Kaelan let out a booming laugh, not taking it as an offense but instead feeling his chest rise with pride. "Hahaha! That's right! The very same Icarus, my son-in-law! Since entering our House Griffin, he awakened his talent like a phoenix reborn from the ashes. What trash? Nonsense! He is a genius, no, a prodigy among talisman makers!"
The disciples quickly recovered from their shock, bowing in respect.
"Congratulations, House Lord!"
"A brilliant talent has entered our House !"
Merek smiled faintly, although his eyes were still fixed on the talismans in the hands of Kaelan. "Indeed… If he can create these at his current age, then his potential in talisman crafting is immeasurable."
Kaelan looked toward the window,
"Thea… Oh, my lovely daughter… You don't know how much I want to come there to visit and brag about your husband, but it's fine… By the time you return, we will show a new Icarus for you..."
*
Back at Moonvilla – Study Room;
After a hearty lunch and a brief rest, Qin Wei was once again back at his desk, sleeves rolled up, and resumed his talisman creation.
One after another, the stack of yellow rice papers beside him increased.
His nonstop work yielded 50 exploding talismans and 20 storage talismans every hour.
He was so engrossed in it that he didn't even see time passing away. It was as if he returned to his past life, where he spent hours and hours without sleep, just to finish writing an entire volume in one go.
On his orders, no one disturbed his time or even stepped into the study room. Sometime later, Vanessa returned and reported to him, but Qin Wei merely dismissed her, that he was busy. She didn't say anything and let him do whatever he wanted.
And by the time he was done, the sky had already darkened outside, but Qin Wei couldn't care less about the time anyway. He just leaned back, rotating his wrist with a light pop and letting out a slow breath. "Oh, God… I'm finally done with these seals."
He looked at the final tally with a small, satisfied grin: 683 Exploding Talismans and 317 Storage Talismans. A thousand of them in total.
He nodded to himself. "Preparation complete. Time for the next step: sales."
Standing up, he brushed dust from his robes, then called out at last: "Vanessa… Vanessa!"
A few moments later, Vanessa stepped into the room. Her eyes quickly scanned the stacks of finished talismans before settling on him with a hint of curiosity.
"Master Icarus, you called?"
Qin Wei turned to her, speaking casually. "Yeah. How much money do we need to set up a street stall?"
Vanessa blinked in surprise. "A stall? Master Icarus… do you mean to personally sell these?"
Qin Wei gave her a matter-of-fact look, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Of course. I didn't make them out of a hobby. I need money. I can't live on a meager 200 gold coins of monthly matrilocal allowance for the rest of my life, you know."
Vanessa's brows furrowed slightly, clearly processing this unexpected answer. "But… Master Icarus, isn't it beneath your status? The Emperor's own nephew is selling wares in the market? Wouldn't it hurt His Majesty's reputation, too?"
Qin Wei snorted and crossed his arms. "Hmpf, as if I care about that man's image. As for mine? I'm the joke of Llyne. My reputation is at its worst. Besides, if people learn these talismans were made by me, they'll probably start recognizing my real worth, not the trash image they've painted. Who knows, this might actually improve my reputation. So, I can only gain everything from selling these talismans."
Vanessa looked at him for a long moment, then slowly nodded with a faint smile. "Master Icarus, did you remember that earlier today, I told you I took one of each talisman to the Lord?"
Qin Wei raised an eyebrow. "I already told you that I don't blame you for that."
Vanessa replied, "Yes, but you haven't listened to my full report back then."
"Okay, go on, then. Did my father-in-law say anything?"
Vanessa answered straight. "The House Lord was quite impressed by your talent. He said both talismans had high commercial potential, and the Artifact Hall also expressed intentions to use your creation. But, he doesn't know you made so many… or that you intended to sell them yourself."
Qin Wei leaned back, with his arms crossed, "So… what's your suggestion?"
Vanessa hesitated briefly, then said, "If you're willing, shall I ask the House Lord if the House Griffin stores can sell these on your behalf instead of working together with Artifact Hall? It would save you the hassle of setting up a stall. And with our reputation and reach, the sales would likely skyrocket."
Qin Wei studied her expression. Her voice was composed, but there was an unusual, subtle glint of excitement behind her eyes, too faint for most to catch, but not him. As he kept on using Heaven's eye over the days, his own vision improved enough to catch those subtle details. And now he could see Vanessa was happy, as if she was feeling excited for him. Maybe it's for Thea, but regardless, that made him feel warmer in his heart.
He nodded with a smile. "Alright. If the House Griffin is genuinely interested, I would happily collaborate. But I want a formal contract with clear terms and conditions."
Vanessa bowed slightly. "Understood. I'll relay your terms to the House Lord and get a response by tomorrow."
As she turned to leave, Qin Wei watched her carefully, noting the faint spring in her step. "She seems certainly excited. That's quite in contrast with her usual self," he thought. "Does she finally start thinking of me as her master and not just a bird in the cage? Hmm..."
Next Morning — Qin Wei's Bedroom;
A muffled groan slipped from Qin Wei's lips as consciousness dragged him from sleep.
Since he didn't do anything yesterday, he expected his body to feel normal again, but instead, his body felt oddly restrained when it stirred awake. And something soft, warm, and faintly scented with jasmine pressed against his chest. "Perfume? Eh?"
He cracked open an eye as soon as that thought came to his head, and when he did, he spotted slender fingers curled against his robe. Long strands of jet-black hair tickled his chin. And then, violet eyes blinked up at him just a few inches away from his face.
His mind blanked for a second. "WHAT THE HELL!"
He shot up like he had been struck by lightning. The blanket tangled around his legs and yanked him sideways before he caught himself on the bedpost.
Across the bed, the girl rolled onto her back, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Mmmh... morning, Master Icarus."
Qin Wei stared at her in disbelief. "Luna? What are you doing in my bed? No, when did you even return? No, why did you return so quickly?"
She blinked at him, utterly unbothered by his words. She replied, "Last night. I came here as soon as I broke through."
She then sat up and stretched her body, letting her breasts bounce. Qin Wei couldn't help but avert his gaze, screaming in his head while screaming inside. "Damn, those are big. My fingers are just itching to... ugh... Concentrate, Qin Wei. Don't lose yourself to lust. Take a deep breath. Think of something else…" Taking one deep breath, Qin Wei returned his gaze to Luna, this time, making sure his eyes were on her face. "You said you broke through?"