Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 132: Chapter 131: Sincerity for Sincerity, Ice Vein Awakening Potion

With Reya and Rosalind watching, Jon laid his true thoughts bare.

”Reya, with a beautiful and kind girl like you having feelings for me, how could my heart not be moved? With a cool and sincere beauty like Rosalind pledging her loyalty, how could I possibly refuse?”

”This might shatter your illusions about me, but this is who I am. I’m not a particularly noble person.”

”I did save you, but I’ve also received a great deal from the chamber of commerce.”

He spread his arms, gesturing to everything in the room for Reya.

”I’ve received all of this from you, and I haven’t had to pay a single thing in return, have I?”

Reya blinked. Looking at Jon’s candid expression, she didn’t feel disappointed by his words at all.

”But... Mr. Jon, you’ve also given me a lot of things...”

She took out the disk inlaid with the Crystal Energy Core, then pulled up her sleeve to reveal a faintly blue bracelet on her pristine wrist, and said in a low voice,

”This, and this, and the two Mechanical Bodies in my room... Even Aunt Ivory said she’s never seen anything like them. They must be made with some incredibly advanced technology... You gave me all of this, and you didn’t ask for anything in return either, did you?”

”Yes. Because you’re worth it.”

Jon nodded.

”Your passion and your kindness moved me, so beyond our cold, transactional relationship, I’m willing to do a little extra for you.”

”But all of this is just to say one thing.”

He paused here, taking a deep breath.

Then, looking into the girl’s clear eyes, he spoke the words that followed, words that could be considered cruel.

”Reya, even if I could accept your feelings, I will not stay by your side forever. For that reason, I’m even taking Rosalind away to work for me.”

”I have a goal I must accomplish, and for that, I cannot stop moving.”

However, Reya’s reaction to Jon’s words was a bit strange.

She clutched Rosalind’s arm tightly, staring blankly at Jon, her thoughts unreadable.

Just as Jon was beginning to feel unsettled by her somewhat dazed stare, she suddenly asked in a low voice,

”So... Mr. Jon... will you mistreat Rosalind?”

”How could I?”

Jon let out a helpless laugh.

”I’m the lucky one to have her help. Without her, there are many things I wouldn’t even know how to begin.”

”Then, if you go to pursue your goal, Mr. Jon... will I be able to see you and Rosalind again?”

This question gave Jon pause.

Although he planned to build a faction to gather resources, he would certainly have to travel all over the continent to improve his strength.

Rosalind, on the other hand, as an administrator, probably wouldn’t have that kind of time.

So, after a moment of thought, he gave his answer.

”I personally won’t necessarily stay in one place for long, but Rosalind probably won’t leave the Harvia Empire.”

As he spoke, he looked to his follower, at her silver eyes tinged with confusion, and left the decision to her.

”Ultimately, it will depend on her own wishes. Although she is my follower, I will not restrict her personal freedom.”

Hearing this, Reya sniffled and stood up again.

”I understand, Mr. Jon. Thank you for your honesty.”

”So, I will tell you my true feelings as well.”

”Your courage and your kindness have moved me. So, even after knowing all of this—”

The girl’s emerald eyes locked onto Jon’s ice-blue ones as she clearly declared her feelings.

”I’ve decided to still like you!”

Jon was stunned by Reya’s fastball confession, which threw his own words right back at him.

After a long moment, he chuckled softly.

”That’s just like you... Reya...”

—

After their honest conversation, not only was there no rift between Reya, Rosalind, and Jon, but there was a new sense of relief and ease.

After all, hiding secrets from people you are close to is never a pleasant experience.

And so, Jon began to tackle the second important matter: concocting a bloodline awakening potion for Rosalind.

As an Alchemist of the Flesh and Blood School, he was no stranger to such potions.

Players often used various bloodline potions to augment their own power, or that of their followers and pets.

Therefore, farming high-quality materials, crafting them into bloodline awakening potions, and selling them was a decent source of income.

And since Jon was preparing this for one of his own, he was determined to achieve the best possible quality.

To that end, he spent 20,000 Experience Points to raise the level of several Skills that would guarantee the potion’s quality. Only then did he begin.

With Reya and Rosalind watching,

he used a small silver knife to scrape some fine shards from the [Coagulated Blood] and mix them into a glass vial.

The once-clear solution instantly froze over, but the substances within began to react with the blood, churning and bubbling.

Jon observed the solution’s changes with rapt attention.

Just as it was about to turn viscous, he decisively picked up another vial of herbal extract from the table, mixed the two, and with a slight shake of his wrist, sent the contents swirling rapidly within the vial.

After several minutes of this, a notification popped up before his eyes.

[Concoction of ”Ice Vein Awakening Potion” successful. 200 Universal Experience Points gained.]

[Alchemist Skill Level +50]

—

[Ice Vein Awakening Potion (Rare)]

[Effect 1: Induces the user to begin bloodline awakening.]

[Effect 2: If the user possesses an ”Ice” affinity bloodline, awakening success rate is increased by 46%.]

[Effect 3: If the user possesses an ”Ice” affinity bloodline and the awakening is successful, buffs received are increased by 46%, and there is a small chance of gaining a bloodline ability.]

[Professional Potion Refinement: Potion effects increased by 15%.]

”Warning: Those who have already awakened their bloodline must not take this potion again, or risk unpredictable consequences!”

—

”It’s done.”

Jon’s voice carried a barely perceptible hint of relief.

’The grade of the main ingredient was so high, while the quality of the other materials was limited, that he hadn’t been sure if the final product’s quality would suffer.’

But thanks to the system’s guidance and the fine-tuning he’d made from experience, the final product was remarkably good!

He held the [Ice Vein Awakening Potion], which emitted a faint, cold light, out to Rosalind.

”This is the key, the one most suited for you to step onto the path beyond the ordinary.”

”But I must also warn you, the process of mastering this power will not be pleasant. If you cannot endure the pain of the bloodline awakening, you might even fail.”

Rosalind said nothing and showed no hesitation.

Just as Reya let out a worried ”Ah!” and instinctively reached out to stop her, Rosalind had already stepped forward and taken the vial from Jon.

She tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.