After traveling for a few days, Ethan and his entourage finally arrived at the Lands of Cashel.
"It's more beautiful than I imagined it to be," Nicole said in awe as she looked in the distance. "I expected the domain of the Vampire Lord to be more… bland and unforgiving."
Ethan nodded in agreement because he thought the same way.
The surrounding lands were truly beautiful, making him wonder if they arrived at the wrong location.
However, Merric and the other Catkins confirmed to him that they were indeed in the Lands of Cashel.
"We visit this city from time to time to trade," Merric stated. "The Meredith Clan even has a general store in this area, which we use as a base to gather information about the city."
"Have there been any incidents of the Protector Clans being attacked or going missing in the past?" Ethan inquired.
"None," Merric answered. "That's why it never occurred to me that a Vampire Lord, who liked beautiful ladies endowed with powerful bloodlines, lived in this city.
"The Meredith Clan is a line of magicians, and they had sent many of their talented ladies into the city. So far, none of them suffered any grievances and they had been doing business as usual."
Ethan glanced at the city in the distance as their Flying Ship slowly descended from the sky.
Since only the Flying Ships from the Milesian Nobilities could enter the city, they and several others were forced to land at a makeshift landing port a mile away from the City of Cashel.
"Nicole and Hecate, stay inside the cabins for now," Ethan ordered. "Don't show yourselves for the time being."
"Are you going to the city alone?" Nicole inquired.
"No." Ethan shook his head. "There's a potion I need to brew, and the two of you will be taking it later." Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
"How about me?" Lyall asked. "Should I also stay inside the cabin?"
"No," Ethan replied. "You can do what you want."
"… Hey, what is this difference in treatment?" Lyall placed her hands on her waist and glared at Ethan. "Aren't you worried about me?"
"I am," Ethan replied.
"Then why?" Lyall asked.
"I don't think Godfrey will be interested in you," Ethan answered with a straight face.
"Huh?" Lyall blinked in confusion. "Are you saying that because I'm not a witch, and I don't possess magical powers?"
"… Something like that," Ethan replied.
However, Lyall wasn't satisfied with his answer.
Sebastian and Ethan's Other Half were chuckling inside the young man's sea of consciousness because they knew what he was thinking.
The two believed that after living for hundreds of years, Godfrey already knew that he shouldn't stick his stick inside crazies.
With this line of thought, Ethan believed that Lyall was safe even if the Vampire Lord was only a step away from her.
"Don't disturb me for now. I need to craft a potion for myself, Nicole, and Hecate," Ethan stated.
"Oi! Make me a potion as well!" Lyall demanded. "I don't know what kind of brew you're making, but I want one too!"
Ethan knew that if he didn't agree to Lyall's request, the young lady would pester him to oblivion.
So in order to get some peace of mind, he agreed, which made Lily's sister happy.
After returning to his room, Ethan took out the cauldron, as well as a crafting tool he purchased in the academy before he left for the lands of Midgard.
He personally asked for a private class with his Potions Professor to teach him how to brew a special potion, which was called the Polygender Potion.
Just as the name implied, this potion could change someone's appearance, as well as their gender, for two hours.
It was a bit complicated to make. But Ethan was very determined to succeed in this mission, so he spent many hours practicing in order to increase his success rate in crafting the potion.
Knowing that he might fail a few times despite succeeding in the past, Ethan had bought many ingredients from the academy. That way, he could craft as many potions as he could.
Of course, he bought a few bottles from the academy as well. But the main reason why he wanted to craft them himself was due to the potion's special properties.
The duration of the Polygender potion's effect was doubled if it was drunk on the same day it was made.
Simply put, instead of only transforming into the opposite gender for two hours, Ethan could keep his transformation for four hours.
Since he needed to cover as much ground as possible, he needed the effect of the potion to last longer.
Twenty minutes later…
"That's one down," Ethan said in relief after succeeding in making the Polygender Potion after one try. "Three more to go."
Each potion usually took twenty minutes to make, and it required great concentration on Ethan's part.
Fortunately, he had Mimir's Wisdom, so he didn't have a problem when it came to mental strength and concentration.
Nearly two hours later, Ethan finally finished crafting four potions.
He could have finished earlier, but due to some mistakes, he failed twice, so he needed to start all over again.
"Lilith, I need to ask a favor," Ethan said as he poured the potion into a small bottle. "Tell Nicole, Hecate, and Lyall that we will leave after lunch. I will rest for a bit until that time."
"Yes, Master," Lilith nodded and left the room to obey Ethan's order.
The young man then laid down on the bed and sighed.
'Are you worried that this plan of yours might fail?' Sebastian asked.
'Yes,' Ethan answered.
'I can understand why you don't want to use Nicole and Hecate as bait,' Ethan's Other Half replied. "But if your Plan A doesn't work, you don't have to feel too anxious about using your Plan B.
'If you're really worried, you can ask Lilith and Dainsleif to act as Nicole's and Hecate's bodyguards,' Sebastian proposed. 'With them around, the chances of escaping will be higher.'
Ethan scratched his head after hearing Sebastian's proposal.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Ethan muttered.
'It's because you are too overprotective of them to make them act as bait—that's why,' Sebastian replied. 'But you already know this, right? Sometimes, even with the best plans, things don't work out the way you want them to.'
'Well, it won't hurt to give Ethan's idea a shot,' Ethan's Other Half said. 'After all, it's something he thought with the intention of keeping Nicole and Hecate safe.'
Sebastian nodded in understanding. 'Well, then. Rest for now. We will wake you at lunchtime.'
'Thanks,' Ethan replied before finally closing his eyes to rest.
Although Mimir's Wisdom helped him keep his concentration at his peak during the potion crafting session, it didn't change the fact that it took a toll on him.
Frankly, crafting potions consecutively was a very exhausting task, which was why Wizards and Witches usually craft only two to three potions a day with breaks in between.
While Ethan was sleeping, Ashmedai and Vlad were playing a game of chess.
Ethan's Patron Deity had a mischievous smile on his face and was even excited to see how Ethan's plan would work out.
"Do you think your son will bite the bait?" Ashmedai asked.
"Perhaps," Vlad answered as he moved his pawn on the chessboard. "But I think you have a misunderstanding about my son, Ashmedai. Godfrey isn't what you think."
"Of course, I know," Ashmedai replied with a smile. "Have you forgotten one of the Domains I specialize in?"
"…Right." Vlad nodded. "I forgot that you are a pervert through and through."
Instead of being offended, Ashmedai only laughed because he was truly amused by the plan that Ethan had in mind.
Whether the young man's plan would succeed or not didn't really matter to him.
The only thing that mattered was if it would be entertaining.
Progenitors were nearly immortal and they could live up to tens of thousands of years without a problem.
So one of the things that they were bound to face sooner or later was boredom.
The Patron of the Valentin Family hated boredom the most, so he liked to stir trouble from time to time, even if that trouble would come biting him back.
That was also the reason why he still locked up Erras in his domain despite being well aware that doing so would rile up the Chaos Faction among the Progenitors.
With a mischievous smile on his face, Ashmedai picked up his Queen Chess Piece and moved it to take down Vlad's Knight.
Right now, the Champions of two Progenitors were about to face each other, and frankly, he couldn't wait to see which one of them would come out on top of the other.