with this new body art. He can maximize the use of his three energy in fighting.

Still, the clone doesn’t have a soul or thinking process so it can only move its body on instinct.

At first, it took him 2 hours to create a shape similar to a human but it was too fragile that it broke into pieces upon touching. Another 2 hours passed but it was still a shape and although it didn’t break into pieces like last time, it collapses to the floor like a slime. He is currently laying on the bed panting as almost 75% of his aura is gone and he was dead tired. His progress is laughable but it was stable progress nonetheless.

Only when it was nighttime that he succeed in creating a clone of him. A clone that exactly looked like him. He tried testing to see if it can fight, but it didn’t move. He tried weaving his aura to control it but nothing happen. Confused, he looked to check if he missed something only for a beam to narrowly missed him. Turning around, he sees the clone summoning an array of weapons made of light before launching them towards Lawrence. Still, the weapons didn’t even reach Lawrence as they broke into a thousand pieces upon hitting the gravity barrier surrounding Lawrence.

“What are you?” Lawrence grimly asked while removing the Gungnir from his spatial ring. The clone also summoned a black spear with blue veins running around the shaft. The clone looked at Lawrence coldly before opening his mouth.

“I don’t know…but I must kill you.” The clone replied before charging forward.