Lord: Starting with Biological Modification

Chapter 205: Chapter 200: Purchasing Materials

Velin didn’t stay idle while waiting for news from the council.

He took Ola and Ryo to the Arcane Path once again.

Unlike their last casual stroll, this time he had a very clear objective.

"My lord, look at this!" Ryo pointed to a glass jar on a stall. Inside was a heart, still beating.

The stall owner, a dwarf with a covered face, explained, "An animated heart. Transplant it into a construct, and it will gain rudimentary emotions. Only three hundred Golden Suns."

Velin glanced at it and immediately lost interest.

He had little interest in such crude alchemical creations.

He walked into a shop called "Underground Roots," which specialized in selling plants and creatures from the Dark Nether Realm.

The shop was dimly lit, its air filled with the scent of damp earth and fungi.

"I need a batch of plant seeds that can grow in a lightless, high-humidity environment," Velin said to the tall, thin half-elf shopkeeper behind the counter. "It’s fine if they require a certain aether concentration, but they must have high economic value."

The half-elf shopkeeper sized him up before dragging a heavy wooden box out from under the counter.

He opened the box, revealing various seeds and spores packed in small cloth bags of different colors and materials.

The shopkeeper introduced several primary ingredients for common Magic Potion recipes, and Velin bought some of each.

These were all for the Magic Potion Garden being built beneath Minas Tirith, centered around the Original Blood Crystal vein.

Next, Velin and his companions went to the core structure of the Arcane Path—the Tower of All Magic.

Inside the towering White Tower, he went directly to the department in charge of biological modification.

"I have some crocodile eggs that contain Dragon Blood. I need to enhance their draconic traits," Velin said to the attendant Mage.

He’d tried it himself. ’There was no direct option for "draconization" on the system panel.’

’This kind of targeted evolution involving a superior bloodline clearly exceeded the permissions he could currently unlock. Forcing the research would consume an unknown amount of resources and time.’

’Going directly to the Mage Association was much simpler. After all, they’d been studying it for centuries.’

The Bloodline Purity Code only forbade experiments on humanoid creatures, not the modification of Magical Beasts.

"That will require Dragon Blood essence and a High-Tier Life Catalytic Array. The cost is substantial," the Mage replied mechanically.

"Money is not an issue."

Velin paid a hefty fee and arranged to have the crocodile eggs delivered.

With two problems solved, Velin inquired about one last thing.

"I also need a type of tree, one whose trunk produces a large amount of gelatinous resin."

"Gelatinous resin?" The shopkeeper paused. "What would you need that for? Patching a leaky ship’s hull? If it’s for alchemy, pine resin is more effective."

"Something like that."

Velin didn’t elaborate.

’The harbor and road construction in the Grey Marsh Territory required a cheap adhesive and waterproofing material.’

’This world had asphalt, but the mining rights were monopolized by a few iron-mining families from the Northern Lands, making the price comparable to alchemical ingredients.’

’Paving roads with asphalt would be enough to bankrupt any lord.’

’As for "cement," in a world with magic, it simply wasn’t strong enough. Besides, Mi Port was currently a giant quarry. Paving the roads would not only improve transportation but also be an effective way to use up all that stone.’

’So, he needed a renewable, biological substitute.’

"In the dock district south of the Royal Capital, there are some ’Thick-skinned Trees’ brought in from the Evergreen Council. Their sap is plentiful and sticky; they might suit your needs."

After leaving "Underground Roots," Velin had purchased everything he needed. Now, he just had to wait for news from Viscount Ferrier.

「A few days later.」

Velin’s application had gone unanswered. He visited Viscount Ferrier’s residence again, only to receive bad news.

In the drawing room, Viscount Ferrier personally poured Velin a cup of black tea, his movements betraying his exhaustion.

"Baron Klein, I am so sorry."

"Your application was shot down by a subcommittee of the Council of Nobles."

"The official reason is ’the need for long-term research into the feasibility and risks of developing the Southern Archipelago.’"

’Velin had heard that kind of bureaucratic doublespeak so often in his past life it made his ears ache. It all boiled down to one thing: it’s not happening.’

"Was it the pro-Empire faction?" Velin asked directly.

Ferrier nodded, a look of helplessness on his face. "Yes. The Sea Serpent Commerce Association has been lobbying everyone in the council. They’ve found the soft spot of most nobles: fear."

"They’re telling the inland nobles that if they don’t accept the Empire’s ’goodwill,’ their shipments of grain and ore will be cut off, as will their imported luxury goods."

"Fear is the best lobbyist," Ferrier said, looking at Velin. "Most nobles are unwilling to empty their coffers and offend the mighty Empire for some coastal benefit they can’t even see."

"So, while the final vote hasn’t been cast, the outcome is already clear."

"More than half of the undecided nobles are leaning toward accepting the Empire’s ’stewardship’ proposal in exchange for safe shipping lanes."

Velin sipped his tea in silence, saying nothing more.

’To be honest, he’d experienced this feeling of powerlessness, of being thwarted at every turn, a few times now.’

’His wealth, the army he’d built in the Grey Marsh Territory, even his feat of slaying a Level 5 Magical Beast—none of it mattered in the face of these entrenched political rules.’

’This was a game played by someone else’s rules, and he didn’t even have a seat at the table.’

The atmosphere was heavy on the way back to Count Leman’s residence after leaving the Ferrier estate.

Back in Count Leman’s study, Velin dismissed all the servants with a wave of his hand and sat alone in the quiet room.

The study’s windows were shut tight, sealing out the clamor of the world outside.

On the wall hung a massive map of the Sealand Duchy. Velin’s gaze fell to the bottom right corner, to the Southern Archipelago marked in blue ink.

’He didn’t have enough connections in high places, and the rules were stacked completely against him.’

’It was a dead end.’

’What did he have?’

’Wealth? Power? Resources?’

’Every one of the old, established nobles in the Royal Capital had more than he did.’

Time ticked by, second by second.

The sky outside the window darkened from dusk to night. With no lamps lit in the room, Velin’s figure was swallowed by the deepening shadows.

’He had to find a breakthrough.’

’A resource that could give him leverage against this immovable obstacle.’

’Something the nobles desperately craved but couldn’t obtain through normal means.’

Late that night, after a long silence, Velin finally moved.

He stood, walked to the desk, and rang the small bell at its side.

Moments later, the butler entered and lit the Magic Crystal Stone lamp on the desk.

The light chased away the darkness, illuminating Velin’s now-serene face.

"Take a letter to Miss Lilia."

"Tell her I’m inviting her to meet me at the Silver Gull Restaurant tomorrow at noon."

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