NOVEL NEXT Chapter 217: First Meeting
Aegon might have forgotten Amon, but Elara didn't. She always paid extra attention to her surroundings because of her upbringing, so even if she was distracted by Liliana, she remembered the dean.
She bowed slightly towards him too and said, "Good morning, Sir Amon."
"A very good morning to you, Elara," Amon smiled at her, then shifted his attention towards Aegon. "And you too, even though you didn't greet me."
"Why are you being so melodramatic right in the morning?" Aegon sighed and said. "Good morning."
"Better!" Amon nodded and then tossed a monocle at him.
Aegon wanted to avoid it, but then caught it regardless. Eying it suspiciously, he asked, "What is this?"
"It'll grant you access to the treasury," Amon replied as he went towards Elara. "Now, you can leave with your mentor so I can teach her good things."
"Why do I feel like those good things are just shitty things?"
"Your mind is shitty, so that's all you can think of," Amon replied back and turned towards Elara. "Shall we go then?"
Elara nodded before smiling at Aegon.
"Wait! Where's the treasury anyway?" Aegon asked, just remembering that he didn't know about that.
Amon gave him a weird look and asked, "You've been here for more than a year and still don't know about the treasury? What kind of animal are you?"
"Senior, I'll appreciate it if you make this quick and not just insult your student," Liliana's voice sounded from behind Aegon.
Amon adjusted his monocle and gave a weird look to Liliana, as if saying that she was being unfair. Then he sighed and said, "Just go down the hill backside. You'll see a small hut. That's the second entrance to our treasury."
"Thanks!" Aegon smiled and waved his hand. In the next second, both of them vanished into thin air.
'Time to face her,' Aegon thought, taking a deep breath.
He was surprisingly calmer than he had expected, but that was probably because of Liliana too. She was also very calm, albeit smiling more than he had heard she ever did. That probably made the difference.
Still, she behaved more like a stranger, so it helped him not freak out and consider how to behave around her.
He turned around and smiled. "Hello. I'm sure we already know each other's names, but let me introduce myself again. I'm Aegon Valeria Augustus. Nice to finally meet you."
"The name's Liliana Songsword," Liliana introduced herself as she stood up. "And it's a pleasure finally meeting you. Shall we talk while exploring the treasury?"
"Sure!"
They moved out of the building and went to the treasury's location. Finding it was easy, as there was nothing else around the dean's office except for that single hut.
The hut itself was just wood piled together along with a few other materials to cover what remained hidden underneath it.
Only someone like Amon would think of making his treasury like this.
"Looking for anything in particular?" Liliana asked.
"Kind of," Aegon nodded. "It's actually the reason why I'm happy to have you as my mentor."
"Now you make me curious," Liliana said, smiling warmly at him. "Care to share the details?"
Aegon took out the metal box he had turned into a Mana Battery and showed it to her. She didn't need an explanation, as she just stared deeply into it and found the answer herself.
"A mana-storing unit?" Liliana said, tilting her head slightly. "Are you replicating a mana stone?"
"Yup. I want to make a rechargeable Mana Battery, which is also low in cost so everyone can have it," Aegon explained. "If even mundane people can afford Mana Batteries, then their lives would improve so much. This is the necessary foundation for the future."
"I can definitely see that. Well done thinking so far ahead and even making it a reality," Liliana smiled proudly and said. "I would think you're doing it for the people, but Xiu raised you up, so tell me what plans you have for this?"
Aegon couldn't help but laugh. Just because of Xiu, his intentions were easily seen through, which he found hilarious. Indeed, Xiu would do things for the sake of others, but it would definitely include some hidden agenda.
And he was the same.
"Let's just say that many things I want to build and have in this world depend on this one factor," Aegon answered. "Only if the people have a better lifestyle can they afford my things, so I'll start by improving that."
"You really are a peculiar one," Liliana chuckled.
They entered the hut while Liliana continued to examine the metal box. Just like Aegon, she had a curious spirit, so her entire focus remained on unraveling its mysteries.
The inside of the hut was plainly empty, besides a metal door embedded in the ground. Aegon went towards it and pulled it upwards, revealing a set of stairs.
He turned towards Liliana and asked, "What about you?"
"Hmm?" Liliana seemed confused.
"What goes through your head when you make things?" Aegon asked, as he had really been curious about her mindset. "Do you think of people's welfare while designing stuff?"
"Not really. I think of nothing while inventing things," Liliana answered after thinking for a moment. "At first, I did it to gain my family's attention and love. I didn't really have anything else good about me, so I thought maybe if I was smart and made things, they'd pay me attention and love me."
She gave the metal box back to Aegon and said, "I failed at that, but as a fellow creator, you should understand our stubborn nature."
"Yeah, that certainly remains at an all-time peak the more we fail," Aegon nodded in agreement.
He was quite the same after all. If he failed at something, he would just try to make it succeed no matter what. His stubborn nature especially came out in those times.
So he could understand her situation too.
He was also quite surprised at how freely Liliana conversed with him, especially about her past. Of course, he was very happy with the situation.
"By the time I realised there was no point in seeking success there, I had nothing left except my brain and curiosity. So I just spent my time creating stuff and uncovering the vast mysteries this world has to offer."
She smiled and added,
"It's quite fun, isn't it?"