This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

Rita pretended not to notice Samuel's heavy expression. After finishing the noodles, she went to the backyard to call Scarlett in for breakfast.

During the meal, Scarlett asked why Nivalis didn't come to eat. She was hoping to film a few short videos of the dragon having a meal.

Rita replied, "She's always snacking, she doesn't need to eat with us."

Scarlett immediately pulled out her phone to record Nivalis' little stories. "Mmm… tell me more?"

Rita asked, "How many followers do you have on that account now?"

Scarlett dramatically performed a shy act. "Over 20 million."

Rita warned her, "Don't go promising things to people. I'm not cleaning up your messes."

Scarlett nodded quickly. "I know, I know. Don't you know me by now? You're so stingy. I know you'll probably collect and sell Nivalis' dragon dung."

Rita: *Are you calling me cheap?*

Samuel sourly added, "Your mom's been making more money than I have lately. I'm running out of good cigars and wine."

Rita kept her head down, eating her noodles, pretending she didn't hear.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Scarlett also quickly lowered her head, focusing on her food, pretending to be deaf.

Samuel let out a long sigh: *These women are so tight with their money.*

Talking about good cigars and wine, Samuel turned to Rita. "Did you take the good stuff I had?"

Rita pointed at Scarlett. "Mom gave it to me!"

Scarlett immediately pointed back. "She said she was using it as a gift!"

Samuel's wrinkles deepened with frustration. Just as he was about to say something more, Rita quickly handed him a bottle of *Lania Kaia* wine. "Here, this is from *Lania Kaia*, very rare."

Of course, it was rare. Apache had bought it ten years ago, drank one bottle, found it disgusting, and never touched the second one. With only a week left before its expiration, Kayden had shoved it into Rita's hands while cleaning out the inventory.

Samuel smiled contentedly. "You're still the filial one."

Rita gave a small smile, careful not to respond directly, afraid that if she said "yes," Samuel's lie-detecting skill would detect the falsehood and things would get awkward.

After breakfast, Rita hurriedly sent Samuel and Scarlett on their way, then used Nivalis' phone to create a social media account for the dragon, so she could post selfies and play around with it. Any rewards earned from the account would be Nivalis' to spend as she wished.

Finally, Rita picked up the book *Apache: The Alchemy Maniac*. She had a feeling that the next time she went to *Lania Kaia* for a lesson, Apache would confiscate this book.

…

After dropping out of school, Apache began traveling across *Lania Kaia*, discovering that even when using the same alchemy formula, different species would produce slightly different results. Yet the effects remained the same. This discovery piqued her interest greatly.

Wherever Apache went, she studied, paying her tuition with potions or gold coins. She learned the unique alchemical methods of every species she encountered.

She avoided all conflicts and had no interest in power or status.

During her travels, she once again encountered the noblewoman she had served as a maid. They greeted each other calmly and then passed by without incident.

"Revenge? Why would I take revenge on her? She never hurt me, neither physically nor emotionally."

"She didn't do anything wrong. She just happened to buy a maid, and that maid just so happened to be a genius. She was lucky."

"You speak of dignity? I've never shied away from my origins. Yes, I was once a maid, but I regained my dignity by becoming a legend."

—Excerpt from *Apache's Autobiography, Age 21*

Rita felt a bit uneasy, as if ants were crawling all over her. These quotes felt like something pulled straight from a teenager's edgy online profile.

It seemed *Lania Kaia's* legends had their own version of MySpace pages.

Rita suspected that *Apache: The Alchemy Maniac* was one of the books Apache had tried to ban, but the one that truly needed banning was likely *Apache's Autobiography, Age 21*.

Wiggling her toes in discomfort (she was tired from curling them in secondhand embarrassment), Rita continued reading.

While other alchemists became obsessed with more dazzling, powerful alchemy formulas, Apache focused on refining techniques and herbs. She tirelessly studied the basics, becoming famous at a young age but stuck at the advanced alchemist level for many years.

People mocked her, but their actions spoke louder than their words. Any potion bearing Apache's name was snatched up immediately because people noticed that her potions had fewer impurities, took effect faster, and even tasted better.

A third of *Apache: The Alchemy Maniac* detailed her battles with renowned alchemists in the 36 major cities during her travels.

Alchemists both admired and feared Apache. She was extraordinarily talented but showed no regard for authority or hierarchy.

"If there must be authority in alchemy, then I will always revere the potion itself. Potions are the best language we alchemists have."

—Excerpt from *Apache's Autobiography, Age 27*

She would challenge the masters with her potions one day, and provoke the authorities with them the next. She even once overturned a thousand-year-old alchemical theory, causing a huge stir in the alchemical community.

Apache's journey in alchemy seemed limitless. She walked whichever path she pleased, and every road she took inspired others to follow.

Whether they loved or feared her, people constantly pursued Apache's talents.

Apache's brilliance and beauty attracted many noble admirers, most notably the Minotaur Crown Prince—now the Minotaur King. Unfortunately for him, he was rejected by Apache.

"We're not compatible. I told him as much at the time. Every time I look at his head, I think of potion ingredients."

—Excerpt from *Apache's Autobiography, Age 24*

As Apache's wealth grew, so did her two great passions: alchemy and writing.

At 21, she published the first autobiography of her life.

—Note: *Apache's Autobiography, Age 21*

And every two years since, she published another autobiography.

—Note: Titles include *Apache's Autobiography, Age 21*, *Age 24*, *Age 27*, … and *Age 75*. To date, she has published 19 volumes of her autobiography.

No wonder she only tried to ban *Apache: The Alchemy Maniac*. It would be impossible to ban all of her autobiographies.

Rita glanced at the title of the latest volume: *Apache's Autobiography, Age 75*.

She understood now.

Apache only began to mature after age 75.

During her career, Apache had also published five alchemical textbooks, seven travelogues, and one romance novel.

Because that romance novel—*Falling in Love with Alchemy, Just Like I Fell in Love with You*—sold terribly, the Alchemy Master followed it up by publishing her fourth and fifth alchemical textbooks in the span of six months, bundling them with the unsold romance novel. This caused quite a bit of controversy at the time.

Rita quietly closed the book.

...She was doomed. The next time she attended a lesson in *Lania Kaia*, she was definitely going to laugh out loud at Apache's face.