Chapter 93: Meeting the Marquis
Sam went back to the mansion and entered the divine dimension after he assigned the task of renovation.
He needs to open another business too. He looked at the all the crystal bamboo plants which he planted in various elemental zones. The next business he wanted to enter was the alcohol business.
He planned to enter this business even before his encounter with Zeke, now that he has one more reason and that is to, counter Zeke's restaurants he is thinking of making it completely large scale.
Sam checked on all the herbs he planted. They are completely mature by now. These herbs are the ones he bought in Falcon Cliff city. He planted all the live herbs to have get the stock himself.
But now he is thinking on how to proceed in preparing the liquor. He can prepare it with the herbs if he wants to. All the herbs he has are mostly the ones which will help a person to purify his body and reduce the impurities which will impact the cultivation.
They aren't the ones which will act as elixirs and help them raise the cultivation. But he is a little worried about the taste and thought that he should need use some fruits to make the liquor. But finding the fruits suitable for cultivation aren't easy to find at all. So, he must think of the issue later, but opening a restaurant isn't that difficult.
He went to the first-floor library and went to a corner section. This is a section named Elixirs and this included pill recipes, potion recipes etc. This doesn't include the techniques and fundamentals of these processes, but it only contains pure recipes and the actions to be performed to make the Elixir and at the corner of the section there is a divine will called 'Spirit culinary'.
Sam took in the information to go through the recipes of various dishes which uses meat of various types of magical beasts and spiritual herbs.
This spirit culinary is a way to make the required elixirs in cultivation through cooking. This is also more efficient than other ways like Pills and Potions, which might have some side effects. The risks are minimum with spirit culinary.
After all, a human being's health is best when it was managed by diet instead of medicines. Just like in modern world, if a person takes heavy medicine for every small ailment his bodily functions will be damaged.
Sam only came out of the tower at noon. He spent a lot of time just to digest the recipes. If he wants to practice it, he will have to spend a lot of time. Even though, he is good at learning, things like cooking are the skills which are honed with practice. He isn't an exception.
At the same time Marquis is in his court room. He just finished his morning meeting with the officials, and everyone just left. An attendant came and gave him a scroll containing the info on Sam. Even though, the Falcon Cliff city and Blue flame city are far from each other, he still has ways to get in contact with the Count Falcon.
And he found that Sam is from the Falcon-Cliff city? Because, Sam intentionally conceal his tracks. He left a big clue to investigate and that is buying the mansion as well as using the Golden- Horse trading company.
So, Marquis easily got the info and when he looked at this, he was quite surprised. A fifteen-year-old boy, at Novice level 1 and well versed in multiple professions, with a battle-prowess off the charts. He is a genius. That is the only thing that came to his mind.
After reading the info, he only felt even more anger towards his eldest son. He still didn't know what his son did to this genius to be offended to this extent.
Yes, he still doesn't know even after contacting the Count because, the latter didn't reveal Zeke's attack on the candidates to the Marquis.
He doesn't want to get himself involved in between the father and son.
Marquis opened another scroll which has info of Sam when he was still in Starwood city. When he saw the details about how he took revenge on the noble families by destroying the younger generation's chances of entering the academy, he felt even surprised. This 15-year-old genius is quite vengeful. And when he saw the news that he is orphan, he felt that he could get to stop Sam from his revenge.
After all, if the other party has a powerful background, he must think twice. But now that the other party is an orphan, who only entered the cultivation world recently, he can use some carrot and stick strategies to get him to stop. As for, how the other party learnt all his skills, he isn't very curious about it. There are all kinds of people in the world and a very high-level genius who can learn on his own might be rare but isn't impossible. So, he immediately sent an invitation to Sam.
When Sam received this invitation, he was just about to go out and buy some restaurants to get a place to start his business.
Watt brought the invitation over to him and when Sam saw that it was from Marquis himself, he smiled. Even though, he knew that marquis will find him, but he didn't that it would be this early.
The invitation stated that he is invited for dinner. Sam could guess what the Marquis is planning. Even though, he is a rank 5 Artisan. He is a scholar Artisan who is mostly important to the Artisan association and his cultivation is still far from marquis.
Marquis cannot offend him, but he also didn't have to curry his favour.
Sam smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt and sent back the message the he accepted the invitation, but he also mentioned that he would be bringing a friend.
After sending the messenger away, Sam went on his way. After buying the two restaurants in front of Zeke's restaurant, he went to his new bought weapon shops, where the three Architects are working. He took one of them back to the restaurants and explained him on how he wanted them to be renovated.
After explaining them everything and was done with his work, he went to the Artisan tower. He went to meet Chaya and when she saw him, she felt quite surprised.
"Didn't we just meet in the morning? Why are you here again?" She asked.
"I need your help with something."
"Oh, what is it?"
"I am invited by marquis to dinner. I want you to come with me."
"Why is he inviting you and why are you inviting me?"
"Well, I am targeting that Zeke for a reason, so the marquis wants to have a chat with me. Even though, I am someone of status, I have no considerable background to speak of. My power isn't enough to make him cautious yet. So, I want to use our business relationship as a deterrent to him."
"Sure, when?" Chaya replied after some thought. She clearly understood what Sam meant.
"Now. We will be leaving in an hour you can take care of your work in this time."
Chaya nodded and went back to work while Sam waited for her.
Later that evening, Sam and Chaya went to the Marquis mansion on her personal carriage.
When the attendant who is assigned to receive Sam saw Chaya coming along with Sam, he immediately got tensed.
Even though, he is an attendant, but he is still a confidant of the Marquis. He clearly knew what Marquis' intention for inviting Sam is today, but never did they expect that the friend Sam mentioned would be Chaya the rank 5 Artisan and the tower head of the Artisan tower.
She isn't like Sam who has only rank but no cultivation, but she is someone who not only has a rank but also relevant cultivation.
Sam and Chaya were led to the dining room where marquis was already waiting for them. Even though, he wants to suppress Sam a bit, he is doing this only because of his son. He still has respect for Sam and his achievements.
But when he saw Chaya, he also felt stunned, but he quickly recovered and greeted them. After exchanging some pleasantries which are common when ever this kind of meetings occur [and author is not interested in writing] they sat for the dinner and the food was served.
After some time, Marquis stopped beating around bush and asked.
"Artisan Sam, I think that you and my son Zeke are having some problems. Are there some misunderstandings?"
"Oh, Marquis indeed has great insight. You found out quite early. It has only been two days since I came to the city after all."
Seeing that Sam directly agreed, Marquis felt that matter isn't that simple. It seemed as if Sam is anticipating this meeting.
"May I know what happened between you guys?"
"I would like it if your son explained it himself. You can call him now. I don't mind." When Sam said this marquis frowned but still complied and sent someone to call his son over.
When Zeke came, he didn't come alone. A middle-aged man came along with him and Marquis frowned at that.
The person who came is none other than the commander of the city guards. But he also has another identity, he is the brother of his three wives and Zeke's uncle.
Both took the seat and the guard commander spoke. He doesn't know who Chaya is and he didn't care at all.
"You are the new Artisan? Just because you are an Artisan, you cannot act as you like. Apologise to my nephew right now."
He didn't notice that Zeke's expression turned ugly. Sam didn't reply and just looked at marquis.
"You can ask you son what happened. After hearing his piece, I will tell you the remaining story."
Seeing the Sam ignored him the commander got angry, just as he was about to flare up, he felt the pressure from Marquis.
Then the marquis looked at his son. "Tell me what you did."
"I.. I." Zeke stuttered. He really doesn't want his father to know all his dirty deeds. He never expected that the person he ambushed is an Artisan, that too a high ranked one.
"I will tell you then." Sam then recounted everything that happened in the Falcon cliff city and said.
"I heard the Marquis is a righteous person, but from what I see, you are no different from a father of a useless son. He can do whatever he wanted and all you could do is cover it up using his authority. The rumours almost fooled me."
Sam purposefully said this to provoke the Marquis. He wants to put the marquis in a helpless situation where he can't take it out on Sam and remind him that he is supposed to be the person who looks after the people and not blindly side with his son.
So, the marquis will only have one outlet other than Zeke.
And when the marquis was reminded of how his son threatened the two cities from participating, he felt his anger reaching the limit.