Andrew just asked Mikayla one simple question: "You want me to work for the Owens family? Come on. Mikayla, you’re not exactly a kid anymore. Do you really think the Owens family deserves me? Or are you saying you do?"

Mikayla’s face flushed bright red with anger and humiliation. "Fine! Since you don’t know what’s good for you, forget it. Without the Sovereign’s Apothecary backing you, and with the Divine Alchemists actively suppressing you from above, I’d like to see how far you get in the world of alchemy."

Andrew could not even be bothered to respond, simply turning and walking away without another word.

Amari let out a bitter laugh as they left. "Andrew, walking away like this feels good and all, but Sovereign’s Apothecary is still the most prestigious alchemist institution in all of Chetvine. Are we really going to start from scratch now? Setting everything else aside, if we don’t find a reliable group to align with, just securing the raw materials for alchemy is going to be a massive headache."

Andrew remained unbothered. "Why are you panicking? The world is vast, and no one is so important that you can’t survive without them. Besides, it’s obvious that the Divine Alchemists are using Sovereign’s Apothecary to try to monopolize the entire field, and you saw it yourself: any alchemist who refuses to submit gets kicked out. This leader of theirs, Julius Bowen, clearly has a big ambition and appetite, but I’m not about to let him get what he wants."

Amari looked worried. "What are you planning to do, Andrew?"

Andrew kept walking ahead. "No rush. First, let’s go talk to Madam Baxter."

When they arrived at Brielle’s courtyard, they found her sitting on a plush couch, staring out the window in silence.

Amari cleared his throat and called out, "Madam Baxter."

Brielle turned to face them, her expression unreadable beneath her veil. She nodded and said, "I’m truly sorry about all this."

Andrew smiled gently. "From what I know of you, you’re not the sentimental type. You’re not seriously getting upset just because Titus showed up and stripped you of your authority, are you?"

Brielle shook her head slowly. "I’ve been at Sovereign’s Apothecary for nearly 20 years, and honestly, I’ve grown tired of it. Deep down, I know I should have left a long time ago, so what’s bothering me isn’t really about Titus at all."

Andrew’s intuition kicked in. "Oh? Is it because of Julius?"

Brielle’s gaze deepened, and she let out a small, amused sigh. "Your mouth really has no filter. That’s not a name you can just toss around. Mr. Bowen’s reputation, power, and influence are far beyond even your family’s patriarch."

Andrew scoffed. "If Julius were truly a respectable man, I’d be the first to show him respect. But you’ve seen what kind of person he is. I’ve done nothing to him, yet he sends Titus and Theon to stir up trouble for me. He even dragged you into it."

He sneered. "And he dares call himself a leader? My rule’s simple: if someone treats me with respect, I’ll return it tenfold. But if someone pushes me, I’ll push back harder, no matter who they are."

Amari laughed awkwardly, trying to diffuse the tension. "Andrew, maybe tone it down a bit. We can ignore Titus and the others, but Mr. Bowen really is one of the most powerful men in the world. You might not want to go too far with that talk."