Reena blinked, clearly taken aback. The small vial in her hand trembled slightly as she tightened her grip on it.
"Why did you raise it by ten percent?" she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.
Daniel leaned back against the sofa, his posture relaxed, a subtle smirk playing on his lips. He looked completely at ease—like a gambler who already knew the cards everyone else was holding.
Folding his fingers together, he tilted his head just slightly and replied, "I offered you a deal—fifty percent for the mana stones. But now... now you're admitting the recipe is real. A genuine alchemist's recipe, right?"
Reena glanced down at the shimmering green liquid in the vial, then looked up again, eyes narrowed. "That still doesn't explain the sudden increase. You haven't proven it works."
Daniel gave a small shrug, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Isn't that the job of an alchemist? To take theory and turn it into reality? You said yourself—it's authentic. I'm just adjusting the price for the truth."
Reena scoffed, setting the vial carefully on the table between them. "You're playing games."
Daniel leaned forward now, resting his elbows on his knees, the playfulness in his voice turning serious for a moment. "No, Reena. I'm making offers. And this…"—he tapped the paper with the recipe—"…is worth a lot more than even those crystals."
A tense silence settled between them. Upstairs, Rudrick paced slowly, clearly torn by the conversation he could partly overhear.
Finally, Reena spoke, her tone lower, more composed. "Sixty percent is too much."
Daniel smiled again, this time with a glint of challenge. "Then make a counteroffer. But just remember—opportunities like this don't knock twice. I mean you still Would get ownership."
The shop suddenly didn't feel like a dusty corner of the capital anymore. It felt like the center of a deal that could change everything—for both of them.
Daniel pushed the heavy, crystal-laden bag forward on the table, his smile cool and unwavering.
"Mister Stone," he said, voice smooth as silk, "I believe a seasoned blacksmith like yourself already knows the value of S-tier mana stones. Would you mind telling your daughter just how much these are worth?"
Rudrick glanced at the bag, then leaned back with a casual sigh, as if discussing the price of bread and not treasures of immense power. "At minimum? One hundred million dollars."
The words landed like a hammer strike.
Reena's mouth fell open. For a moment, she couldn't even breathe. A hundred million? Her mind reeled. Now it made sense—Daniel had offered stones worth far more than their humble company's entire valuation. Even at fifty percent ownership, the deal was beyond generous. And yet… he'd upped it to sixty.
She looked at him, bewildered, but Daniel simply smiled.
"You can keep the recipe and the mana stones," he said, voice gentle but firm. "What you do with them—sell them, use them to forge equipment—that's entirely up to you both."
Reena felt as though the ground beneath her had shifted. His offer was nothing short of a gift from the gods. And yet, a seed of doubt crept into her thoughts. Why? Why would he be so kind? So giving?
She met his gaze, now wary. "Why are you so interested in our business, Daniel? I mean… you're giving us something worth more than we could ever repay. What do you stand to gain from this?"
Daniel let out a short laugh. "And why do you assume I'm taking a loss?"
Reena stared at him, confusion in her eyes.
He chuckled again, this time more warmly. "Sure, maybe right now your shop's not worth much. But the future? That's a different story."
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming with something more than ambition—something closer to belief.
"I trust your business instincts, Reena. Your talent. Your potential. I'm not just investing in a building—I'm investing in you."
Reena's breath caught in her throat. "You really think we'll grow enough to make this worth your while?"
Daniel's grin widened, his confidence radiating. "Absolutely. I believe in both of you. In fact"—he sat back with a relaxed exhale—"I'm betting everything on it."
Reena still looked uncertain, her brows knit in thought. She was trying hard to make sense of everything, but the offer was too sudden, too grand to process. She found herself spiraling in contemplation, unable to decide what the right move was.
Daniel, noticing her hesitation, leaned forward slightly, his tone light but persuasive.
"I also have more potion formulas, if that helps your decision."
Reena didn't even let him finish. "Deal," she said, almost impulsively.
Moments later, the digital contract was prepared and reviewed. With a few taps and biometric verifications, it was done—the 60% ownership rights of the company were now officially transferred to Daniel Johnson. However, the management and decision-making rights remained solely with Reena.
Yet even after signing, Reena was still visibly confused.
No one just gives away something that valuable… she thought. What does he want in return?
Unable to find a logical explanation, her mind wandered to something irrational—but emotionally easier to accept. Maybe he's into me. Maybe that's why he's doing all this.
That little idea was enough to temporarily soothe the chaos of doubt within her.
Trying to shift back into business mode, she said with a soft but firm voice, "Alright. Now give me the rest of the formulas."
Daniel smirked, leaning back comfortably on the couch.
"What's the hurry? First, try putting today's potion into the market. If you can sell a thousand bottles, I'll hand over the next formula."
Then he gave her a playful wink.
Reena, who had begun to scowl at his teasing tone, suddenly flushed, caught off guard by the gesture. Her anger melted into an involuntary blush as she looked away, trying to hide the faint smile tugging at her lips.
Of course, Daniel could have easily given her the entire book—the one he found inside Selena's ancient chamber. But he had no intention of overwhelming Reena or derailing the storyline just yet. She needed to focus. He needed her focused.
After a few more minutes discussing logistics and pricing strategies, Daniel stood up and left the shop—his footsteps light, his grin lingering.
Reena watched him go, half-frustrated, half-curious—and completely intrigued.
As Daniel wandered through the bustling streets of the market, his thoughts were tangled in a web of unanswered questions.
"If I'm really a member of the Johnson family… then I should at least have some shares in the family estate. Or some kind of property. And what about my parents? Why don't I remember anything about them? And more importantly, who the hell tried to kill me that night?"
Frustration crept into his voice as he muttered to himself.
Pulling out his sleek smartwatch, he tapped into the academy's network, accessing his student profile. His eyes narrowed as he scrolled through the personal details listed on the holographic screen.
"This... this must be my home address," he murmured, spotting a line with a location pinned to it.
Without wasting another second, Daniel hailed a taxi and headed straight for the destination.
The ride was quiet, the outside world blurring past as Daniel remained lost in thought. But as the cab turned into an upscale neighborhood and finally halted in front of an elegant villa, his jaw almost dropped.
The villa stood grand and imposing, surrounded by high walls and lush gardens. Its architecture screamed wealth and old prestige—arched balconies, marble columns, and large pane-glass windows that shimmered in the daylight.
He stepped out slowly, eyes wide, barely believing what he was seeing.
"This… this is mine?" he whispered to himself, staring up at the majestic structure. "In my last life, I lived in a tiny house in a middle-class colony. I used to dream about places like this…"
His thoughts were interrupted as two uniformed guards stationed by the gate caught sight of him—and immediately straightened up.
"Good afternoon, Young Master," one of them said respectfully, giving him a crisp salute.
Daniel blinked. They recognize me…
A strange sensation filled his chest—equal parts pride and discomfort.
With a deep breath, he stepped forward and walked down the stone-paved path that led to the main entrance. The closer he got, the more surreal everything felt.
Stopping before the heavy oak doors, he reached out and rang the bell.
A soft chime echoed through the villa.
What kind of life did the original Daniel Johnson live? he wondered.
And who… who was I really, before I got here?
He waited, heart beating just a little faster.