Chapter 242

Chapter 242

Leaving Joe and Anne to clean up the aftermath of the banquet, Lorant walked to the backyard and was surprised to find that the mages had finally finished their work.

It had taken nearly half a month, but these dedicated mages had managed to individually mark over ten thousand Lightwing Butterflies, recording their abilities clearly and creating several stacks of ID cards.

Now that the work was done, the powerful mages were feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue, each of them slumping to the ground with their heads drooping, looking as if they were about to fall asleep on the spot.

While practitioners generally have exceptional physical endurance, even mages, who weren't renowned for their physical prowess, could easily stay up for two or three nights without developing dark circles under their eyes. However, working continuously for many days without sleep was extremely taxing on their mental and physical energy, leaving them exhausted.

Moreover, these mages, who typically worked in laboratories, lacked the physical conditioning of combat-focused mages.

Except for Jacqueline, everyone else was too tired to move after completing the ID card for the last Lightwing Butterfly.

The ten thousand Lightwing Butterflies would have taken twice as long if not for the fact that many of the butterflies had overlapping abilities.

Fortunately, the final results were quite gratifying. They had managed to identify the abilities of every single Lightwing Butterfly, no matter how peculiar, which gave the mages a great sense of accomplishment.

Although the work was tedious, it didn’t feel particularly arduous to these practitioners. Instead, they found it immensely joyful, as the process of discovering and uncovering new things gave them a thrill similar to a connoisseur savoring a rare vintage.

It was a uniquely rewarding experience for researchers, indescribable but deeply satisfying.

Through the mages' examination, they found that among the ten thousand Lightwing Butterflies, there were not only abilities targeting specific skills but also a large number that provided blessings for basic abilities like strength and speed.

Following Lorant’s guidance, they identified twenty-two A-grade Lightwing Butterflies.

Each of these twenty-two A-grade Lightwing Butterflies possessed exceptional abilities.

One of them had a strength-enhancing ability that could amplify power nearly a hundredfold! Even someone as physically untrained as Lorant, an ordinary person, would be able to possess the immense power close to that of a level five knight under its blessing.

Another A-grade butterfly that boosted mental power was equally impressive.

According to Jacqueline’s experiments, this butterfly could boost a mage’s mental power by over twenty times.

This meant that a third-level mage could potentially cast sixth-level spells under its influence.

This wasn’t just a huge change; it was almost unimaginable. The mages present felt as though their understanding of the world was being challenged.

The gap between different levels of practitioners, which had always seemed like an unbridgeable gap, could now be bridged by a single small Lightwing Butterfly.

For a moment, they felt as though all their years of effort had been a joke.

However, upon reflection, the mages realized that although the abilities of these Lightwing Butterflies were incredibly powerful, they couldn’t make a third-level mage instantly learn a sixth-level spell during the hour that the blessing was active.

So even with such a boost, a third-level mage with sixth-level abilities would only be invincible at their level and might consider fighting a fourth-level practitioner.

When it came to fighting above their level, fifth-level would be the limit; anything beyond that would be impossible.

Although they breathed a sigh of relief, the mages now had a new understanding of these miraculous Lightwing Butterflies.

Even Jacqueline considered the idea of taking the butterfly for her own experiments. If she could understand the source of this beast’s abilities and replicate them, some sacrifices might be necessary, but she wouldn’t truly harm such a delicate creature, right?

But then she saw the butterfly gently touch Monroe’s ear with its tiny feet, trying to comfort the alchemist who had just cast a spell.

Jacqueline’s resolve wavered as her heart softened. Although she wasn’t entirely cold-blooded, she wasn’t someone who shied away from sacrifices either. A considerable number of lives had vanished under her hand.

The more she came into contact with the animal pets, the more she could feel the significant difference between them and the beasts. She also understood why Lorant had been so determined to ensure the safety of these animal pets.

They were living creatures, just like her, with their own emotions and reactions. They could be happy when given snacks or angry when their toys were taken away.

They were completely different from the beasts.

Jacqueline shook her head, trying to push back the flood of experimental ideas that had suddenly popped into her mind.

Lorant was right; some things couldn’t be forced, and it was best to just let them be.

As the experimental subject for this light-winged butterfly, Monroe’s inner turmoil was overwhelming, something outsiders could hardly imagine.

He was so stunned that even after the experiment ended, he remained lost in thought, only snapping out of it when the butterfly came to check on him.

Though Monroe lacked the talent to be a mage, he became an alchemist. Initially, his life’s goal had undoubtedly been to become a qualified mage.

But life had given him a heavy blow.

Selected as an apprentice due to his outstanding talent, he eventually had to abandon this career due to a lack of innate ability.

It became clear that Monroe simply didn’t have the innate talent to become a mage. In terms of spiritual power, he was indeed much stronger than ordinary people, but there was still a vast gap when compared to even the most basic mages or apprentices.

For a mage, one’s innate talent from birth determined how far they could go on this path.

So, Monroe had come to terms with this early on, realizing the essence of this profession and choosing to bury his dream of becoming a mage deep in his heart, opting to be a competent alchemist instead.

Who would have thought that, despite his limited spiritual power, he would break through those barriers and successfully cast a third-level spell!

Kimberly, who had been assisting Monroe during the experiment, was genuinely taken aback.

On one hand, she was amazed by the powerful abilities of the light-winged butterfly, and on the other hand, she was astonished by Monroe’s learning ability.

In less than an hour of being blessed, he had learned a third-level spell, memorized the spell pattern, and was able to cast it normally. His learning ability would be considered genius-level even among fully trained mages.

Unfortunately, it was frustrating to have such talent but no way to put it to use.

However, just as Kimberly shook her head and regretfully thought this, Monroe felt a new door open in his life.

Even if he could never make up for the lack of spiritual power, as long as he had this light-winged butterfly, he could be a mage!

This light-winged butterfly, with its powerful abilities, was one of the twenty-two A-grade specimens.

But it made sense. If it weren’t an A-grade beast pet, it wouldn’t possess such powerful abilities.

However, the last A-grade beast pet Monroe knew of, the Holy Light Peacock, was a non-sellable item at the Animal Pet Shop.

While Monroe was envious, he worried that these light-winged butterflies might also be non-sellable items that Lorant wasn’t planning to offer for sale. If that were the case, he would never have the opportunity to own such a miraculous beast pet.

Deep down, he knew that even if Lorant were willing to sell the butterfly, the price would likely be far beyond what he and his husband could ever afford.

Others might not know, but as an employee of the Animal Pet Shop, especially someone who had personally dealt with matters related to the Holy Light Peacock, Monroe was well aware of the enormous revenue that batch of Holy Light Peacocks had brought to the shop.

It was a sum so enormous that he couldn’t even dream of paying a fraction of it in his lifetime.

Monroe had been fantasizing about how to keep the light-winged butterflies with him, but eventually, he succumbed to mental exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

Although the ability of the light-winged butterflies had no side effects, Monroe had exhausted his limited mental strength. The depletion of his mental energy doubled his physical fatigue, causing him to fall asleep almost as if in a coma.

Lorant looked at the backyard and shook his head, helplessly observing these childish mages.

He thought that playing with something they liked until they collapsed from exhaustion wasn’t very adult-like behavior. It seemed they had been too sheltered.

Commanding the light-winged butterflies, he moved all these troublesome mages back into the house to rest.

Lorant, with great interest, carefully put away the ID cards of these light-winged butterflies.

The next morning, Lorant found that most of the mages had already left the animal pet shop, supposedly rushing back to continue their research.

As for the staff of the animal pet shop, Lorant, being very considerate, had given them a few days off. However, these mages had no fixed working hours, and whether they wanted to rest was their own choice.

Even though he had told them to rest for two days, Lorant still saw a mage recording data on the Windbreaking Horse in the backyard.

However, Jacqueline surprised him by staying behind. When Lorant went downstairs, he saw Jacqueline sitting comfortably at the dining table, enjoying Anne’s service.

Jo, the butler, stood respectfully on one side of the dining room, waiting.

During this time, Ruth and Martha had been invited to the church in Holland for an extended stay, leaving the animal pet shop quite empty.

Lorant had heard from Lancelot that the beast wave was showing signs of ending, so he would probably be back in some time.

Seeing Lorant come down, Jo, the diligent butler, immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Good morning, sir."

Lorant nodded to greet his butler, "Good morning, Jo. What's for breakfast this morning?"

Jo quickened his pace, arranging the dishes in front of Lorant before he reached the table.

"You mentioned wanting some small wontons yesterday, so I had the kitchen prepare them for you," Jo said with a smile as he pulled out a chair.

Lorant's pickiness with food had successfully made the chefs at the animal pet shop improve their skills rapidly.

From traditional stews, roasts, and boiled dishes at the beginning, to now being proficient in various cooking methods such as frying and grilling, these people quickly armed themselves with various skills.

The chefs had also mastered the art of making wontons, which are similar to dumplings.

The clear, rich broth, made from high-grade beast bones, cradled a few perfectly shaped small wontons at the bottom of the bowl. A few delicate vegetables and a beautifully golden egg garnish floated atop the soup, making it look incredibly appetizing.

Jacqueline, who was spreading jam on a slice of bread at the table, paused and glanced over. "What is that?" she asked, staring intently at Lorant's bowl.

"Wontons," Lorant said, understanding the sorceress's expectant gaze without words, and helplessly asked Jo, "Could you please bring Aunt Jacqueline a bowl of wontons as well?"

Jo nodded. He wasn’t daring enough to neglect this powerful sorceress; the breakfast arrangements were simply the result of inquiries made to her.

It was just that the sorceress herself hadn’t realized there were so many delicious foods here. She enjoyed her breakfast very much, thinking that even without the ability to breed beasts, Lorant could make a fortune as a chef with his taste and skills.

After breakfast, Lorant and Jacqueline went for a walk in the backyard. Jacqueline didn’t stay just to have another meal but realized, after completing the identification of the light-winged butterflies, that her previous purpose for coming to the animal pet shop wasn’t about that...

"Aunt Jacqueline, are you saying that the Curry Monster's curry has an antitoxic property?" Lorant asked in surprise, seeing the usually confident sorceress looking somewhat embarrassed. He hadn’t expected to receive such good news.

He had thought that Jacqueline stayed just to wait for news about the beast they were collaborating on.

What he didn't expect was that there would actually be such an unexpected windfall.

"Yes, and this antitoxin is indeed quite effective in terms of its effects," Jacqueline nodded, seemingly reminiscing as she added, "More importantly, the taste is also truly exceptional."

"At present, this does seem to be the most efficient and convenient alternative to antitoxin potions," Jacqueline concluded.

Lorant fell into thought, but upon hearing this, he immediately countered, "Curry is not a potion at all! Those awful potions can't be compared to this delicious food."

As soon as he said this, Lorant realized that the biggest advantage of the curry industry lay precisely here.

No matter how well potions masked the taste, there would always be a strange herbal flavor. People only endured it for the powerful effects, but if there was a more delicious and side-effect-free alternative, only a fool would choose the potion!

Currently, curry's taste was something most people in the world could accept. As a uniquely flavored delicacy, it had gained a large audience in a very short time.

If the miraculous abilities of this were made public, curry would no longer be limited to just a simple dish.

Like the candy rabbit, the Curry Monster's product would also be enthusiastically received by people.

At the same time, this might be the first beast pet product from the Animal Pet Shop with special functions, capable of debunking the rumor that beast pet products had no additional benefits, unlike exotic beast products.

Lorant began to think rapidly. Perhaps he should produce curry into easy-to-use seasoning blocks and powders for home use, just like in his previous life.

Convenient seasoning packets and simple cooking methods should be quite popular in a world where the cooking level is not high.

It would also effectively increase the coverage rate of curry.

After all, the biggest issue for the Animal Pet Shop currently is the lack of manpower. To popularize this miraculous beast pet by-product, the best method would be to sell semi-finished products.

However, the abilities of curry were different from those of beast pets like Slime.

Unlike the warming function and the sugar that served as an energy source, antitoxin was not a necessity for people.

Instead, it was more like the paralyzing toxin by-products of the candy rabbit—something of a luxury that people could choose once they were free from life's pressures, or rather, a product more geared towards professionals.

In this regard, Lorant felt that he could really make something of it. There was no need to consider the cost of living, and even if it sold for a high price, his conscience wouldn't ache!

After Jacqueline finished explaining and handed over some research data, such as the recommended cycle for consuming curry to maintain toxicity resistance in the body, she soon returned to the Beast Tower.

Although she was eager to see if her breeding route was correct and what kind of beast pet it could produce, Jacqueline knew that perfecting a route was an immense task.

Before, when she saw Lorant occasionally introduce a new beast pet, Jacqueline didn't pay much attention, vaguely realizing that it was no easy feat.

In reality, ever since the existence of beast pets was known, the Beast Tower had never stopped conducting relevant experiments.

But some things were like this—outsiders only saw that the person who researched it was indeed amazing, but that was all.

Only true insiders could see how slim the chances of success were for such work.

Jacqueline clearly understood that even now, after reaching this stage of research, to truly complete it would likely take her decades of intensive experimentation to even have a chance of reaching the true goal.

Ordinary people could never complete such work even with three to five hundred years of continuous experimentation.

After completing this experiment, Jacqueline felt somewhat relieved. She finally understood that the predecessors of the Beast Tower hadn't failed to find the correct path; rather, even if they had, they probably wouldn't have been able to prove it.

So Jacqueline wasn't in a hurry to urge Lorant. She just reminded him not to forget their agreement.

And Lorant wasn't slacking off either. His simulator had been running non-stop during this period, but whether it was due to his bad luck or Jacqueline's, Lorant hadn't found the correct path after nearly two to three weeks of operation.

In the afternoon, Nia and Emma were already sitting in the lounge of the Animal Pet Shop.

Nia quickly handed over all her responsibilities at the Slime family to Joe and Emma and has now started to take charge of the glass and balm industries.

These two products are the only luxury offerings from the Animal pet shop, and their prices are astonishing.

To many merchants, these products are far more valuable than anything from the Slime family.

Nia didn’t feel like she was being forced out of the Slime family.

Instead, she felt that Lorant had finally recognized her abilities. After her young master left for Lopulo, Lorant likely felt reassured and entrusted her with more important tasks.

Nia dove into her new role, immediately brainstorming and proposing new ideas.

Joe stood dutifully behind Lorant’s sofa, wearing a black suit with a white towel draped over his arm, looking every bit the part of a butler.

Watching the two respected managers sit before him, Joe felt a warm sense of pride, like he had just tasted honey, and was once again grateful for his position.

The only downside was that the current meeting space felt a bit too informal, but once the renovations were complete, the new reception room would be perfect for such occasions.

Joe imagined standing behind Lorant in a luxurious reception room, greeting important guests like the princess or the archbishop, and made a mental note to push for the renovations to be finished soon.

The front of the Animal pet shop would be in his capable hands!