Duke spent considerable effort relying on polite inquiries to find the location of this meeting. His handsome appearance and perfect physique also provided him with many conveniences, as he inquired primarily with female wizards.
During this process of asking for directions, several female wizards had already added his Wizardâs Mark.
Duke hadnât anticipated being so popular, not realizing that in the eyes of those female wizards, he was as enticing as a fresh fruit.
The few female wizards he had recently added were all of Official Wizard level. Duke felt he needed to be cautious as he had no self-defense abilities in front of these Official Wizards.
The meeting was held in a spiral staircase room, surrounded by concentric circles of seats, with a podium at the bottom serving as the speakersâ area.
Duke met Steven, the branch president of the Harbor Cityâs Magic Potion Association.
Steven was an elderly man with graying hair, sharp eyes like an eagle, a prominently hooked nose, and a pair of round glasses perched on it.
As he took the information Duke brought, Steven sighed and muttered to himself, "Hela is a promising talent, such a pity. I wish she could come, we need more exchanges, always cooped up on that island..."
He genuinely hoped Hela could come, but in the end, she just sent a Wizard Apprentice to handle things.
After Duke submitted Helaâs Blood of War improvement plan, his remaining task was merely to sit in Helaâs seat until the evening concluded and then leave.
This was his entire work content; the meeting did not require him to speak. He just needed to listen, though he most likely wouldnât understand.
Duke specifically brought a quill pen and notebook to record some of the meeting content.
It didnât matter if he couldnât understand; he decided to jot everything down and research later.
Duke wouldnât pass up such an opportunity to gain insights into Magic Potion knowledge.
After finding Helaâs seat amidst the densely packed chairs, he sat down.
After a while, Duke saw an unexpected personâLand Masterâs student, Merrick.
Merrick naturally didnât recognize Duke, as he was currently sitting beside a stern-looking middle-aged man, showing great respect.
"Could that be Master Land?" Duke speculated.
He glanced at the name in front of the seat and found it was indeed Master Land.
Master Land was known as such for his deep knowledge in the field of Alchemy.
Duke didnât expect Master Land would attend the Magic Potion Association meeting, indicating that he must have accomplishments in Magic Potion as well.
Seeing Merrick reminded Duke of the Jokic Clan.
So far, there hasnât been any news about negotiations between Master Land and the Jokic Clan, presumably meaning an agreement wonât be reached anytime soon.
Duke stopped looking at Master Land, trying to minimize his presence.
For him, the longer things dragged on between the two sides, the better, as it decreased the likelihood of his involvement.
The room was getting increasingly crowded, with about seventy percent of the seats filled. Still, there were empty ones with names, suggesting others like Hela hadnât shown up.
Duke glanced around and saw that most were Official Wizards, with a few young Wizard Apprentices scattered about.
However, these Wizard Apprentices were evidently there with their elders, likely to gain experience and broaden their horizons.
"Ahem, ahem." Steven cleared his throat, and the venue gradually quieted down.
Standing on the podium below, he looked around at the wizards and said, "Itâs an honor to have you all participate in this Magic Potion Association exchange meeting. Promoting the development and growth of Magic Potion is always our associationâs goal..."
After a lengthy opening statement, Steven began introducing some achievements of the alchemists.
He first showcased Helaâs research achievement, detailing the improvement plan and ideas for the Blood of War, including potential optimization directions.
The entire process was projected using magical power into the air, ensuring everyone could see the formulas, data, etc.
After Steven finished presenting Helaâs research, an elderly woman came up to discuss her research on Demon Flower and its applications.
Only then did Duke realize that wizards needed to present their content personally. Since Hela didnât come, Steven had to do it for her.
At that moment, he understood better why Hela didnât want to come; there were just too many people here.
Standing in front of so many people to speak would indeed be daunting and a significant challenge for Hela.
As time passed, more wizards came up one after another to present their research achievements, with plenty of Q&A sessions in between for mutual exchanges.
Duke spent the entire time taking notes, his quill pen constantly moving.
Many terms he hadnât heard before, nor did he understand their meaning, so he could only jot them down for future study.
This meeting had no breaks, continuing from morning until night.
Only at sunset did Steven have to reluctantly conclude the meeting as dusk fell over Harbor City.
Many wizards continued their discussions, as that time wasnât nearly enough for them.
However, the meeting couldnât go on indefinitely; otherwise, it could last a month without ending. Further discussions had to be personal and private.
After the meeting, the Magic Potion Association hosted a banquet and dance party.
Of course, Duke wouldnât miss out, eagerly consuming every dish offered, without concern for appearances.
He could tell many foods were of high quality, containing vast amounts of energy that he couldnât possibly digest.
He didnât partake in any social activities during the dance party, as a second-class Wizard Apprentice, no one would bother socializing with him.
However, a few women who seemed to be noble ladies invited him to their homes for a drink after the party.
Duke declined all invitations; he had no intention of leaving with women he couldnât overpower.
He quietly slipped away shortly after the dance began, knowing his absence wouldnât be noticed.
Duke had already received a message from Vivianâshe would be arriving in Harbor City tomorrow.
Thorn Holy Tower was somewhat distant from Harbor City; Vivian was coming by Floating Airship, which would take two hours.
Vivian recently succeeded in advancing to second-class Wizard Apprentice and was very busy, so she took two rare days off to meet with Duke.
When Duke left, it was during Harbor Cityâs most bustling time, with scantily clad female wizards everywhere on the streets.
As he walked, he received countless invitations; some female wizards gazed at Duke as if they were hungry wolves, wanting to devour him right there on the street.