A Bug In Fate

Alden stepped onto the second floor, but unlike last time, Boren didn’t stop there.

Instead, he continued walking toward another staircase.

Curiosity flickered across Alden’s face as he silently followed behind.

A few moments later, they arrived at the third floor.

The moment Alden stepped inside, his eyes widened slightly.

Various weapons were displayed inside glass cases lining both sides of the hall.

Swords...

Spears...

Axes...

Bows...

Along with several treasures he couldn’t even recognize.

Every single item emitted a powerful aura that filled the entire floor.

The pressure in the air was so dense that Alden could feel it pressing against his body, making even his bones feel heavier.

If those weapons hadn’t been sealed behind thick glass cases covered with glowing runes, he was certain the pressure alone would have been enough to force him to the ground.

Even so, simply standing on the third floor made him realize one thing.

These weren’t ordinary weapons.

Every single one of them was a treasure.

"Unfortunately, we don’t have time to waste here."

Boren glanced back at Alden, reminding him that they were here to meet someone important.

Even so, he understood Alden’s reaction.

The first time Boren had stepped onto this floor, he had been just as shocked. Seeing so many powerful artifacts gathered in one place had been a harsh reality check, showing him just how deep the Adventurers’ Guild’s foundation truly was.

And if a single guild branch in Ravenhold possessed treasures like these...

One could only imagine what kind of artifacts were stored inside the guild’s headquarters or the major branches scattered across the empire.

The two continued climbing the stairs and soon arrived on the fourth floor.

Unlike the floors below, this one was much more spacious.

The hall was almost empty, with only a single large room at the far end, its heavy wooden doors firmly shut.

At last, Boren came to a stop and turned toward Alden.

"Wait here for me."

"And don’t touch anything."

After giving the warning, Boren walked toward the closed door.

He knocked twice.

A moment later, the door opened from the inside, and Boren stepped in with a composed expression, leaving Alden alone in the silent hallway.

A few moments passed in silence, and Alden gradually began to feel nervous.

This was the first time he had stepped into an entirely different field.

Back on Earth, he had been nothing more than an ordinary student.

Now, he was about to negotiate a deal that could potentially change his future for the better.

At least, that was what he hoped would come out of this meeting.

A few moments later, the door opened again.

Boren stepped out and gave Alden a small nod and Alden walked over and stopped beside him before the two entered the room together.

"Please don’t make a mess in here."

Boren whispered quietly as they stepped inside.

The room was filled almost entirely with documents.

Shelves packed with files lined the walls, while stacks of papers were scattered across the table and even piled neatly on the floor.

Two mana lamps illuminated the room from opposite corners, bathing everything in a warm golden light.

None of that, however, caught Alden’s attention for long.

His gaze soon settled on the two people at the center of the room.

A young man with green hair stood quietly beside the table, while behind it sat a woman in an elegant chair, calmly observing the two of them as they entered.

The man standing beside the table was in the Ascendant Realm, a realm above the Metamorphosis Realm.

It was the stage where a cultivator’s true foundation was tested, and the strength of that foundation often determined how far they would be able to walk on the path of cultivation.

As for the woman...

Alden couldn’t sense even the slightest trace of an aura from her.

Instead of making him relax, it only made him more vigilant.

For a brief moment, his thoughts drifted to the mysterious veiled woman he had met on the way to Ravenhold. She had hidden her presence just as perfectly, making it impossible for him to judge her strength.

"Hello."

Pushing the thought aside, Alden greeted the two as he walked up to the table.

"Branch Manager, this is Alden," Boren said respectfully as he introduced him. "The famous rookie... and the one who requested this meeting."

The green-haired man acknowledged him with a small nod.

Without another word, Boren stepped aside and quietly took his place behind the woman.

"You may sit."

The red-haired woman spoke in a calm, composed voice, a faint smile resting on her lips.

Alden nodded and took the seat across from them, though a question quietly surfaced in his mind.

If he’s the Branch Manager... then who exactly is this woman?

He didn’t let the thought show on his face.

Instead, he calmly met her gaze, his expression remaining as composed as ever.

Negotiations had already begun the moment he entered the room, and Alden understood one thing clearly.

The moment he showed nervousness or uncertainty, he would lose the initiative—and perhaps end up accepting a deal that wasn’t in his favor.

"So, what is the reason you wanted to meet the Branch Manager?"

The red-haired woman asked in a calm, gentle tone.

Silence filled the room for a brief moment before Alden reached into his pocket and took out a small pouch.

The eyes of everyone in the room naturally followed his movements, curious about what could possibly be important enough to request a private meeting with the Branch Manager.

Alden slowly opened the pouch.

The moment he took something out, a rich, sweet aroma spread throughout the room.

The three of them froze.

Without saying a word, Alden placed the piece of chocolate on the table.

"Here."

"You can taste it."

The others gradually regained their composure.

It wasn’t as though they had never encountered food with a rich aroma before. What had caught them off guard was that this fragrance was completely unfamiliar to them.

The woman and the Branch Manager quickly regained their calm, while Boren’s nostrils twitched every few seconds as he struggled to resist grabbing a piece himself.

"Very well."

The woman picked up a piece of chocolate with elegant movements.

"Let’s see what exactly you want to show us."

She placed it into her mouth.

The next moment...

"Hmm?"

Her eyes widened.

A rich sweetness spread across her tongue, followed by a faint bitterness that lingered just long enough to perfectly balance the flavor.

The two tastes blended together so naturally that, before she realized it, the tension in her shoulders had eased.

"What..."

She stared at Alden in disbelief.

"What is this?"

Her voice carried genuine astonishment as her gaze locked onto him, demanding an explanation.

Instead of answering immediately, Alden turned toward the other two.

"You should try it as well."

The Branch Manager and Boren exchanged a glance before looking at the woman.

She remained silent for a moment before giving a small nod.

Receiving her approval, the two each picked up a piece and placed it into their mouths.

Almost instantly, their expressions changed.

Their eyes widened with the same mixture of surprise and delight that had appeared on the woman’s face only moments earlier.

"What do you think?"

Alden asked, even though their expressions had already given him the answer. He was simply moving the conversation forward.

"To be honest..."

The woman looked at the chocolate in her hand before lifting her gaze to Alden.

"It’s excellent."

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"So excellent, in fact, that I can personally train you for three hours."

There wasn’t the slightest trace of exaggeration in her words.

She had assumed Alden came here to offer this delicacy before asking them for a favor.

To someone like Alden, receiving guidance from a cultivator of her level was an opportunity that most people could only dream of.

"Hehe... that’s not why I’m here."

Alden chuckled, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

Standing nearby, Boren suddenly had a bad feeling.

From everything he had witnessed over the past two weeks, Alden had an unusual talent for causing trouble and doing the unexpected. Wherever he went, rumors weren’t far behind.

"Allow me to explain."

Alden spoke calmly, drawing everyone’s full attention.

He pointed toward the chocolate resting on the table.

"This delicious thing is called chocolate."

"And if I’m not mistaken... none of you have ever seen or even heard of it before."

The three exchanged glances before looking back at the chocolate, their expressions gradually turning thoughtful.

"You’re right."

The woman nodded without hesitation.

"I’ve traveled across different continents, yet I’ve never come across anything like this."

The Branch Manager and Boren nodded in agreement.

Neither of them had ever seen or heard of it either.

"That’s because..."

A calm smile spread across Alden’s face.

"As far as I know, I’m the first person in this world to make it."

The room fell silent for a moment.

"That’s... impressive."

The Branch Manager couldn’t help but say it aloud.

Boren also nodded, looking at Alden with a mixture of amazement and newfound respect.

Creating something entirely new was no small achievement.

Seeing their reactions, Alden smiled slightly before finally getting to the main point.

"I’m willing to hand over the complete recipe."

"You can sell it anywhere the Adventurers’ Guild has influence."

" And in return in just want -"

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