Chapter 829: Youth and Love
Chapter 829: Youth and Love
Cairo, Egypt, the Ouroboros Bar.
In just one day, the sweltering sun had completely sapped Valeria's excitement for her vacation in Egypt.
Oh well.
In fact, Valeria had accompanied her good friend, Katherine, to the International Alchemy Conference, taking the opportunity to tour Egypt.
They had arrived in Egypt three days earlier.
Upon their arrival in Cairo, they had visited some of the tourist spots, but after that, they hadn't left the comfort of the Ouroboros Bar.
"I hate Egypt, and I hate this awful weather."
Valeria sipped on her red beverage, glancing sideways at the scorching sun outside, and complained to her companion, "Being in this place for too long is bad for the skin."
"Then why did you insist on coming, why not stay back and mind the store?" Katherine asked without looking up from her leisurely perusal of the free copy of the Phoenix Daily provided by the bar.
"The atmosphere in the US magical community is so stifling, with all those rules and restrictions. It's suffocating." Valeria was clearly not a fan of the American wizarding world. She patted her chest lightly as if to help herself breathe, then glared at her friend and continued, "And how could you even suggest leaving me alone at the store while you enjoy yourself?"
"Well, you get all the profits we make during this time, don't you?"
Valeria poked the ice in her cup with a straw, unabashedly saying, "What do I need money for? It would be much more comfortable to find a rich man to support me."
"Then why did you flatly reject Cameron last time? He's quite wealthy, isn't he?" Katherine countered.
"I'm not a fool. That Cameron guy is obviously bad news. And he only turned his attention to me after failing to win you over." Valeria was irritated by the mention of Cameron, a witch who had pursued Katherine recently.
Indeed, Cameron was quite handsome, from the same year as Katherine, and came from a wealthy family. But what annoyed Valeria the most was the lecherous look in his eyes whenever he looked at them, and the fact that he had pursued her only after being rejected by Katherine.
Did he think she was a spare tire or something? What truly infuriated Valeria was Cameron's lack of sincerity; he was clearly just looking for a beautiful woman to play with.
Didn't he know that youth was a woman's most precious asset?
"Actually, being single is not so bad."
Katherine knew that Valeria still hoped to find a good match before she turned twenty-five.
Their beauty shop was now quite famous in the US, thanks in no small part to the two stunning beauties who ran it, and the fantastic effects of their beauty potions, which were a hit among witches.
With their newfound wealth, Valeria's standards for a boyfriend had risen considerably, and so far, she had rejected all the gentlemen who had approached her.
Albert was partly to blame for this, as he had raised their standards and their newfound wealth from the beauty business meant that they were now quite comfortable and no longer in a rush to find boyfriends.
"You really don't want to find someone?" Valeria couldn't understand Katherine's mindset.
"It's hard to find someone suitable. It's better to be alone than to settle for less."
"But there is a good candidate, isn't there?" Valeria fixed her gaze on Katherine, sensing that her friend had a soft spot for Albert.
After all, it wasn't unusual for good friends to become lovers.
Sometimes, close friends would end up chatting in bed and then taking their relationship to the next level.
"So, that's why you had your eye on Anderson?" Katherine understood Valeria's reason for accompanying her to Egypt. "Be careful, or Isabel will cut ties with you."
"I never said I was going to steal her boyfriend." Valeria pouted, "And besides, they're not even married yet, are they?"
"They're engaged," Katherine reminded her.
"There's still a chance if they're not married. And didn't you say that Albert might be able to concoct a true beauty potion?" Valeria took Katherine's half-finished drink and continued, "One of us has to make a sacrifice; otherwise, if Albert succeeds, he'll definitely keep it a secret from us."
"Don't even think about it. Isabel will also be coming to Egypt, so you won't have a chance." Katherine had to admit that Valeria's reasoning made sense.
Who would share such valuable research findings with strangers?
"Isn't Isabel writing a book?" Valeria asked in confusion. "Come to think of it, didn't she say that she wanted to continue her father's dream of magical research after graduation?"
"People change," Katherine put down the newspaper and looked at her friend, exasperated. "And why do you think she's coming to Egypt with Albert? It's to prevent you from making a move on her man while she's away. I'm sure those photos you sent last time raised her suspicions."
"Shouldn't the Spanish article have raised her suspicions?" Valeria thought the Spanish singer was to blame.
"No woman would be comfortable enough to let her boyfriend hang out with another beautiful woman."
"Then I'll just talk to her directly. I'm sure Isabel knows my little scheme, she's quite skilled in Legilimency." Valeria felt that she could have a chat with Isabel; as long as she didn't try to steal her boyfriend, their conflict wasn't irreconcilable. After all, men were naturally attracted to multiple women, especially outstanding men who had no shortage of female attention. It would be better to keep an eye on him rather than have a mistress pop up out of nowhere, and they might even be able to open a beauty shop together someday.
"If you dare to bring this up with Isabel, I doubt you'll even remain friends." Katherine huffed, thinking that Valeria was being unrealistic. She knew that Valeria found the American lifestyle restrictive, and indeed, most foreign wizards disliked the atmosphere in the American wizarding world.
"They're here."
Valeria waved at the entrance, and the young couple who had just entered the bar made their way over.
"Why are you only here now?"
"We had a bit of trouble exchanging gold coins with the fairies." Isabel pulled out a chair and sat down across from Katherine.
Albert placed the suitcase at Isabel's feet and went to the bartender to register for their room, taking the opportunity to order a few iced drinks with the newly exchanged gold coins.
The waiter soon brought over the drinks, and Albert received his room key. Their rooms had been booked in advance by Nicholas, who had arrived earlier.
"The weather here is unbearably hot. Let's go out for a walk in the evening when it's cooler." Albert sat down next to Isabel, picked up his iced drink, and took a big gulp, feeling that it tasted similar to sour plum soup from his previous life, refreshing and delicious.
"Let's go together in the evening." Valeria nodded in agreement, taking a small bite of her ice cream and smiling as she asked Albert, "Are you here to participate in the International Alchemy Conference again? Are you hoping to win another Pioneer Award?"
Although Valeria's words sounded like a joke,
However, it wasn't entirely impossible. Katherine mentioned that Albert was quite skilled in alchemy."
"What about Katherine?" Albert ignored the question and asked instead, "Are you here to compete, or..."
"I'm just here with Grandfather Nicholas to broaden my horizons and hopefully find some inspiration." Katherine snuck a glance at Isabel, whose cheeks were flushed. She was surprised to find that Isabel wasn't wearing any makeup, yet she looked even more beautiful than the last time they met. Many of the covert glances in the bar were now directed at Isabel.
She felt a twinge of jealousy, certain that Albert had indeed successfully researched and created an improved beauty potion for Isabel.
"What about you? Are you aiming for another gold medal?" Katherine countered.
"Of course, I'll give it my best shot, but whether I win or not doesn't matter." Albert's words were humble, but those who knew him understood that he was just being polite.
However, every time he said this, he would casually walk away with the championship, leaving his competitors gritting their teeth in frustration.
"Here is my research result." Katherine said as she took out a box. Inside was a vial containing a pale gray liquid.
"A plant extract?" Albert guessed the contents of the vial.
"Yes." Katherine nodded and asked, "What about your entry?"
"I've made some progress in my research on Mandrake." Albert took out a box the size of a palm and withdrew a bottle from it... but it looked like a wine bottle?
The glass bottle did resemble a wine bottle.
"Is this a potion?" The two women were unsure, as they had never seen a potion bottled like wine before.
"This is Mandrake wine." Albert smiled as he introduced the drink to them, "I call it Youth and Love."
"Can Mandrake be made into wine?"
Katherine and Valeria looked at each other, both feeling that they had gained new knowledge. They never expected that Mandrake could be brewed into wine. Moreover, they guessed that this peculiar drink must have some special effect, otherwise bringing a strange wine to the competition would only invite ridicule, and Albert certainly wouldn't joke about his reputation.
"It can, but it's quite troublesome. This is a magical wine with some unique effects, and it tastes quite good." Albert said meaningfully, "After drinking it, one will experience the vitality of youth and the beauty of love, hence the name Youth and Love."
"Can I have a taste?" Valeria asked.
"Wait until you find someone you like!" Isabel refused on Albert's behalf. Having drunk it herself, she was well aware of its effects.
The bizarre name "Youth and Love" was something they had come up with together.
"Do you have any other entries?" Katherine asked. To be honest, participating in the International Alchemy Conference with a so-called "magic wine" seemed a bit unreliable.
"This is also one of my research results." Albert took out a flat container that held the upgraded Flight Oil Balm that he had improved upon reaching Level 3.
Without waiting for the others to speak, he dipped his finger into the balm and smeared some on the empty glass, causing it to float in mid-air as if someone had secretly cast a Levitation Charm on it.
Katherine also applied some of the balm on the newspaper, and to their surprise, it too began to float.
"Incredible." Valeria murmured.
"Is this oil balm also made from Mandrake?" Katherine wondered, although she couldn't immediately think of a use for it. However, she sympathized with Albert's competitors.
"Is this oil balm a product of alchemy?" A young and handsome wizard approached them, curiously examining the floating glass and newspaper, his gaze eventually settling on the oil balm that Albert had applied. With a smile, he turned to Albert and said, "I assume you're here for the International Alchemy Conference as well. My name is Aria, pleased to meet you."
"Albert."
Albert reached out and shook his hand.
"Are you discussing your alchemical findings? May I join you?" Aria's eyes flickered to the few alchemical creations on the table as he politely introduced himself, "I've also achieved some decent results in alchemy. To be honest, it's been a while since I've met any young peers."
"Sorry, our table is already full." Katherine replied nonchalantly, "The seats beside us have already been reserved."
After saying this, she ignored the handsome young man and turned to Albert, asking, "Where's Grandfather?"
"They ran into some acquaintances on the way and are probably still chatting. They should be here soon." Albert offered an apologetic smile to Aria, whose face had stiffened slightly.
"Sorry for the interruption. Let's discuss this further tomorrow." Aria returned Albert's smile politely and then turned to leave.
"That guy's intentions were pretty obvious." Katherine scoffed, finding Aria's behavior disdainful. She knew that Aria had been secretly observing them for the past few days; she wasn't that easily fooled.
"After all, with three beautiful ladies here and Aria being so handsome himself, it's only natural that he would want to pursue you." Albert couldn't help but guess at Aria's motives.
Pursuing beautiful women in a bar was a normal occurrence.
"What if he asks out Isabel?" Katherine asked.
"I would directly refuse him." Isabel replied calmly.
"What if he persists?" Valeria pressed further.
"I would send him to the hospital." Albert smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly, "But I think I won't have the chance. Aria seems like a smart person."
"Smart?" Valeria didn't think Aria was all that smart; his intentions were so transparent that they were easily seen through.
"Of course, he approached me instead of you because strangers, especially women, tend to be more cautious in a foreign country." Albert said calmly, "Even if he's handsome, an uninvited approach would still arouse wariness, making him seem insincere. If we become friends first, it would reduce your wariness."
"Hmm, that guy actually made a bet with someone that he would successfully woo one of you." Isabel suddenly spoke up.
The atmosphere became a little strange, and Katherine narrowed her eyes, "Are you sure?"
"Mr. Aria isn't skilled in Occlumency." Isabel took a sip of her drink and said indifferently, "It's not difficult to discern his thoughts."
"After you two get married, Albert's life will probably be more challenging." Valeria teased.
"Albert is skilled in Occlumency. I can't read his thoughts, nor do I randomly pry into others' minds." Isabel said calmly, "Of course, I also don't have the habit of sharing my boyfriend."
"Don't say that, I'm not trying to take him from you. I can even help you keep an eye on him." Valeria's words were veiled, but Albert understood her implication.
What was this girl's deal? Did Ukrainian girls tend to be this open?
(End of Chapter)
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