"Yes, I'm honored as a blacksmith to be given the opportunity to upgrade Alchemist Davis's weapon into an armament!" Sophie Alstreim genuinely smiled, her lips displaying an undeniable satisfaction that stemmed from her soul.

Davis nodded his head in satisfaction. He was rather half-hearted in the past but not anymore. Since he allowed her to take the scythe, that meant he was prepared to face the consequences.

"That's right! If you fail, you fail, and the matter ends. Don't show this scythe to anyone else, not even to your elders, you understand?"

Sophie Alstreim hurriedly nodded her head again. However, she became confused for a moment.

'Wait a minute... How and where did Alchemist Davis obtain this scythe...?'

Looking at him from this close, she suddenly felt as if he were an Alstreim in her mind, but she quickly denied it as it arrived.

Just because Alchemist Davis has that familiar blonde hair doesn't mean that he was someone from the Alstreim Family!

As for the Grieving Emerald Scythe...

'Mhm, the scythe should've probably circulated away from the Alstreim Family before ending up in some other Territory...'

Sophie Alstreim brushed off her doubts about the scythe, 'Oh well... who cares?'

"How much would it cost?" Davis asked.

It was not much to him who possessed a few hundred thousands of High-Level Spirit Stones to spare.

"Uh... No, I'll do it without charging Alchemist Davis!" Sophie Alstreim looked adamant.

"That's not appropriate..."

"It is! I'm rather honored to be able to forge Alchemist Davis's weapon, so please give me this chance to prove myself! I truly want to become a genuine Low-Level King Grade Alchemist with my current cultivation base, and if I could upgrade Alchemist Davis's weapon into an armament, perhaps my name might resound along with yours!"

1

"Is that so...?" Davis felt that she really was blunt as she said to be. He was about to give in to her words but speaking of appropriateness, he suddenly frowned.

Not at Sophie Alstreim but at himself. He had already used her feelings once to make her gift him, actually twice. Those gifts went to Evelynn, but nevertheless, it was obvious to him that she had feelings for him.

He didn't feel that it was right to use her feelings for the third time. That is why he tried to hire her using High-Level Spirit Stones, but she mentioned otherwise. In the end, she would feel betrayed more than she could digest her expectations.

"Sophie Alstreim..." He called out.

"Yes...?" Sophie Alstreim suddenly became fidgety as she looked at his face.

Why did his expression suddenly become indifferent?

"I hope this won't have any influence on your forging capacity, but I won't fool around with you anymore..."

Davis shook his head, "I do indeed admire your skills, but never think for a second that just because I admire you that I might take you as my woman."

"Not only you, but I have no intentions to accept any women. I already have a few women in my heart, and getting inside would be difficult and filled with obstructions. Perhaps, it would even be detrimental to your future, so I suggest that you stop having deluded expectations for me."

"Are we clear?"

"..."

An abrupt silence filled the room for a second.

"Thanks for being blunt..." Sophie Alstreim wryly smiled, "I like people who don't twist their words..."

"Well, about the cost-"

"I'll still do it without charging!"

"If Alchemist Davis thinks otherwise, then I'll respectfully decline...!" Sophie Alstreim had her head lowered....

Davis pursed his lips as he could feel her voice tremble a bit. He was aware that he had just broken a maiden's heart. Perhaps, she was almost convinced that he had deeply favored her when he had visited her in this room.

His words just now were nothing more than him pushing her into an abyss.

He inwardly sighed before he turned around and left.

When the door creaked open and closed, Sophie Alstreim still didn't raise her head, but when she did, her eyes were moist while she possessed a melancholic smile on her face.

"Even though I knew it would be like this..." Her lips moved.

'It still hurts...'

She bit her lips before storing the scythe into her spatial ring.

"Nevertheless, since I've taken up this request, I'll make sure to successfully complete it!"

She clenched her fists in determination as she rubbed her moist eyes were her wrist.

Right now, she was rather feeling better about the rejection she had faced because it applied to all women who were here instead of just her. It wasn't that she lost, but it was just, Alchemist Davis had no intentions to accept any of them.

She was rather glad that he didn't turn out to be a jerk who used her for his needs and threw her out when she wasn't needed.

'In truth, Alchemist Davis had no need to explain this to me... The fact that he did tells me that I had made some kind of impact on him...'

Convincing herself, she retrieved her demeanor and moved towards the bath! She still had to clean herself up!

However, she took this as a sign of a new beginning!

=======

After three people showcased their useless skills in the hall where the young generation had gathered, Sophie Alstreim finally came out freshened up, wearing a new white robe that had a different design.

Davis slightly nodded to her as she sat and glanced at him. She gave him back a slight nod.

He could see that she wasn't disheartened anymore, and it made him inwardly release a sigh of relief. Hopefully, this change wouldn't have an impact on the forging process, or even if it did, he hoped that it would be a positive one.

As for how he transferred a spatial ring containing the Grieving Emerald Scythe to his soul body, did he even need to explain?

The youths in front of him were unable to discover that a soul-body always remained concealed around them.

While Davis was wondering how he should politely send them out since he profited, another blonde-haired woman walked towards the center, her demeanor quite haughty while she was oozing out with a feminine charm. Her twin peaks were a bit comparable to Evelynn's as it was just two sizes short.

She smiled at Davis as she pursed her luscious lips, "I think everyone already knows who I am, but I'll introduce myself again. I'm the vice-leader of the Burning Sea Brigade, and my essence gathering cultivation is at Mid-Level Law Dominion Stage."

1

"Diamanda Alstreim is pleased to make your acquaintance once again, Esteemed Alchemist Davis."

"Diamanda..." Davis called out.

He was already getting a bit exhausted as he didn't feel good about breaking a maiden's heart. If it were any other woman, it wouldn't have made such an impact, but since he liked her character and admired her blacksmithing skills, it did influence his mood a bit.

After witnessing the previous three people showcase their skills, he was no longer interested and wanted to send them out of the Purple Guest Palace.

Now, he was probably going to break a maiden's heart again.

He politely spoke, "There's no need-"

"Alchemist Davis! I'd like to challenge your wife to a battle exchange!" Diamanda Alstreim quickly relayed her intent before Davis's expression went stiff.