Chapter 236: A Better Choice

Chapter 236: A Better Choice

Queen Borough, inside the luxurious villa belonging to Earl Hall.

The cold air was blocked outside by windows and walls. Indoors, it was warm as spring, and the fireplace was elegant.

Audrey Hall was being measured by the fashion designer, Madam Genia, so that the latter could design an outfit for the New Year’s ball according to Audrey’s recent physical and temperamental state.

At that moment, her personal maid Annie leaned close to her ear and lowered her voice.

“Madam Islant has come to visit.”

Feedback this quickly? Audrey felt joy in her heart, but nothing showed on the surface. With a shallow smile, she said, “Please have her wait in my art studio. Mm, five minutes.”

“Art studio?” Annie asked back in surprise.

“Yes. I want to invite her to appreciate the oil painting I recently completed. She says that what is depicted in a relaxed state can easily reveal one’s true thoughts and emotions.” Audrey explained in an unhurried voice.

Annie immediately understood.

“Yes, Miss.”

Less than five minutes later, Audrey entered the art studio and saw Islant admiring the painting on the wall.

“That is Mr. Sency’s Inner Night, a masterpiece that gives one a sense of peace,” she introduced with a smile.

“Sency’s Inner Night? One of the top ten in the Tussock Times’ selection of the hundred greatest paintings of the past century?” Islant was clearly the type of person who read newspapers often.

And as a Beyonder of the Spectator pathway, her memory was sufficiently outstanding.

“Yes.” Audrey answered simply, as though it were something of no importance.

“To think I have the fortune of seeing the original…” Islant looked up again at the oil painting.

She swallowed back the follow-up words “this is worth at least a manor,” not wanting to appear too vulgar.

Audrey did not introduce the other paintings. She found an excuse to dismiss Annie, then used her gaze to signal the golden retriever Susie to go outside and “stand guard.”

Susie understood her hint without any obstacle. Wagging her tail and swaying her rump, she ran out.

Islant closed the door and returned beside the easel. Before Audrey could ask, she spoke first.

“We have the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic and the Wind-blessed potion formula, but there is no need to sell them unless the other party can offer a reward impossible to refuse.”

Willingness to discuss it means there is hope! Audrey’s green eyes shifted slightly, and she laughed softly.

“What do you hope to receive?”

Islant smoothed her hair and answered, clearly prepared.

“2,500 pounds for the Human-skinned Shadow characteristic, and 3,000 pounds for the Wind-blessed potion formula.”

A large premium… Audrey did not think it expensive. She merely lamented that the Psychology Alchemists’ markup exceeded fifty percent.

According to the Hanged Man’s description, under normal circumstances, a Sequence 6 potion formula cost less than 2,000 pounds. But the closer things got to higher Sequences, the fewer potion formulas circulated, making them very difficult to buy. There simply was no normal situation, and more importantly, even if one happened to encounter one, confirming whether it was genuine was very difficult.

At that moment, Islant added one more sentence:

“If the other party can exchange it with a mystical item, then roughly equivalent value will suffice.”

In other words, you want mystical items more and are willing to accept a price reduction for that… The Psychology Alchemists belong to one of the youngest secret organizations, so their accumulation in this area is clearly inferior to others… Audrey pressed her lips slightly and said, “I will relay this back, but I cannot guarantee they will accept.”

She was not the slightest bit worried that the Psychology Alchemists might discover she had not attended any Beyonder gathering recently. Her schedule was rather packed: afternoon teas, music lessons, dinners, balls, equestrian training, language lessons…