Chapter 496 - Garden (1/2)

”There is a garden in this cave?” Alex asked in surprise. It didn't seem like the place for those sorts of things.

”No, it's outside,” Yao Jia said. ”Why would there be a garden inside the cave? You, humans, are such a silly creature.”

”Oh, there is an 'outside' in this place?' Alex asked with surprise. ”I thought everything was underground.”

”No,” Yao Jai said. ”Only the palace is underground, everything else is outside.”

”Now I'm really curious,” Alex said and followed Yao Jia. They walked through a maze corridor and came to the end of the tunnel where the spirit vein in the ceiling stopped.

Beyond that point was a door with beasts staying on guard in it. Under Yao Jia's order, they opened the door which led to a flight of stairs.

The two of them started climbing the stairs and finally reached aboveground where they came out of a well-maintained gateway at the opening of the cave.

Alex walked out of it and could see a beautiful garden with flowers all around and a beautiful meadow to go along with it.

There were small beasts in the garden that were playing with each other, and adult beasts that were looking after them. Alex felt a sense of guilt when he remembered the many beasts he had killed up until now.

He had never once felt bad for killing a beast before, unlike how he felt when he killed humans. However, that was only because he was used to seeing beasts killed back at home.

However, now that he was starting to realize that beasts were also quite intelligent and were capable of the same things humans were, guilt started to manifest.

Beyond the garden was a wall made up of vines and thorns. And beyond that seemed to be a lot of trees. He wondered how close this place was from the stone platform he teleported through when coming here.

”It's nice, right?” Yao Jia asked.

”Yes, it's beautiful,” Alex said as he turned back to look at the garden again. His face suddenly changed and he walked towards the garden. Yao Jia followed him to show him more of the garden.

”You know, if you like this, it makes me really happy. After all, I was the one— Hey! Are you even listening?” she asked when she realized that Alex seemed to be lost in his own world as he walked towards the garden.

He walked towards a flower bed and crouched down to pick up a flower.

”Hey! Don't touch those. Those flowers turn bad when they—”

The words stuck in Yao Jia's throat when she saw Alex pick up the flower without destroying any of the rest.

”Huh? What's going on? Every time I tried it, the flowers wilted and disappeared,” she said.

”That's because you were picking the wrong flower. Amongst these entire flower beds, there is only one flower that you can pick without destroying the flower bed,” Alex said.

”That way, you can keep these flowers and make use of this most important one,” Alex said.

”Oh, you know a lot about flowers?' Yao Jia asked.

”I know a lot about plants in general, and a little about beasts, but mostly about plants. I'm an alchemist after all,” Alex said.

”An alchemist? Oh, you make pills right? I've read about you guys,” Yao Jia said. ”There's no beast here that can make pills, so I don't really know much about it.”

”What do you do when you get injured or catch some sort of illness?” Alex asked.

”Oh, we have a senior who can treat the unhealthy, but it mostly extends to illness and minor injuries. I heard pills can even regrow limbs, is that true?” she asked.

”Yes,” Alex said. ”Although they are a little hard to make since the ingredients they require is very demanding and also very rare,” Alex said.

Alex then turned around and looked at the area he had come from. The cave opening he thought he had walked out of actually turned out to be a massive mansion.

”What's that mansion for?” Alex asked.

”That's the secondary palace on top of the real palace. That is where the King's family and other important figures are kept,” Yao Jia said. ”Although, it's mostly empty now with only servants keeping that place alive.”

”Oh, I must've not been as important then if they didn't bother to keep me there,” Alex said with a deprecating laugh.

”Of course, you're not. At least, not yet,” Yao Jia said. ”Maybe you will be more important if they find out something regarding you today.”

”Something regarding me? Like?” Alex asked.

”I don't know. Father and Lady Ren went into the library to find stuff on you, I think. You seemed to have made them very curious about you. If they end up finding some importance in you, your status in this place will significantly increase,” Yao Jia said.

”Hmm… you guys need an alchemist?” he asked.

”I mean, maybe,” Yao Jia said. ”But are you a good one?”