Although coffee beans had broad prospects for application, improving a potion formula was no easy task. Even though coffee beans shared the same refreshing and mind-stimulating effects as the expensive Magic Plants used to brew Awakening Potions, they were not Magic Plants after all. Their brewing methods would inevitably differ significantly from those of Awakening Potions, which used Magic Plants as their primary ingredient. Potion-making was a highly rigorous discipline; a formula could not be changed on a whim. It required meticulous research by an Alchemy Master.
However, at the end of the day, none of this had anything to do with Brand. This was an issue for the Alchemy Masters to consider. Brand only needed to confirm the potential future value of coffee beans. As a Noble Descendant, fighting for his own interests was an instinct carved into his bloodline.
Meeting Professor Morian’s slightly feverish gaze, Brand revealed a faint smile.
"Professor Morian, you must have realized its value by now," he said. "If I wasn’t a bit strapped for cash lately and in need of funds to purchase a Demon Core, I definitely wouldn’t have brought this out. It has the potential to become one of the Holland family’s future pillar industries!"
Seeing Brand completely ignore his acquisition proposal, Professor Morian felt a bit uneasy. He admitted that his previous offer to buy the coffee beans had been somewhat whimsical. However, Brand’s implication—that if he weren’t short on money recently, he would undoubtedly pass the coffee beans down as a family heirloom generation after generation—left the pure-hearted researcher at a loss for words. Reading between the lines, Brand was actually highlighting one specific quality of the coffee beans: they were expensive!
It was well known that on the Fains Continent, nobles were secretly despised and referred to as black-hearted slave drivers and cunning merchants. Despite mingling among the nobility for a long time, Professor Morian still maintained the "pure heart" of a scholar and researcher. In plain terms, whenever he engaged in commercial negotiations with nobles, he was always taken advantage of! God knew why these children, born of ordinary parents just like anyone else, were so treacherous and crafty!
Although he strongly resisted entering into commercial negotiations with a noble’s son like Brand, his recent firsthand experience confirmed that the plant seeds Brand named "coffee beans" indeed possessed immense research value. After all, replicating the growth conditions of ordinary plants was vastly easier than doing so for Magic Plants! Therefore, if he could truly develop an Awakening Potion that used coffee beans to replace those expensive Magic Plants, its cost would drop visibly! The value in this was unimaginable! Imagining an endless supply of research materials in the future, Professor Morian felt incredibly thrilled.
Professor Morian had no intention of letting such a massive windfall slip through his fingers! However, he wasn’t prepared to surrender his rightful benefits for nothing, either. He began pondering how to secure the greatest advantage for himself.
Soon, he found a breakthrough!
As Brand had said, coffee beans held enormous potential value. Unless someone was in desperate need of money, a normal person would never bring them out. And Brand had just mentioned he was short on funds to buy a Demon Core.
Linking this to the upcoming final exams, Professor Morian felt there must be a close connection. Yet, missing a crucial piece of the puzzle made it difficult for him to see the hidden truth.
He thought, "Is it possible that the genius Brand lacks the confidence to pass the final exam, and now wants to absorb a Demon Core to rapidly reach the Junior Mage Apprentice level, thus earning an exemption from the first semester’s tests? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Because his rapid thinking consumed a large amount of Energy in a short time, from Brand’s perspective, a thin layer of fine sweat had broken out on Professor Morian’s forehead.
Seeing this, the gentle and considerate Mr. Brand pulled out a tissue and handed it over. "Professor Morian? You seem a bit nervous?" he asked with concern.
"No, no, no! I’m not nervous!"
Watching Professor Morian’s aged face suddenly turn red, Brand began to wonder if the professor suffered from some kind of illness.
Morian also realized his unconscious lapse in composure and quickly changed the subject. "Mr. Brand, are you confident about next week’s final exam?"
Although Professor Morian suddenly bringing up the final exams made Brand panic internally, his innate noble acting Talent allowed him to put on a face full of confidence.
"Of course. After studying hard this semester, I’m quite confident about the exam at the end of the term."
The confidence Brand displayed made Professor Morian dismiss the highly improbable theory he had just come up with. It made sense; the fundamental method to improve Spiritual Power was Meditation, and Meditation was an extremely tedious process. For someone to excel at such a boring task, learning some Basic knowledge surely wouldn’t be difficult for Brand. Besides, something with such massive lucrative potential as coffee beans couldn’t possibly have the slightest connection to a trivial matter like the Mage Academy’s final exams.
He thought, "Then perhaps Brand wants to use this opportunity to absorb a Demon Core and become a Junior Mage Apprentice, thereby cementing his status as a genius in the Mage Academy! The Empire Mage Academy hasn’t had such a talented student in a long time! As the second son of a Viscount who cannot inherit the title, he must bear more pressure—not just from his status, but mostly from his siblings. Starting to accumulate personal fame and capital to separate from the family before even coming of age... Brand is already a model of early maturity among the nobles! He must face no shortage of strange looks from the legal heir at home! No wonder Brand brought out something as precious as coffee beans. Oh well! Investing in a genius while they are still weak is a surefire bargain. With his Viscount father secretly looking after him, Brand’s path of growth away from home should be smooth sailing. It’s just a little bit of petty profit anyway. Besides... I probably wouldn’t win the negotiation regardless!"
After a moment of contemplation, Professor Morian threw in the towel!
However, for the sake of his business partner’s safety, he still offered some advice. "Mr. Brand, I understand your idea of wanting to quickly reach the Junior Mage Apprentice level by absorbing a Demon Core."
Hearing the words "I understand your idea of wanting to quickly reach the Junior Mage Apprentice," Brand’s heartbeat skipped a beat. However, relying on his strong Will, he didn’t show it.
He thought, "So what if he finds out? Adding one more underachiever to the ranks doesn’t make a difference!"
Just as Brand was preparing to confess honestly, Professor Morian’s next words made him swallow his prepared speech.
"Although honor can help with your awkward situation at home," Professor Morian continued pointedly, "you must know that being too famous isn’t necessarily a good thing. Only with proper concealment can you develop more securely."
Professor Morian’s words left Brand feeling a bit bewildered.
He thought, "Awkward situation? I don’t think I’m in an awkward situation."