Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

After indulging in a delightful meal at Mystic Hearth, Eren and Reen resumed their city tour with Arman back in the role of the tour guide.

Eren took the opportunity to visit a few shops, ensuring Arman acquired a stylish set of clothes and accessories that would transform his appearance from that of a street urchin to a more refined one.

Despite possessing the ability to make problems vanish in Sunhaven with a mere snap of his fingers, Eren preferred preemptive solutions over reactive ones.

He acknowledged the limitations of changing mortals' perspectives and behaviors and recognized that he couldn't force Sunhaven's residents to accept Arman for who he was. Rather than attempting to alter public opinion, Eren found it more convenient to create an illusion that Arman was a local Sunhaven resident rather than an outsider from the boonies.

To Arman's disbelief, he found himself guiding a man capable of making even the Eldorathian royalty dance in the palms of his hands. Witnessing Eren effortlessly resolve a significant conflict and establish a formal agreement with a royal scion, all while maintaining an air of calm and collected indifference, left Arman in awe.

It seemed as though challenges of this magnitude were inconsequential to Eren, regardless of their origins. In the kid's eyes, Eren was more of a magician than a Practioner.

Upon receiving additional support from Eren in the form of stylish clothing and accessories, Arman felt that serving Eren was worthwhile, even if there were no monetary rewards at the end of the tour. The transformation in his appearance alleviated the lingering awkwardness, instilling in him a sense of belonging to Sunhaven and the rightful claim to be there.

As evening descended, Eren concluded his city tour, mentally cataloging his observations and deciding on a residence for the next few years. Accompanied by Arman and Reen, he ventured to a secluded corner of the city, closer to the shore and largely abandoned by locals.

Here, he discovered precisely what he sought – an abandoned villa available for sale.

This villa enjoyed solitude, lacking immediate neighbors. A rustic wooden fence separated the backyard from the Sunhaven shore, providing an easy pathway for one to climb over and revel in the expansive view of the sea.

The villa, known locally as "Siren's Sanctuary," was nestled in a quiet corner of Sunhaven. Its two stories bore witness to the passage of time, and though its architecture showed signs of age, it exuded an undeniable charm.

Constructed from timeworn stone, Siren's Sanctuary featured a slightly faded but once-vibrant blue door that hinted at a maritime legacy. The exterior, now tinged with a soft, sea-salt patina, told stories of a time when captains and sailors might have sought refuge within its walls.

The front yard, though currently barren, offered the promise of potential. Once lively with blooming flowers and manicured hedges, it awaited the touch of a caring hand to restore its former glory. The architectural details, such as the arched windows and intricate wrought-iron railings on the second-floor balcony, bespoke an era when craftsmanship was an art form.

The villa held a rich history spanning generations. Constructed by a seasoned pseudo-D-Ranked sea captain, the villa served as a tranquil retreat between his maritime ventures, witnessing both seafaring exploits and intimate family gatherings. As Sunhaven evolved, and maritime activities shifted to a different harbor, the villa languished, patiently awaiting a practitioner with the means to restore its former glory.

The original owner, particular about the villa's fate, decreed that only E-Ranked or higher practitioners were eligible buyers. Moreover, he insisted on the payment not just in Direm but also invaluable mana-enriched resources.

Despite occasional visits from royalty and influential figures, the villa remained unclaimed, its distance from the bustling Sunhaven Harbor deterring potential buyers. Thus, the grand estate continued to await a new proprietor.

The locals whispered of ghostly echoes from the past, faint sounds of laughter, and the creaking of timeworn floorboards. Some even claimed to catch glimpses of a spectral figure gazing out from the second-floor balcony toward the distant sea. Whether true or merely the product of imaginative storytelling, Siren's Sanctuary held an undeniable allure.

Acquiring this once-majestic villa, Eren found himself drawn not only to its physical structure but also to the isolation it offered to him from the rest of the citizens. This was a very crucial parameter because of the kind of experiments he had planned to conduct at this place.

With plans to rejuvenate both the building and its surroundings, Siren's Sanctuary was poised to be more than a mere residence; it would become a fort for all his overt and covert activities.

Eren wasted no time in decisive action. Swiftly reaching out to the villa's owner, he presented a substantial sum of money and a collection of E-Ranked resources as an upfront payment.

The elderly proprietor, content with the offer, gladly agreed to part with the property, especially after receiving a generous supply of Serenity Potions from Eren. These potions, once a specialty of Purgatory, were now within Eren's expertise, and he had effortlessly crafted them using basic magical ingredients.

Eager to achieve a breakthrough into the revered D-Rank and extend his lifespan, the old man did not haggle and promptly accepted Eren's terms.

To finalize the acquisition, Eren utilized the medallion gifted by Wilfer to streamline matters with the city administration. Despite initial reluctance due to the abrupt nature of the request and the approaching day's end, the medallion compelled the administration to expedite the process.

As nightfall blanketed Sunhaven, Eren officially became the owner of Siren's Sanctuary. Stepping into the villa under the cover of darkness, a palpable sense of satisfaction radiated from him, signaling his contentment with the acquisition.

With a vision in mind, Eren aimed to transform the property into an apothecary, reminiscent of Aunt Nina's establishment in the City of Osan. His plans included the creation of a shop for vending potions and herbs, a secluded potion laboratory for crafting various elixirs, and a dispensary to cater to in-house patients, encompassing both mortals and Practitioners.

One could say that Eren had come full circle, evolving from seeking refuge in an apothecary during the early stages of his life to establishing one in a different world.

Despite the legitimate façade of the apothecary, it would serve as a cover for Eren's secret operations. He envisioned a spacious underground basement for conducting experiments in secrecy and harbored intentions of utilizing the shore as a discreet sea route for entering and exiting Sunhaven unbeknownst to others.

While unconcerned about deceiving mortals, Eren remained vigilant regarding the presence of the temple in the city. No matter how low-ranked the temple's followers were, Eren didn't want to underestimate the power of a goddess. Especially when there was a worldwide hunt taking place to find God Aleph's successor.

This was why he put so much effort into his cover.

To avoid complications, he meticulously executed his plans without raising any issues among the citizens.

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