Chapter 127: The Slovenly Elven Druid

"Elves and druids? Are there any more?!" Lehman’s mouth twitched.

Elves were hardly the common sight they once were, let alone druids. However, the sudden outbreak of war on the front lines had completely disrupted his original plans. If the conflict concluded before spring, the magical potions would lose their prime window for promotional impact, which would deal a significant blow to the next phase of the Lehman Trading Company’s expansion.

Lehman found Habwick in a state of exhaustion. After grinding for days and nights to finish the glass crystals the boss had demanded, the ranger had been lying limp for an entire day, unwilling to move a muscle. Lehman looked at the "puddle" of a ranger with undisguised disdain. Back when he first started the Lehman Trading Company, he had worked for a month straight without rest; this guy was falling apart after just a few days. This must be what the boss called "kidney deficiency."

"What? A druid?" Habwick was stunned when he heard Bon was looking for a druid, his expression turning tragic. "The boss already has me as a druid, and he’s still looking for other little druids..."

Lehman was speechless. What was this guy thinking? He briefly explained that Bon needed a druid to accelerate the growth of magical plants.

"Oh, so he needs an elf druid to accelerate plant growth? You should have said so earlier! You scared the life out of me," Habwick complained.

"Enough nonsense, speak up," Lehman said, too annoyed to waste words on this counterfeit druid.

"If it’s for accelerating magical plants, you definitely need an elf druid!" Habwick rubbed his chin in thought. "If it were anyone else, they might not know where to look, but as it happens, I know one in the black market."

"The black market again?" Lehman wondered how everything could be found there. Were there no other places left? He knew that Habwick himself had come from the black market, which made him feel somewhat skeptical, but with no other options, he had to give it a try.

***

Sevington finally welcomed its first heavy snowfall of the winter. Flakes drifted down from the sky, turning the world into a vast expanse of white, yet an undercurrent flowed beneath the silver-clad silence. Surprisingly, various small animals that were rarely seen in winter began to appear frequently.

"Huh? Where did they go?" Little Iggy was puzzled. Just a moment ago, several kittens had been playing here; how had they vanished in the blink of an eye? Over the past month or two, his little friends in the area had been dwindling, all running off to a place called the Lehman Trading Company. He’d heard that there were not only many playmates there but also plenty of fun things. However, Grandpa Hill wouldn't let him go, and now that the animals he’d finally spotted had disappeared, Iggy couldn't help but feel a little dejected.

After Iggy left, several pairs of amber, almond-shaped eyes watched the boy’s retreating figure from behind snowdrifts and tree branches.

Inside the shop, an old man sat dozing in front of the counter. Iggy secretly pushed the door open a sliver and crept inside on tiptoe. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his forehead.

"Ouch!" Iggy clutched his head and crouched on the floor. "Grandpa Hill, why are you knocking on my head again? Didn't you say that hitting it too much would make me stupid?"

The old man had silver-white hair and deep brown skin. "If I don't knock, you won't learn your lesson. I told you not to go out lately, so why are you running off? How is your [Summoning] practice coming along?" Although the old man looked angry, his eyes revealed his doting affection for the child.

At the mention of [Summoning], Iggy’s face soured. "Grandpa Hill, I can't summon anything inside the house, so I thought I’d try outside..."

Seeing Iggy on the verge of tears, the old man softened his expression and comforted him. "It’s alright, it’s winter, and the animals are all hibernating."

"You're lying! There are plenty of animals running around outside, but every time I use [Summoning], they just run away. Did I practice it wrong?" Iggy felt deeply aggrieved.

Old Hill opened his mouth but said nothing. He had seen everything Iggy was doing, but what could he say? The small animals in Sevington had all been wiped out by the snake-people from before, and the ones running around now were all owned magical pets. It would be a miracle if [Summoning] worked.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Old man, I'm back!"

"It's Uncle Habwick!" Iggy laughed through his tears and shouted. Though the voice was raspy, he recognized the ranger immediately. The old man frowned, and before he could say a word, Iggy had already hopped over to open the door.

"Uncle Habwick... huh? Who is this uncle next to you?" Iggy asked, confused.

Lehman had prepared himself, but seeing the "elf druid" Habwick had spoken of made his eyelids twitch. He was an elf, alright, but why was his appearance so vastly different from the beautiful, elegant elves in his imagination? Messy hair was one thing, and while the quality of the fur he wore was quite good, he hadn't even bothered to tan it before draping it over himself, tied together with simple vines... Lehman felt at a loss for words. Was this a barbarian wearing an elf’s skin?

"Young man, your gaze is extremely impolite. Did your elders not teach you how to respect your elders?"

The old man was used to strange looks, but seeing Habwick next to Lehman, his tone turned sour.

"Uh, my apologies, sir!" Lehman bowed quickly. Beside him, Habwick covered his mouth to stifle a laugh; he had been just as shocked by the old elf’s appearance when he first met him. Back then, the old man had sensed that Habwick had received a druidic inheritance—albeit an incomplete one—and couldn't bear to see such talent wasted, so he tried to correct him. To his surprise, Habwick didn't appreciate it and mocked him instead, which infuriated Hill. Eventually, Habwick realized the old man was indeed a formidable elf druid, but given his past behavior, he was too ashamed to ask for help. The old man, seeing the ranger stayed silent, never brought it up again. The two had been at a standoff for years, until Iggy grew up. The old man was still fuming, and just seeing Habwick gave him the urge to smack him, so it was no wonder he didn't have a pleasant look to spare.

Seeing the old man’s hostile expression, Habwick dropped his smile and said seriously, "Master Hill, I am very sorry to disturb you. This is the person in charge of the Lehman Trading Company." He gestured toward Lehman.

"The Lehman Trading Company?" The old man’s expression shifted. No matter how reclusive he was, it was difficult to live in Sevington and not know of the Lehman Trading Company. Even though the elf’s appearance was hard to admire, seeing Habwick so solemn made Lehman regain his composure.

"Greetings, Master. I am Lehman Yiwantov. I wonder if you have heard of our alchemical workshop?"

"I have. But what does that have to do with me?"

"That’s excellent!" Lehman smiled. "I would like to invite you to our workshop to accelerate the growth of magical plants."

The old man’s eyes widened, and he flatly refused. "I will not. Violating the natural growth of plants is a crime against nature..."

Lehman interrupted, "One thousand gold coins!"

Little Iggy’s eyes lit up at the mention of gold, and he swallowed hard before rubbing his stomach.

The old man looked disdainful. "To maliciously destroy the laws of nature—you will eventually suffer nature's wrath."

"Ten thousand gold coins upon completion. If not, I’ll find someone else."

*Slap!*

"Fine, it's a deal!" The old man slammed his hand on the table and shouted. "But this little one comes with me."

"Of course, that’s no problem!"

Habwick and little Iggy: "..."