Author: M_W Cancer 

Proofreader: M_W Miss Fierce 

"Something else?" Elmont asked, curious to know of what Leo had discovered. In his opinion, aside from that his vegetable soup was inedible, what else could he even discover from it? 

"Your vegetable soup doesn't contain any Mana," Leo revealed. This was indeed what he had exactly discovered at that time. This was the main reason why Elmont's vegetable soup was inedible and why he was unable to replicate it despite trying his best to cook a bad vegetable soup. 

Other dishes, even if cooked badly, would still contain Mana. Even food dropped in a dirty place or contaminated environment would still contain Mana that could benefit a person once eaten, that is if one set aside the fact that it would definitely cause a lot of health problems after eating it. 

It is not really impossible to cook a dish that doesn't contain any Mana. But considering the fact that almost every ingredient in the Celestial World contains Mana, even the ordinary ingredients contains a tinny tiny amount of Mana, and with Mana practically being present anywhere in the Celestial World, it is extremely difficult to remove its existence, especially from a dish where the chef wasn't even using any method or techniques to remove the existence of Mana. 

However, despite all of that, Elmont's vegetable soup still contains no Mana at all.

"It contains no Mana? That... that is impossible!" Elmont asked, really surprised by Leo's discovery. Base on the ingredients that he had used when cooking that vegetable soup, it is next to impossible for it to not have any Mana. 

"Yes, that is also what I felt after discovering that. Unless of course if you were actually deliberately removing the existence of Mana in your vegetable soup, only then would there be an explanation for that. But I'm guessing that you weren't, right?" Leo asked, although he already knew the answer to his question. After all, Elmont even spent a few months just studying cooking so that he can impress Selina, so he'd definitely not do something as stupid as that since that would just waste all the time, efforts, and everything else that he had spent in studying how to cook.

Just like what Leo had expected...

"Of course I wouldn't do something as stupid as that! And there is also no reason for me to cook an inedible dish in purpose, especially considering that our first meeting was great and we didn't have any bad impression of one another," Elmont quickly explained. But he then changed the topic, "So you are telling me that the absence of Mana in the vegetable soup that I have cooked has got to do with my unique capability?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but it should be the case," Leo replied, obviously pretending to not know the truth.

"Well, now that you have mentioned this, I indeed noticed that my Mana inside my body suddenly rise when I was cooking that vegetable soup. It wasn't really that much, but I'm certain that it wasn't because of my Star absorbing Mana from the surrounding since at that time my Star was already filled to the brim with Mana," Elmont described. In the next moment, he suddenly remembered those previous times when he was studying cooking, "Yeah, and aside from that, it was also exactly when I started studying how to cook that I slowly became a battle fanatic... No, I was already a battle fanatic long before that, but it wasn't to the point that I treat the training ground and the arena as my second home,"

Elmont really can't believe that, after all this time, it turns out he was actually a Special Mage. At first, he only believed that this was just some kind of a condition of his body. But after listening to Leo's explanation today, he can't help but believe his claim of him being a Special Mage. 

In spite of that though, Elmont still wasn't one hundred percent sure that this was really true, so he said to Leo, "I know that you have your own basis for believing this, and I also trust that you are not just simply making this all up to attract me to join the Mischievous Lion Guild. So, once I returned back to the castle, I will further study your let's call it assumption as of this moment. And once I confirmed it is true, then I'll give you my reply to your request of inviting me to join the Mischievous Lion Guild,"

"That is great!" Leo instantly felt delighted after hearing Elmont's response. The case at this moment could still be considered as a success despite having no clear answer from Elmont yet since he had made him consider the decision instead of just bluntly rejecting him. The only thing left to do now is to hope that Elmont would give him a satisfactory reply, and not something disappointing.

Standing up from his chair, Elmont said with a smile on his face, "We have spent a lot of time here in the Smiling Lion Village and enjoyed your tour, although not all of it, but it was still worth the time nonetheless. So, how about let's call it a day now?"

"Not a problem," Leo nodded his head in agreement. Wasting any more time here would just be of no use to him and to the others. And honestly, there is nothing more for Elmont and the others to see in the Smiling Lion Village right now as well. So, if he really chooses to still continue until the end of the day, their good impression of this place might just turn for the worst. Simply put, it is much better to end it while they are still enjoying it, than to end it when they already felt bored, disappointed, and other similar feelings. 

After agreeing that it was time to wrap up everything here, Leo and Elmont then left the VIP room. 

Arriving outside, they both immediately saw Elvis currently scratching his cheeks as if feeling embarrassed, while General Luke was patting Darvis's shoulder in comfort as the latter continues to thank Elvis. 

"I'm really, really, really grateful for this favor, Elvis. If you didn't kindly return my money to me, there is no doubt that my relationship with my wife would turn bad," Darvis shook Elvis' hands repeatedly to express his gratitude. 

Contrary to what Darvis was saying though, General Luke rolled his eyes before revealing the truth, "Stop shamelessly twisting Elvis' words. He didn't return your money out of kindness, he's just loaning it to you,"

"Tch, no one would seriously think that you are a mute if you only choose to shut your mouth," Darvis said with a sneer. 

"But what you are doing is abusing the friendship of the Mischievous Lion Guild and the Evergreen royal family. I can't allow something like that to happened as it might ruin our good relationship with each other, especially if it is happening right in the very front of me," General Luke said as he smacked Darvis' head. 

"Hey, that hurts!" Darvis quickly protested while caressing the part of his head where General Luke had smacked. 

"You're lucky that we are friends, because if not, then I would definitely be treating you like what I do to those Goblins," General Luke said with a bit of threatening tone in his voice.

"Why? Is it because Goblins and Dwarves have the same height?! Don't you know that what you are saying is causing me mental trauma? Ah, it really hurts! I can't believe that you, General Luke, would make me feel this kind of pain. It seems like I have to sue you in the Elven Court for one hundred thousand gold coins in order to teach you a lesson," Darvis said before turning his head and crossing both of his hands together in front. 

With a smirk on his face, General Luke replied, "Go, I really don't mind facing you in the Elven Court. But I hope that you are prepared for the consequences of your action. Hmmm... Maybe I should tell your wife that you owe Elvis one hundred thousand gold coins, that should be worth seeing," 

"You..." Darvis pointed his finger at General Luke in disbelief. He muttered silently, "What happened to the trust between friends?"

"Well, I guess that trust is now non-existing," General Luke replied. In the next moment, he turned to look at Leo and Elmont as he greeted, "Your Highness Elmont and Guild Leader Loki,"

"General Luke, prepare the carriage, it is time for me to return back to the castle," Elmont ordered. 

"Yes, your Highness Elmont," General Luke said while bowing his head by a bit. He then stood up straight before quickly leaving along with Darvis. 

Turning his head to look at Leo, Elmont said, "Brother Loki, let's meet again during the Emerald Elven Battle Competition,"

"Have a safe journey back to the castle, Brother Elmont," Leo replied. 

"You too, I hope that the Mischievous Lion Guild will prosper even more in the future," Elmont said before following the direction where General Luke and Darvis had taken. 

Seeing Elmont leave, Leo then turned to look at Elvis and said, "So, did Iasiah, Nightingale, and Eilajah finally finished their investigation about what exactly happened to those five 8-Star Storm Sparrows?"