First Move, Checkmate: How Will You Respond?

The burly men outside grabbed their weapons and started smashing Lia’s shop.

Even the magic potions placed at the entrance did not escape unscathed.

They were all smashed to bits and pieces.

The azure potions flowed down to the floor, filling the place with the scent of money.

Lia watched their rampage impassively, remaining extremely composed.

“Miss Lia, shouldn’t we stop them…”

The voice behind her sounded anxious, aware of the value of those potions – even one broken bottle was a huge loss.

Lia sat leisurely on the chair, watching the rioters continue their havoc unhurriedly.

“It’s fine, let them smash.”

“The more they smash, the more they’ll have to compensate.”

Of course, Lia was also aware.

These people were at most some hoodlums sent by someone else. How could they possibly compensate?

Feeling it was about time, she stroked the Sorcerer’s Hand on her right hand, about to head out.

“What are you all doing?!”

A voice shouted from outside.

Lia was slightly surprised. Someone was standing up against them?

She stood inside and looked out.

A noble young lady with blond hair stood beside a carriage, yelling at the tattooed brutes.

Who was that?

Lia looked up and examined the familiar face of the blonde girl, already having the answer in mind.

The Duke’s daughter?

Why would she be here? Did she just happen to be passing by?

Or was she here on purpose?

Duke Rivierre’s daughter Erica was gifted since young, and was still famous and brilliant even now.

Some thought her future achievements would surely surpass that genius Victor’s.

Including the last time, if it had been Victor flirting with some other family’s girl, it wouldn’t even be worth making the news headlines.

But Erica’s public influence was simply too great.

Lia thought to herself:

She’s probably here doing charity work again, and it would likely cause another wave of publicity for her.

…

In fact, Erica did not think too much about it.

Although today was a day off, after Victor left, she did not feel like going to the academy to study either.

Because other than Victor – the other teachers’ standards were simply too poor, even worse than herself.

Taking advantage of her day off today, she also gave herself a break to walk around town and relax for a day.

It was also to ease her mood.

As a result, while listening to the servants gossiping, she heard that the Clayvin family had opened a magic items shop in the eastern city of the royal capital.

Clayvin – that was Victor’s surname, she naturally remembered it.

But the eastern city district…

Erica was very interested, but the shop was opened in the eastern city district, quite far from her.

Her family lived in the central district, filled with nobles like Erica.

The royal capital was so big that she couldn’t even tour the entire central district in a day.

But she still decided to go take a look.

A shop owned by Professor Victor’s family – what would they sell?

As a result, after spending half an hour riding a carriage here, she saw a group of people wrecking havoc in front of the magic shop.

The Clayvin family crest was hanging over the shop – this was indeed Victor’s business.

The scale was not very big – quite tiny compared to other prosperous shops. Just this point alone would deduct many points.

But she was not here to grade it. Seeing people smashing the shop, Erica felt a natural anger rise up.

“What are you all doing?”

Her delicate shout rang out as the young lady stepped out of her carriage like the moon surrounded by stars.

Many passersby saw her and couldn’t help but gasp in surprise.

“It’s Erica Duquois!”

Simply put, there was no one who did not recognize this kind and beautiful young lady.

She would always deliver food and money to help the poor get through tough times, and would not back down when facing villains.

“It’s the Duke’s daughter! Run!”

Seeing Erica, the leader yelled at his companions, and they hurriedly fled from the scene looking “scared”.

Lia signaled the shop assistant behind her with her eyes, and in an instant, she only felt a gust of wind sweep past from behind her.

When she turned back again, the place was empty.

After doing all that, she put on a smiling face and came out to greet them.

“Miss Erica, thank you for your help!”

“I’m just a weak woman. Facing something like this, I’m really frightened. If not for your arrival, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

While listening to Lia’s complaints, Erica sized her up.

The woman before her was very beautiful.

She had a tall and slender figure, with exquisite and perfect features.

Especially the extra mature charm she exuded made even Erica, an underage youth, feel utterly inferior.

She was about to say there was no need for thanks, but as she looked down, her gaze suddenly paused on Lia’s hand.

That was Victor’s glove?

Erica clearly remembered seeing it on the first day Victor arrived.

Because there were many enchanting stones on it, she had specifically noticed when she first saw the glove on Victor’s hand.

Afterwards, she never saw the glove again.

And now this glove appeared on this woman’s hand?

Erica couldn’t confirm if it was the same one, after all their hand sizes were completely different.

“So is she Professor Victor’s family?”

Thinking of this, Erica felt somewhat sorry for the woman before her.

Those people must have come because of Victor’s notoriety, but the consequences had to be borne by the young lady here.

Looking at the broken shards and spilled potions on the ground, she decided to compensate the woman before her, to appease her emotions.

“I’m very sorry that something like this happened here in the capital. I will compensate you for all of today’s losses in the name of Erica Duquois.”

“Please tally up the value of the damaged goods. And if there are any leftovers, I will buy them all.”

“Oh?”

Hearing Erica’s generous offer, Lia held her chest with one hand and stroked her face with the other, a smile on her face.

The innate charm of the Dukes embedded in her bones, truly fitting for a Duke’s daughter.

Even though she was only seventeen.

“Miss Erica, let me confirm, you really want to compensate for my losses?”

“You should know, it’s not going to be cheap.”

Before Lia could respond, Erica had already called her handmaid over, preparing to pay.

Lia smiled as she reported the price:

“One thousand gold.”

One thousand gold for these losses?

To ordinary people, it was already a huge price.

But Erica found it reasonable, and signaled for the maid to take out the money.

Then, they heard her add:

“One thousand gold, per bottle.”

“What?”

The maid’s hand stuttered slightly.

Even Erica felt like she misheard.

Not just Erica, even passersby felt it was preposterous.

A bottle of potion actually cost one thousand gold?

Was the water in your bottles made of gold?

The maid calculated and was slightly stunned by the price. Erica’s expression also became difficult.

This amount was just a month’s allowance for her.

But money still couldn’t be spent so blindly.

Now she understood a little why Victor was so resented.

He was completely a profiteer!

Before she could respond, Lia said awkwardly: “Although I really hope you’ll compensate me, the family head said each person can only buy two bottles a day, no more.”

There was even such a rule?

Erica also heard for the first time that selling things had purchase limits.

Especially when trying to compensate, the other party was actually unwilling to take more.

She thought for a bit – the family head mentioned was clearly Victor.

But only being able to buy two bottles piqued Erica’s interest.

Could these things really have some magical effects?

Thus, she picked up an undamaged bottle of potion and asked Lia:

“What effects do these have?”

Lia looked at her with a smile and explained:

“For restoring magic power.”

Erica found it hard to believe.

She had never heard of something that could restore magic power before.

She wanted to buy some to bring back for research, but the broken shards on the ground also made her hesitate.

Soon though, Erica affirmed her intent.

Words spoken could not be taken back, and Victor had taught her so much knowledge after all.

So what if she spent this money to compensate today? She’ll just consider it even with Victor!

Thus, she directly said:

“I’m Professor Victor Clayvin’s student. Since I’ve witnessed his shop being damaged before my eyes, I cannot just stand by.”

“I will compensate based on material costs and labor fees, but with one condition.”

Hearing Erica’s words, Lia raised her eyebrows.

“I want to buy up all the remaining potions too.”

She cared more than anyone about matters relating to magic.

So she planned to bring them back for research.

Upon hearing this, Lia looked back at the remaining undamaged goods on the shelves.

There were only ten bottles left.

Seeing this, she didn’t care about Victor’s rules anymore, and nodded.

Victor had said he did not fear anyone researching the potion ingredients, because besides him, no one could make them.

Lia thought it required some special magic to craft, and since he already said that, she naturally wouldn’t worry about any trade secrets being leaked.

“Since Miss Erica is being so generous, I shall not decline.”

“Then, including labor and material costs, 300 gold per broken bottle, the rest remain original price.”

Hearing this, Erica readily agreed as well.

“Deal.”

Lia passed the ten bottles of potion to Erica’s maid, and reached out to receive the compensation money and normal potion cost from the maid.

Looking at Erica before her, Lia clicked her tongue in marvel. Throwing out thousands just because she was Victor’s student?

She really wondered what kind of love potion that heartless scoundrel poured into this young lady.

After Erica left, Lia took out another fifty bottles from the shop, still priced at one thousand gold each, and continued selling.

The mages passing by who saw her take out another fifty bottles after that were half-fainted.

So you had stock left after all.

…

In the alley.

The burly tattooed rioters from before lay scattered in the corners, half-dead.

Their bodies exhibited different wounds, an extremely miserable sight.

“Who sent you all.”

A cloaked figure stood there, only revealing the upper half of her face and green pupils.

She held a wooden sword to the head of the tattooed brute leader.

He lay on the ground, limbs all broken.

The pain made him wish he could just pass out on the spot.

But the wooden sword hovering over his head still made him scream out hoarsely in panic.

“It’s… it’s Duke Rivierre! Duke Rivierre!”

He hurriedly reported the mastermind, hoping to exchange a sliver of life from the cloaked figure.

Bang!

The wooden sword swung down and the tattooed brute finally fainted as he wished.

Then, she dragged him by the leg, step by step, pulling him out of the alley.