Chapter 581
The Padridge Family's Ultimate Move
Chapter 581 The Padridge Family's Ultimate Move
Sarah's efficiency remained as high as ever, and the materials on the list written by the Demon King were quickly gathered.
Whether it was the Shadow Datura flower dew collected during the full moon, or the fire lizard tail that was extremely difficult to obtain on the northeast coast of the Whirlpool Sea... all these alchemical materials, which were extremely rare and valuable on the market, were delivered to the Demon King's warehouse within a week.
The study at Colin Manor.
Luo Yan placed a sealed dark blue glass bottle back on the table, looked at Sarah who was quietly standing in front of the desk reporting back, and said with sincere appreciation.
"Well done, Sarah."
Upon hearing the Demon King's praise, Sarah's amber eyes curved slightly, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
She did not show any pride, but simply placed her right hand on her chest gracefully.
"It's my pleasure to be of help. Please let me know if you need anything else."
“We don’t need it for now,” Luo Yan said with a smile as he gathered the materials together. “It was a great help this time.”
Seeing her master's enthusiastic preparation to do it himself, Sarah hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
"Lord Demon King."
"What's wrong?" Luo Yan asked casually as he placed the crucible on the calcining rack.
Sarah spoke hesitantly.
"Excuse me for asking, but what is your purpose in going to such lengths to collect these rare materials?"
Although the Demon King used to personally concoct some potions during his travels, he has rarely done such trivial things since returning to Thunder County.
“It’s somewhat related to Miss Mia’s matter,” Luo Yan continued in a casual tone without stopping his work. “Mia came to me earlier and asked if I had any ways to quickly improve my strength. I happened to be investigating the research of the Soul School and thought that the Padridge family’s library might have relevant information, so I looked it up for her while I was researching.”
Youyou: "It wasn't just a coincidence!"
'Shut up.'
Youyou: "Waaah..."
This time, it wasn't even called by its name.
“Padridge Library?” Not noticing the ghost that had turned into smoke and dissipated, Sarah tilted her head in confusion, her furry ears twitching slightly. “If I remember correctly… wasn’t that her own family’s library?”
Yes, you're not mistaken.
"Then why..."
"I have no optimism about her information retrieval skills. Even if she finds it, she'll just come to me in the end, so I might as well look it up for her."
Luo Yan picked up the tweezers, pinched off a piece of the fire lizard's tail, and placed it in the grinding mortar.
Then, I flicked my index finger on the pestle, and the pestle started grinding automatically, turning the dried salamander into crumbs.
Sarah was stunned. Although she also thought that the succubus lady was a bit unreliable, she didn't expect her to be this outrageous.
She looked at the sheet of paper on the table covered with recipes and asked thoughtfully.
"So... this recipe, you found it in the Padridge Library?"
"Yes."
Luo Yan didn't notice the subtle change in Sarah's tone and continued processing the materials as he spoke.
"I was pretty lucky; the book fell down by itself not long after I went in."
"It fell down by itself?"
Sarah repeated those words, her expression becoming increasingly subtle.
As one of the most elite "internal affairs personnel" around the Demon King, the word "accident" never existed in her world.
All seemingly "coincidental" accidents are often the result of meticulously planned "inevitability".
Noticing her hesitation, Luo Yan put down the tweezers and turned to look at her.
Is there a problem?
Sarah gently pinched her chin with her index finger, her brows furrowed slightly, and analyzed cautiously.
"Hmm... Lord Demon King, I just feel that all of this is too much of a coincidence. You just went in, and what you wanted just happened to appear in front of you. I'm worried that there might be some kind of ulterior motive behind this..."
Seeing Sarah start to spout conspiracy theories, Luo Yan couldn't help but smile.
He knew Sarah's concerns were not unfounded, but he did not believe that Lady Serena, who was hiding behind the bookshelf, would harm her daughter.
“Relax, Sarah. I know that book couldn’t have just come to me on its own. It was probably Mrs. Serena’s idea.”
Sarah hesitated.
"Then why..."
Luo Yan said calmly.
"Because I trust Lady Serena. Although she can be a bit unpredictable at times, she has no ill intentions towards me. Moreover, this matter concerns her own daughter, and I think she would never act recklessly, even for Mia's safety."
Seeing the Demon King's certainty, Sarah could only slightly suppress the suspicion in her eyes and resume her submissive demeanor.
"Since you have already made your judgment, I will not say anything more... I wish you all the best in your plans, Your Highness."
"Okay, you go and rest first. I'll take care of the rest myself." Luo Yan waved his hand. "Alchemy is all about timing and the heat. I need to concentrate."
Sarah nodded slightly and took a few steps back.
As she left the study, she respectfully closed the heavy oak door, leaving behind the warm light and the scent of medicine that filled the room.
……
Nothing was said that day.
The same applies to the second day.
By noon on the third day, the snow outside the window showed no sign of stopping, and the fluttering snowflakes draped the manor, surrounded by greenery, in a wedding dress.
The fox-eared maid quietly swept the snow on the porch, while snowballs occasionally flew across the lawn next door, sometimes accompanied by laughter and screams.
In the study not far away, the fire in the fireplace crackled, and the heavy curtains and glass kept out the cold and noise from outside.
At this moment, Luo Yan was standing in front of a makeshift alchemy table, intently preparing the legendary potion according to Lady Serena's recipe from his memory.
The alcohol lamp beneath the crucible flickered with flame.
He picked up the measuring cup and slowly poured fifty milliliters of the datura flower dew collected under the full moon into the pot, stirring it three times clockwise with the glass rod in his hand.
Next came 10 milliliters of concentrated agave extract.
The dark green sap made a slight sizzling sound as soon as it came into contact with the datura flower dew, like boiling water being poured into a hot oil pan.
Luo Yan waited quietly for the reaction in the crucible to stabilize before finally sprinkling the pre-packaged salamander tail powder evenly onto the oily surface.
"Next is counterclockwise..." he murmured as he continued stirring with the glass rod in his hand.
As the powder dissolved, an incredible scene unfolded.
The oily, pink liquid in the crucible faded visibly after several violent bubbling events, eventually turning into a translucent amber color!
At the same time, a sweet and cloying scent filled the study.
The scent didn't smell like a magic potion; rather, it smelled like the finest honey freshly cut from a beehive, making the air in the whole room feel fresher.
Luo Yan raised an eyebrow.
With his master-level magical skills and understanding of alchemy, he was completely unable to see through the pharmacological changes involved.
This thing doesn't look like some kind of magical potion that can enhance power at all; it looks more like a delicate dessert.
Just then, a rustling sound came from the corner of the room, and a small head covered with golden scales peeked out.
What are you adjusting?
Flapping her still-developing little wings, Taff darted to the corner of the table like a greedy squirrel.
Her vertical pupils were fixed on the crucible, and her nostrils flared, clearly captivated by the sweet aroma.
Luo Yan glanced at the greedy dragon, then calmly scooped up a small cup of amber liquid and gently placed it in front of her.
"Would you like a taste of the nectar of the Shadow Datura flower?"
"Hey? So generous! Then I won't be polite."
Upon seeing the offerings presented, Taf immediately beamed with joy, folded her little wings, and with a whoosh, climbed onto the table.
"Ah—" Without Luo Yan's help at all, she opened her mouth and slurped up the "honey" in the cup clean.
Taff squinted, smacked her lips for a moment, and then a look of ecstasy appeared on her face.
"This tastes really good... I didn't know you had such a good thing hidden away."
As she spoke, she licked her lips with lingering satisfaction, staring longingly at the crucible, clearly wanting another cup.
Luo Yan smiled gently.
"Do you want more?"
"miss you!"
"Hold on."
Luo Yan waited a while, and before Taf could lose her temper, he generously refilled her cup.
After finishing her drink, Tafel burped.
Having just eaten lunch, she probably really couldn't drink anymore this time.
Luo Yan stared at her for a while, then asked thoughtfully.
"Do you have any particular feelings?"
"Feeling?" Taff tilted her head, looking bewildered. "Does 'tasting good' count as a feeling?"
Luo Yan continued to ask.
"I mean physical symptoms. For example, abdominal heat, soreness between the eyebrows, or blockages in the flow of magic... such as these."
Taf felt it carefully for a moment, then shook her head.
"Absolutely not."
"Any other discomfort? Dizziness, nausea, or itchy scales?"
“No…” Taff finally sensed something was wrong and stared at Luo Yan suspiciously. “What exactly do you want to ask?”
"Nothing, just asking casually."
Confirming that Taf was still lively and showed no signs of poisoning, Luo Yan felt relieved and scooped some up for himself, savoring it carefully.
As Taff said, the potion tasted wonderful, with a honey-like sweetness.
As the medicine slid down his throat, he could indeed feel a faint, pure, natural spiritual essence within it, slowly nourishing his spirit.
This power was very gentle, and the only pity was that it did not transform into his magic; at most, it only slightly invigorated his spirit.
Luo Yan put down the cup, picked up the quill pen, and wrote down the conclusion in his experimental notebook.
It seems that the Padridge family's secret potion has a strong bloodline-specific effect, and only succubi can drink it to unleash its true power.
It appears to have no impact on other races.
As for side effects?
As he had anticipated, there was no need to worry.
Although Lady Serena's behavior was mysterious and unpredictable, as a mother, she would never poison her only daughter.
This is why Luo Yan dared to confidently use Tafe as a test drug.
Taf, who had been observing from the sidelines, watched Luo Yan's smooth and effortless recording movements, and even the slow-witted Taf eventually realized what was happening.
This isn't a treat for sweets; it's practically testing a dragon for poison!
Golden scales exploded instantly, and Taff roared in fury, "You...you actually used me as a test subject!"
"Calm down, it's not like you're being asked to test poison."
Luo Yan reached out a hand and easily pressed down on Taf's aggressive little head, without showing the slightest shame on his face.
Not only that, the quill pen, rustling across the notebook, didn't stop either.
"...And I'm right next to you. Even if something really happens, with my strength, I can pull you back from the brink of death." "Is that the problem?!" Taffy bared her teeth in anger, scratching wildly at the table with her front paws. "What do you take me for?!"
"pet."
if not?
Now I can't ride it.
"@#%……&!" Little Taf almost couldn't hold back the dragon egg that was about to burst out again and gave the Demon King an extra meal on the spot.
This little guy seems to be talking a lot more today.
Luo Yan ignored her weak protests and simply moved his index finger slightly, shaking the bell hanging next to the bookshelf.
Not long after the crisp ringing of the bell, the study door was silently pushed open.
Sarah, dressed in a black maid outfit with white trim, walked in with elegant steps, bowing slightly with her hands folded in front of her.
"My Lord Demon King, what are your orders?"
Judging from her expectant look, Sarah seemed quite happy to send away the reluctant Tauf and take over the drug testing work.
Unfortunately, Taff has already downed two drinks, and the Demon King has downed one. If Sarah were to have another drink... the poor protagonist would have nothing to drink.
The potion certainly smelled sweet, but it wasn't exactly sugar water, so making a whole pot of it was quite expensive.
Luo Yan gave the instructions.
"Call Mia for me and tell her to come to my study. Tell her... I've found the kind of way she wants to level up without having to work."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"Also, please take Taff to the kitchen for me."
Taff: "%￥#@!"
Sarah stepped forward and gently picked up the still chattering Taff, then glanced with slight regret at the few remaining potions on the table.
At first, she thought that Lady Serena's recipe for the Demon King was "that kind of thing," so she sent away the other maids in the manor and waited alone at the door of the study.
She had absolutely no intention of expecting the Demon King to make a mistake, it's just...
What if?
Unfortunately, judging from the Demon King's reaction, he doesn't seem to need any further "service" from me.
I was just being superficial.
"As ordered."
Sarah left with regret.
……
The study door was tightly shut, banishing the dragon's roar to the empty corridor.
Sarah gripped the back of her neck like a chick, and Taff struggled desperately, her golden scales bristling with shame and anger.
Her claws flailed wildly in the air, trying to grab onto anything she could get a foothold in.
Unfortunately—
Her opponent was Sarah.
"Let me go! You stinky cat! I don't want to go to the kitchen! It's full of cooking fumes! They'll ruin my noble scales!"
Sarah's expression didn't change much, and her voice remained as gentle and unmoved as ever.
"Your Highness Taff, please don't put me in a difficult position. This is the Demon King's order."
She never hesitated to carry out the Demon King's orders without considering the consequences.
Let alone getting Taph to lay eggs.
Even if the Demon King commands her to go personally, she will do everything in her power for that lord.
"Damn it... couldn't we go somewhere else?" Perhaps knowing that struggling was useless, Taf stopped thrashing about and just tucked her tail between her legs.
Sarah tilted her head and said after a moment's thought.
"So, you'd be willing to lay your eggs in a different place?"
"Yes, I really want to lay an egg! I won't admit it, but I really want to lay an egg! Quick, find me a warm basket lined with straw. I feel like a hen right now, oh ho ho ho, I can't hold it in anymore—pui! What a blunt truth I'm telling you!"
Sarah paused for a moment, a hint of suspicion flashing in her amber eyes as she looked at Tafel, whom she was holding in her hand, as if she were looking at a monster from another world.
Was that dragon language just now?
What... is this guy saying?
She vaguely understood some of it, but it also seemed like she didn't understand anything at all; her brain was momentarily frozen.
After rattling off a long string of words, Taf felt refreshed and invigorated.
However, it wasn't long before a look of terror appeared on her face, and she covered her mouth with her two trembling paws, wishing she could stuff the curled tail into her mouth as well.
"What...what did I just say?"
Sarah hesitated for a moment.
"You need a... basket lined with straw? Anything else?"
"Fireplace! Blanket! Milk!"
"Okay, I'll arrange it right away."
Sarah had a vague idea of what was going on from Tauf's reaction.
It seems that Lady Serena's formula was not entirely useless; it just worked in an unexpected way.
No wonder they're called the devils of Shanghai.
Lady Serena's strength seems to be not to be underestimated...
Sarah secretly admired the lady and quietly learned a trick from her.
Maybe we'll need it someday.
She led Taff to the second-floor lounge, gently pinching the leaky mouth shut as she found the maid cleaning the room and gave her instructions.
"Go and find Miss Mitis and tell her that the matter she asked His Highness to handle has made progress, and His Highness is waiting for her in the study."
She had originally planned to go herself, but now she has to keep an eye on Taf and can't spare the time.
The maid nodded slightly upon hearing this.
"Yes, Your Excellency Sarah."
After saying that, she put down the broom and hurriedly left the half-cleaned room.
Sarah locked the door and then drew the curtains.
Then, she led Taff to the fireplace and made a makeshift nest with a blanket that was on the sofa armrest.
Although there's no straw or baskets, this should be far more comfortable than a chicken coop.
Having done everything, Sarah stared intently at Taff, her amber vertical pupils seeming to say—
'It's your turn to shine.'
Looking at those expectant eyes, Taff felt so ashamed and angry that she wanted to run into the fireplace and roast herself alive.
Her lips trembled, and she finally managed to utter a single sentence... that was her last act of defiance.
"Can you look at me?"
Actually, what she wanted to say was "Don't look." However, she clearly forgot that her mouth wasn't listening to her at that moment.
Sarah paused for a moment, her gaze towards Taff gradually shifting from astonishment to care, then from care to sympathy, and finally, behind that complex mix of emotions, a subtle hint of disdain lingered.
It must be said that Sarah doesn't hate Taphthu, and she never will, after all, this guy is the Demon King's pet.
She was merely somewhat shocked by the Zeta people.
In a physiological sense.
"Goo-"
Faced with that condescending gaze, Taff closed her eyes in humiliation, her small wings folded behind her trembling slightly as if she had been electrocuted.
The dragon egg, which was about to burst forth, eventually gave up and fell to the ground.
However, many invaluable things seem to have been emptied along with them...
……
Just as Mr. Festin had predicted, every plan that Mrs. Serena devised so carefully was bound to fail.
However, he probably never imagined that the first victim of "Padridge's Secret Medicine" would not be his beloved daughter, but the former overlord who, together with Saint Sith, banished Hades to the underworld—
It's hard to say whether this counts as a mishap or not.
Just as Taffeta was giving up on herself and causing her production capacity to explode, a pink whirlwind swept into the study with the door tightly closed.
As Mia watched Luo Yan packing up the equipment, she could hardly hide the heart-shaped light in her pupils. Her tail, which had been hidden in the subspace, was now exposed, swaying back and forth behind her.
Meeting those expectant eyes, Luo Yan smiled and handed over the amber-glowing potion without waiting for Mia to ask a question.
"This is a formula I got from the Padridge Library. If I'm not mistaken, it should be the kind of thing you're looking for—a potion that can easily boost a succubus's power."
He wasn't sure if it would actually work, but he felt that was the case, so he blurted it out subconsciously.
"Hehehe! As expected of my dear Luo Yan, I knew you would have a way!" Mia's eyes lit up, her eyes sparkling with excitement, like honey with its threads.
For a succubus who is ambitious but prefers to lie still, the allure of "no effort required" is far greater than "conquering the world"!
She could almost see Vivian being trampled under her feet, crying and begging her to be gentler with her brother—a truly pathetic sight.
Hehehe—
That's really delightful!
Without hesitation, she picked up the cup, looked at Luo Yan with deep affection as if drinking from the same cup, and then tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.
"Glug—"
With a gurgle of his throat, a small cup of potion slid into his stomach.
Seeing Mia licking her lips, Luo Yan immediately asked.
"How do you feel? Is the magic power inside your body heating up? Or can you feel the power surging outwards from your sea of consciousness?"
Mia smacked her lips twice, then touched her lips with her index finger, seemingly savoring the sweet taste.
"Fever... I do have it. As for strength... I think I do have it?"
Actually not.
However, Mia still instinctively felt that what Luo Yan gave her couldn't be completely useless; she must have been too stupid to realize it.
To be honest, although Mia refused to admit that she was stupid, she was actually somewhat aware of it deep down.
Especially after seeing Vivian and Eileen, two true geniuses, she felt increasingly like an idiot, unable to do anything right.
She also wanted to help Luo Yan.
Although Luo Yan could always easily solve all the problems she couldn't solve, and the feeling of simply lying down was indeed tempting, she couldn't help but worry that one day in the future, as she gradually couldn't keep up with his pace, she would be ruthlessly abandoned...
What she regrets most right now is probably that back in the Demon King Academy, she didn't try to persuade him in a more tactful way, but instead resorted to bullying.
A bitter feeling welled up in my chest.
Perhaps as punishment for her long-standing hypocrisy, Mia's cheeks flushed a deep red at a visible speed.
Not only that, her eyes also became moist, and her breathing gradually became rapid, just like her increasingly rapid heartbeat.
Those were symptoms that Taf had never experienced before.
These were symptoms that Luo Yan himself had never experienced.
Seeing the changes in Mia, Luo Yan's spirits lifted. Sure enough, the Padric family's secret medicine was only effective on Padric!
"Where exactly is the fever located? In the abdomen? Or in the limbs?" he asked, taking out a quill pen to write it down.
Mia opened her mouth, as if to describe the flow of magic, but what came out from her lips, which were so red they seemed about to bleed, was something else entirely—
"I want to push you down on the desk, tie you up with my tail, and then bully you mercilessly until you cry and beg for mercy!"
Luo Yan: "...?"
long:"???"
(End of this chapter)