45: Chapter 45 The Clown Was Actually Me?!

At the main entrance, Byron looked at Eliza and the other person with some confusion: "Do you two know this guy?"

Eliza and Gray exchanged glances and shook their heads in unison.

Eliza seemed to recall something and explained: "This guy is probably someone who specializes in research within the Wizard Settlement. These people have always looked down on students like us who risk our lives searching for resources outside, which is why he acted that way."

Hearing Eliza's explanation, Byron was left between laughter and tears.

He hadn't expected there to be students like this.

However, the next moment, a strange expression appeared on Byron's face as he looked at Knus, who was walking toward the mission platform.

"I really didn't expect such a coincidence, and that I would be the one to run into it. It's fortunate I met you two halfway, otherwise I would have truly missed it."

Gray added with schadenfreude: "I really want to see that guy's expression when he finds out. That will be so interesting, hahaha..."

By the end, Gray couldn't help but laugh out loud, and even Eliza's eyes crinkled with laughter.

Byron withdrew his gaze, looked at Gray and Eliza beside him, and said with a smile: "Let's ignore him. Let's go, let's get my semi-crippled arm healed first, otherwise, I won't be able to repay you two."

Eliza narrowed her eyes and smiled: "Then how do you plan to repay us?"

Byron smiled: "My treat, you two lead the way, let's properly experience the delicacies of this plane."

It just so happened that Byron hadn't eaten well for a few days, so he would take this opportunity to have a good meal, and then get some good rest to shake off the fatigue of the past few days.

Meanwhile, inside the Mission Hall.

Surrounded by a crowd, Knus finally arrived at the mission submission counter.

Enjoying the expectant gazes of the crowd, Knus walked with a spring in his step toward a smiling clerk and spoke with a grin.

As luck would have it, this clerk was the very same person who had just helped Byron exchange points.

"Hello, I would like to submit research knowledge regarding Worm Race crystal shock absorption."

Hearing this, the clerk, who had been all smiles, suddenly changed her expression and looked at Knus with a strange look on her face.

Knus, seeing this, thought she was shocked and felt even more smug.

He even self-importantly flipped his long hair toward the brown-haired clerk.

The brown-haired clerk shuddered at this, quickly lowered her head, and asked: "Please record the relevant information directly into the knowledge crystal."

Knus didn't think anything was wrong and quickly recorded the relevant information inside.

When he handed it to the brown-haired clerk, he said smugly: "Don't you think this research result is excellent!"

The brown-haired clerk replied: "I'm sorry, but this research result of yours has already been submitted, so it no longer has any submission value. Do you still wish to proceed with the submission?"

Knus didn't react for a moment: "What?"

The brown-haired clerk patiently repeated what she had just said and even kindly reminded him: "This research result was just submitted; it was submitted by the three people who left just as you walked in."

Hearing this, Knus finally woke from his dream. He looked at the brown-haired clerk in disbelief, wanting to continue asking questions.

But when he looked at the brown-haired clerk and saw her perfectly normal smile, he felt she was mocking him; it was blindingly offensive.

Furthermore, at this moment, he felt like everyone in the Mission Hall was watching him as a joke, mocking him in their hearts!

He even recalled the look he gave Byron at the main entrance and the expression Byron had on his face; his face burned red, and he was furious.

The words that had already surged to his lips were finally swallowed back down.

In the end, he didn't say anything more, lowered his head, and ran away wildly, ignoring even the calls of the people who had followed him all the way.

He fled the hall like a stray dog.

However, just as Knus walked out of the Mission Hall, a wave of exclamations and noisy discussions suddenly erupted in the hall.

After escaping the hall, Knus confirmed the direction and ran all the way toward the City Workshop.

He remembered what the brown-haired clerk said, knew that Byron had submitted it a step before him, and also remembered the condition of Byron's arm.

That was why Knus was certain Byron would go to the workshop, and why he would go to the workshop to intercept Byron.

He wanted to know why, how could this be!

How could Byron be a step ahead of him in submitting the experimental results? This was the result of his long efforts; he was just a student searching for resources, what ability did he have to conduct research, and where did he get the time?!

He refused to accept it!!

...

Wizard Settlement, Workshop.

"Most of the shops here are opened by students; the Academy's occupy a very small minority. And unlike the student-run ones where you can pay with Magic Stones, the Academy's only accept points."

The three walked through the workshop, with Eliza smiling as she introduced it to Byron.

Byron looked at the workshop, which had shops on both sides and looked not too different from the Academy style, and felt a sense of emotion.

He had only arrived a few days late, and he hadn't expected that students coming in to perform missions would have even opened shops.

Coupled with other buildings, such as the Mission Hall, this place had truly become a replica of a small Dark Eclipse Wizard Academy.

"Byron, you don't know this, but I heard that most of these shops are opened by those Wizard Families."

Gray lowered his voice: "These Family disciples, I feel like they didn't come in to perform missions at all, but rather to do business."

Byron smiled: "It's also possible that this is their method of performing missions."

"I guess the Academy only cares about whether the mission is completed or not; as for what method is used to complete it, they don't care."

Gray nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this.

Just then, the three arrived in front of a shop that occupied a considerable area, two or three times the size of other storefronts.

Eliza chuckled: "Alright, we're here, let's go in."

Byron turned to look, feeling somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected that while the other storefronts outside didn't seem to have many people, there were quite a few people in this shop.

"Surprised? Actually, there are relatively few people right now."

Eliza raised an eyebrow at Byron: "You don't know this, but although you don't have to worry about the effects of crystallization erosion in the Wizard Settlement, clearing the erosion still relies on the potions here."

"Until now, I haven't heard of any student who has been able to develop a potion to resist or clear crystallization erosion, so if you want to clear crystallization erosion, you can only come here to buy potions."

"And for people like Gray and me, in order to complete missions, we can't stay in the Wizard Settlement for long, so every time we return or set out, we have to come here to buy potions to clear the crystallization erosion."

After listening, Byron understood; it was a monopoly business, no wonder the business could be so booming.

The three used their points inside to buy potions, cleared the crystallization erosion, and then left the shop without staying long.

Once they were out of the shop, Gray couldn't help but ask about his confusion.

"Byron, why did you buy so many potions for clearing crystallization erosion? Potions lose their potency if kept for too long; isn't it the same if you come back to buy them when you want to use them later?"

"Buying three at once, isn't that a waste? What if they go to waste? A single potion costs five points!"

"When Eliza and I go out to explore, after the points needed to buy potions, there isn't much left of the resources we harvest. Extravagant, it's truly extravagant."

Ever since experiencing that incident of borrowing potions, Gray, who had always been generous and unconcerned with money, had started to become frugal.

Hearing Gray's question, Byron didn't hide anything and answered with a smile.

"Actually, I bought these potions back to study them a bit and see if I can figure out the formula."

Gray said excitedly: "Byron, I didn't expect you to have the same idea as Eliza."

"If you really develop it, you'll be rich, and you won't have to run outside every day like me!"

Eliza looked at Byron in surprise, not expecting him to have the same idea as her.

But this was normal, after all, what Potion Master could refuse such a temptation.

Byron said modestly: "This is just an idea of mine; I don't even know if it can be realized."

"Heh, at least you have a little self-awareness; as if you could just research the potion formula if you wanted to!"

Just then, a voice filled with sarcasm sounded from behind the three.