楼上的上瘾女士

The one who pointed looked by far the youngest of the six with black hair tied into a ponytail and an easy-going smile on his face.

Now that Hal had the time to observe the room as a whole, he noticed the one who had pointed was also the only one not to have a youngster sitted close to him even though there was an empty seat nonetheless.

Among the others present were three with grey hair which was surely a testament to their age despite them still looking relatively young and the other two had brown and black hair each.

Looking at the apprentices present allowed Hal to understand the youngest man's statement of 'another pretty boy'.

Of the five apprentices, four were handsome males with expressions varying from ass-kissing to condescending.

Of course, not all expressions were directed at Hal.

The branch head drew himself to full height with an air of smugness about him as he moved to introduce the most notable Alchemists in the Silva Duchy. He pointed to the three with grey hairs, 

"This are Masters Antonin, Firmin, and Leopold" 

The three whose names had been called only made a curt gesture with their heads before The branch head moved on and introduced the Brown and black-haired Alchemist masters as "Masters Marc and Nicholas" respectively.

The two made the same gestures.

And finally, the youngest of them all was introduced, 

"He's Master Alexis and the latest addition to the ranks of notable Alchemists. He's regarded as an Alchemy genius and is now mentoring a genius of his own. The lady Adeline Silva."

'So that's her name' Hal thought.

With the Alchemists introduced and their apprentices ignored, the branch head pointed to Arya, 

"This is Alchemist Nadia" 

Suddenly the impassioned looks of the six Alchemy masters changed and they looked up at Arya with a gaze of interest while she made a respectful gesture towards them.

While she was very well known, her spiritual sense was still at the Sixth rank while Masters Antonin, Firmin, and Leopold were at the seventh rank intermediate but not quite at the eighth while the other three were solidly at the seventh rank.

They all outranked her and she saw no reason to show disrespect, however, once she straightened up, she frowned slightly as she turned towards the branch head, 

"What about Lady Eleanor. I remember quite well that she was a notable Alchemy master in the Silva Duchy as well." She said.

The branch head looked a little taken aback before clearing his throat to speak but before he could, Master Antonin interrupted with an input,

"Well, she declined to visit today even though we had something important to discuss. Apparently, she wishes to break through to the eighth rank and 'Does not wish to waste her time like the rest of us'"

Although Antonin chuckled at the end of those words, it was clear he did not take kindly to Eleanor dissing the meeting.

Arya took a seat and so did Hal and Karmen. 

"In other news, I have heard so much about you Lady Nadia and top of it all was how you braved the dangers to the Dystopian continent and struck a blow to their Alchemist Guild." Master Nicholas said and while he worked hard to hide it, Hal could still detect faint awe in his words.

Arya bowed with a smile, 

"You honor me" she said.

Hal of course knew what they were referring to.

When Arya had made use of the Alchemist Organization's influence to go across the border and search into her mother's origins, she had also worked as an agent of the organization.

She infiltrated the Dystopian Alchemy Guild (as it was called) and stole a precious Divine pill recipe that could only be refined by an alchemist whose Spiritual sense reached the limit of the mortal realm.

An alchemist whose Spiritual sense became Divine or more crudely called the legendary Rank 9.

Of course, after that, she also performed other notable deeds that guaranteed that while still at Rank 6, she was still highly respected among her peers.

"No, instead it would be far more accurate to say that we do not honor you enough" Master Antonin said in a calm voice and his eyes closed.

"So who is the pretty boy?" Master Alexis asked even though it should have been obvious.

Master Marc rolled his eyes, 

"What is your issue with handsome youngsters." He asked and it was obvious that this was not his first time asking Alexis that question.

Alexis shrugged with a smile, 

"In my experience, they are usually entitled pricks who believe the world should fall at their feet just because they look good and are from prominent families" he said and Marc's apprentice, a handsome young man from a prominent family sneered at him.

"Actually, Hal is not from a prominent family. I found him in a city now called Sapphire city and recognized his talent" Arya said with a light smile.

"Oh, is that so?" He asked and I stared at Hal for a while finding it hard to believe what Arya said.

"Yes, it is so" Arya replied with a nod.

"What of the girl?" Alexis asked and from the look in his eyes, Hal could tell he had picked up on Karmen's protectiveness and was making the assumption that she was his guard.

"She protects him as best she can" Arya said.

"Oh I see" Alexis said with a smirk as though she just proved his point.

Master Antonin being the only one present with a female apprentice decided to bring order to the room, 

"Enough. We were having a discussion before Alchemist Nadia arrived and I will much prefer we continue now. Nice as it is to finally put a face to your illustrious name, I'll like to leave here as soon as I can.

The fact that I came here alone should already prove I am much better than that old crone" he said and the last part of his words was directed at the branch head who cleared his throat again, 

"I do admit that it was not right of Lady Eleanor to ignore this meeting but we also have to respect her diligence to continue to further herself on the path of Alchemy.

Anyway, yes, we should continue the meeting and I would like for Lady Nadia to be a part of it" he said.

"We have no issue with her staying." Master Leopold said and the so-far silent Firmin nodded along with everyone else.

"Well then, the apprentices will have to excuse us as the conversations are about to become too sensitive to be discussed before possible participants." The branch head said.

"Of course they have to leave. Adeline left already and I would have expected the pretty boys to take that as their cue to leave as well" Alexis said and Hal was starting to believe he had no intentions of letting his prejudices go.

He wondered what a handsome entitled prick once did to the genius Alchemist.

"Well, then I should leave as well. My apprentice is here to take the Ranking test." Arya said.

"So what? You don't have to be there with him" Antonin said just as his beautiful black-haired apprentice stood up to walk out of the room and await the end of her Master's meeting.

The branch head turned to Arya and retrieved a token from his spatial ring which he gave to Hal, 

"That token will allow him to take the tests free of all charges  just as I promised. I would really like for you to stay" he told her.

Arya sighed and after Hal told her it was fine she agreed just as he stood up with Karmen and left the room soon followed by the four male apprentices.

Once outside, he met the black-haired female apprentice who smiled at him tentatively, 

"I can lead you to the test center if you want"

Hal smiled at her, 

"Sure, why not."