Chapter 26: The Cocktail Party (Part II)

Hugh’s pledge brought a visible sense of relief to all the family representatives and merchants present.

Although they knew little about the background of the Dardanelles family, it hardly mattered. The Empire was home to thousands of noble houses, and it was not uncommon for a powerful, previously unknown family to emerge suddenly. Who they were, what their origins were, or what they did for a living was secondary. What mattered was their clearly stated capacity to absorb the surplus of goods on the market. While this did not mean the others would refrain from investigating the newcomers, it did mean that as long as the family demonstrated sufficient strength, everything else was negotiable.

The subsequent negotiations became markedly friendly and harmonious.

"Oh, so the Dardanelles family was involved in maritime trade? What made you decide to enter the field of alchemical materials?" asked Viscount Ladur.

Hugh replied with polished courtesy, "To be precise, my family was not in general trade. In fact, ever since my grandfather's time, we have been engaged in a rather specialized business... well, how should I put it?" Hugh lowered his head, pondering for a moment before continuing. "I am sure you are all aware that the seas are fraught with risks. Beyond human disasters like piracy, the greatest threats are the forces of nature: unpredictable weather, terrifying storms, and massive, monstrous sea creatures. Every year, countless merchant vessels are lost at sea for one reason or another."

"Indeed, and that is precisely why goods arriving from other continents always command several times their original price," remarked Mr. Dodge. His group had recently imported a batch of rare materials from the Eastern Continent, intending to sell them for a profit in the Empire. However, seeing the Empire’s procurement volume drop, they had been facing the grim prospect of the goods rotting in their hands.

Hugh smiled. "Exactly. Everyone knows maritime trade can be lucrative, and piracy is a business with no overhead, but people often overlook another line of work that is also highly profitable—and equally devoid of overhead."

"Oh? That sounds intriguing. Does it involve shipwrecks?"

"Precisely," Hugh answered firmly. He glanced around, noting that everyone—even the bored noblewomen—had begun to pay attention. Conversations about money always commanded an audience.

"Salvaging shipwrecks," Hugh said slowly.

"Salvaging shipwrecks?" the nobles exclaimed in unison.

One man shouted, "That’s incredible! How could you possibly retrieve a sunken ship from the seabed?"

"To be exact, it is not the ship we salvage, but the treasures within. Once they sink to the ocean floor, they are lost to the world forever. Our work is to recover those treasures. You see, every ship carries a vast fortune; salvaging just one can lead to immense wealth," explained Hodin.

"Oh, heavens!" The nobles began to whisper among themselves.

Someone asked, "I have never heard of such a business. Aren't there sea monsters in the depths? And the ocean is so deep—how do you even get down there?"

Hugh smiled. "That is the secret to our wealth. The pressure and the need for air are managed by water-elemental mages who create protective shields; we only require people who are skilled swimmers. The real problem isn't the pressure, but the sea monsters and the difficulty of locating the wrecks. Only professionals know how to search for treasure underwater without alerting those terrifying behemoths, and only they can quickly pinpoint the location and identify potential dangers. In truth, it involves complex knowledge, and my family has been in this industry for over a hundred years. We successfully salvaged over forty ships—until last year."

"Last year?" A few representatives exchanged glances. "What happened last year?"

"Last year, we ended these expeditions because my father and my uncle perished during a salvage operation..." Hugh replied, his face filled with sorrow. "Yes, I believe you can guess what happened." He sighed. "Last summer, our family located a wreck laden with gold, spices, and precious minerals. As they attempted to bring the treasure up, they were struck by an underwater current. It capsized our vessel and threw us to the seabed, where we encountered a giant octopus—a creature as large as the Silent Island Hotel itself. It had dozens of massive, pipe-like tentacles, each with a mouth the size of a human head... It nearly killed everyone. Two of those tentacles ensnared my father and my third uncle. By the time the beast spat them out, there was nothing left but bones."

"Oh! Good heavens, how horrifying!" Several noblewomen covered their mouths, gasping.

"What a tragedy."

Hugh continued his emotive performance. It had to be said that his four years of "acting" on Purgatory Island had honed his skills to perfection; at the very least, Hodin believed the young man possessed a talent for theater that rivaled his own. "My second uncle was the only one to escape that disaster, and my mother died of grief shortly after. We realized then that no matter how experienced a sailor is, if one walks on the edge of danger for a lifetime, such a fate is inevitable. In our century of history, such tragedies had occurred before. But last year, my second uncle decisively chose to abandon the family business and lead us in a new direction. Since then, we have come here. My uncle has been inconsolable ever since; he no longer smiles and rarely interacts with anyone. Even on an important occasion like today, he only made a brief appearance before leaving. As for me, burdened by family duty, I had to enter society early to learn how to conduct business and manage our affairs. Fortunately, my uncle left me with a truly excellent steward. Clementine is a man of great capability, and we owe everything to him."

"It is the honor of my life to serve the Dardanelles family," Hodin said humbly.

Hugh’s modest demeanor and wealth of knowledge quickly won everyone over. Indeed, for someone of his age, his eloquence was truly remarkable.

"Then, what made you decide to go into the materials business?" a noble asked.

"Oh, that is a matter of luck. After my parents died, we thought the Dardanelles family’s fortune had run dry, but we soon encountered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We inadvertently saved a stranded alchemist—a person of extraordinary talent. He was so grateful for our help that he taught me all the alchemy he knew."

"Oh, does that mean you are the alchemist of the Dardanelles family?"

Hugh thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, I am."

"That is truly surprising."

The nobles whispered again. Hugh knew what they were thinking. Ever since the incident at the Lanya Grand Theater, the fact that Hugh Griller was an alchemist was no longer a secret.

Nowadays, no sixteen-year-old would dare claim to be an alchemist, as that would make them a target for the Department of Justice. However, for Hugh, this was the most crucial hurdle to overcome—in the days ahead, he had to use his alchemy to prove himself to the world and secure support. He could not hide his identity.

If his identity was bound to be exposed sooner or later, it was better to reveal it now than when he was surrounded by enemies.

He treated this as a massive challenge, confronting the danger head-on. Even if he failed now, at least he would avoid the regret of failing at the final, most critical moment.

Now, as Hugh admitted to being an alchemist, he did indeed cause a stir. Everyone recalled the name Hugh Griller and his terrifying, murderous performance at the Lanya Grand Theater.

Based on Hugh's introduction, the Dardanelles family was undoubtedly wealthy enough to purchase the goods. But when the target involved a dangerous criminal, everyone became cautious.

Hugh, however, was not worried.

Convincing people that Cissar Dardanelles was not Hugh Griller was not difficult; the key was to make it flow naturally. If he rushed to explain, it would only breed suspicion. Most importantly, he knew these people wanted to do business with him, so they would find ways to convince themselves he was not Griller. As Hodin had said, in the face of great profit, people prefer to believe what they want to believe.

They would surely seek the answer themselves.

Sure enough, someone asked, "Since you are an alchemist, in which field of alchemy do you have the most confidence?"

Hugh replied, "In truth, I do not excel in much. My mentor left before teaching me very much; I do not even know his name. For now, I am skilled at making small, intricate tools. They possess no great destructive power, but they hold irreplaceable value."

"For example?" someone asked.

Hugh produced a scout bee. "For example, this."

"What is that?" Many gathered around, curious.

"A small device for reconnaissance. It can fly freely, and the views it captures are reflected through this crystal ball. It can also receive commands from its master to perform simple searches," Hugh explained, showing them the crystal ball.

"That is truly marvelous. Heavens, I have never heard of anyone inventing such a thing." The merchants and representatives whispered among themselves. One representative, after examining the bee, spoke a few words to his companion. The nobles began to murmur, then all eyes turned to one man: Mr. Bradstreet, the Deputy Secretary of Royo City.

"Oh, forgive me, Master Dardanelles. I must step away for a moment," the Deputy Secretary said apologetically.

"Please, go ahead," Hugh replied politely.

Watching the official hurry out of the venue, a satisfied smile appeared on Hugh's face. He knew the man had gone to verify whether Hugh Griller was capable of such inventions.

As the official of Royo City, the transit hub for material trade, the City Lord was the most likely person to know the secrets of Purgatory Island, as most materials shipped there were purchased through him. The Deputy Secretary would surely ask his master about the inventions from the island.

Hugh hoped the City Lord knew as much as possible. Even if he didn't, it wouldn't matter; Hugh had other ways to prove his identity.

It seemed the Deputy Secretary had a way to contact the City Lord, as he returned quite quickly.

The nobles whispered with the official, clearly seeking his opinion. Judging by the smiles on their faces, the official had given them a satisfying answer—the City Lord had confirmed that among the lost and recovered technologies of the Empire, no such device had ever existed.

The nobles beamed with enthusiasm. If the scout bee was as useful as Hugh claimed, it was a highly promising investment. Many would be interested, including the Imperial Royal Family—it would be a potent reconnaissance tool on the battlefield, significantly reducing the chances of the Imperial army falling into ambushes.

"This little invention of yours is very interesting. Perhaps we should discuss it further. I assume the cost of production is not very high, is it?" Mr. Dodge asked.

"It is not, but the technology is very valuable," Hugh replied proudly. "I believe it will fetch a high price."

"Then..." Mr. Dodge pondered, then said to Hugh, "Would Master Dardanelles have time to visit my residence tomorrow at noon? Dodge Trading Company would be honored by your presence. You know, we are one of the largest trading firms in the country and possess significant economic power. If the Dardanelles family wishes to make a mark in the alchemical products industry, we can provide excellent service for you and your family."

Mr. Dodge handed Hugh his business card.

"I am honored by your invitation. I will certainly visit tomorrow at noon," Hugh said, accepting the card with practiced ease.

"And me..."

"And me..."

A wave of nobles and merchants began handing their cards to Hugh. Whether it was the Dardanelles family’s upcoming procurement or their unique alchemical technology, the merchants realized they had stumbled upon a rare opportunity, and no one wanted to let it slip away.

Hugh and Hodin were busy accepting invitations and cards, stealing a glance at each other in the process.

The look meant everything was going smoothly—a massive success!

After a long series of invitations, as the chime marked the hour, a group of people strode into the hall. Leading them was a man in noble formal wear, possessing a square face and a full, thick beard.

There was no doubt: this was Count Brooks.

Beside him walked a shrewd-looking, yet humble-mannered middle-aged gentleman. Hugh surmised this was likely the general manager of the Silent Island Hotel; in such a setting, the Southern families would certainly have sent someone to represent their interests.

However, the next person to appear made Hugh’s heart skip a beat.

It was her—Countess Christine!

Hugh clearly saw that the moment the Countess walked into the hall, her eyes locked onto him, revealing a flash of shock.

Damn it, she recognized me!