Chapter 117 - Xual

I passed a small amount of time, and I began to fret about the condition of the Embassy tower. The position I had inherited was covering up even more than I initially thought as well. The structure and wey lines were in dire need of maintenance. The enchantments were wearing out, and the ingredients to do defensive spells were not the easiest to come across. All of this added up to things not being in a good position at all.

I scoffed at the paperwork in front of me, thinking about how I abandoned it here to build up into the fortress of work it was now. I needed to plunge Much more time than I wanted to do in order to fix the current problems I found myself in now. That wasn't the worst of it, though. The worst was the actual problems cropping up among the budget that needed addressing.

I heard a knock as I was going over the budgets one last time before I started to make the decisions. I looked up, already annoyed at the interruption to my tackling the problems in front of me. Alexia stood in the doorway, and I realized why she was here. "It's time for the meeting, isn't it?" I asked her, and Alexia nodded. I sighed at the knowledge that I would be pried from the work that was desperately needed to be done. "Okay," I said, getting up from behind the desk and moved with her into the hallway, walking silently with her as I thought about how I wanted to deal with the issues.

I could hire outside help to help us, but that would compromise the Enchantments with the possibility that someone outside might learn what enchantments that we do have. That itself told me that I couldn't do it that way. That meant that I would need to get someone from inside our country. I simply couldn't do it myself with all the responsibilities I had on my plate at the current moment.

I wouldn't mind teaching Asahi and Trisha the art of enchantments, but that would kill too much time. A time that I didn't have, unfortunately. This meant that I would need to bring in someone from the homeland. This wouldn't look good for me if I am asking just after they sent my brother and sister from the tribe. They could have sent an enchanter with them, and I could only tell them the truth that I only received accurate reports now. I would tell them that I was too caught up funding and negotiating with the Demon land's races, but that would be an excuse at best.

I sighed with the problems I created for myself without knowing it. I moved with Alexia, who left me to my thoughts respectfully. When I arrived, though, I entered the meeting room with none of my worries on my face. The Imps looked towards the door, and smiles showed on their colored faces.

The Imps were like the Bunny-kin and took on a variety of different colors in skin tone. They also did so with hair and asking tone even more than Bunny-kin that tended to range from my old world skin pigmentations. Imps, on the other hand, could be found in so many colors I couldn't think of one off the top of my head that they weren't.

The imps were a race that is quite weak in this world. That didn't mean that they were not scary. The Imp lords in the records were just as strong as everyone else and were fiendishly good at using mana. In the F to C rank, they were overall weaker than almost all races. They made up for that with population. The problem was when they surpassed the B rank. Since they were so much weaker in the lower ranks, they made up for it with the ability to use it economically and with ingenuity.

Those with larger mana pools were prone to overpowering their enemies with sheer mana; Imps, on the other hand, try to use as little mana as possible since their bodies couldn't store them mana very well in the lower ranks. When they joined the ranks of B or higher, that no longer reigned true for some reason. The level playing field with how they developed their combat abilities made them scary to deal with in any form of combat, even more so on the ground of their own choosing.

Unfortunately, I never encountered this type of combat, although, Upon further thought, I would much rather not find out from a true enemy. It made me want to fight someone of the same strength in order to learn something from them. I had massive mana pools, but I tore through mana quickly. If it weren't for the fact that I had such an enormous amount of mana, even more than a typical B ranker, I would be much less effective. It was a sad reality that I needed to learn to fix.

If I could coup myself up in the lab, I would spend a significant amount of time achieving that. It was something I wish I could create more time to spend in the laboratory enthusiastically.

I stifled a sigh, though, as I remembered that I was supposed to be meeting with the imps, not thinking about all the information I was supposed to know about them. "Sorry for being late and the long time to get you in a meeting with me," I told them in a tone that made me sound absolutely sincere although I would much rather be finishing up the paperwork.

"Ambassador Chelsea," A grey Imp stood and came to greet me. Imps were not tall creatures. There were roughly five feet tall and were curious in their own right. Although their skin came in many colors, their hair was usually a different one. A red imp could have blue hair, or a Green one could have pink. The three imps in front of me came in Grey skin with Red hair, Blue skin with orange hair, and last but certainly not least, Green skin with Bright neon pink hair. The color spectacle was astonishing. Each had a beard on their skin. Imps also came with a scrunched-looking face with skin that seemed extra and wrinkled yet tight against the skin. It was weird looking at the numerous lines on their faces.

However, each of these imps wore Suits just like Francis, looking well dressed and ready to do business. They looked like Short professional men ready to come down to business like they meant business. I steeled myself and knew I blew off these men too long.

"Sorry, You have caught me at a disadvantage today; I found I have a bit too much on my plate to keep up with the names of everyone I am supposed to meet. Too many balls in the air and not enough time or hands to keep them up to their without slipping up," I apologized while making a suitable excuse.

The Gry imp in front of me nodded in understanding, "I am Xual Taro, I am the quartermaster of the Imperial Imp Tower in the western Demon lands. My associates and I would like to come to an agreement with you over potions we believe you are able to supply in the short term." Xual said and motioned me to my seat. I realized that he wanted to talk first and obeyed, skipping on a couple of pleasantries.

Something about how Xual talked, though, sent alarm bells off in my mind. This man wasn't simple, and I didn't just mean with power. I could feel the mana in him at the B rank. He was even stronger than I was from the fluctuations. No, it was something about the way he smiled and the easily dismissive way he accepted my apology.

"We know that until that Trade agreement between our nations is signed, you will be the best avenue to get strong alchemical products into our hands at the lowest cost. Indeed you can even increase your profit margins by a large amount just because of transportation costs. Our nation is not as enthusiastic about alchemical products as the Bunny-kin, which is a shame. We do have some but not the deep reservoirs as the Bunny-kin." Xual continued.

It hit me what it was about Xual with that last small speech. This Imp was a Merchant. Better than Rose too. It was the first time I could see the pride in what the man was doing when it came to trade. He was buttering me up to something that would make him a significant profit somehow. I didn't know how but he would be working towards something, and I am not sure I would like it.

A good merchant, though, would not only make it worth my while for my pocket but more so for his pockets or benefits. This man would be laying down mines that the slightest touch of them would lose me gold to his advantage down the line. I could feel it. Excitement poured through my veins, and I listened to Xual with much more interest in the meeting than before.

"I am here because you seem to be the best person to cooperate with when it comes to acquiring what I need. Preferably in bulk if you have the time Ambassador Chelsea. I do not know how long you will be here, but I would like to make a business contract with you," The Xual said with a sharp, charming smile.

"I am sure that you will surprise me, Xual," I said, returning the smile.

The Imp smiled at me impishly, "Well, I can see that you are interested," Xual said, and I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. "What I am interested in contracting with you is Prime water." His grin was large, and I frowned.

Prime water was an exciting potion that was one of the staples of the bunny-kin. It was a potent water potion that primarily could purify large bodies of water. It was also challenging to create. The task would be a daunting one, and the ingredients were rare. In fact, a tear of Golden Baylor would be needed to finish it.

Tear of Golden Baylar, which I thought was an overly long name, was incredibly rare. Otherwise, I would be entirely on board with making the potion. The problem was that the only way to find a Tear of Golden Baylar was through luck. The Ingredient was made when an area full of Mana with mana metals left for some time. It would condense eventually with the radiation mana and create a drop of it. A drop of Tear of Golden Baylar was all that was needed. It was a drop of almost pure mana. The insights I would get making such a potion would be fantastic for my alchemy.

"The problem with that is if you have the Tear of Golden Baylar, Xual," I replied, "The next is why come to me with it when I am sure your alchemists would be more than happy to create a potion with it." I finished.

More was at work, and Xual's charming, impish smile showed nothing off. "You're right; This is a bribe to make the next potion we want." Xual said with that large smile, "And yes, we do have the ingredients. No, I want to bribe you with this so you will make something else for us." Xual turned more serious, and I frowned. The ingredient Tear of Golden Baylar was important but not vital to me. I wanted it, but it was nothing pressing to me. I could go all year and next year without it. I am pretty sure the Bunny-kin had a supply of it to the Master Alchemist residing in Silvermoon tower. It was on short supply but a supply nonetheless. The reason it was so rare was the time it took to condense, but it was renewable as long as you didn't mine the materials around where it got produced. Finding a new source would always bring in a large pool of it too. In fact, the more of it inside the mine where it comes from, the faster it produces. In a pinch, this was incredibly useful strategic material.

It was so rare because it never came to market since a Tear of Golden Baylar would be better off name Liquid Mana. Liquid Mana, though, became a strategic bottleneck for many potent potions in the upper grades. Therefore it never left the strategic reserve unless you had essential potions to make.

"What is the potion you want," I slowly said, looking at him, "Don't go too overboard. I can get access to Tear of Golden Baylar if I want to. I am the Heir of Silvermoon tower after all," I told him with a smile.

Xual nodded at my assertion, and he grinned back, "We want you to help us with a gift to an important individual." The imp said. "A very important one and I would like you to make with another Tear of Golden Baylar a Firey Baylar potion." The Imps grin was wicked, and I s.u.c.k.e.d in air.

A Firey Baylar potion. It was a potion that created a fire that only fit in the pits of hell. It created a flame that only had one method of extinguishing it; Prime water. Prime water would purify the effects of the potion as a Direct counter to it. In fact, That was how a mater Alchemist discovered prime water. About a hundred years ago, the Master alchemist that lived in the Empire created it when the Nation Chibinar was at war with them. They created Firey Baylar and used their strategic reserve to buy time to move their forces. They used the potion untested and created a moat of fire that spread slowly without stop. It burned a pit into the ground and eventually created a river that runs through a part of the Empire.

The Empire was stuck behind that firey moat for years as it burned. Even when the Nation Chibinar didn't know what to do about it. They wanted to counter-attack, but the Firey Baylar wouldn't go out. It didn't even seem to run off atmosphere mana. The war between the two nations paused, and neither side wanted to go through other nations to get at each other.

With an unsigned truce between them, the two nations, Alchemists started a race to create a potion or do something about the rapidly growing pit between them. Both sides had slaves made trenches to flow the Firey Baylar in the directions they wanted as it continued to move and burn. It was an odd scene, I bet. But after three years and a New large moat spanning both nations, a Master alchemist founded Prime water.

The Empire then got a surprise attack ready and unleashed it upon the Nation Chibinar. The Prime water slowly extinguished the Firey Baylar and moved like the Fiery Baylar down the large moat. The Strategic Reserves of Tears of Golden Baylar must have been severely depleted. Still, with the surprise, the Empire took over the Nation of Chibinar, bringing its nation to the Edge of the Beast-kin Nation. The moat that the countries made with the Firey Baylar, though with the work of the Empire, became a great resource as they finished digging it to the ocean. It took them decades, but they had a large water transport line through most of their Empire with the new river flowing.

The history of the potion roll through my head, and I knew that the potion would have to be created in much larger quantities if you wanted to replicate something the size of that. But it was important to remember this was a very dangerous potion that seems to use everything to replicate itself. It was something interesting, and I would love to see that self-replication in action. But I wasn't even sure if that it was self-replication going on.

"Oh, And pray to tell, What would you like such dangerous potion for? Along with what admits to its antidote?" I asked.

"Well, That I can't seem to tell you at this point," Xual said with that impish smile.

"Then I cant seem to remember how to make those particular potions at this moment either," I replied and saw the three imps around me stiffen.

"I would really like it if you could make these potions for us," Xual replied.

"Look," I said, leaning forward, "You are asking me to make an alchemical fire that only you can extinguish in a small amount of time. This could be released in a place that I don't know that might damage the Bunny-kin and my interests. I will not be giving out what amounts to be an ever-burning fire until you decide to use the Prime water to extinguish it. It takes days to make both these potions, and if you use it on something I would much rather not be burning, I will be shit out of luck. I don't have extra Tear of Golden Baylar sitting around. Meaning you could blackmail me just to extinguish a fire!" I told him loudly, my frustration coming to bear. That Merchants smile that Xual had was gone, and he was frowning at me.

"You want to know the price for me to make these potions without knowing what it was being used on?" I asked rhetorically, "Ten million gold coins, And the completed signing of the Demon lands entering the war with the Empire till the completion of the war in our victory!" I announced to him, seeing Xual's frown deepen.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down, and Xual waited for me to finish calming down. "Look," I said, beginning again. "I don't mind doing business and creating potions for your Wizard tower. I don't know why you want me to create these potions, though, and your bribe I regret to inform you at this point. I will not be making Firey Baylar. Find another alchemist for that, but it will not be a Bunny-kin." I finished and sat back.

"That is disappointing to hear, Ambassador Chelsea," Xual said a minute or so later, the other two imps remaining silent the entire time. "How about this, I will talk to my superiors, and we can see if there is something else we can contact you to make." Xual finished.

I was confused, and I nodded. Xual stood up, and the other two followed with him, "Have a good day, Ambassador Chelsea; I am sure we will see each other again soon." With that, the three Imps left the meeting room with me, bidding them a good day.

With the imps leaving, I felt like they left with wool over my eyes. I didn't think that they wanted those potions. I think they wanted to see my reaction to the questionable potions they wanted to be created. I didn't know what they wanted, nor for that matter what anyone in the goddamned Demon Lands wanted.

I took another deep breath, trying to release the anger that I felt towards the still broken spy reports here. Christina needed to do her job and fast, but she required time. In the meantime, I would have to encounter times like these where I didn't know the context of who that very important person they wanted to gift to it. I had no idea what the Wizard tower wanted, though.

Not when it could just as easily destroy my entire Embassy.