Chapter 18 (2/2)

Law, his self-proclaimed disciple, then curtly replied,

“Please leave your recipe before you go.”

“I told you before, you possess zero talent. Just return to your original profession. Why are you sticking to me like a barnacle and insisting on practising alchemy although it does not suit you at all? On top of that, you keep on harping on me to avoid doing this or that.”

“I’ve washed my hands off that. I’m knitting right now because you stated that delicacy is imperative for alchemy, am I not?”

“Why, you scamp! Knitting is…!”

Xuan Tian was about to dish him an earful but shut his mouth when he observed Law’s creation. The muffler in the man’s hands was a masterpiece; moreover, both of its ends were edged with cute bunny designs.

This son of a gun. He knits so prettily…!?

Xuan Tian had endured all manner of hardships, yet even he couldn’t handle the tenacity and obsession of this guy who had established himself as his disciple. Xuan Tian clicked his tongue reasoning to himself that since one must undergo rigorous training to become a Kshan, Law perhaps learnt knitting by practising on human skin.

“Give it up! I intend to keep the recipe inside my

“Is this how alchemy shall meet its demise? Your ancestors would be furious.”

“Where on earth did you learn how to use that phrase, ‘the ancestors will get angry’, so well?”

“You mention them day in, day out, don’t you? Right, Meow?”

“Meow—”

Law caressed the Siamese cat that meowed as if in response to him. The man adored cutesy things very much, so unlike his profession as a desert warrior. Xuan Tian levelled a bleary stare at him.

“It’s because you’re too soft on the cats that they brazenly stroll in and out of the room. Back in the Eastern Continent, it would be unthinkable to let such a wily beast into one’s room.”

“Why? It’s small and cute. This room would also prefer Meow to an old man who is forever declaring he’s dying and a boorish man.”

“You whelp, who are you calling an old man?! Cough, cough!”

“Don’t push yourself. If you act without prudence and solely trust in your healthy constitution, you might end up falling like the last autumnal leaf.”

“You little blighter. The way you talk is…!”

…Only bare seconds ago, he’d been murmuring in such faint tones as if death was imminent any moment. It was a habit of his to abandon his frailty and assume it anew whenever he saw fit. Shaking his head, Law wrapped the woollen choker he made around the cat. The colourful strap stood out from between its fluffy fur. The cat moved to nuzzle the back of Law’s hand, and all the while, Xuan Tian watched the scene before him mutely. The cat let out a meow and stared back at him.

‘This wily beast!’

Not wanting to lose, Xuan Tian began glaring at it. And so the staring match kicked off, but then…

“Say, what’s that beside you?”

“Oh, you mean this?”

Law picked up a case lying on the table.

“The innkeeper told me to relay it to Master without fail.”

“To me? Who is it from?”

“According to the innkeeper, they were attired in fancy clothes and observed proper decorum. They seemed like a messenger from someone of high standing.”

“Someone of high standing…?”

Xuan Tian couldn’t hide his sceptical expression as he shook the case. Living from day to day was a great struggle as an illegal immigrant; he certainly never had any occasion to encounter any of the Western Continent’s big shots. Law, who also knew that fact well, asked,

“Did you cause a problem?”

“Problem? I remember no such thing…”

Maybe he had done something under the alcohol influence… No, Xuan Tian’s body would flush out the alcohol on its own while he drank, so he’s never been intoxicated. Then…

While Law was deep in thought, Xuan Tian opened the case. A letter bearing a seal in the shape of a noble family’s crest and a vial the size of a finger lay within.

“This is…?”

The vial contained a transparent liquid which produced bubbles when he shook it.

‘What exactly is this?’ “What is that?”

Law asked as he held the cat. Xuan Tian picked up the letter.

66.199 “What’s wrong?”

After reading the contents of the letter, Xuan Tian’s eyes began to tremble wildly.