abnormal mutation

Chapter 84 Scarlet Witch
Roland frowned, realizing that the illusion and the language were traps, and he had unknowingly revealed another secret.

He didn't know why he was unaffected by the "Forgetfulness" property, and could only attribute it to the Rune Seed and the Spirit Chessboard.

“Follow me.” Wilder stretched out his hand and pulled a small crystal bottle from his pocket, inside which flowed golden sap. “This is the sap of the Golden Tree. If you agree, potions can be made at any time.”

I also possess the complete knowledge of the Bloodborne Warlock path, all of which will be provided free of charge; I will cover all your development needs.

"I don't understand. We've only just met. The capital is full of geniuses. Why would Your Highness take a liking to me?" Roland didn't believe that a free lunch would fall from the sky.

"Because you... are different. You should know that better than I do."

I don't vie for the throne, so I don't have many enemies. Working for me is easy and effortless, and I'm free to come and go as I please. Isn't that good?
"The Northern Merchant Guild is a quagmire. Once you get stuck, you'll only waste your energy. You should know that by now..." Veldora smiled and placed a contract in front of Roland.

Roland reached out and took it. It was a long-term employment contract, without any extraordinary powers. The weekly salary was two hundred German dollars, and all expenses were to be borne by Verdura. After three years, both parties had the right to terminate the cooperation at any time.

"Since Your Highness is not vying for the throne, why recruit so many people?" He put down the contract and asked in confusion.

“Extraordinary people always have something to gain. It’s a path of conflict, and no one can advance smoothly. You’ll understand that later.” Veldora said solemnly.

"I'll think about it." Roland said this, but he didn't really want to cooperate with her.

"I'll wait for you." She got up and left, but she didn't take the contract or the bottle of golden tree sap with her.

Watching her disappear into the night, Roland sighed inwardly. Without the identity of an extraordinary being, the abnormality about him became increasingly difficult to conceal.

The sixth princess immediately began testing him, speaking frivolously and acting unpredictably. She clearly didn't understand what respect was, which made Roland somewhat disgusted.

'Are all the extraordinary individuals in this world so capricious?'

He raised his left hand and whispered through the spiritual connection, "Pro, what do you think?"

“The Northern Union Chamber of Commerce is indeed not a good place. There are too many problems, and it can't be revived without major changes. But that woman's purpose wasn't pure either. She's a follower of the Crimson Goddess and has always been at odds with the Church of the Moon Goddess and the Seventh Authority,” Pro said lazily.

"Is it possible that she's using me as bait?" Roland was startled.

"Who knows? Extraordinary people rely more on their intuition. Maybe she wants to sleep with you," Pro chuckled.

Roland: "..."

"You think I'm joking? She's probably a Scarlet Witch, whose traits are lust and restraint. It's not surprising that she used you as a litmus test," Pro argued.

“Uh…” Roland scratched his head, not knowing there was such a way for the first time. “Aren’t the royal family and the church at odds? How could a princess join the church?”

“Your understanding is too one-sided. We are intertwined, and the existence of the Law Enforcement Spirit Realm is beneficial to most of the righteous churches.” Pro rolled his eyes at him.

Roland stroked his stubble, lost in thought.

The law enforcement officials openly and covertly undermined the prestige of the major churches, probably to prevent them from interfering in government affairs or gaining too much popularity. Those princes and princesses who joined the churches were essentially giving up their thrones.

Footsteps approached, and Julia, Alex, and Tana pushed open the door and entered together.

"I haven't rested yet. I have something to tell you." Yulia glanced at the golden liquid on the table and her expression changed slightly. "Where did this come from?"

"It seems the sap from the Golden Tree hasn't arrived yet," Roland sighed. The Northern Merchant Guild, like a sieve, had revealed its weaknesses once again.

"They're still getting supplies." Julia sat down next to Roland, her eyes flickering slightly as she caught a familiar scent in the air. "Has Prince Veldora been here?"

“Yes, she wants me to do things for her,” Roland said truthfully.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Alex looked bewildered. They had been discussing until midnight, spending half the night figuring out how to arrange things for Roland. They thought the biggest obstacle was Hussein's faction, but they never expected it to be the princess.

Yulia remained silent for a long time: "His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne and has seventeen children. Princess Veldella is the sixth child, 23 years old this year. She has been intelligent since childhood, studied at the White Tower, and later transferred to Imperial University. She is a Crimson Witch and has now entered the middle sequence."

The royal family of Aethel is different from ordinary people. Their title means "nobility that needs no proof." Every direct descendant is born extraordinary. As long as they are alive, they can enter the middle order by means of the Aethel Holy Grail before the age of thirty.

It is said that this princess rarely returns to the capital, residing year-round in Enga Bay, Galvez County. She owns numerous properties, and her reputation… is quite good.”

"Cousin?" Alex looked a little anxious; who would speak well of their rival?

Roland's heart skipped a beat, and after a moment's thought, he understood the reason. He asked, "The Northern Merchant Guild wants to formally hire me?" "They do have that idea." Julia nodded, tapping her fingertips lightly on the table. "Glacier Town has limited resources. You'll eventually have to go out. The Merchant Guild is made up of Soren descendants, so at least it's a viable option."

However, the chamber of commerce has suffered from severe internal strife in recent years. Even if you join, you can't escape the issue of choosing sides. Resources can only be obtained through contributions, which might be... quite tough.

She didn't deliberately hide it; the so-called struggle was nothing more than power and profit. The pie was limited, and if you didn't fight for it, someone else would take it away.

"What position will you assign me?" Roland asked curiously.

“Security Consulting Department, Northern United Chamber of Commerce Security Consulting Company, Senior Security Consultant. This company has always been managed by Uncle Suleiman and is directly under the Chamber of Commerce. It is not part of the Guard Team and has a relatively high degree of freedom,” Yulia explained.

“Sounds good.” Roland nodded slightly, pushing the golden tree sap in front of Julia. “This stuff…”

"Go and rest. I want to talk to His Highness." Yulia glared at him and waved him away.

"Uh, okay." Roland got up and went upstairs.

Getting anything from the princess will definitely be difficult. The sap of the golden tree isn't rare; it just depends on whether Veldora is willing to give the host face.

…………

In the evening, Roland finished her simulated battle and lay down to rest. She tossed and turned all night and didn't fall asleep until very late.

In a daze, he felt a unique spiritual wave sweep over his body, instantly waking him up and returning him to the real world.

He got up and opened the inner window. The sky outside was just beginning to lighten, and the camp was already bustling with activity. Outsiders were not used to the length of day and night here, and they were eagerly waiting for dawn to break, so they got up early to start their activities.

What was that fluctuation just now?

Full of doubt, he quickly got dressed and hurried downstairs.

As soon as he turned the corner of the stairs, he saw several figures standing on the first floor: Suleiman, Benedict, Julia, Tana, and Veldora. Except for Julia, they were all mid-to-high sequence extraordinary individuals, which explained why he hadn't sensed anything unusual.

On the table was a small black box with gold patterns, which was already open, and a strange worm was floating inside.

It has a translucent crystalline shell, a flat body, and is connected head to tail, shaped like a Möbius strip. It has no eyes, mouthparts, or feet, only countless tiny tentacles that move constantly along its body.

When Julia saw Roland, she gestured for him to stand aside and remain quiet.

Roland stood silently behind her, watching the floating strange insects, and had a vague idea in his mind.

“It’s useless.” Suleiman slammed the box shut, his face extremely grim.

"Why?" Veldora pressed.

Suleiman pointed to the words on the box and said, "This proverb means: True perfection is never about being flawless, but about making the cost part of the power."

Therefore, there is no such thing as a perfect potion. It produces a unique semi-finished potion, using its finite body as a breeding ground, where the Paradox Worm turns the contamination into new properties, endlessly cycling and growing..."

"It sounds counterintuitive. What is this new characteristic? Won't it pollute one's own spirituality?" Yulia asked doubtfully.

Roland looked thoughtful. He suddenly thought of the immune system and antibodies. Pollution is a virus, and antibodies are new characteristics. However, this process cannot be achieved without the paradoxical insect.

"In other words, the potions concocted by the Paradox Worm cannot be sold at all." Benedict suddenly realized the crux of the matter, and his dissatisfaction with the Ice River Town branch grew even stronger.

Even if the Paradox Worm concocts ordinary potions, they would be very valuable. But who would dare to use an unknown, unfinished potion, especially since the Paradox Worm is needed to use it?

It's hard to say whether it's worth it for so many people to die for a magical item whose positive and negative effects are both uncertain.

"This must have been made by some ancient alchemist. Perhaps it represents a new research direction. I just don't know how serious the negative effects are," Tana said with a smile.

Benedict curled his lip, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He glanced at Roland beside him and a thought struck him: "This thing is still very valuable. If given to someone who is just about to step into the extraordinary realm, it might create a genius unlike any other."

Since headquarters was unsure how to thank Roland, they decided to give him this miraculous item he had risked his life to retrieve.

He's using flattery to his detriment. Young people are often arrogant, especially those who haven't received proper and extraordinary education. How many of them can resist using such amazing items?

“No.” Suleiman saw through his thoughts at a glance. “Headquarters’ rewards are mainly practical, and these kinds of items are not for young people.”

(End of this chapter)