Ra's al Ghul did indeed keep a considerable sum, but it's a mere drop in the ocean compared to his true wealth. I'm sure the stash in the city of 'Et Alteban is many times larger than the one in Nanda Parbat. Moreover, given the old man's foresight, I can confidently say...That he couldn't resist depositing his wealth in the Latveria Bank for safekeeping. Victor von Doom's authority is unquestionable, so there's no need to worry about the safety of his money.
Let's return to my vault. I haven't listed everything yet; there was more hidden there than just money... Ten tons of gold bars, eight boxes of antique gold coins, and two boxes of jewelry. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds... I can't even imagine how much it was worth.
But what delights me most is the library, which holds over thirty thousand ancient manuscripts and scrolls. If I'm not mistaken, some of them came from the Library of Alexandria itself—one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. It is said that true power lies in knowledge, and I couldn't agree more.
It's not for nothing that I've spent all this time cultivating my intellect. It would be sheer recklessness and a sign of utter disrespect for these relics if, with such a valuable treasure trove of knowledge in my hands, I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to delve into the teachings of the great men of the past.
As soon as I find a free moment, I'll certainly begin studying. Besides the books, the iron ore I brought back from Nanda Parbat caught my attention. Of course, the fifty kilograms of vibranium and the container of liquid adamantium are especially noteworthy. Now I have two of the strongest, most inaccessible metals on Earth. But it's too early to rejoice, as I'm completely clueless as to how to harness these two pieces of iron.
A simple forge won't do the trick, which means my dream of vibranium and adamantium blades could be ruined. I'll have to think hard about a solution to this problem. Oh, and I also confiscated a wonderful garden of unknown herbaceous plants and flowers from the Demon's Head, which I guarantee are poisonous. I'm sure the botany encyclopedia knows little about them either, and most likely nothing at all.
Hmm, why not give Pamela a gift then? She'll be delighted when I tell her I saved these little ones from the cruelty of a terrible demon? I really can't give Mother Nature bouquets of flowers. I could be quartered for that. But if I present her with live plants along with a layer of fertile soil, I think I might even please her. Besides, she's done a fantastic job recreating Dr. Erskine's serum and deserves a reward.
"Well done, Natasha. Great work," I praised the red-haired beauty.
"Thank you... Let me ask, I noticed that Alritex Entertainment is sponsoring the recently opened Babylon laboratory. I'd like to know exactly what this organization does and what research it conducts. If Babylon becomes a potential source of income for our company, it would be better if I knew."
Wants to pry into Babylon's secrets while hiding behind the job of CFO? Not a bad move…
"Don't worry, no income from the Babylon research group is expected anytime soon."
"In that case, I must express my dissatisfaction with the enormous financial costs of sponsoring dubious research."
"I'll take your complaint into account."
"I sincerely hope you'll brief me on the Babylon matter as soon as possible so I can study the matter in more detail and prevent any further unnecessary spending and the ensuing huge losses. That's all I have. Can I go now?"
"...Of course."
Apparently, she doesn't intend to touch on the events with the League of Shadows. She wants to continue observing and verify the veracity of her judgments. Well, I don't particularly care. I can continue working as if nothing happened, but can you, Natasha, do the same? I wonder how long your patience will last before we dot all the i's and cross all the t's.
***********************
[Babylon.]
When the experiment to recreate the super-soldier serum ended in resounding success, our brilliant scientists expressed a desire for a little rest. Very little time had passed since then. At least, not long enough to become sufficiently tired from the rest.
However, what I saw in Babylon spoke otherwise. An aura of depression and profound boredom hung thickly in the lab. Flowers, which in times past had always tried to swallow people alive, vexed by the lingering, hopeless melancholy hanging over their home, hid their sharp teeth in their buds and remained silent. Even the ever-wandering greenery couldn't tolerate this despondency and, hiding in corners, dozed detachedly.
Kavita Rao, Pamela Isley, and even the always cheerful Harley Quinn emitted dark waves of sadness and sorrow.
"Hello, ladies," I addressed the dejected creatures. "What are you doing? Perhaps you're engaged in some trivial race?"
Three pairs of bloodthirsty eyes immediately fixed on me, eager to tear my soul apart. I swallowed and pulled a vial of dark green liquid from my inventory. The bloodlust instantly evaporated, replaced by joyful glee. Doctor Rao jumped up and, with a speed that Flash himself would have envied, snatched the test tube with the unknown reagent from my hands.
"Ha-ha, finally," the professor laughed cheerfully. "This is water from the Lazarus Pit, right?"
"Yes, I brought it for research. You will find out exactly how it can be useful. And, first of all, whether it can be used to improve the human body's functions. If this amount is not enough, I am ready to provide more."
"Of course it is not enough, what a stupid question!" Kavito shouted at me. "I need at least a hundred liters of this mystical liquid. Do you think..."
"Okay," I raised my hands, wanting to stop the escalating monologue. "A hundred, then a hundred." I pulled a wide reservoir from my Inventory and filled it with water from the Lazarus Pit.
Miss Rao's eyes at that moment expressed genuine delight. As soon as the last drop filled the vessel, Kavita threw herself at me and hugged me tightly around the neck.
"Alex, you know how to please a woman," she said, kissing me on the cheek.
"Everything for you, Professor. And before you begin your research, I should tell you one detail that I'm sure will interest you. I learned from a reliable source that this mystical liquid is, in fact, the life source of our native planet."
"What..."
"I sense natural energy in it," Pamela remarked, touching the green water with her finger. "It truly is the source of the planet. Or rather, a small part of it, and it's full of various impurities."
"Can you cleanse them?" I asked the girl hopefully.
"I don't know. I can try, but it will be difficult."
"It's okay if it doesn't work out," I said, not daring to press her.
"Kavita," I turned to Doctor Rao again. "I would like to thank you for successfully recreating the super-soldier serum."
"You are so sweet," she blew me a kiss. "Don't worry, giving me the opportunity to study the life source of the Earth is the best gift possible."
"Pamela, I haven't forgotten about you either," I turned to Mother Nature. "But I'm afraid there might not be enough space here." Since Ra's al Ghul's garden was of a decent size, I had to go up to the second floor of the laboratory, which was still empty, and set up a nursery there. The dryad looked at the garden and then at me with stunned eyes. And while she was recovering,
I told her how, without sparing myself, I burst into the prison cell of the League of Shadows fortress and rescued defenseless plants from the cruel tyrant's clutches. And, apparently, my tirade had been successful. Isley blushed, apparently with emotion, and thanked me as if I had rescued her own children from captivity.
"Alex, do you remember, back in Arkham Asylum I offered to kiss?"
"Yes, and I refused, citing the fact that my life was still dear to me…"
"Maybe we should try again?" she approached me.