A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 83 : Encountering the one that looks like his mother

After some bargaining with the shopkeeper, she managed to purchase a selection of high-quality fabrics for a thousand gold coins—a price much lower than what they would have paid in the capital.

"This is a steal," she mused, handing over the payment.

Kael only nodded. He didn't understand fashion, but if Laura was happy, that was what mattered.

Once they left the store, Kael led her toward a bookstore, much to Laura's surprise.

"A bookstore?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I want to pick up some novels for Melissa," Kael replied. "Something she probably hadn't read it."

Laura frowned slightly but said nothing. She wasn't exactly thrilled about her husband buying gifts for a wife other than her, but she knew how hard Melissa had been working lately—managing the finances of the Moonstone Estate and overseeing the progress of the shipyard. Not to mention the fact that she was close with her and it is not like her competitive relationship with their eldest sister.

"She deserves a small gift," Kael added, as if sensing Laura's reluctance.

After a moment of silence, Laura sighed. "Fine. Let's not take too long. We are here on a quest, after all."

Kael narrowed his eyes, glancing at her. "Where was that time when you spent two hours in that clothing store, huh?" He spoke in his head, keeping his thoughts to himself in the end.

After spending some time asking around, Kael and Laura finally found a suitable place—a small alchemist lab available for rent.

The location was beneath a common two-story residence, with a large metal shutter partially closed. A wooden board outside displayed the rental details:

10 gold coins per hour (if rented for less than 6 hours)

8 gold coins per hour (if rented between 6 to 12 hours)

5 gold coins per hour (if rented for more than 12 hours)

Additionally, the board clearly stated that the entire amount had to be paid in advance and that the lab was available only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Kael stepped forward and knocked on the half-closed shutter. There was a brief moment of silence before it was pulled open.

Standing before them was a slender, red-haired woman, possibly in her late thirties.

Kael's breath caught in his throat. For a moment, he was frozen in place.

She wasn't identical, but her features—her face shape, the curve of her eyes, even the way she stood—strongly reminded him of his mother.

A strange feeling gripped his chest.

Laura, noticing his reaction, gave him a puzzled look before clearing her throat. "Excuse us, but we're here to inquire about the lab rental."

The woman glanced between them before nodding. "Come in."

The red-haired woman welcomed Kael and Laura inside, gesturing for them to inspect the place at their leisure. The space was well-maintained, though it had an air of frequent use, the faint scent of herbs and minerals lingering in the air.

The downstairs area, situated beneath the two-story residence, was neatly divided into three rooms. The first, facing the entrance, resembled a small office, complete with a desk, bookshelves filled with alchemical texts, and a few neatly stacked scrolls.

"This is where I handle transactions and store my records. Of course, you aren't allowed to peek into them," the woman explained, crossing her arms as she watched them take in their surroundings.

Beyond the office, two doors led to separate rooms. The door to the right opened into a spacious alchemy lab. Kael immediately noted its impressive features—perfect ventilation to allow smoke to escape, a temperature control spell embedded into the walls, and reinforced flooring designed to withstand explosions. It was the ideal setup for an alchemist.

The room was fully equipped with various alchemical tools: an alembic for distillation, a retort for refining essences, crucibles for high-heat experiments, glass vials and flasks of different shapes and sizes, a furnace with an athanor, a charcoal burner, and even scales with precise weights.

Even the finer details weren't overlooked—glass stirring rods, filtration papers, astrological charts, candles, and incense lined the worktables. Everything an alchemist could need was here, except for a personal cauldron, which Penelope would bring herself.

Kael nodded in approval, exchanging a glance with Laura. This was better than what Penelope asked for. Moreover, the budget is even less than what his client had allotted for it. Hence, by law, whatever remaining goes into his pocket.

"Not bad," Laura admitted, running her fingers along a well-polished worktable. "The place looks sturdy enough to handle a few explosions."

The woman chuckled. "It's been tested more times than I'd like. I take pride in keeping it in top condition. Now, about the rental—how long do you need it?"

Kael crossed his arms. "Thirty hours at the very least. We will also need the priority for another ten hours of extension if we decide on it, later on."

"Alright." The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly pleased. "That would be a total of 150 gold coins."

Laura sighed but nodded, pulling out a pouch of gold. "Fine, but if anything goes wrong from your side, I expect a refund."

The woman smirked. "You won't be disappointed."

After a while, Kael and Laura sat down across from the woman, who introduced herself as Nadia. She poured them each a cup of tea, the aroma of dried herbs filling the cozy office space. The warm, slightly bitter taste hinted at a blend of mint and chamomile, a calming mix meant to ease conversations.

As they sipped their tea, Nadia's eyes subtly studied them—assessing, calculating. She leaned back in her chair and tilted her head slightly. "You two don't look like the usual travelers passing through," she remarked, a curious smile playing on her lips. "Your attire, your demeanor… you're nobles, aren't you?"

Kael and Laura exchanged glances, but before they could respond, Nadia continued.

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not particularly interested in your identities or what kind of potion you plan to make that requires a thirty-hour rental," she calmly said, stirring her own tea absentmindedly. "However, I do need to meet the alchemist first before I agree to the rental. The alchemist's identity is important for me. I'm not renting my lab to someone with a bounty on their head."

Laura arched an eyebrow. "And how are you so sure that neither of us is an alchemist?"

Nadia chuckled and took a slow sip of her tea before setting the cup down. "I've been renting out this place for years, and I've met dozens of alchemists," she said matter-of-factly. "Do you know what all seasoned alchemists have in common?"

Laura shook her head.

"The smell, Young Lady. The smell," Nadia answered with a knowing smile. "No matter how much perfume they put on or how much soap they scrub with, the lingering scent of herbs, minerals, and burnt residue clings to them. It seeps into their skin, their clothes… their very presence." She exhaled softly. "But you two?" She gestured at them with a casual wave of her hand. "You both smell too fresh. No trace of the usual alchemical residues. Sure, I can smell blood from one of you, but not those an alchemist had."

As Nadia looked at Kael when she spoke at the last part of the sentence, Laura couldn't help but glance at her husband from the corner of her eyes. "Did he encounter trouble earlier, in the mountains?"

Nadia then leaned forward, her gaze sharp as she added. "Besides, I saw how you looked at the equipment in the lab. Neither of you recognized half of them. Most of your gazes were on the ventilations and the walls." She tapped her finger on the table. "In fact, I'd bet you've never practiced alchemy in your lives."

Laura crossed her arms, slightly annoyed at being read so easily, but before she could say anything, Nadia suddenly turned her attention to Kael, studying his face closely.

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Then, her eyes narrowed slightly, a look of mild surprise crossing her features.

Kael blinked. "What?"

"Is there something on my face?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "For a while, you have been staring at me weirdly."

Laura couldn't help but steal another glance at Kael, her sharp eyes catching the way he was still staring at Nadia, as if he was lost in thought. A small frown crept onto her face. She didn't like that look.

Without hesitation, she nudged his thigh under the table.

Kael snapped out of his daze. Realizing his folly, he quickly straightened up and cleared his throat. "Ah, my apologies," he said to Nadia. "I didn't mean to stare. You look a little like my mother."

Both Laura and Nadia were taken aback by his words. "Your Mother? Do I look that old?" Nadia asked, putting up a humorous smile on her face.

Kael hurriedly answered, waving his hands. "No… no. I don't mean that. My mother passed away when I was a child and the image of my mother in my head is mostly from the portraits we had at our home." He let out a small breath. "And her anniversary is approaching, so I guess I've just been thinking about her a lot lately. I apologize for making you uncomfortable"

Nadia studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, her gaze softened. "I see…" she murmured, as if understanding something unspoken.

Laura, on the other hand, remained silent, watching Kael carefully. She had never heard him talk much about his mother before. Moreover, she never saw her late mother-in-law's portraits in the mansion either. According to the stewardess, Mia shifted all of those family paintings and portraits to the storage room so that she and her brother don't remember them and then miss them.

A pause hung in the air.