Chapter 405: The Self-doubting Watson
Watson did not know what the other people in the room were thinking. He looked at the two fruits in front of him and found them difficult to eat. It was not that the fruits in front of him were terrible but that he had eaten too many of them and felt nothing. In addition, those two fruits were no longer of any use to him. He was considering whether or not he should eat them later or have Count Gray take them back to brew wine. That way, he would save an additional 200,000 cold coins.
They had no idea he was sighing about the sun and moon gems. In the eyes of others, it was even more certain that Watson was not interested in those things. He must have had better food than that.
“I’ve already tasted the sun gem. I wonder what the difference is with the moon gem?” Lily licked her lips and all the juice around her lips. Her gaze fell on the second fruit. She transformed into a gluttonous cat and swallowed it in two or three mouthfuls. She no longer had the demeanor of a noble lady.
The others were like her. Everyone ate two fruits and only took a few mouthfuls. They did not have the time to savor it because it was too delicious. Just as everyone was immersed in the delightful food, Casey suddenly exclaimed.
“I’ve advanced to gold-tier. Count Gray did not lie to us. Those two fruits can really raise one’s strength to gold! I have advanced to gold-tier, and I’ve also grasped the light and dark-elemental combat aura. If I had known that there were such strange fruits in the capital, why would I eat those awful-tasting potions with little effect?”
As Casey spoke, a powerful aura of gold spread from his body. The light and dark-elemental magic converged on his body, turning into a magical storm. He was so excited that tears streamed down his face.
He was genuinely regretful. The sun and moon gems had increased his strength. Unlike the other potions that forcefully increased his strength, causing his combat aura or magic elements to be inferior to cultivators of the same level, the essence of those two gems was a large amount of life essence and sun and moon energy. Once consumed, it could help a person change their physique. Once their physique was greatly improved, their strength would naturally increase as well.
One was mainly to increase one’s strength, while the other was to improve one’s life level so that one’s strength would increase. Naturally, the effects would not be on the same level.
“My strength has also increased to gold-tier. That fruit is too powerful. When I return home, I’ll ask Father if similar fruits are sold in other parts of the kingdom! If there are, then I’ll buy them, even if they cost 100,000 gold coins for one.”
The reason she went to the Royal Academy was not that she was talented in cultivation. It was just that she was too bored at home and wanted to go to the capital to find Watson to have some fun. For that reason, she drank a large number of potions. Those potions were a burden to her, who was already weak. The absorption effect was not even as good as Casey’s.
However, at that moment, the remaining medicinal effects in her body and the fruits had merged, significantly improving her body and allowing her to enter the gold tier. Not only had her strength increased, Lana even had a feeling that her sunlight sickness had improved a little. At least at that moment, even if she did not open the parasol in the house, she would not feel the light stinging her skin.
She even had a feeling that even if she were exposed to the sunlight, as long as it was not for too long, it would not be a problem.
“What you said is true. Other than fire elements, I can also sense the light and dark elements! But why didn’t I feel the increase in strength that you said?”
Lily reached out with her right hand, and a red flame appeared. Suddenly, the flame was covered with a layer of light and turned into a golden flame. Then, a bone-chilling feeling struck everyone. The flame in Lily’s hand turned from gold to black. It wriggled like a big mouth that could swallow everything.
“I didn’t feel the increase in strength either,” said Charlotte. She also opened her right hand. She had mastered water-elemental magic. The water element was covered with dazzling light elements at one time and dark elements at another time.
“The sun gem and the moon gem only have the greatest effect on those who have not advanced to gold-tier. Once a gold-tier person consumes that fruit, they will not advance in their tier. They will only receive the cultivation talent of the light and dark elements,” Watson said.
“Is that why you didn’t eat it?” Charlotte’s eyes flashed. She had been wondering why Watson did not eat the fruits. The fruit clearly had such a strong effect. Then she learned that the effect would be weakened if a gold-tier elite ate it. Watson’s strength had clearly surpassed gold-tier, and he looked as if he had eaten that before. Watson’s power at such a young age was not only because Antonio and Reid had taught him well but also because of those natural treasures.
“Ah, why am I gold-tier? If I weren’t gold-tier, I would be able to advance now. Wow, I’m so sad.”
Lily looked somewhat discouraged when she heard Watson’s explanation and almost burst into tears.
“Silly Lily, if everyone thinks like you, then there will be no powerful people in the world. Furthermore, isn’t strength gained from eating the same as strength gained through hard work?”
“It’s not the same. The strength gained from eating is fast and comfortable, unlike myself, who is tired from training and may not even advance successfully after ten years of hard work. I would choose the few seconds of eating a delicious fruit.” Casey sighed.
“Ah, I should not have worked so hard before. If I had known that a fruit could raise me to gold-tier, I would have played even more. My youth was wasted just like that. ”
Touched by Casey’s words, Lily screamed even more sadly. That made Charlotte, who wanted to comfort her, glare at Casey. She was about to retort, but she suddenly realized that she had nothing to say because it was the truth. If a fruit could allow a person to advance to gold-tier, then who would want to spend more than ten years of hard work cultivating it? Why would they want to suffer like that?
“Miss Lily, don’t be too sad. There aren’t many things in this world that can help people increase their strength. Otherwise, gold-tier elites would be everywhere! We’re fortunate to be able to eat that fruit by chance. Even though it did not increase our strength, at least we got two brand-new cultivation talents. Outsiders don’t even have the chance to obtain cultivation talents, let alone increase their strength.” Watson comforted her.
Lily thought about it and felt that it was reasonable, so she stopped crying. “Watson, what you said makes sense. Just awakening my light and dark magic talents can increase my strength by several times. If I can master different types of magical elements simultaneously, I might be able to command the world in the Royal Academy’s Mage Department! By the way, Watson, how many types of magical elements have you mastered?”
As Antonio’s disciple, and having eaten such a good treasure, Watson must have mastered many magical elements.
“Me?” Watson smiled. “I know a few.”
All kinds of magical elements—he would be a mage with all the elements!
The group had a strange look on their faces. They did not believe Watson’s words at all. If he only knew a few, then Antonio would have become his master for nothing.
“Fortunately, Watson, you are not in the mage department. Otherwise, none of us would be alive! Oh, right! Speaking of which, we saw that you signed up for the warrior department. Are you also a skillful warrior?”
“I can’t say that I am good at it. I just know a little about it.”
“Watson, don’t be modest. Almost no one in the entire warrior department is more talented than you who can become the sword saint’s disciple! Not only do you know magic, but you also know sword techniques. What an enviable talent!” Charlotte’s tone was a little sour. Previously, she was envious of Watson’s talent. Then, she was jealous of Watson’s background. She had always felt that the border was an impoverished place because there had always been rumors in the kingdom that the border count and the King were on bad terms. Therefore, the border was not connected to the kingdom. Instead, it was self-governed, causing most of the people in the kingdom to feel that the border was barbaric and backward.
That was the most significant misunderstanding in the history of the kingdom!
If Watson knew what Charlotte was thinking at that moment, he would definitely point out the mistake in her thinking. Before he developed the Blackmoon Castle, the border was indeed what everyone imagined—barbaric and backward. However, with the help of his fusion system, the border was the wealthiest place in the entire kingdom.
“Let’s not talk about that for now. Let’s start eating! After eating such delicious fruits as the sun gem and the moon gem, I feel like I can’t even eat the other food.” Lily rubbed her stomach; she did not really feel full. However, the fruits were too delicious, so it was hard to eat something inferior.
Lana said, “Yeah, why don’t we just eat the sun and moon gems for this meal and drink some wine brewed from those two fruits? Unless they have a Phoenix egg or platinum-tier magical beast meat that Miss Nightingale mentioned before? I wonder if Phoenix eggs or platinum-tier magical beast meat are better than those two fruits.”
“Of course, the Phoenix eggs and the platinum-tier magical beast meat are more delicious, especially the Phoenix Egg. After consuming it, one can awaken one’s Phoenix bloodline and grow wings similar to a Phoenix! The platinum-tier magical beast meat is also very fragrant. At that level, even if it is just a bug or a blade of grass, the taste is completely different from what we usually eat. After all, the life level of a platinum-tier magical beast has already evolved, and it can be called a mythical object.”
Nightingale talked about those two kinds of food with confidence as if she had had them the previous day.
Nightingale did eat those two kinds of food often. When Mount Creation had only been built, there was a shortage of Phoenix eggs and platinum-tier magical beast meat; they could only eat those during a feast. However, after two years on Mount Creation, the resources had expanded, and it had become common practice to use the Wish for the World ring to copy Phoenix eggs and platinum-tier magical beast meat. In other words, Phoenix eggs were like ordinary eggs on Mount Creation.
Nightingale’s standard had increased after her extended stay on Mount Creation. She was not even used to the plain food that so-called high-class noblemen in the kingdom usually ate.
“That’s great. I haven’t eaten platinum-tier magical beast meat, let alone Phoenix eggs. I wonder if I can eat it in this lifetime?” Lily expressed her feelings while drooling.
“Miss, you’re lucky today. The Holy Dragon Tavern just happened to hunt a platinum-tier magical beast. Our Boss told me to send it here. You’ll have a good meal soon.”
Just as Lily’s voice fell, a burly man with a buzz cut and an apron rushed in from outside. He carried a thick tail on his shoulder. They saw scales on the tail, so they guessed it must have been the tail of a dragon. They also saw the blood that oozed from the tail, so they knew that it had just been cut off.
“Judging from the aura emanating from that tail, it really is the product of a platinum-tier magical beast. But, we just mentioned that we wanted to eat a platinum-tier magical beast, and someone sent the magical beast meat to us? Isn’t that too much of a coincidence? ” Charlotte looked puzzled. Then, she asked, “And how much is that magical beast meat? If it’s too expensive, then we won’t be able to afford it.”
No one in the kingdom had ever eaten platinum-tier magical beast meat. Even a plate of gold-tier magical beast meat was worth more than 1000 gold coins. The platinum-tier magical beast meat was worth a hundred times more because of its rarity.
“Let’s have it. I’ve never eaten platinum-tier magical beast meat before. Even if I have to borrow money from my family, I want to taste it.” Unlike Charlotte, Lily’s eyes were already staring at platinum-tier magical beast meat.
“Pfft.”
When he heard that, Watson picked up the sun wine in front of him and took a sip. He looked at the burly man with the magical beast meat, and he almost spat out a mouthful of wine.
“Watson, what’s wrong?”
Lana, who was sitting on his right, asked with concern.
“I’m fine.” Watson took a handkerchief and wiped his mouth and clothes. He was coughing. He felt anxious because he realized that the burly man with a buzz cut was none other than Basher from the Severed Fingers Gang.
It was one thing for Count Gray to appear there. After all, he was the owner of that place. It was understandable for him to serve some precious fruits when he was there to inspect the business from time to time. What was Basher doing there?
Basher’s mission was to take paid jobs to kill vicious villains. Did he have a target at the tavern?
If that were the case, why was Basher carrying the tail of a dragon on his shoulder? Was the dragon his target? Or perhaps it was the villain’s mount?
Watson did not understand it at all.
“Young masters and ladies, don’t worry. I don’t need your money for this meal. I worship Master Antonio and Master Reid. When I heard that Young Master Watson was here, I quickly hunted a platinum-tier dragon. I have sent its liver and steak to the kitchen. Then I will grill some dragon tail for everyone. The dragon meat can increase one’s strength, strengthen one’s physique and extend one’s lifespan. The dragon tail is where all the essence is gathered, and it is also delicious.”
Basher tightened the apron that did not fit his body. He retrieved a kitchen knife and hacked the dragon tail. He removed the scales and cut the tail into pieces of similar proportions in just a few seconds. Then, he waved his other hand, and a ball of hot flame appeared on the ground, roasting the meat.
As a fire-elemental platinum-tier warrior, Basher’s knife skills and fire control were not a problem. The dragon tail became charred on the outside and tender on the inside in a short while. The fragrance filled the air. Then, Basher took a handful of seasoning from somewhere and sprinkled it on the meat. The oil exploded, and the scent in the room became even stronger.
“As one would expect from platinum-tier dragon meat. It smells so good. I can’t help drooling just by smelling it.” Lily twitched her nose and looked uneasy. If it were not for her pride, she would have walked to Basher and tasted the dragon meat.
“The tail meat has been roasted. Don’t worry. I will distribute them to you now.”
Basher placed the dragon tail on everyone’s plates. When he passed by Watson, he revealed a respectful expression that he had never shown to others. “Young Master Watson, I wonder if you are satisfied with this dish?”
“Well, before I tell you whether I am satisfied or not, may I ask where you got that dragon tail?”
“Just outside the royal city, under a triangular mountain peak. We saw that giant dragon flying in the sky, and it had killed some of our people.”
“There’s a triangular mountain peak outside the royal city called the Giant Dragon Mountain Peak. There is a special place there for the Dragon Knights to cultivate giant dragons. Is that where you meant?” Casey said as he tore at the dragon meat on his plate. He was eating with a face full of enjoyment.
As soon as he finished speaking, Casey felt everyone’s gaze on him, and he froze. “My father told me about that, so it might not be accurate. Besides, there are many triangular mountains outside the royal city. Maybe the Holy Dragon Tavern killed a wild dragon. After all, it’s a tavern specially chosen by the King. They wouldn’t make such a simple mistake.”
“Exactly so. How could the Holy Dragon Tavern make such a mistake? ”
“Even if they killed the kingdom’s dragon, it’s the tavern’s problem. It has nothing to do with us.”
The group was relieved when they heard that. Only one person frowned, and that was Watson. He stared at Basher. “Can you describe exactly where you killed that dragon?”
“Young Master Watson, I think the kitchen is calling for me to help cook the dragon meat. So I’ll go do that now. As for where I slaughtered the dragon, let’s talk about it next time.”
Realizing that he might have caused some trouble, Basher rubbed his hand on the apron as he laughed awkwardly and left the room in a flash, leaving behind Watson, who had fallen into self-doubt.
‘What on earth are those people from the Severed Fingers Gang doing? They’re giving away sun and moon gems for free, and they’re also slaughtering dragons. Did I do something wrong? Are they going against me?’
Just as Watson was thinking about what he had done, the door to the private room opened once again. Veronica, wearing a long white dress and a sun hat, walked in and rushed to Watson’s side, carrying him in her arms. “Young Master Watson, I’ve finally met you. I’m an admirer of Master Antonio and the Sword Saint. I also admire you very much. After dinner, can you give me an autograph and come sit in my room?”
Everyone was stunned. It was one thing for the people in the tavern to treat Watson to a meal and a drink, but even admirers had appeared. Could Watson be that famous in the royal city?
What the hell was he sitting on?
Watson only felt a fragrant wind blowing against his face. He felt a wave of dizziness, not from the smell but from anger.