Chapter 74

Little guy, I give you two choices.

On the golden throne, Blood Wing Witch Capella, after gathering her thoughts, slowly spoke.

Below, Lai Ang slightly raised his head, waiting for Capella's next words.

"The first choice: I'll give you one hundred thousand gold coins."

"The second choice: I allow you to make a reasonable request of me."

After Capella finished speaking, she glanced down at the black dragon with a faint expression.

And upon hearing this, Lai Ang hesitated not a moment, instantly giving his answer.

"I choose the second!"

Although one hundred thousand gold coins is a lot—enough to buy ten of the wood elf beauties we just met outside—

Even Lai Ang felt his heart stir greatly.

With this money, he could buy many good things.

But Lai Ang still unhesitatingly chose the second option.

Simply put, Lai Ang could still discern the weight difference between a request from the Green Leaf Guild president and one hundred thousand gold coins.

This isn't something money can buy.

Capella obviously also anticipated Lai Ang's choice; she was not surprised at all.

Or rather, this second choice was originally her goodwill toward this little guy before her.

If it were merely an ordinary black dragon that had acquired ancient sorcery by luck, Capella could simply toss him eighty thousand or one hundred thousand gold coins and be done with it.

But this little guy named Lai Ang before her truly has good talent and considerable potential; Capella feels he might become a powerful black dragon in the future.

Then this second choice can be considered her investment in him.

The Emerald Dream is vast, naturally, there are many factions.

What Blood Wing Witch Capella represents is one of the strongest factions among them.

Winning over promising juniors, fresh blood, is one of the important means to keep one's faction's benefits enduring.

"So, have you decided on your request now?" Capella asked.

Lai Ang's mind raced; he could see that Capella was extending goodwill to him now, so he wanted to take advantage of her current good mood to propose a request more helpful to him.

"Regarding boosting my own strength?"

No, with its idle slots and the dragon's own potential still largely untapped, and its strength increasing already fast relative to a dragon, making it faster would be impossible.

There's no need to waste a great mage's precious request here.

"Wealth, precious treasures?" Lai Ang thought.

Then he rejected it again, unless it were a rare treasure that could boost its talent; otherwise, no matter how precious ordinary treasures are, they can be bought with money—not worth it.

As for treasures that could enhance a dragon's talent, Capella might be able to produce them, but they clearly exceed the bounds of a "reasonable" request.

After eliminating various ideas, Lai Ang finally made a decision; he raised his head, his voice slightly reverent, and solemnly said,

"Lady Capella, I want a sufficiently learned and powerful alchemist as my retainer."

Lai Ang had returned to the Emerald Giant City this time precisely intending to find an alchemist to serve as his retainer.

To inscribe an alchemical array on the Gray Stone Dragon Fortress to boost defense and gather elements? To concoct potions that enhance strength? To teach Ai Di, and even train a batch of monsters to become alchemists?

All of these are possible if the alchemist is sufficiently powerful.

Not only would it benefit Lai Ang himself, but also Ai Di, Sai Jia, and the monsters of the Dark Scale Tribe, plus gain a powerful helper to fend off external threats.

Its utility is maxed out.

At least for Lai Ang right now, this is a good choice. "Your request is quite interesting." Upon hearing Lai Ang's words, Capella was stunned for a moment, then let out a light laugh.

The golden-haired woman behind her twitched her two pairs of blood wings slightly, then said lightly, "Little guy, then as you wish."

As she spoke, Capella pointed a fingertip, and the hall lit up with several teleportation arrays.

After the light of the teleportation arrays faded, several figures appeared.

Their expressions were clearly somewhat startled, but upon seeing Capella seated above, they all reacted, bending low and bowing respectfully in unison,

"Lady Capella."

After the greetings, among these figures a golden-haired girl who also bore two pairs of blood wings like Capella spoke first, asking, "Lady Capella, I don't know why you summoned us." Til was somewhat puzzled.

From appearance alone, it's clear she and Capella are of the same race.

Blood Wing Demon—a higher race slightly inferior to true dragons; adult Blood Wing Demons can easily reach sixth rank, a race innately gifted with spellcasting talent.

Their adept spells are generally dark magic.

Besides Til directly showing doubt, the other two summoned beings also wore puzzled expressions.

Specifically: a green-skinned demon about a zhang tall, with fangs protruding from its mouth.

And a scholar goblin, only one meter tall, small and frail, wearing a monocle.

"You three, introduce yourselves to this little guy—your strength, specialties, and so on." Capella didn't answer Til's question, merely saying lazily.

Til glanced at the black dragon beside him, feeling suspicious and uncertain.

"Just a fourth-rank little black dragon—what is Lady Capella up to? Although puzzled, Til suppressed his doubts and began to introduce himself: 'Til, spellcaster rank sixth-rank peak, skilled in dark magic.'

"At the same time, my alchemist rank is also sixth-rank peak, skilled in the potion side of alchemy."

Dual profession, sixth-rank peak.

Lai Ang couldn't help but glance again at this girl who looked no older than eighteen.

Of course, her age is certainly not just sixteen; she might be several hundred years old. Blood Wing Demons are also a long-lived race, with lifespans reaching up to a thousand years.

"Zhan Qing, biological rank sixth-rank peak, skilled in martial arts.

"Alchemist profession sixth-rank peak, skilled in the biological side of alchemy."

The green-skinned demon spoke up.

The last one was that short, weak goblin scholar; it looked at Lai Ang and spoke politely,

"Aweila Dala Suoqi. Spellcaster rank six, skilled in defensive magic."

"Alchemist profession rank six peak, skilled in alchemical machinery."

The three alchemists summoned by Capella all introduced themselves.

Then they looked up at Lord Capella, waiting for a signal.

Capella turned his gaze to Lai Ang, smiling lightly as he gestured, "Little guy, you choose; as long as you speak, any one of the three will become your familiar today."

"Become a familiar?! Blood-winged demon Di Er, green-skinned evil spirit Zhan Qing, and goblin scholar Awei La—upon hearing this, all three were shocked, unable to believe it."

However, under Lai Ang's observation beside them, although the three were indeed shocked and even somewhat reluctant, no one stepped forward to object.

This left Lai Ang feeling speechless.

"What an overbearing woman." Lai Ang thought to himself.

A single word decided the fate of the three powerful alchemists.

(End of chapter)