The Glorious Evolution

Startled gasps broke the quiet around the table, as everyone there knew what it meant to have an exclusive contract with these Leviathan Hunters.

These were hunters whose recordings attracted enormous audiences... people who entered the Nine Root Realms to kill creatures most nobles only encountered as expensive pieces inside preservation containers.

Any merchant could boast about knowing one.

An exclusive partnership meant that the hunters trusted the company with the profits they earned by risking their lives!

”These hunters are powerful enough to choose whom they work with. If we neglected preservation or sold poor materials under their names, they wouldn’t entrust their catches to us... certainly not exclusively.”

Levi opened the company’s credentials beside the roster... the Administration’s verification marks accompanied each one.

Harvesting and butchery rights. A Prestige Merchant Licence. The exploration priority and tariff exemption registered under Dark Sun.

”Huh... your company is licensed to handle everything? How? As Baron?”

Seeing the list of shimmering licences, the nobles were left stunned... only now did they understand why these hunters chose Levi’s company to handle their catches.

They could just drop off their entire catches at his company and relax as he handled everything for them without the pain of dealing with multiple middlemen... the best part? He could even help them secure desert-related hunting contracts, a service they already spent too much money and time on.

”Yes. My company handles the transport, processing, preservation, and sales,” Levi confirmed with a nod.

He wasn’t exposing his company’s reach and licences to brag or impress them to feed his ego... he understood that if he wanted to gain some nobles as his first customers, it was a must to establish reputation and trust in his company.

It seemed to work as Melisande’s husband gave a low whistle while Oswin leaned back in his chair, feeling like he was falling behind in life... both knew that Levi must be swimming in money or would be soon enough once his company’s name took off across the Expanse.

For noblemen like them, such a fine investment opportunity came once in a lifetime...

”Is there a possibility of investing in the company?” Oswin asked. ”I would love to buy some shares.”

He didn’t even care anymore about the glands... well, he still did, but not as much as securing a future partnership with Levi’s company by becoming a shareholder.

”Likewise.” Melisande gave him a warm smile. ”My house handles transport across the border between the Eighth and Ninth Provinces. If Dark Sun ever needs our services, we’ll take thirty percent off our fees.”

Levi thanked her and made a quick search for House Bellac on the network.

The routes matched her description. Her house also enjoyed transportation discounts from the Administration, an advantage that helped explain its success in the business.

A few accounts traced those privileges to the founder’s achievements in the Nocturnal Ring. Supposedly, he earned a single title that allowed his descendants to build the family’s fortune around transportation.

’One title... and an entire house prospered from it.’

Levi understood the appeal. His own Administration privileges gave Dark Sun a similar advantage, and he was only beginning to make use of them.

Oswin’s offer tempted him less than the transport discount. He knew how much room the company had to grow... selling shares before it established its name would mean letting someone buy that future cheaply.

His brother and friends owned six percent between them: two percent for Arthur and one percent each for Shia, Nurah, Jojo, and Jasmine.

Levi kept the remaining ninety-four percent.

He originally offered them close to fifteen percent, but all five rejected the proposal outright. They knew how hard he worked and how much he risked to bring the company to life... being close to him didn’t entitle them to such a large portion of it.

Even when he brought up their help with the business, they refused to budge. They needed no financial incentive to support him. Whenever he needed them, they would help free of charge, just as he would do for them.

The girls insisted that one percent each was already more than generous. Levi eventually accepted the smaller split, though he still kept their needs in mind, as always.

”Your offer is generous, Viscountess. I’ll have my people contact yours about the routes.”

Then he addressed Oswin and the matter of shares.

”As for shares... I’m not selling any at this stage. There’s still a great deal I want to do with the company before bringing in outside investors.”

”A pity,” Oswin sighed. ”Though I can hardly blame you. Keep me in mind if that changes.”

”I will.”

Oswin accepted the refusal without taking offense. He would have done the same in Levi’s position.

The company already had its licences, facilities, and hunters... and its owner showed no urgent need for capital. Why sell shares before buyers discovered what the business could offer?

Still, the conversation changed his opinion of the young Baron.

At first, he took Levi for a minor dealer who stumbled upon a private collection of rarities and brought a few pieces to trade. Now, he understood that those treasures represented only a fraction of his business.

Dark Sun could soon become a name that House Ravel needed to know. Oswin preferred to establish that connection while its owner still had time to sit and speak with him.

”Perhaps we can start with something simpler.”

He opened his private trading list and shared it with Levi... traders were allowed to hide their lists or keep them public to indicate their readiness for business.

”These are the treasures I brought tonight. Tell me if anything interests you in exchange for the glands.”

Levi went through the list with one treasure in mind.

Crystallized Basilisk Heartblood, a fist-sized chunk of Meteoric Adamant, an intact Thousand-Year Mandrake Root... Oswin brought valuable treasures, but none of the entries mentioned Thousandflavor Orchid Nectar.

His initial anticipation faded. He checked the final few items anyway, unwilling to dismiss the Baron’s offer without giving it a proper look.

Then he stopped.

Widow’s Salt.

The name sounded familiar, though he couldn’t immediately place where he had encountered it. He opened the description, expecting another ingredient for an evolutionary formula.

Instead, one detail caught his attention.

[Condition: Complete natural cluster... No refinement.]

’A whole cluster...?’

He returned to the entry’s name.

Something about it bothered him... he remembered reading that grinding the crystals destroyed a useful property... but the usual preparation for evolutionary formulas required exactly that.

Where had he read it?

Levi searched his private notes and found a passage from Alzhukar’s notebook on materials and their discovered uses.

He read it once... then again, more carefully.

His disappointment vanished, though he kept a poker face on the outside.

’Does he have any idea what he’s offering me?’

”May I examine this one?”

”The Widow’s Salt?” Oswin checked the material Levi selected. ”Of course. I kept it for a formula, but never found the remaining ingredients.”

He summoned a small case while Levi read its details again to be sure.

Widow’s Salt formed in the last pools of naturally dying spiritual springs... most collectors sold it to refiners, who ground and purified the crystals for use in evolutionary formulas.

An intact cluster preserved something the powder lost... its natural structure could draw lingering spiritual essences out of an alchemical cauldron!

Even thorough washing left traces of previous brews embedded in the vessel. Those remnants could weaken a potion or interfere with the next formula... and Alzhukar described a cleansing method he had personally discovered that removed them using the salt!

The result was stronger potions, and fewer failed brews from that cauldron for at least a decade!

The Baron opened the case.

Levi examined the salt crystal cluster, taking his time with the places where its crystals joined... then he compared his findings with the preservation record.

Whole... Untreated.

’It’s the one...’