You are done for, Hugo

Another five days passed. Ever since the tree spirits arrived, Elowyn had stopped visiting the glass house. However, Ashan remained persistent, checking in three to four times a day. He kept his progress to himself, refusing to answer Leone, Maria, or Boris whenever they inquired. His evasiveness led them to believe that he had failed in his ambitious project. Disheartened, they let go of their final hopes.

As usual, the household gathered around the main table for breakfast. The atmosphere was unusually quiet. Ashan's expression remained unreadable—calm, but devoid of any hint of emotion. Meanwhile, Elowyn's face concealed something mysterious, as though she knew a secret no one else did.

Everyone ate in silence, the weight of unspoken questions pressing heavily upon them. Once the meal was over, Ashan stood up and addressed the group.

"I believe everyone is free right now?"

"Yes," Leone nodded. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, but there's something I need to show you." Ashan paused, surveying their puzzled expressions. "You'll need to bring warm coats. Elowyn and I will wait outside while you prepare."

The three looked at one another in confusion but obeyed. A few minutes later, they emerged, wrapped in heavy coats, still uncertain about the need for them.

"Son, why these coats? It's not even cold outside," Maria questioned.

Ashan merely smiled. "You'll understand soon enough. Let's go."

He led the way toward the glass house, the others trailing behind him. Upon reaching the protective wall, they immediately noticed something different. The glass house was no longer transparent; black shutters covered most of its surface, with only a few gaps remaining. From the outside, they couldn't see what lay within.

Ashan stepped closer to the door but paused before opening it. His gaze turned toward Leone.

"Father, do you remember when I told you I wouldn't disappoint you?" His voice was steady, filled with confidence. "I've kept my promise. See for yourself."

Slowly, he pushed the door open halfway and stepped inside. The others followed closely behind.

The moment they entered, a sharp chill enveloped them. The temperature inside the glass house was far colder than anything they had expected. But that was not what stole their breath away. Everywhere they looked, healthy Lunaris plants thrived, their white flowers in full bloom. The once-barren space had transformed into a sanctuary of vitality. Tree spirits hovered diligently, supplying mana to the flourishing plants, their shimmering forms weaving between the stems.

Leone's heart skipped a beat. He struggled to process what he was seeing, unable to comprehend how such a miracle had occurred.

"How… How is this possible?" Boris stammered, shivering from both the cold and shock.

Maria covered her mouth, unable to utter a single word.

Their astonishment was evident, their eyes widening as they turned toward Ashan, searching for an explanation. Yet their tongues refused to move, frozen by disbelief.

Leone stepped forward without a word. Kneeling before the Lunaris plants, he reached out, his fingers grazing a delicate white flower. It was real—undeniably real. These plants had not been artificially forced into existence. They had grown naturally, against all odds.

A deep chuckle escaped Leone's throat, growing into a full-bodied laugh. He covered his face with his hands, his entire body trembling—not from the cold, but from overwhelming joy. Tears spilled from his eyes, unrestrained.

Maria soon followed, her own tears flowing freely. Boris, usually composed, grinned with sheer happiness.

Leone stood and pulled Ashan into a tight embrace. "You turned the impossible into reality. You are a miracle. A genius. I am so proud of you. Thank you."

Maria joined in, wrapping her arms around them both. Their happiness was immeasurable. Ashan, seeing their joy, allowed himself to truly smile.

…

News of the success spread quickly within the mansion. A message was sent to an esteemed medicinal plant expert—an elderly man with a long white beard—who arrived with his assistants to examine the Lunaris plants.

He carefully plucked a few flowers and spent nearly an hour running tests. When the process was complete, he stormed into the living room where everyone anxiously awaited his verdict.

Boris was the first to speak. "Well? What's the condition of the medicine?"

The expert grasped Boris's hands tightly, his voice trembling with excitement.

 "My lord… this is nothing short of a miracle. Something extraordinary has happened! The medicine extracted from these flowers is of significantly higher quality than what we've used before. What's even more unbelievable is that each flower produces twice the usual amount of medicine. This is a breakthrough of the highest order. My sincerest congratulations!"

The room fell silent for a moment before erupting into excitement.

Ashan, however, merely exhaled, unsurprised by the result.

Of course it should be. The plants grew in a controlled environment where every need was meticulously fulfilled. More importantly, the tree spirits provided them with an additional mana boost. These were no ordinary Lunaris plants—they were the ultimate version, far superior to anything that had existed before.

After the expert departed, everyone gathered around Ashan, eager to unravel the mystery.

"Son," Leone spoke first. "I am dying to know how you achieved this. And how in the world did you make it so cold in there?"

Ashan nodded. "Before anything began, I studied Lunaris plants extensively—their behaviors, climate preferences, and environmental needs. Based on my findings, I decided to recreate their ideal conditions artificially. To generate the cold, I used ice crystals. When submerged in water, these crystals rapidly freeze their surroundings. I distributed them strategically throughout the glass house to maintain the required temperature. To prevent heat loss, I sealed the structure, allowing only the spirits to manage the air circulation. For sunlight control, I installed cold-absorbing stones and automated shutters, fine-tuning the system until it reached the optimal balance."

Leone listened intently, nodding in admiration. "And the mana supply?"

Ashan smiled. "I remembered what you said about giving tree mana to Lunaris being a failure. So I experimented with a different approach. Instead of external mana, I used Lunaris' own mana, feeding it back into the plants. This acted like a stimulant, accelerating their growth and improving their quality."

Everyone was stunned by his explanation. The concept was entirely new—something no one had ever attempted before.

"This is remarkable," Boris murmured. "How did you even come up with such an idea?"

Ashan shrugged. "I simply looked at things differently. At first, it seemed impossible, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try. So I did. To achieve this, Elowyn helped me a lot"

Boris chuckled. "Well then, my dear young inventor, since you're the first to conceive this method, you have the right to name it."

Ashan closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift as he reflected on the significance of what he had accomplished.

It's true that I introduced this concept to this world, but I'm not it's true inventor. The greenhouse concept had existed in reality worlds, created by those with advanced knowledge and innovative thinking. However, in this supernatural world, I had adapted and transformed it into something unique, blending it with the power of tree spirits and the natural resources available. It was no longer just a greenhouse. It had evolved beyond that—an entirely new creation.

"Do you have any ideas?" Maria's gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts.

He opened his eyes and nodded. "How about calling it 'The Spirit House Concept'?"

Maria tilted her head slightly. "Spirit House?"

"Yes," Ashan confirmed. "Because it's maintained by the spirits themselves. It's not just a structure—it's a living, breathing system where spirits nurture the plants with mana and control the elements to create the perfect environment. It's a fusion of nature and magic."

Boris nodded, stroking his beard in thought. "A simple yet fitting name. It carries meaning, and it's easy to remember."

Leone crossed his arms and gave a firm nod of approval. "Then 'Spirit House' it is. Now, what's next?"

Ashan took a deep breath, his mind already calculating the future steps. 

"This entire idea came from my attempt to grow Lunaris, but now that we've succeeded, I believe we should take this a step further. We need to build more Spirit Houses to solve the market's supply issues. The cost of production is minimal, and since Lunaris plants have long lifespans, we can afford to sell them at a reasonable price while maintaining quality."

"That's a sound plan," Leone agreed. "I'll start construction on more Spirit Houses immediately. If we act quickly, we can stabilize the market before anyone realizes what's happening."

"Speaking of which," Ashan turned to Leone. "Are you planning to inform the other lords?"

"Of course, son. They are facing the same struggles. It would be irresponsible to keep this from them."

Ashan nodded but then raised a hand. "In that case, I have a special request."

Leone looked at him curiously. "Go on."

"I want to share this concept with others, so everyone can benefit from it. Right now, this is just my idea, and it only serves one purpose. But who knows? Someone else might find an entirely new way to use it—maybe even something beyond what we can imagine. If that happens, it would be a huge step forward."

Leone's expression softened. "That's an admirable thought."

Boris hummed in agreement. "A discovery like this shouldn't be hoarded for profit alone. It could change everything."

Ashan gave a small smile. "However, I don't want this information spreading too soon. I suggest we keep this a secret for now. Instead of simply informing the lords, ask them to send trusted representatives to learn about it. Once they understand how it works, we can have all of them grow Lunaris in secret and release the supply into the market at the same time."

Boris's eyes gleamed with understanding. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

Ashan smirked. "Think about it, Grandfather. Do you remember what I said to Hugo when I made that bet? I told him I would make him suffer a loss that he would regret for the rest of his life. If we want to do that, we need to strike with the biggest impact possible."

Leone and Boris exchanged glances before smirking.

"Oh… that's brilliant," Boris chuckled. "If we flood the market with high-quality Lunaris all at once, Hugo's monopoly will collapse instantly. The value of his stock will plummet, and he won't be able to recover the losses in time."

Leone let out a deep laugh. "We'll wipe out his profits in one decisive move. His losses will be in the thousands—maybe even tens of thousands of gold."

Maria gasped softly, covering her mouth. "And didn't Hugo promise to give Ashan something equal in value to his loss? That means his losses will double."

Boris sighed dramatically, shaking his head. "Poor Hugo. My sympathy goes to him." Then, with a wicked grin, he added, "Not really."

They all burst into laughter, the air thick with anticipation and satisfaction.

The battle had yet to unfold, but Ashan knew one thing for certain—Hugo's downfall was inevitable.

To be continued…