Chapter 129: The Effects of Hot Spring Mountain Tea
Selena sat upright on a chair in the living room, quietly waiting for Duane’s arrival.
If it weren’t for what happened last night, she would already be on her way back, and Brison wouldn’t have been so severely injured.
Thinking back to their conversation, she knew she should have stopped him.
Garrot’s plan had been too reckless. Once it failed, there was no turning back.
Now, they were both his captives, and she had no idea how this young Baron would deal with them.
The earthenware cup beside her was steaming. It was a special beverage called "tea" that Jasmine had brought over.
Selena had never had it before, and she was in no mood to drink it now.
However, as she waited and waited with no sign of Duane, she finally couldn’t help but take a sip.
At first, it had a faint, bitter taste that wasn’t particularly pleasant. But after she swallowed, a sweet aftertaste filled her mouth.
It was certainly a beverage with a unique flavor.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Selena noticed something peculiar.
She slowly closed her eyes, entering a state of Meditation. As she did, she found that her perception of the Elements in the surrounding space seemed to have grown slightly stronger.
Her eyes snapped open in surprise.
Although the enhancement was minor, it genuinely improved a Mage’s ability to enter Meditation.
’To think a simple cup of tea could rival some Magic Potions.’
With nothing else to do anyway, Selena drank the rest of the tea and began her Meditation.
The training of a Mage is more tedious than that of a Warrior, and this had endowed Selena with great patience.
Even after waiting for more than two hours, she didn’t grow anxious or impatient, and the thought of leaving never crossed her mind.
Besides, she was a prisoner now. Even if he was making her wait on purpose, she had no choice but to comply.
Finally, the sound of light footsteps rang out, and Duane’s figure appeared at the entrance to the living room.
"My apologies. Something held me up."
Selena opened her eyes and quickly rose to her feet with a bow. "It’s no trouble. I was just taking the opportunity to meditate."
She glanced at the fresh cup of tea Jasmine had brewed to replace the old one. ’This Baron’s servants are certainly generous,’ she thought.
"Your tea aids a Mage’s Meditation. I never expected Black Forest Island to have such a rare beverage."
"Oh?"
Duane was quite surprised.
He knew Hot Spring Mountain Tea was special, having gained attribute points from drinking it himself.
But since he wasn’t a Mage and there were none on the island, he had no idea that Hot Spring Mountain Tea could also aid Meditation.
Selena was a little surprised. ’Judging by the Baron’s expression, could it be that he didn’t know about this effect?’ she wondered.
Duane snapped out of it, sat down, and asked with a smile, "In that case, how much do you think a pound of this tea would sell for?"
Selena sat down as well, pondering for a moment. "The effect from that cup seemed to come only from the first infusion and lasted no more than five minutes. Hmm... Do you know how many cups can be brewed from a pound of tea leaves?"
Duane thought for a moment and estimated, "About a hundred cups, I’d say?"
"There’s a Potion on the market that aids Meditation. One bottle enhances a Low-level Mage’s Meditation for ten minutes and sells for 5 Silver Coins."
"If we price it based on duration, then one pound of your Hot Spring Mountain Tea could sell for 250 Silver Coins."
Jasmine, who was standing nearby, jumped in fright when she heard this.
She had drunk it many times while helping the Baron prepare it. ’Does that mean I’ve wasted a fortune?’
Jasmine glanced timidly at the Baron. ’It looks like I won’t be able to drink Hot Spring Mountain Tea anymore.’
’If I want to drink tea, I’ll have to stick to the ordinary kind made from the wild tea trees of Broken Wave City.’
Duane was inwardly delighted. ’Her pricing is quite reasonable. This Hot Spring Mountain Tea is incredibly valuable.’
More importantly, its Manufacturing didn’t require Magic; any ordinary person could do it as long as they learned the method.
In other words, as long as he had enough Hot Spring Mountain Tea trees, he could mass-produce it.
’It looks like expanding the large-scale cultivation of these tea trees is imperative!’
Duane set aside his thoughts on the tea business for the moment.
"Alright, Selena. Jasmine told me you’ve thought things through. Why don’t we discuss that matter first?"
As he spoke, he motioned for Owington and Jasmine to withdraw, leaving only him and the Female Mage in the living room.
Selena’s expression grew very serious.
Last night, she had been replaying Duane’s words in her mind. It wasn’t until after she discussed it with Brison today that she fully made up her mind.
Agreeing to Duane’s proposal was the only way to better ensure Brison’s safety.
"Actually, even without your proposal, Brison and I were already planning to do just that."
A bitter and helpless expression surfaced on her face.
"It doesn’t sound very honorable, does it? But Brison and I knew each other and were in love long before I married Torre Courtney. We just kept our relationship a secret."
Duane nodded. "Perhaps you could tell me your story."
Selena took a deep breath and finally voiced the feelings she had long suppressed.
She was a talented Mage who had become a teacher at the Star Sea Magic Academy at a young age.
Brison was also quite talented, not to mention handsome and cheerful.
The two met during an outdoor expedition organized by the academy, and their relationship quickly blossomed.
Just as they were about to make their relationship public and plan their marriage, Baron Torre paid an unexpected visit to the academy and heard about Selena.
To be precise, he had come specifically for her.
"Torre was injured in a war years ago, leaving him... weak in that department. His past few wives all managed to get pregnant, but they all had ’accidental’ miscarriages. At sixty, he’s desperate for an heir. So, he orchestrated several ’accidents’ to kill off his wives, making it convenient for him to marry new ones."
"Later, he heard from somewhere that Mages have strong Spiritual Power and have better control over their bodies than female Warriors. So he decided to find a young, outstanding Female Mage... and then he found me."
"Of course, I refused. But he had my parents beaten and threatened me with their lives."
As she said this, tears began to stream down her face.
"A Baron, a Celestial Tier Warrior... Brison and I were completely powerless against him. Left with no choice, I could only agree."
"Brison joined Torre’s army to protect me."
Duane couldn’t help but let out a sigh. ’So that’s the real story,’ he thought. ’It runs much deeper than I imagined.’
"So how did you end up on Black Forest Island? And why come up with this plan involving Red Sun Grass?"
Selena took a deep breath. "Because I’m running out of time."
"This is his handiwork!"
As she spoke, she rolled up the sleeve of her robe, revealing terrifying scars that marred the fair skin of her upper arm.
Duane’s brows furrowed at the sight.
Selena continued, "For four years, he has forced himself on me countless times, but I’ve never conceived. He’s sixty years old now, and he can’t wait any longer. If I don’t produce an heir soon, I’ll end up like his previous wives—dead in some ’accident.’"
She had to save herself.
"My only choice was to make an excuse. I told him there was a Magic Potion that might work, but it required Red Sun Grass, an ingredient found only in warmer climates."
Duane said, "But your Red Sun Grass was a fake."
"It was just a name I made up on the spot."
’I can’t believe something I just made up actually exists,’ Selena thought.
"So you never intended to actually conceive Torre’s child from the very beginning."
"That’s right!"
Resentment flared in Selena’s eyes. A man like that had ruined her life; how could she possibly want to bear his child?
"My plan was to create a fake Magic Potion to deceive him, then find an opportunity to conceive a child with Brison."
She laid her entire plan bare; it was the foundation for gaining Duane’s trust.
She said bitterly, "He’s incredibly paranoid about his safety; even I can’t get close enough to assassinate him. This plan may be shameful, but it’s the only way for me to save myself!"
Duane nodded silently. It certainly wasn’t an honorable affair.
However, compared to the actions of Baron Torre Courtney, it was nothing.
"Your plan has a certain degree of feasibility."
Duane continued, "However, barring any accidents, a Celestial Tier Warrior has at least another twenty years of life. That’s a very long time for your and Brison’s child to wait to inherit his title."
He said with a smile, "Perhaps you two will die long before he does."
If Baron Torre were to discover such a thing, they would surely not survive.
"Therefore, when the time is right, I can offer you assistance. For example, I could... end his life prematurely. This is the support I can offer you."
"Of course, it comes at a price," he said, pausing deliberately.
Selena stood up. This was the first time she had conspired with an outsider like this, and she was extremely nervous.
However, the Spiritual Power of a Level 4 Mage allowed her to remain composed. She bowed. "Please, tell me."
There was no such thing as a free lunch. If Duane was offering his support, he would naturally expect something in return.
Duane stared at her and spoke slowly, "I need you, Brison, your future child, and even the entire Courtney Clan that child may one day inherit... to swear fealty to me!"