Monster Girl Development Master

Page 27

"So, what do I need to do?"

Mira fiddled with the exquisite crystal instrument brought to her by a servant, replying without looking up, "Please give me a little of your blood, Lord Zhuang Sen, just a few drops..."

Busy Miss Mira suddenly looked up, her cherry lips slightly parted as she gazed at Zhuang Sen, who had just cut his finger open, her face gradually flushing – So fragrant! It smells amazing!

Miss Mira, naturally detached from worldly desires and with little interest in material possessions, only interested in studying bloodlines and acquiring knowledge, felt an uncontrollable longing for something beyond knowledge for the first time. If it weren't for the public setting and the willpower she had honed through her long and arduous academic career, she probably would have pounced on him right then and there.

But really, really, it smells so good!!!

Chapter 61: Mira's Backstab (with pictures)

"Miss Koffne?"

Zhuang Sen used the healing cloth to wipe the wound on his index finger, and called out with a slight smile. Miss Mira, who was struggling, suddenly woke up as if from a dream, and quickly picked up the silver cup that Zhuang Sen had put down.

"It will be ready soon, Lord Zhuang Sen, please wait a moment."

Mira's voice remained steady, her fair and delicate face seemingly veiled with an elegant mask, showing no sign of wavering. If Zhuang Sen hadn't taken the opportunity of putting down the cup to observe her closely, or even if he hadn't frequently witnessed Nia and Dantalian's obsession with his blood, he probably wouldn't have noticed Mira's wavering at all.

But he still noticed the girl's slightly flared nostrils and barely perceptible swallowing movements... This was a much bigger reaction than Dantalian and Nia's. You have to understand that Johnson only gave a few drops of blood, not the normal half cup. Perhaps, this Miss Mira is not someone who can't be won over?

We'll have to wait and see the results; Zhuang Sen doesn't want the Church of War to reap the rewards.

While Zhuang Sen was pondering, Miss Mira was also working methodically. Although she really, really, really wanted to drink the blood in the cup directly, she ultimately restrained herself. The occasion, her status, her reputation... she didn't know which factor was the biggest, but she persisted and completed her work.

Zhuang Sen's blood was poured from the silver cup, mixing with a layer of white liquid. After vigorous stirring, it settled in another liquid. Once the sedimentation was complete, Miss Mira removed the top layer of liquid and poured the blood into a glass vessel on a small oil lamp. It was a strange vessel with a wide-mouthed bottom and a curved glass tube attached to the lid.

Mira turned up the flame of the oil lamp, and the liquid poured in began to evaporate under the high temperature. Gas rushed into the curved tube, and Mira gracefully leaned forward to sniff it.

Bishop Charles smiled. Although he had never seen anyone use this procedure, he had carefully read Mira's work and knew that this was the final step and that a conclusion would be reached soon.

Then Mira sniffed again and again... until there was no smell at all. Only then did the bloodline master, who was intoxicated by the smell of blood, finally straighten up and face Zhuang Sen with a much rosier complexion: "Lord Zhuang Sen, you awakened between fifty-five and sixty days ago, and... you only used one awakening potion."

There was a slight murmur among the crowd, but not much noise. Bishop Charles breathed a sigh of relief; he had thought things were going to go wrong. It seemed that Master Kovne was just a little nervous and wanted to ensure the outcome.

Zhuang Sen wasn't too surprised. After all, his knowledge of bloodlines was only at a basic level, so he naturally didn't understand how unique this skill was. He simply nodded in agreement: "You're right, Miss Koffnie. So, do you need to take a break?"

"Thank you, but no need. Let's finish quickly. Miss Hannah doesn't seem to be feeling well." Mira shook her head. After "enjoying" Zhuang Sen's blood energy, she felt even more alert than when she was at her clearest, and even her body felt noticeably stronger. This change made her very curious. Was it because of some change in herself, or because Zhuang Sen's blood was special?

The best solution, of course, is to try a different blood type.

Zhuang Sen looked at Hana. The timid girl seemed to be finding it increasingly difficult to bear the gaze of the crowd. Even though most people were observing Zhuang Sen and Mira, there were still people paying attention to her, especially the members of the Flor family.

So Zhuang Sen took the girl's hand again: "Don't worry, Hannah, relax."

When Zhuang Sen took her hand again, Hana felt a sense of security welling up inside her, as if she had a natural inclination to trust him. She straightened up slightly and softly hummed in agreement.

Although surprised by Hana's cooperation, Zhuang Sen didn't delay. He carefully cut open the girl's finger, took a few drops of bright red blood, and immediately used his healing ability to wipe away her wound. Under the warm healing light, Hana felt her heart beating faster and faster. She could only lower her head to hide her expression, making Zhuang Sen think he had frightened her, which left him quite bewildered.

Sigh, this socially anxious person is easy to manipulate, but communicating with them can be a bit of a hassle.

While Zhuang Sen pondered the next steps in "breaking the ice with the employees," Miss Mira had already begun her work. She was disappointed but not surprised to find that Hana's blood didn't evoke any additional impulses in her, just like her previous experiments. Therefore, in the final stage, she simply sniffed it casually and arrived at a conclusion that surprised her.

"He actually awakened today, and only used one awakening potion?"

"Could it really be a miracle of the goddess of vengeance... No, it must be that Zhuang Sen already knew about Hana's bloodline and genius, and deliberately created this situation."

"But how should I put it?"

Miss Mira was unusually troubled. She was not a rigid academic researcher and naturally knew that if she told the whole truth, Bishop Charles, who had invited her, would not be happy and the payment would be lost. That was a rare, out-of-print book that she had wanted for a long time!

But she didn't want to lie, especially considering Zhuang Sen's demeanor. That confidence couldn't be faked, and he might have other tricks up his sleeve. If she were caught lying, it would be troublesome. Besides, lying would definitely damage her relationship with Zhuang Sen, and then how could she ask him to provide her with blood?

Don't get me wrong, she didn't mean anything by it. She just wanted to study it, she didn't mean to taste it! Really!

"Master Kophne?"

Bishop Charles looked at Mira, who had been silent for a long time, and carefully reminded her, feeling a little uneasy.

Mira, now awakened, knew she couldn't dwell on it any longer and could only frankly say, "According to my tests, Miss Hanna only used one bottle of awakening potion. As for the awakening time, these devices can only confirm that it occurred within five days at most, but..."

Mira left her sentence unsaid, but her meaning was quite clear. She claimed the awakening occurred within five days, but it was certain only one awakening potion was used, and Hana had just drunk it in front of everyone. Because of her half-concealment, many people's sharp thinking abilities shone through, leading them to even deeper implications.

So, this was someone invited by the Church of War to refute the accusations made by the bishop of the Church of War?

Faced with the complicated gazes of the crowd, Bishop Charles, who had been betrayed, felt dizzy. He glared at Mira, but he wasn't crazy and wouldn't lay a hand on a highly respected bloodline scholar. So he could only look at Zhuang Sen again and say in a tricky way, "Who can be sure that what you just gave Hana Flor was an awakening potion!"

This was indeed a difficult question to answer, but Zhuang Sen didn't need to. He simply asked in return, "So, is Bishop Charles trying to steal the awakening potion formula that the goddess bestowed upon me?"

Bloodline knowledge is extremely valuable, which is why bloodline scholars—especially those with achievements—have a high status. The most nerve-wracking thing is to seize the bloodline knowledge of other nobles, because if you can take it from them, will they come to take it from me next time? Even the king doesn't dare to say that he has mastered the bloodline knowledge of all the subordinate noble families, let alone a bishop of a war church.

Furthermore, regardless of whether it was a miracle or not, there is no doubt that Hannah Flor awakened, and judging from the move she used to kill Sheldon, it was definitely not a first-level bloodline! In other words, Johnson does indeed possess unknown bloodline knowledge, and definitely more than one.

There are two Dantalian, Nia Harper, and three if you include Hana Flor! Moreover, Dantalian is a level four bloodline confirmed by the Church of Vengeance. Even if Nia Harper and Hana Flor are not level three as he claims, they are at least level two, right?

A second-tier bloodline—that's a baron! Just like the Flor family!

How could this not excite the people present? How could it not make them fantasize—what if they actually had blood in common?

Unfortunately, they didn't see anything other than bats and sunflowers, at least not Johnson.

However, this did not stop him from confidently extending an invitation to Mira: "Miss Mira Koffnie, would you be willing to accept the goddess's blessing?"

As soon as Zhuang Sen fell silent, Bishop Charles, who had already been speechless, was even more startled.

Oh right, Johnson mentioned before that Mira Koffner also has blood in her veins. That means...

Four kinds?!

The author says:

Author's note: This is a picture of Hana, which I just got from a friend. Please give your opinions on whether it's mine or my friend's choice.

Chapter 62: Arms Display

"Please allow me some time to think about it, Lord Zhuang Sen, and besides, I think it's getting late."

After a series of dramatic events, the sky was still gradually darkening. Zhuang Sen didn't force the issue. He hadn't planned to win over Mira Koffnie so quickly, mainly because he didn't have any leverage over her. Her status, identity, and personality made her difficult to control.

Dantalian had the advantage of the declining Church of Vengeance as a potential partner, and Johnson didn't have many other options at the time. Nia was simply a wife he had acquired through cunning means, and Hannah, with her social anxiety, was easy to manipulate, plus she was just an ordinary member of the Flor family. But Mira Koffne was a different story—a foreigner, of high status…tsk, she needed careful planning.

Although Zhuang Sen had a lot on his mind, his actions on the surface did not falter. He smiled and agreed to Mira's request before turning back to Bishop Rosa's side.

This time, nothing unexpected happened. After kneeling on one knee, Johnson put on the crown symbolizing the chosen one and picked up the scepter inlaid with bright red rubies, which caused a great cheer!

As the ceremony ended, regardless of whether they believed in the goddess of vengeance or not, most of the onlookers eagerly crowded around Zhuang Sen to celebrate with him.

This can be considered a case of knowledge being power.

Zhuang Sen's mind was wandering, but on the surface, he maintained a polite smile, holding Hana's hand with one hand and Nia's hand with the other, exchanging pleasantries with others familiarly. It was only because the situation was different now, and he was in a position of power, that he was able to maintain the upper hand. Otherwise, with his last-minute cramming for etiquette, he might have already ruined this harmonious atmosphere.

Now, it's the people who have gathered around who need to be mindful of the atmosphere. Zhuang Sen doesn't even need to say anything further; someone naturally brings up the matter that's most important to him.

"Chosen One, the armor you wear is truly magnificent. Is it also a blessing from the goddess of vengeance?"

Zhuang Sen gave the speaker an appreciative look, and his prepared remarks flowed out: "This is not a gift from the goddess, but something my wife Nia specially made for me. It is lightweight, flexible, and indestructible—but I can't give this to you."

Zhuang Sen's humorous reply, deliberately distinct from his previous polite remarks, made everyone around him understand his meaning. Or, to put it another way, they recalled the various supplies they had brought along the way, as well as the three high walls along the route, and thus understood Zhuang Sen's intentions.

So they all said, "Chosen One, we certainly wouldn't dare accept your armor, but we wonder if you have any plans to sell this type of standard armor? We'd like to buy three sets!"

"I want five sets!"

Ten sets!

Once one person speaks up, more people will naturally follow suit. After all, Lord Zhuang Sen might not remember who bought it, but he would definitely remember who didn't. Moreover, for those who could attend the consecration ceremony, a few sets of ordinary armor were not an excessive expense.

Although Zhuang Sen was pleased, he also knew that many of these people probably did not know the excellence of plate armor and were just trying to curry favor with him and get him to help test and awaken their bloodlines.

However, he wasn't planning on making a one-off deal, so of course he wouldn't just accept it like that. Instead, he led the way to the display area set up by the blacksmiths.

The crowd naturally swarmed over, and some of those who knew more about armor had their eyes shining as they tried to squeeze closer to Zhuang Sen. They had truly seen the superiority of the armor Zhuang Sen was wearing.

In fact, even after hearing Zhuang Sen's words in an awkward situation, Bishop Charles silently followed, wanting to witness firsthand what level Zhuang Sen's new armor could achieve without the magic iron crafting process. As a bishop of the Church of War, he was very knowledgeable about forging and immediately recognized the extraordinary nature of the armor worn by Zhuang Sen and his family.

Surrounded by the crowd, Zhuang Sen arrived at the plate armor display area. To his surprise, there were already people there, and...

"Anjie, what are you doing here?"

He said he hadn't seen the leader of the Anti-Zhuang Sen Alliance at the canonization ceremony before, and thought he had run away because he knew there was no chance. He didn't expect him to be here.

"Of course I'm here to inspect the goods. Although the Harper Knights brand is beyond question, I can't just ignore it completely."

Anjie spoke without turning her head. She was holding a crossbow and aimed it at the breastplate armor thirty meters in front of her, pulling the trigger.

Boom!

The crossbow bolt pierced the plate armor from a distance of over thirty meters, which seemed unsurprising. But when a female knight in a blue robe carried the pierced breastplate from the armor rack, those who saw the details were somewhat astonished.

"At this distance, the crossbow bolt didn't penetrate?"

"This is just a direct hit; imagine if they wore a robe over it, and underneath they wore armor and chainmail..."

"If it's scale armor, it's definitely been pierced by a bullet."

Although they couldn't see the superiority of plate armor with the naked eye, after witnessing its effectiveness firsthand, these flatterers, who were at least wealthy merchants and landlords, actually recognized its excellence and were speechless for a moment.

So, it turns out they didn't lose out on this; they actually gained something?

Zhuang Sen smiled with satisfaction, about to seize the opportunity to start promoting the armor, when he saw An Jie approaching with her entourage, a smug smile on her face: "Zhuang Sen, you've finally arrived! I'll take all these armors, from five..."

Halfway through her sentence, Anjie glanced at the crowd surrounding Zhuang Sen and sensed something was amiss, so she stopped. Caution took over again, leading her to question an impossible fact—could Zhuang Sen really have become the chosen one?

Meanwhile, the crowd was stunned again. Were Zhuang Sen and An Jie really that close that they could reach such a monopolistic deal?

Zhuang Sen then realized that An Jie must have believed that he couldn't truly uphold the banner of the Chosen One, couldn't unite these people to oppose her, and couldn't bypass her triple tariffs, so she came over to inspect "her own" goods with impunity.

That saved him a lot of trouble.

Zhuang Sen pushed his way through the crowd and came to Ange. Ange, who was only taller than Nia, unconsciously took a step back when facing Zhuang Sen in his angelic form, bumping into the thigh of her guardian knight.

"Don't even think about doing anything reckless, Zhuang Sen."

Ange still remembered how Zhuang Sen had ripped Jem's throat with a single claw. Her first thought was that the madman was about to overturn the table in a fit of rage.

Zhuang Sen regretfully withdrew his right hand, which had failed to humiliate An Jie by patting her head, and laughed, "Sister An Jie, I can't agree to that, because these guests have already made reservations."

Oh, so it's not that they have a good relationship, it's that they have a bad relationship.

Then I understand, I understand.

The clever ones in the crowd suddenly understood, especially those who knew who the three walls actually belonged to, and they understood why the Church of Vengeance insisted on holding the canonization ceremony in this Thorn Manor.

So, could they take advantage of this opportunity...?

"Chosen One, I would like to purchase ten more sets!"

I want twenty sets!

Thirty sets!

The flurry of bidding orders astonished Anjie, especially when she heard some people referring to Zhuang Sen by his name, which she found even more unbelievable.

Was she dreaming? Otherwise, how could Zhuang Sen really be some kind of chosen one?!

She pinched her face hard; the sharp pain contorted her delicate features, a stark reminder of the situation.

As Zhuang Sen accepted the customers' orders, he smiled at An Jie and sincerely thanked her, saying, "Thank you, An Jie."

Chapter 63: Magic Iron Equipment

Thanks to Ange's strong support, two hundred sets of plate armor, which had only been made ten times, had already been pre-ordered. This made Bishop Charles's face grow increasingly grim, and he became more and more wary and dissatisfied. He had originally thought that Johnson would affect the War Church's arms business by leveraging the craftsmanship and reputation of the Rom Harper family, but that should have taken at least a few months.

Unexpectedly, it has already had an impact, even a direct and severe blow – it's obvious that with the introduction of plate armor, a new type of armor with significant advantages, the sales of scale armor and chainmail, which have inferior defensive performance and are more troublesome to maintain, will inevitably decline.

Chainmail might be okay, since it can be used as inner armor, but scale armor is not. Ironically, scale armor used to be the main outer armor, the market leader and the top seller...

Forget it, it's just ordinary armor after all, and the scale is limited. Its quality and quantity won't shake the market. Besides, if Zhuang Sen can make plate armor, why can't the Church of War? Copy it! Copy it!

After much deliberation, Bishop Charles had no choice but to change his approach and decide that if he couldn't win, he would join them. After all, these so-called plate armors didn't seem difficult to manufacture; even if there were some secret techniques, he could always figure them out by buying a couple of sets, disassembling them, and studying them carefully.

Thinking of this, Bishop Charles felt somewhat relieved, especially when he considered the advantage of having superior magic iron equipment; his expression improved considerably. In any case, the Church of War had eighty blacksmiths, while Zhuang Sen only had seven—the advantage was in his hands!

……