Chapter 154: The true value of the Boutique 2

Adam understood.

"So rare... but not nearly mythical."

"Exactly," Isadora replied.

Vespera added:

"Luck is different."

"Items capable of permanently increasing it are much rarer."

Adam immediately thought of the price.

75,000 PS.

"That explains a lot."

Elena continued:

"If you can simply possess a Power Gem temporarily..."

"It could then become part of your selection."

Adam nodded.

"Potentially."

"Even if it costs several thousand PS..."

Selene finished:

"A permanent increase is still worthwhile."

Adam looked at his Luck stat.

Then he thought about the others.

"Very interesting."

Vespera then had her own list.

"Scrolls."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Which ones?"

"Certain single-use scrolls."

She explained:

"There are spells that are too complex or too ancient to be easily reproduced."

"Some are preserved as scrolls prepared centuries ago."

"Once used, they disappear."

Adam understood immediately.

"So, irreplaceable items."

"Sometimes."

Vespera nodded.

"If the Shop can create new copies..."

She smiled.

"Then a supposedly unique scroll isn’t truly unique anymore."

Adam thought for a moment.

"Provided the price isn’t completely absurd."

"Obviously."

Selene chimed in:

"Even if it’s expensive, it can be worth it in certain situations."

Adam nodded.

An exceptional scroll purchased at the right time could probably make all the difference.

Elaria immediately added:

"Ancient Elixirs."

Adam turned his head.

"Something else irreplaceable?"

"Yes."

She explained:

"Some recipes have disappeared."

"Wars."

"Destruction of libraries."

"Disappearance of alchemists."

"Ingredients that have become impossible to find."

"Sometimes a few original bottles remain, preserved in treasure chests."

Vespera added:

"Some have become historical artifacts rather than consumables."

Adam chuckled.

"Because no one dares to drink them."

"Exactly."

Shiora seemed to grasp the potential immediately.

Adam held up a finger to her.

"No."

"I haven’t said anything yet."

"But you were thinking about the price."

Shiora smiled.

"Obviously."

Adam sighed.

Then Astraea spoke.

"The ingredients will probably be even more interesting."

Elaria and Lyriana nodded almost simultaneously.

Adam looked at the three elves.

"Why do you all have the same expression?"

Lyriana replied:

"Because Sylvaris probably has the largest collection of extinct plant species on the continent."

Adam froze.

"Excuse me?"

Astraea smiled.

"You heard me right."

Adam slowly put down his fork.

"How many?"

Astraea thought for a moment.

"A lot."

"How many?"

Elaria answered this time:

"Several thousand species are preserved in the protected levels of the World Tree."

Adam looked at the three plants in turn.

"Several thousand extinct plants?"

Lyriana corrected him:

"Not all of them extinct."

"Some have simply become extremely rare."

Astraea added:

"But among those that have truly disappeared from the wild..."

She thought for a moment.

"We probably possess the majority for this continent."

Adam remained silent.

Then he asked:

"How so?"

This time, Astraea seemed almost amused by his reaction.

"It’s an extremely ancient tradition."

She put down her cup.

"From such ancient times that no one knows exactly when it began."

"When a new plant species is discovered..."

"A specimen is sent to the World Tree."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Every time?"

"Whenever possible."

Elaria continued:

"Medicinal plant." "

"Flower."

"Tree."

"Mushroom."

"Vine."

"Aquatic plant."

"Magical species."

"Even some plants considered useless."

Adam gradually understood.

"You’ve built a kind of biological archive."

Astraea smiled.

"That’s a good way to describe it."

Lyriana added:

"The principle was simple."

"As long as at least one specimen survives in the World Tree..."

"The species hasn’t completely disappeared."

Adam remained silent.

He immediately thought back to his old world.

Seed banks.

Botanical collections.

Genetic reserves.

But here...

They had something much more powerful.

"And they’re still alive?"

"Yes," Astraea replied.

Adam blinked.

"Even those that disappeared centuries ago?"

"Yes."

"Millennia ago?"

Astraea thought for a moment.

"For some, probably."

Adam remained silent for several seconds.

"How do you keep them alive?"

Elaria replied:

"The World Tree."

Obviously.

She explained:

"Part of its internal layers has specially maintained environments."

"Temperature."

"Humidity."

"Mana."

"Soil."

"Light."

"Everything can be adjusted."

Astraea added:

"And the World Tree’s life energy prevents certain very fragile species from completely perishing."

Adam understood.

"So as long as they stay there..."

"They can survive."

"Even if their natural environment no longer exists."

"Yes."

Adam leaned slightly toward the table.

"Then why not simply replant them in the wild?"

This time, Elaria looked more troubled.

"Because preserving a plant and recreating an ecosystem capable of sustaining it are two very different things."

Adam nodded slowly.

She continued:

"Some required concentrations of mana that no longer exist."

"Others depended on animals that are now extinct."

"On soils altered by ancient magical catastrophes."

"On specific seasons."

"On symbioses with other plants."

Astraea added:

"We’ve tried many times."

"For some species, it works."

"For others, it doesn’t." "

Lyriana concluded:

"Then we’ll keep them."

Adam suddenly understood why they seemed so interested in his Shop.

"And if I can register them..."

Astraea smiled.

"Even if one day the last specimen disappears..."

Adam finished:

"The Shop could potentially produce another one."

Silence.

This time, the importance went far beyond mere curiosity.

Elaria placed her hands on the table.

"Exactly."

Adam thought quickly.

"But I would have to be temporarily considered the owner of each specimen."

Astraea nodded.

"Or a viable part of it."

Adam looked at her.

"One leaf is enough?"

"We don’t know."

"A seed?"

"Perhaps."

"A fruit?"

Elaria replied:

"We’ll have to test it."

Adam smiled.

"So tomorrow, we’re doing botany."

Astraea giggled.

"Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the conservation levels."

Adam turned to her.

"All of this is actually in the World Tree?"

"Yes."

"How many levels?"

Astraea thought for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"You’ll see tomorrow."

Adam narrowed his eyes.

"I hate it when you do that."

Lyriana replied:

"We know."

Isadora gradually steered the conversation toward something more practical.

"The departure for the Black Abyss is scheduled for two days from now."

Adam nodded.

"Yes."

Isadora looked at the others.

"So we have tomorrow to prepare what we can reasonably have him record before leaving."

Shiora immediately started a list.

Adam sighed.

"Of course."

Isadora continued:

"No need to empty Valoria’s treasures."

Shiora looked up.

"Too bad."

"Shiora."

"Just kidding."

No one believed her.

Isadora continued:

"Priority to rare items whose disappearance would be truly problematic." "

Elaria added:

"And the materials we’ll need for research."

Vespera:

"Scrolls that are difficult to reproduce."

Elena:

"Stat gems we can legally access."

Lyriana added:

"And items whose strategic value justifies potential duplication."

Astraea concluded:

"I’ll take care of the plants."

Adam looked at all the women.

"You’ve already turned my shop into a collective project."

Shiora replied:

"Obviously."

"I should have kept quiet during dinner."

Selene smiled.

"Too late."

They gradually established several categories.

Rare materials.

Nearly exhausted ores.

Crystals that are difficult to extract.

Metals of very high purity.

Unusual magical components.

Stat-boosting items.

Gems of Strength.

Gems of Agility.

Gems of Endurance.

Gems of Intelligence.

Gems of Spirit.

The Gem of Luck remained in a separate category, much rarer.

Irreplaceable consumables.

Ancient scrolls.

Elixirs whose recipes had been lost.

Potions produced by vanished alchemical schools.

Lost ingredients.

Extinct plants.

Mushrooms that cannot be found.

Fruits of species extinct in nature.

Certain organic materials preserved for generations.

Historical artifacts.

Only when their handling presented no risk and their owner agreed to entrust them temporarily to Adam.

Adam emphasized this last point.

"I’m not going to start touching all the national treasures just because my shop could copy them."

Shiora tilted her head slightly.

"Why not?"

Adam looked at her.

"Because I’d like to avoid starting a diplomatic war before even visiting the capital."

Isadora agreed.

"Good decision."

They gradually finished their meal.

No sooner had the last plates been set down...

The Chamber reacted.

The dishes began to levitate.

The cutlery followed.

The leftovers were properly preserved.

The dishes disappeared into the kitchen.

A few seconds later, the table was perfectly clean.

Astraea watched the scene.

Then Adam.

"I still think this Room is far too convenient."

Adam nodded.

"I certainly won’t complain."

The large table then vanished.

The lounge area returned to its usual form.

Armchairs.

Sofas.

Cushions.

A coffee table appeared in the center.

The group settled down again.

This time...

No one needed to talk about dinner.

They had already found a much more important topic.

Tomorrow...

Adam would discover one of the oldest biological reserves on the continent.

Meanwhile, the others would begin gathering the rarest objects they could legally access.

And in two days...

The expedition to the Black Abyss would begin.

Adam sank slightly into his chair.

He looked at the group.

Then he sighed.

"I thought I’d discovered a Shop."

Shiora smiled.

"You’ve discovered an economic infrastructure."

Elaria shook her head.

"A material reserve."

Vespera corrected her:

"A method for reproducing rare magical resources."

Astraea added calmly:

"And perhaps a way to preserve what is in danger of disappearing."

Lyriana concluded:

"If we’ve correctly understood its rules."

Adam nodded.

That was the most important point.

Everything they had just said was still based on a theory.

A very solid theory.

But a theory nonetheless.

He smiled.

"So tomorrow..."

His gaze shifted to Astraea.

"We’ll test her."