best way to survive in this world, while alchemists only helped others to be powerful. Alchemists were respected, but almost everyone wanted to be a mage. The requirements to be alchemists and mages were almost the same. Anyone who was qualified to be an alchemist could be a qualified mage as well. It was hard to make people switch to alchemy, since no one just wanted to help others become powerful.

"Yes, General Miorich. Can you talk to him and convince him to build a lab?" Hagan said with a sad face. Hagan was asking anyone available, without considering if they could help or not, but it was not his fault. He just dreamed of having his own lab.

"Join me! Whatever Anfey could provide you, I can as well. I also can give you what he could not give you," Miorich said with a smile.

"Uncle Miorich, what are you doing?" Niya pouted and looked at Miorich in anger. Not only Miorich understood the importance of alchemists, Niya did too. Niya and others had been talking about building a few steel puppet warriors the previous day to protect the garrison residence. Without Hagon, they could not do it.

"Sorry, I cannot join you." Hagan was shocked for a second before he firmly shook his head.

"Why not?" Miorich asked.

"I do not like to be constrained with rules," Hagan said.

"I can provide you absolute freedom," Miorich said.

"Sorry, I still cannot join you," Hagan said.

Miorich smiled. He did not quite understand the young man in front of him. Hagan had just complained about Anfey, but turned out to be his fan the next second. Miorich could tell Hagan’s determination not to join him from his look and att.i.tudes.

"Where is Anfey?" Miorich asked quietly.

"It would not change anything, even if you talk to Anfey." Hagan got worried. "I am not his slave. Even if Anfey agrees with you, I will not join you. I have the right to choose who I am going to join."

"Hehe, you misunderstood me." Miorich waved his hand. "I would not force you to join me if you do not want to. I am just looking for Anfey for something else."

Hagan heaved a sigh. His thoughts returned to his lab and he forgot Miorich was still there. He looked Niya and asked, "Niya, when are you going to talk to Anfey?"

Niya had changed her opinion of Hagan. What a good man! She hesitated and said, "Don’t worry. I will talk to Anfey soon."

"Awesome!" Hagan was so happy to hear it. Only Niya in the whole legion could make Anfey change his mind. Now Niya agreed to talk to Anfey, which made Hagan think he was half way to convincing Anfey to agree to build him a lab.

Anfey went upstairs. Black Eleven had been waiting for Anfey where they had previously agreed. Anfey looked tired and slowly took a seat. Black Eleven pa.s.sed him something like a scroll book.

Anfey flipped a few pages and fell into thought. He continued to read. As he was half way through the book, someone was knocking on the door. Anfey was shocked for a second and said, "Come in please."

Miorich pushed the door open and walked in. He glanced at Black Eleven first and laid his eyes on Anfey. He scanned Anfey up and down. It looked like he did not know Anfey.

Anfey had already stood up. "Uncle Miorich, what is wrong?"

"Is Heart of Nature with you?" Miorich asked.

"Heart of Nature? I don’t have it." Anfey was really confused about what Heart of Nature was.

"Didn’t Arch-druid Bruzuryano give you the Heart of Nature?" Miorich looked shocked and in disbelief.

"Bruzuryano? Uncle Miorich, are you talking about this?" Anfey took the tree leaf from his s.h.i.+rt.

Miorich slowly walked up to Anfey and held the tree leaf with both of his hands. He looked perplexed and seemed to be recalling something. There was some hatred, some sadness in his eyes. After a long time, Miorich took his hands back. "Anfey, is Bruzuryano doing well?"

"He is doing good." Anfey could tell there was something wrong with Miorich. He tried to ask, "Uncle Miorich, are you a good friend of Bruzuryano?"

"Something like that." Miorich smiled. "Why are you asking? Are you curious about it?"

"Kind of." Anfey smiled like a silly boy out of habit.

Anfey had earned Saul and Ernest’s trust with this kinds of smile. Back then, no one knew about Anfey, so he left impressions with his facial expressions. But by now, Anfey had achieved so much, so who would fall for his smiles? Miorich heaved a slight sigh. "Go back and ask your master. He would tell you if he is in good mood."

Anfey smiled bitterly. He had not thought about how to talk to Saul when he got back. He definitely had no interest in the stories among Saul and other top powers.

"You have to protect the Heart of Nature well before you see Bruzuryano again. Do you understand?" Miorich said.

"Is this the Heart of Nature? Uncle Miorich, what can the Heart of Nature do?" Even if Anfey did not get to know the stories of those top powers, it would be helpful to get to know the functions of the Heart of Nature.

"We could not communicate with the Heart of Nature, but Bruzuryano can." Miorich smiled. "I can tell you though that the Heart of Nature could protect you from any magic if you are under an attack of Anti-Magic. Of course, it could only protect the areas the leaf covers."

"This leaf is only this big. What could it cover?" Anfey put the leaf on his body to see.

"It depends on which part of your body is more important to you." There was a playful smile on Miorich’s face. "Anfey, have you seen the statue of the G.o.ddess of Nature?"

"No," Anfey said.

"You should check it out when you get a chance. All the statues of the G.o.ddess of Nature have the Heart of Nature on them. You will understand the function of the leaf," Miorich said.

Black Eleven, standing by them, almost laughed out loud after being shocked for a second. He obviously had seen a statue of the G.o.ddess of Nature before.

"Since I know you have the Heart of Nature, I think others know about it as well," Miorich said, shaking his head slightly. "You guys go get some rest first. Let me set things up."