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Chapter 4: Pharmaceutics of the Magical Elixir (I)
After the youngster had called out Salin’s name, he withdrew his hand. Salin never intended to hurt him. Otherwise, a level 0 magic spells – flaming spells would have burned his flesh in this short distance.
Deeka?
Salin recognizes this youngster. He is curious about him as well. Deeka used to be Salin’s companion during their down and abjection time. At that point, they are equally emaciated, filthy, and an orphan as well. Today when they bump into each other, Salin is an entirely different person, so does Deeka, they are not the street wanders like they once were.
Deeka smiled embarrassedly at Salin, although Deeka knew about Salin’s recent situation, he was not able to recognize him. Now that Salin is a wizard’s apprentice, Deeka is not sure whether Salin will remember him.
“Wait for me at the entrance.” Salin tapped on Deeka’s shoulder like giving him assurance. After some years apart, Salin grew a little taller than Deeka. Deeka seemed touched and sneaked himself into shadows across the street.
There is no workers’ union in the Ceylon which affecting the business of the armor shop, the sales contributors such as, the adventurers were all gathered at the South border of Quinn Empire, and the pirates were less spreading across the north coast. Due to these reasons, the owner is lying on the counter dozing off until Salin yelled at him.
The counter is about one foot high, the owner did hear someone called him but he can’t see anyone. Therefore he straightens himself to find out, “Ah! Young Master Metatrine!” the owner psych himself after he saw who was calling him.
Salin waved his hands to stop the owner from continuing his speech then gave him a list of goods for purchasing, “To order these, how much would it be?”
The owner took a look at the list and grin greedily with his eyes like a crescent moon, this is a good deal worth of at least a hundred gold coins, but nothing compare to the big city, in Ceylon, this is a rare fortune.
“Young Master, please wait for a moment.” The owner took out his abacus and started to calculate.
Salin shops around while the owner is doing his calculation. Salin notices that this is quite a large space for an Armor shop. It doesn’t have any racks in the middle of the area, the merchandise is all place at the shelves that lean against the wall. There is two body armor which was the most eye-catching merchandise from all.
The two-body armor is a fully enclosed knight armor, even the eyes part was mounted with polished gems. This kind of body armor is rarely seen any more since the knighthood was diminished during the fourth kingdom, only the Holy See owns a legion of knights, as the four other empires have entirely abolished the knighthood.
The two armors were antiques judging from the appearance, it was polished from time to time. Since antique value is judged by its usability, Salin places his hand on the armor then he was amazed. The spirituality cannot penetrate the layer of armor! This armor is authentic, by applying level zero basic spell won’t be able to destroy its protective layer, its quality is better than a regular leather, but nothing compares to magic armor. Thanks to this armor, Salin have a pretty good idea of his own combat strength, his unlikely to defeat an armed swordsman, not to mention if fighting two soldiers at a time.
Salin felt a bit dismay but somehow excited because of his own capability to figure out the defensive strength of the armor by a touch, also figured out which level of spells may destroy it. Unfortunately, is not his time yet to breakthrough as an official wizard.
“Young Master of Metatrine!” the owner sums up all the cost and grind at Salin, “It is a total of One Hundred and eighty gold coins. Can you pay at least a hundred gold coins as a deposit? We owned small business, this is just enough to cover the needs.”
“Ok.” Salin dropped two bags of golds on the counter, he asked, “When can I have all of the merchandise?”
“This time, next week. Do you need it send to you?”
“No, My master dislike disruptions.”
“Alright then, please wait for a moment, I’m giving you receipts.” The owner then keep the bags while Salin asked spontaneously to the owner, “Do you accept any orders?”
“Young master, our merchandise is imported from Sunbeam City, I can order anything as long as Sunbeam City has it; For rarer merchandise, we have to purchase it from St. Rock City, it might take up to one month to reach here.”
“Alright, I understood.” After Salin receives the receipt, he turns his way out from the shop.
“Deeka.” Salin waved to the opposite road where Deeka is hiding. Deeka came out from the shadow facing Salin, but they are out of speech.
“Let’s find a place to eat.” Salin felt hungry, this time he is not going to the whale of Ceylon. They walk along the port and heading north until they found a bistro. As it is before noon, not many diners in the bistro, they found a table beside a window and Salin ordered two sets of fish noodles.
With forks twirling noodles, they eat in silence. When almost finish, Salin put down his fork and ask, “Deeka, why are you…”
“Stealing, you mean?” Deeka also put down his fork and answered in a low voice, “Last year, exactly during this time, a gang of thieves came to the town. They recruited children, and I’m one of them. No one forces me on this. You should know better, child like us will die from starving on the street anytime.”
“Thieves?” Salin frowned. Everyone knows criminals’ reputations, once caught, most of the nobles won’t even go through trial and directly put them to death.
Deeka understands Salin’s concerns, he comforts Salin with his words, “No big deal, our gang is not involving in any crimson case.” Salin did not understand. Therefore Deeka explained further, “We only steal stuff, we don’t make killings. Generally, we don’t rob, mostly, we defraud others. If things got exposed, we run. Rarely we get caught from our doings.”
“But it is not a long-term surviving plan.” Salin stopped him. Being a thief seldom ends well. Even if you are all thieves and earned hard cash, is not easy to end it well.
“There’s nothing I can do. Is too late for me to quit now.” Deeka said while his eyes watching at the entrance.
“How do I find you in the future?”
“Easy. Why don’t you follow me back to our secret chamber, have a meet with our leader?”
“Hmm.” Salin’s face suddenly blackened down with his eyebrows raised and glare at Deeka, “Is this your boss’s idea? You can stop now. Go back and tell him, if he intends to live a long life, quit bothering me!”
Deeka felt the chills all over his body as Salin glares like a sharp razor that he unconsciously wanting to touch his blade in his boots. But when Deeka intends to do so, he felt severe pain in his hand, the pain reminds Deeka the current identity of Salin.
“Salin, I did not volunteer this, in fact, last winter, our leader has demanded me to approach you.”
“I’m not interested in your gang. If my master knows this issue, I cannot guarantee your safety. Take care of yourself, Deeka.” Salin finished his words and place a gold coin on the table, he leaves Deeka without looking back.
With Deeka being left alone, he is in low spirit. Salin is not the naïve kid he used to be, only a mere suggestion, Salin immediately realized his intention. Is this the power of magic?
Salin walked out from the entrance while the wind gently touches his face, the gloom in the bottom of his heart carried away by the wind lifted him up. How dare a thief playing up with a wizard! My master won’t even care about the lords of the city. If this person not knowing chalk from cheese, perhaps he is better off dead, to avoid involving any case to Deeka. Now in Ceylon, Salin only have Deeka as a friend.
Salin did not realize that he had become decisive after that event half a year ago, he is sensitive towards danger as well. Jason did not teach him extra things, all Salin did is studying, cook some meals for Jason, and ate meals together. By unconsciously influenced, Salin’s temperament has entirely changed.
Salin found a food store, he ordered and paid for food supply enough for half year then left Ceylon with down-hearted. In this city, more than once he imagined himself with wealth, living in a fancy lifestyle with all tailor-made clothes and high-breed horses, with wines and parties. But when he had this kind of fortune, soon he realizes these thoughts are childish.
The sky gathered with dark clouds, it seems like is going to rain. In Ceylon, rains always come with no notice. Salin hurried his pace back to the house. Salin went on to see Jason and told him the date that the goods arrive.
“Salin, how long have I been here?” Jason asked out of sudden.
“One year and six days.”
“Alright. Next week when you collect the goods, bring this with you.” Jason handed him a big leather bag, and he said, “Next week onwards, every first day of the week, you will be my magic lab partner.”
“Master!”
“From now on, you are my official apprentice.”
Salin felt excited as Jason never let him observe his experiments. Salin never thought Jason will teach him anything, who knows he will ever have this privilege. There’s another thing Salin didn’t know, he was followed by Jason all along while he was in the city. Jason even heard his conversation between Deeka. If there’s a teensy-weensy problem appeared in their conversation, Jason has to give up on Salin. To train an apprentice requires energy and devotion, as for the element affinity issue on Salin, perhaps it will solve in time.
So, this is a test, and Salin overcomes it.
Jason smiled at his own apprentice then took out a bottle and gave it to Salin, “There are some medicines in it, take a pill each day will improve your physique. If finished, just ask from me.”
Salin holding the palm size bottle not knowing how to express his current feelings.
“Go study, I hope you will continue your efforts from now on.”
“Yes, Master!” Salin cheered happily in his heart. He went back to his own room, took off his boots and change to his robe, place rest of the gold coins on the table, now he felt relieved over today’s event.
After Jason recognized his efforts, Salin works hard like more than ever. Every first day of the week, he would be partnering with Jason doing his magic experiments at the lab, Jason would also explain to him about the mystical theory in magic. Every fifth day of the day, Salin will go to the city and place order while collecting the goods from last week’s order. The rest of the time, Salin will be studying the books, if there are contents which he does not understand, Salin will ask Jason during the ‘partner’ day, and Jason will explain to him.
Deeka’s matter has long forgotten by Salin, the hidden thieves should be worry by the Lord of Ceylon city, as Salin has accepted the statements in the book, about a wizard should not interfere worldly matters unless he is underemployed.
Another half year pass by, Salin have mastered another level zero spell, the alarming spell. This is a barrier spell, every activation will last for two hours, according to different completion stage, the effect of the spell will be different, some alarming spells is with sounds, but some are not.
Alarming spell with sound is good for team protection, everyone will be able to hear it; Without a sound, will only be noticed by the spell caster himself, even the one who trigger the spell will not know it.
