Chapter 2 - The begining of shadow scholar

"Well, the chemistry kit is arrived, good, now I have to start is secret, perhaps gain some funding for my chemical creation, I start with healing solution first, as I still don't have enough resource for quick healing solution, yet, this healing substances will be non-magical but they will definitely work and cheaper than those traditional low achemical healing brews, I will earn a lot and these money will be used for new ingredients I need"

Leo using his new chemistry kit, created the simple healing solution, an antiseptic, it heal the wounds and prevent infections, the cost for production is way lower than the production cost of low level healing potion created by alchemy, Leo produced many vials of healing solution, he wear his disguise and slip out of the palace.

He went to shopping complex, there are many shops here, the shop for agricultural products, the meat shop, the art shop, the alchemical shop, the herb shop, jewellery shop, metalwork shop and so on, he finally found a regular shop that sells varieties of items not specific item, a perfect place to sell his products.

The shopkeeper's name is Fredrick Anderson, he is middle age shopkeeper, selling various products to earn money for his family finance, he is in trouble as ever since his fifth child is born, his family's finance is in fire, he hope a customer arrive at his shop.

The masked figure (Leo) entered the store with a container containing the vials, the shopkeeper maintaining his professional atitude politely asked the visitor.

"Welcome, can I help with something"

"Hello sir, can you purchase my products, I promise they will grant you great profit, once you sell them"

"That depends on what you are selling"

"It is a new type of low level healing potion much cheap but also much effective, though unlike the regular potion they cannot be drunk but applied on wounds"

"A healing potion?"

"Just 5 bronze coins for each vial, you can sell them for 20 bronze coin each"

"Are you sure you are selling healing potions, I mean, a typical low level healing potion cost 1 silver coin"

"I am not lying, if you don't believe, you can take them for free, after I come next time, you can pay for them"

"Fine I will do so"

Leo left his container to shopkeeper and leave the shop, going back to castle to make more, this time in bulk. After, Leo left a nobleman named Robert Icefang appeared in shop, Robert is the duke from cold northern territory of Blackwater Emipre, the place is cold with frequent snowfall, the place is filled with many warriors, who protect the northern border of the empire from monster threats from the frozen forest of north, the duke learning about the frequent monster attack on trade routes wounding the merchants and villagers in woods, decide to buy, healing potion for them, he came to capital to buy the potion, he went to best shops, but sadly they are sold out as the adventurers already purchased them all for an dungeon exploration, normally he could wait for restock, but decided to find a store with decent potion, the duke also knows mid tier appraisal magic to check the quality of potion and it's effect. He start with Fredrick's shop.

Duke Robert Icefang stepped into the cramped shop, his heavy fur cloak dusting the floor. He was frustrated; the prestigious alchemical guilds had prioritized greedy dungeon-delvers over the soldiers guarding the Empire's borders.

"Shopkeeper! Do you have anything for wounds? My men are bleeding out in the snow, and the guilds are empty"

Fredrick, trembling at the presence of a Great Duke, remembered the masked boy's container.

"My Lord... I have no traditional potions. But a strange scholar left these. It's a different type of healing potion. He claims they are needed to be applied on the wounds"

Robert scoffed, reaching for a vial.

"Applied to the skin? Preposterous. Healing comes from the consumption of mana-infused herbs"

He closed his eyes and cast his spell: [Eye of Truth: Alchemical Discernment]

A blue light enveloped the vial. Normally, a potion would glow with the green light of "Life Mana" or the yellow of "Earth Herbs." But the vial in Robert's hand remained clear. Instead, a series of sharp, white runes manifested in the air—a sign of Purity and Sterilization he had never seen before.

"(With wide eyes) There is no mana in this, and yet... the structure is perfect. It doesn't just knit flesh; it kills the 'invisible rot' that takes so many of my men after a battle.

He looked at Fredrick.

"How many of these do you have?"

"Twenty vials, My Lord. The scholar said he'd bring more"

"I am taking all of them"

Robert declared, dropping a heavy pouch of gold coins on the counter—far more than the 20 bronze coins Leo requested.

"Tell this scholar that the North is watching. If he can produce this in bulk, I will make him the richest man in the capital"

Back in palace, Leo returned to his lazy persona. He returned to his original attire. He hid his costume, and jumped on sofa.

When his personal attendant, a sharp-eyed woman named Sarah, entered the room, she found Prince Leo surrounded by empty dessert plates and a stack of romance novels he wasn't actually reading.

"Prince Leo (sighing), the other princes are at the training grounds. Prince Marcus just broke a boulder with his Fist of Flame. And here you are... napping"

"The sun was hitting the sofa just right, Sarah (fake yawn), besides, why break boulders when the servants have already cleared the paths? It seems like a lot of sweating for nothing"

Sarah sighed and left. As soon as the door clicked shut, Leo's eyes sharpened. The 'Lazy Prince' mask vanished, replaced by the calculating gaze of Thomas White.

"The healing solution will definitely be a success and if by chance, if someone with appraisal magic checked the antiseptic chemical, they will surely demand more of this, just what I desire"

Leo with a smirk wonder what step he will take next.