Raze knew that the issue with his brothers wasn't over yet, but they couldn't touch him due to the fact that his father agreed with what he did. Them touching him because of the issue would be a direct insult to their father.
They would have to find more legal ways to do it, like a duel, and he wasn't planning on indulging anyone, not for now at least.
He had a bigger issue to handle. In a few days, certain people would be coming to the town as per the story. They would be coming because the Baron had called them.
'Those scouts from the Raven Academy will be coming soon,' Raze thought.
Raze lived in the Vermilion Kingdom in the central continent, one of the most massive settlements of humanity. The kingdom had many academies that taught magic, martial arts, and many other things, and the Raven Academy was one of them.
But it wasn't just any academy, it was the very academy that the hero, the main character of the story, would be going to.
The reason the scouts from the academy were coming here was primarily due to Riker. He was a talented mage, and if he showed good enough skill, he would be enrolled into the academy.
And he was, in fact, sent to the academy in the story. But Raze wasn't looking forward to their coming for the sake of the academy; he couldn't give two fucks about the academy.
The reason that he wanted them to come was simply because he needed to make money. He had a plan to make some soaps and perfumes that had never been made in this world.
That way, he would sell them to the scouts and kickstart a business that could bring enough money.
'Hehe hehe, all I need is one kickstart moment, and I'll take all their money. With their money, I can rebuild this town,' Raze thought, a wide grin forming on his face, an evil grin.
Elaine noticed it. She shook her head. "Master, your evil is seeping out again," she muttered. He turned his head and looked at her with the grin. "I can't help it," he said.
He got to his room, opened the door, and then looked at her. "There is a list of stuff I want you to get for me. I'll make it and call you when I need it."
"Alright, young master," she said.
Raze walked to the table in the room. He pulled out the quill and rotated it around his finger a bit.
"Soap and perfumes, that's what I'm aiming for. This world heavily lacks the two," he muttered and started writing down.
For someone that had read a lot of books, devising the formula for an easy soap and perfume recipe wasn't hard, but he decided to head into the Dimensional Library to gather some information on even easier methods.
And he got some. After reading a ton of books there, he returned to his room and started making a list for Elaine.
He dipped the quill into the inkwell, his eyes narrowing in thought as the parchment waited.
"Soap first," he whispered. "Something simple, something anyone could make without suspicion."
He wrote carefully:
animal fat or tallow
Lye water from burnt wood ash
A small pot for boiling
Wooden or clay molds
Herbs for fragrance, lavender, mint, or rosemary
He studied the list for a moment, nodding to himself. "That should be simple enough. Nothing rare, nothing that will raise eyebrows."
Turning the parchment, he began again, this time for perfume. He leaned back, thinking of the gardens he had seen in his old life, of markets that bustled with flowers.
"Perfume is nothing but oils and scents. If I can capture that, the scouts will pay for it without hesitation."
He wrote:
Fresh rose petals
Dried lavender or violet
A clean jar or glass vial
Olive oil or clear wine spirit as base
Cloth for straining
When both lists were finished, he smiled faintly. They looked ordinary, but together they were the beginnings of something no one in this world had thought to turn into a trade.
Elaine entered the room silently, but Raze had already sensed her approach. He folded the parchment and held it out to her. With his other hand, he placed a single gold coin on top.
"Take this. Everything here should be easy to find in the markets. If you cannot find rose petals, get whatever flower smells the strongest. Use your judgment."
Elaine's eyes widened at the coin. "Young master, this much will cover more than what is written. Are you sure?"
"Keep what remains for yourself," he said. "Think of it as payment for helping me the past few days. But make sure to return before dusk. I want to begin the work immediately."
She bowed her head, and with that, she hurried off.
Raze leaned back in his chair, tapping the quill against the table. "Soap and perfume," he muttered. "Simple things. Yet the right people will see their worth."
The hours that followed were filled with waiting, and by evening Elaine returned with her arms full. She placed the parcels on the table, unwrapping bundles of herbs, jars, and fat. The scent of lavender filled the room.
"Good," Raze said, inspecting each item. "This will do."
That night, he began his experiments. He rendered the fat, stirred the lye water, and pressed the mixture into crude molds. The room filled with a sharp, clean smell. For the perfume, he soaked petals in oil, straining the liquid into small vials. By morning, though still rough, the first soap bars and perfumes of the manor had taken form.
Two days later, the sound of hooves echoed through the town. Dust rose as riders in dark cloaks entered the gates, the scouts of Raven Academy. The townsfolk gathered, whispering in awe.
Raze watched from his window, a faint smile curving his lips. "Right on time. Now, let's see how much gold your curiosity will bring me."