Chapter 6: Shuyue’s Self-Awareness

After approximately three breaths of time, Shu Yue opened her eyes once more.

She exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, and her eyes regained their clarity after a brief moment of trance.

At this time, a table listing her basic information appeared in her mind.

[Status Window]

Name: Shu Yue

Gender: Female (?)

Age: 13 (?)

Bloodline: Silver Dragon

Rank: Official Apprentice

Arts —

Star Tempering Art: An ancient alchemy technique recorded on the Celestial Tome tablets.

It can drive a very special silver flame, the effect of which seems to be the ability to extract and refine a specific quality from all things.

Fire Summoning Method: The most basic Dust-covered Grade art, widely studied by Alchemist apprentices.

Fertile Soil upon the Body: A high-end Firefly Grade art obtained by refining Liya White’s corpse through the Star Tempering Art.

Basic Spells: Sacred Radiance: Healing Art, Psychological Profiling, Detection, Shadow Hide…

Psychological Profiling could accurately describe the contents carried by the soul, though these contents were limited by the user’s cognition.

Shu Yue had little understanding of the Star Tempering Art, so its description only included its origin and basic purpose.

Fire Summoning Method was a very rudimentary art.

Once learned, it provided only three skills: Ignition, Fire Control, and Burning Wind.

Their effects were clear at a glance — a complete set for lighting fires, controlling flames, and blowing wind, specifically designed for Alchemy.

Fertile Soil upon the Body was Liya White’s art, which Shu Yue had taken for herself.

It was likely considered high-end even among the Firefly Grade.

After all, a noble’s illegitimate son would at least have something of this caliber.

This set of arts also contained many useful spells: Earth and Stone Control, Flowing Stone Armor, Stone Piercing, Stone Wall, and Earth Spikes.

Sacred Radiance: Healing Art was a power unique to the Church of Sacred Radiance.

Shu Yue had no idea why she possessed it.

Aside from those, only Detection and Shadow Hide remained.

The former detected auras within a certain distance, while the latter weakened the presence of someone standing in the shadows.

There were originally many more, but they were all gone…

In order to “install” Fertile Soil upon the Body, Shu Yue had uninstalled many practical basic spells!

It couldn’t be helped; the soul had its own capacity.

However, Shu Yue was definitely not losing out on this exchange.

The upper limit for practicing a set of Dust-covered Grade arts was Level 2 combat power, whereas Firefly Grade arts could push one to Level 3 combat power.

Shu Yue would never be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

As for her gender…

Shu Yue didn’t understand which one she should count as now.

The question mark next to her age was the same.

The Silver Dragon entry under bloodline, however, was undisputed.

After all, her bloodline manifested as silver, so wasn’t it naturally a Silver Dragon bloodline?

‘This Dragon Blood accumulates so slowly. I don’t know how long I’ll have to endure before I can truly transform into a giant dragon. But becoming a dragon must be so cool, heh heh—’

Shu Yue’s eyes sparkled, her face full of excitement.

Bloodlines in this world were very precious.

It was said that only the nobles of great families possessed inherited bloodlines.

For an ordinary person to awaken even a mortal bloodline would mean a leap in social class.

Shu Yue’s cheap master had researched the Star Tempering Art on the Celestial Tome tablets precisely to use Alchemy to create a bloodline.

In the end, the old man met his end, and Shu Yue picked up a huge bargain.

She could refine the Dragon Blood from within sub-dragons to forge a powerful dragon bloodline.

However, this was an Alchemist’s taboo.

If other Alchemists found out, Shu Yue would surely have her skull opened and her brain dug out to analyze her soul.

Shu Yue let out a faint sigh and lay back down.

Magic Beasts containing Dragon Blood were powerful even if they possessed only a trace.

It usually required a squad of three Level 1 combatant Adventurers to kill one without injuries.

Furthermore, they were not easy to encounter, which was why it had taken nearly half a year to collect enough for the second drop.

However, Shu Yue knew of a place where she could obtain a large amount of sub-dragon Dragon Blood in a short period.

But to go there, she needed a letter of recommendation to be eligible to purchase it.

‘Tomorrow, I’ll go see that cheap father-in-law and see if I can get a recommendation letter. As long as I can register with the Alchemist Guild, the forging of the Silver Dragon bloodline will be faster. I’ll have power then.’

The fleeting pressure she felt today had given Shu Yue a heavy sense of crisis.

She had to speed up her progress.

Side effects of absorbing Dragon Blood?

Compared to turning into a girl, her life was obviously more important!

Suddenly, Shu Yue remembered that she still had to marry that noble young lady.

Thinking of her gave Shu Yue a massive headache.

This fiancée seemed to be full of hostility toward her.

She didn’t have a very good impression of nobles, nor did she care for noble ladies.

Marrying such a person…

‘I can’t get married, absolutely not!’

It wasn’t that Shu Yue was afraid of a divorce taking half her bloodline, but rather that once they were married, it would be too late to run.

She had to fleece as much as she could before the wedding, squeeze every bit of profit out of the identity of Liya White, and then run away before the ceremony.

Although this bordered on marriage fraud…

What other choice did Shu Yue have?

Shu Yue lay down to sleep.

She slept very lightly.

Although the environment here was comfortable and countless times better than the Pioneer Camp, she couldn’t find peace of mind.

She could only endure the night this way.

***

The next day, early morning.

Shu Yue woke up before the maid arrived.

She wrapped her chest with a wide cloth band, put on a loose black undershirt, and used Earth and Stone Control to thicken and broaden her waist, back, and shoulders before putting on her outer coat.

While eating breakfast, Shu Yue spoke to Butler Barton.

“I want to visit Baron Lester. I have some matters to consult him on.”

“Very well, Master. I shall make the arrangements for you immediately.”

Barton withdrew.

Shu Yue then looked at Anna and told her to sit down and eat with her.

Anna sat down with a look of joy, intentionally sitting very close to Shu Yue, as if purposefully flaunting her relationship with her.

Shu Yue felt somewhat helpless regarding Anna’s little schemes, but she had no intention of blaming her.

The other maids saw everything, though what they thought in their hearts was unknown.

About one hour after breakfast, Butler Barton returned and said that everything had been arranged for Shu Yue.

Shu Yue nodded indifferently.

Anna was curious, but because there were many people around, she couldn’t wrap her arms around Shu Yue’s neck to ask like she used to.

It wasn’t until they were inside the carriage and alone that she spoke in a low voice.

“Shu… Liya, why are we going to see Baron Lester?”

“I need to use a few connections,” Shu Yue said without hiding anything.

“I want to register with the Alchemist Guild. That way, I can buy things that are normally unavailable. This is very important to me.”

“Oh.”

Anna was aware of Shu Yue’s identity as an Alchemist.

“Right, can you arrange a position for me? Let me manage those young maids. I see how arrogant they all are.”

Shu Yue didn’t interact with the maids privately, but Anna was quite close to them.

“There are a few girls speaking ill of you behind your back. I’ve already taught them a lesson.”

“Mm.”

Shu Yue didn’t actually care, but since Anna mentioned it, she gave a response.

Before long, the carriage arrived at Baron Lester’s Manor.

Shu Yue stepped out and met the servant who was there to receive them.

It was a male Butler who looked as if he had been waiting for a long time.

“Lord White, the Baron is currently handling some matters. Please wait in the parlor for a moment.”

“Where is Miss Emily?”

Shu Yue asked, bringing up her cheap fiancée, that beautiful and noble young lady.