The Shining Star Above The Heaven
Chapter 216: A Little Problem

Chapter 216: A Little Problem

The next day.

Aldrian sat in his room, a cauldron placed in front of him. After returning from the Alchemist Association headquarters, he had delved deeper into his knowledge of alchemy. He purchased advanced books on alchemy, the most expensive cauldron available in their store, and ingredients for concocting pills. All of these purchases were but a drop of water in the ocean of his wealth, so he spared no expense.

Just as he had done when learning blacksmithing, he was eager to practice his concoction skills. Inside his luxurious room, he had already created formations identical to those in the Alchemist Association’s concoction room. Anyone passing by his room would neither smell nor sense anything unusual.

Aldrian seemed lost in his own world as he immersed himself in practice, already having produced several pills using new recipes. He resembled a child with a new toy, his enthusiasm for learning alchemy reaching new heights. After several hours, he finally stepped out of his room, deciding to take a walk before continuing his work.

Coincidentally, in the inn’s hall, he saw Sylphia standing outside her room. He decided to greet her and ask if she would like to join him for a walk, to which she responded with enthusiasm. He simply smiled, thinking it was a good opportunity to stay connected with those around him rather than remaining entirely absorbed in his own world all the time.

They strolled through the city, taking in the scenery and exploring various entertainment spots. The sun had been high in the sky when they left the inn, but before they knew it, it had shifted to the western side of the sky. Aldrian, who had initially planned for just a short walk, chose to keep going. Seeing Sylphia’s joyful expression, he couldn’t bring himself to cut their time together.

"Hey, did you hear that the Alchemist Association is going to auction pills next week that are said to have never been seen before on the continent?"

"Never been seen before? Aren’t they exaggerating? What kind of ’never before’ are we talking about?"

"They claim the pills have six stripes, and it’s already been confirmed by the three grandmasters of the association."

"What? Six stripes? How is that even possible?!"

In the midst of their walk, Aldrian overheard some people talking about the Alchemist Association and immediately realized they were discussing his pills. The announcement made by the association this morning had already caused a sensation.

The previous day, during his conversation with the three grandmasters, they had asked him what he planned to do with all the pills he had created. He had simply given them to the association since the ingredients had come from them. If he wanted to make more for his group, he could always purchase the ingredients himself and create another batch.

They then asked if he wanted to spread these revolutionary pills, and he simply told them to do whatever they wished. With that, they decided to auction one of each pill from the different recipes. This was the Alchemist Association’s way of introducing his work to the outside world. They wouldn’t announce his name, but they would reveal that the association had another 10-star badge alchemist.

Although the pills they were going to auction weren’t particularly rare or special, the six stripes alone would be enough to attract attention, even from the imperial family.

This could benefit him as well. The higher his products soared, the easier it would be to resolve his parents’ problems. His parents’ families would be forced to listen to either his parents or him. He would crush their pride and any hidden cards completely, leaving them no choice but to obey. He was even prepared to go all out for this—if in the end his name were to echo across the entire continent, so be it.

As his mother had said, if the heavens were pushing him into the limelight, then he would take full advantage of it.

While they were walking along the canal leading to the plaza, Aldrian suddenly sensed that a few people were following them. There were about a dozen or so, maintaining their distance and hiding their presence within the crowd and small alleys, but they couldn’t escape his senses. There was also an ill intent directed at him or Sylphia. He glanced at Sylphia’s joyful face, it seemed she hadn’t noticed them. However, he chose to ignore them and continued walking with her.

As they were about to reach the plaza, a smoke screen suddenly erupted, followed by the startled gasps of many people. The smoke blocked Aldrian and Sylphia’s view, and in that split second, Aldrian sensed that the people who had been following them were finally making their move. By sensing the direction and intent of their actions, he quickly realized who their target was.

"They are targeting Sylphia."

Sylphia, still in a stunned state, finally realized they were being ambushed. She quickly dropped into a wary stance, but when she looked to her side, Aldrian was no longer there.

Thud! "Argh!"

Clang "Argh!"

She could only hear the sound of painful cries coming from different directions around her. Her senses seemed blocked by the strange smoke screen, leaving her unaware of what was happening.

After a few seconds, the smoke dissipated, and she finally saw that 14 people were lying unconscious around her. They all wore black masks, so their identities were hidden.

The people, still in shock from the sudden chaos, could only look in the direction of the commotion. They didn’t know what had happened, as everything unfolded so quickly. All they saw was the smoke screen, followed by the sounds of painful cries. They hadn’t even seen anyone run into the smoke screen.

Aldrian glanced at the ambushers before turning his attention to Sylphia.

"It seems we have to finish our walk here. These guys seem to be targeting you." He said, grasping her hand.

In an instant, they disappeared, leaving behind a confused crowd.

Not far from the inn, Aldrian and Sylphia appeared on a pathway, surprising some people with their sudden appearance. Sylphia looked around, sighing, then turned to Aldrian with a confused expression.

"They’re targeting me?" she asked.

"Yes, they’ve been following us for some time. In the split second of the smoke screen, they moved towards you. Is there someone you know, or someone you’ve offended in the empire?" he asked, noticing that Sylphia seemed nervous.

He smiled gently and tightened his hold on her hand.

"It’s okay, Sylphia. You can tell me anything. What are you so nervous about? Whatever it is, I’ll listen. Do you have a problem with anyone in this empire?" he asked again.

Sylphia finally sighed before speaking.

"Three days ago, when Baek Ji-Min and I were walking through the city, we ran into a group of nobles at a restaurant. We didn’t have any issues with them and just minded our own business. The problem started when one of them came over and began bothering us. We tried to ignore him, but he kept pressing. We lost our patience when he tried to touch me," she said, her head lowered so that Aldrian couldn’t see her face.

"I beat him and a few of his men. It caused chaos, but we managed to run and lose them, then went back to the inn, which felt like the safest place. I haven’t left since, until you asked me to go for a walk earlier. I think they might be people connected to that noble, looking for me and Baek Ji-Min." Her voice grew smaller, and there was a hint of guilt in her tone.

"I thought we wouldn’t run into problem. I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you because I was worried it would affect your plans. At the time, I thought I’d just stay inside and wait for your business here to be over. But it seems I’ve brought unnecessary trouble to you."

After she finished, she waited for Aldrian’s response, but he remained silent. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her, thinking he was disappointed in her. Her heart felt heavy with the weight of that thought.

"Sylphia, look at me."

Suddenly, she heard Aldrian’s soft voice, and she felt his hands gently touch both of her shoulders. When she lifted her head, she didn’t see disappointment in his eyes. Instead, he smiled at her—a smile that always warmed her heart.

"Good. If you ever experience something like that again, it’s okay to tell me. Don’t worry, Sylphia, your actions won’t affect my plans in the slightest. In fact, I’m glad you’re safe. If you ever find yourself in a situation like that, you have the right to defend yourself, to defend your dignity. I will support you."

His confidence in his strength and ability was evident in his words.

Sylphia was stunned by Aldrian’s words, but after a moment, she sighed in relief and smiled at him. She was glad he wasn’t disappointed in her and, instead, supported her. Her pride as a princess flared at that time, and she would never allow anyone to humiliate her like that.

"Mhm." She nodded.

"So, tell me, Sylphia, which noble family does the man come from, the one who dared to disturb you?"

"He is the young master of the Lucard family, Danius Lucard, one of the duke houses here."

At the mention of the family’s name, Aldrian was stunned inside, though he still smiled at her.

"Lucard family, huh."