The Apothecary Liaison Point.
At this moment, Hawke was looking at Aven with a face full of surprise.
As the person in charge of the apothecary liaison point, he naturally had some understanding of Aven's recent news.
During this period, he had constantly been hearing talk about Aven at the liaison point.
Some regular clients even came by to ask whether they could commission Master Aven to concoct potions.
Gradually, he could feel that Aven's status had risen to that of a potion master—his reputation no less than that of Masters Olai and Johann.
Especially this winter, when Aven went to the front lines to assist with healing tasks, it pushed his prestige among the knights to a new peak!
Upon hearing that Aven had recently been granted the title of Earl of the Southeast Border, he was deeply moved.
He still remembered their first meeting, when Aven wore plain clothes and looked like an ordinary apothecary.
Yet, in less than half a year, Aven had risen from commoner to noble and become a renowned potion master!
His eyes naturally glanced at Petilil in Aven's arms and the Cherrim on his shoulder. In addition, an Rhydon was standing guard at the shop entrance.
Beyond his status, Aven's current strength also greatly shocked the shop owner.
"Earl Aven, is there anything I can help you with?" the shop owner asked respectfully.
"You can just call me Aven, Mr. Hawke. I'm here today as an apothecary, not as a noble."
Hearing Aven's words, Hawke felt a wave of relief. He judged that Aven must be an approachable person and didn't carry the usual temper of nobles.
"Master Aven, is there anything I can do for you?" Hawke changed his form of address.
"Yes, I did come here with something I want to discuss with you."
Aven smiled and nodded, then walked over to a nearby table and gestured for the shop owner to sit.
Hawke, puzzled, felt that Aven's visit might not be about potions. So, what could it be?
"How's business lately, Mr. Hawke?" Aven asked with a smile.More confused, Hawke answered honestly, "It's winter now, so the berry trade has basically come to a halt."
"Indeed, it's hard to do business right now," Aven nodded, then continued, "I'm planning to collaborate with Her Highness to set up a shop selling potions in Aspiration City."
"Therefore, I'd like to hire you as the manager of the shop, in charge of purchasing and selling potions."
"In all of Aspiration City, I doubt anyone is better at dealing with apothecaries than you. And don't worry about the compensation—aside from a fixed salary, I'll also offer you a commission."
As Aven spoke, Hawke's eyes widened slightly—mentioning collaboration with the lord right away really gave him a jolt.
Then, the shop owner fell into silence. This was clearly a major business opportunity, and the salary and commission Aven offered were indeed generous.
What's more, the involvement of the Lady's will meant there was a political factor to consider. Whether it was Aven's status as a master or the lord's participation, it was something he couldn't take lightly.
One could imagine that once Aven and the Lady's potion shop opened, nearly all nobles and the wealthy would be drawn to it—posing a deadly threat to his current store.
But if he could become the manager of this new shop, the potential benefits were immense. He could also build ties with the lady, perhaps even becoming part of her Highness's inner circle—his own status would rise significantly.
With the support of the lady and this new Earl Aven, maybe my own dream wouldn't be so far-fetched anymore…
Hawke made his decision: "I don't think I could possibly turn down such a partnership."
"Then welcome aboard, Mr. Hawke."
As he spoke, Aven extended his hand.
He had already learned from Link that Hawke was an exceptional businessman.
In addition, Hawke held valuable networks among apothecaries and merchants, as well as sources for purchasing berries—these were of enormous commercial value.
Aven had previously discussed the idea of inviting Hawke to manage the shop with Johnson, the person in charge of the project.
Of course, all this was just surface-level benefit. His real goal was to transform the shop into a new kind of apothecary liaison point.
That way, aside from buying and selling potions and berries, the shop could also take on commission tasks and eventually integrate with the Pokémon breeding center.
Hawke took a deep breath and also extended his hand to shake Aven's—symbolizing his formal entry into the potion shop team.
"For now, the shop hasn't officially been set up, so you can continue operating your current liaison point."
"Also, I have a commission for you—payment will follow your usual rate."
After settling the shop matter, Aven brought up the second reason for his visit.
Upon hearing it, Hawke quickly promised to do everything he could.
"Mr. Hawke, you should know which apothecaries and nobles possess a Cherubi, right?"
"My commission is simple: purchase as many of them as possible. You may directly state that I'm the buyer."
Hawke was a little surprised by this request but agreed immediately. He glanced at the Cherrim on Aven's shoulder and looked thoughtful.
"All the Cherubi?" Hawke repeated.
Aven glanced at the little creature and nodded seriously.
"I want all of them. If someone refuses to sell, let me know—I'll take care of it myself."
Recently, Aven had been bringing the beast with him everywhere, and people in Aspiration City had started to notice how much he cared for it.
Interestingly, one of his congratulatory gifts had included a Cherubi. Even Princess Mira included six of them in his reward package.
According to Johnson, those were all the Cherubis in the royal castle.
With the princess's public stance, Aven felt that his request should proceed smoothly.
The only problem was money—acquiring Cherubi would cost a fortune.
He had far too many expenses right now.
Even with the royal rewards and earnings from his end-of-year healing potions, it still wouldn't be enough for long.
This gave Aven quite the headache.
"Cherrim~"
On the way back, the Cherrim was in a very cheerful mood.
It could feel how much its master cared for it, and it was deeply touched.
In its "Sunny Mood" form, it kept a happy smile on its face.
Sunlight streamed down on its petals, making them shimmer with a soft glow.
...
Meanwhile, Fessen was moving through the outer districts.
Before coming to Aspiration City, he had exchanged letters with several old comrades and now planned to meet them.
Arriving at a small, simple courtyard, he found seven burly men in plain linen clothes sitting around a wooden table.
"You think… what Fessen said is true?"
"Is there really a lord willing to recruit people like us—cripples?"
A middle-aged man in simple clothes asked. One of his sleeves hung empty.
"Mado, at least you still have one hand—you can still hold a sword."
"But I'm missing a leg. I can barely walk. I don't think I stand much of a chance. If a noble really wants you guys, just go. Don't worry about me—I can get by on my own,"
Jorah said to his companions. He didn't want to hold anyone back.
"What are you saying?"
"If it comes to that, Mado, you guys leave—I'll stay and take care of Jorah."
"Don't worry, I'm not crippled like the rest of you. I can still live well in Aspiration City."
Kent, the only fully able-bodied man, chimed in.
In truth, he hadn't left the battlefield due to injury—his mount had died, and he left the knight order disheartened.
The seven of them had all been knights in the Southeast Patrol Camp.
After leaving the order, they stuck together for mutual support.
Creaaak.
Just then, the courtyard gate opened.
Everyone looked over and saw a familiar figure appear.
"Fessen! Long time no see—you're looking more muscular!"
Kent strode forward and gave Fessen a hearty once-over before laughing.
"Captain, it's been a while."
Looking at the burly man, Fessen's eyes softened.
Back when he first joined the knights, he'd been assigned to Kent's squad.
To him, Kent was like a father figure.
"What captain? I've been out of the knights for years,"
Kent said, punching Fessen lightly in the chest before pulling him into a firm hug.
After their greetings, Fessen walked into the yard and greeted his old comrades one by one.
Once they were done catching up, the impatient Kent immediately asked about what Fessen had written in his letter—
"Is it true? A lord really wants to recruit us?"
"The one looking to recruit you… is the newly appointed Earl of the Southeast Border—Lord Aven!" Fessen replied.
(End of Chapter)