The next day Eirian is out with Bill to find an alchemist. Bill insists that they use an ugly old bag so that no one would suspect that they are carrying something valuable and try to rob them.

‘When he explains it I guess it make sense but did he pick this bag up from the garbage?’

Eirian sniffs the bag and slowly lowers it down while make sure the bag doesn’t touch his body as they walk.

At the front of herbalist shop Valtos is waiting for them “Hey kid guess who just got release from custody”

“Mr. Valtos? But how?”

“It no big deal. I just pay the fine and they release me.”

“That it?” Eirian puzzle at the charge of smuggling illegal drug and wonder how he was let go this easily, it’s not even been 2 days yet.

‘Did he bribe them?’

“Alana always has light punishment of people who brought in contraband stuff since every nation have different law if Alana punishes everyone who unknowingly brought in illegal stuff like goat meat most wolf from Eurdwulf would be in prison and no one would visit Alana.”

‘I guess that make sense and it not like he would tell us if he bribed them.’

“But did you carry that much money with you?” asked Bill.

“Oh no I ask granny to bait me out using payment I would get from her any way.” Valtos shout inside the shop “Hey Granny the kid who save my life is here.”

“Lower your voices my ear is still better than yours” an old black lady human walks out of the shop. Despite her age she still looks hale and hearty.

“You—Are you Pansy the miracle doctor sir?” Eirian suddenly gets excited when Valtos speaks her name.

“Miracle doctor?” said Bill.

“Please I can’t perform miracle.” said Pansy “I’m just trying to help everyone as much as I can.”

“Do you know her Eirian?” asked Bill.

“Know her? She one of the most famous doctor in the time of great cleansing. The doctor who go out into a field of war and heal everyone no matter what races they are. All races know her story and she was one of the few who act as Princess Alana representative to help negotiated peace treaty.”

“That was a long time ago and since the princess ask me how can I refuse but enough about me you are here for a potion right?”

“Yes, can you make a Mundeus decoction for us please?”

“Of course and since you help Val here so I won’t have to find myself a new supplier I’ll give you a discount as well. Say 5000 Nil for each bottle?”

‘5000?’

“The usual cost would be 2-3 times that price so it’s a good thing you guy save me” Valtos added.

“Ah yes what would I do without my trouble maker, are you still going to that black market and buy weird stuff like I told you not to?”

“Where would I find your rare ingredient if not at the black market Granny and I need to make some profit too you know.”

“Those stuff you randomly brought is going to get you in problem one day.” Granny shake her head and take a bag of mundeus inside the shop.

Bill is quite happy when Granny compliments the boy that they were smart for using a cheap bag to hide mundeus.

While waiting Valtos pull out a small box of candy “Here boys I got a new product call Mind-fizz. Seller said it a flavor candy that will help enhance your focus and memory want to try some?”

“No thank you, my mother said not to randomly take candy.” Bill smiled hope to not offend Val. He would gladly eat from a sewer as long as he knows where the food come from.

“I’ll take one” Eirian doesn’t see any problem with a small candy. He’s an Amiel most poison has less effect on them and Val properly won’t try to poison him.

The moment that candy touch Eirian lip he can feel like his body is lighter and the world is more colorful. He feels refresh like when he smells a mint but so much more.

“Wow that was so good.”

“Right, I brought a whole crate to sell it here after I got to try one.” Valtos speaks proudly.

“I’ll buy one small box.” Eirian then pay 25 Nil for a small metal box and puts it in his pocket to eat at later time. On the box is a picture of cute cartoony wolf smiling with a big letter Mind-fizz.

Granny Pansy then walk out to collect the money and told them that the potion will be complete in a few day so they can come back later.

Bill and Eirian then head to Mercurius to collect more tool for today test but at the store they meet a man they never seen before. An Amiel.

“Ah Bill, Eirian lucky timing come meet my partner I told you about. A mastermind behind our special core unlike any other, Mr. Aven” Bernays stands at the back of the store with a several tube of liquid mercury on the table. Next to him is an old Amiel with white hair and tan skin. Despite his age Eirian feels like he is looking at a beautiful painting of an angel in an old text.

‘His hair is all white! Even the elder didn’t have this many white hair. He must be one of the first generation of Amiel.’

“Greeting Mr. Aven, It’s such an honor to meet a man who create such a beautiful core. My name is Eirian and this is Bill Henry Smit.”

“Hello sir.”

“Bernays told me about teaching you” Aven speaks with tired and irritating eye “It’s was not within our agreement but since Bernays is being very persistent” Aven turn to Bernays who is giving a big shameless smile.

“I’ll teach you today one lesson and will come back later when I have time. Come I don’t have time to waste—and you two—leave now. I won’t be responsible if anything happens”

“Someone in a good mood today” said Bernays as he pulls Bill out. Bill wave goodbye to Eirian as he left the room.

“Make a core” Aven ordered.

“Eh I never made one before. I can only refill one.”

Aven looks even more irritated somehow “How old are you. Who is your parent to not teach this simple magic.”

Eirian is now irritated. He won’t let someone insult his aunt like that “I’m a war orphan. Miss Hellen and aunt Euri found me hidden under a wreckage of a camp that was wiped out by the wolf. I don’t know who my parent is but aunt Euri been taking care of me since I can remember. Don’t you dare insult her”

Aven doesn’t replied but the chance in his expression told Eirian he knew Hellen and Euri. He then simply flicks his hand and a quick silver float up and form into a core as it lands on Aven hand.

“Euri huh I guess she was always too soft, without Hellen she would have die long ago I’m surprise she survive the great cleansing.”

Eirian doesn’t like how Aven talks about his aunt but that transformation was in an instant and a core that was made is also overfill with magic.

‘I can’t even fill a core on my own in ten hours. Is that even possible?’

“Hold your hand out”

Eirian obeys without question.

Aven pours a tube of mercury on Eirian hand without caring some of it drop to the floor “feel it and control it like when you move water. The material is different but if you are any good of an Amiel you would be able to feel it.”

Eirian tries to focus on his hand. Unfortunately, just like when he tries to feel blood Eirian can’t sense this silver liquid on his hand.

‘I won’t lose to a guy who insults aunt Euri’ Eirian on his other hand picks his MAM up and activates it with a glyph Bill gives him. With mind glyph Eirian can start to feel this liquid on his hand and order it to form into a sphere but he unable to turn it into a solid core.

“Amiel using MAM ha! You really have no shame.” Aven taunt but he moves his hand to turn a liquid sphere in Eirian hand into a solid core and with it Eirian understands a method of making a core.

Without waiting for Aven Eirian extend his hand out to another tube of mercury on the table. The silver fluid float and slowly twirling onto itself until it become a solid core.

“You learn that from sensing how I did it once? You might not be so hopeless after all although it barely has any magic in it.” Aven picks a core up to inspect and starts to gather a magic to fill in.

From Eirian point of view the core starts to glow and immediately crack and shatter into pieces.

“What happen?”

“Your protection seal suck that what happen”

“...how can I improve.”

Wits Eirian respond Aven seem to be less irritate and more amuse “Practice for one and other is change your mindset toward magic.”

“My mindset?”

Aven point to the MAM in his hand “why do you think we Amiel can control magic and use it to do anything while other race can only shift and manipulate their main element and human can’t use it at all.”

“Because Astra and Lucena give us their power?”

“Astra and Lucena was a human before too. What is different about them than other human?”

Eirian tries think but can’t find an answer.

“It's the will. The will to control. Astra and Lucena have a strong will that made the star and its magic react. Through their will the people of Amiel become strong while other races are inferior to us so they can’t control magic.”

“I don’t think just because we are closer to the Eternal one we can look down on other races like that.”

“We can and we must. Now that other races control most of the world if the people of Amiel want to survive they need to make plan and prepare themself.” Aven speaks of his people's future but somehow Eirian feels that Aven could care less what happens to Elswyth “Eirian what are you doing here not being with your people. What could this school teach you better than our own people? Hellen is not the only great warrior our people have.”

“I...” Eirian tries to remember his answer he usually gives “I’m here to follow princess Alana dream. To help all races work together in unity. The war took my parent. I don’t want to see it happen again.”

“Then you are a fool. Human are greedy and vile creature and so are the rest of them. I saw their true nature in the war and I won’t make the same mistake again.”

“You are working with crow right now” Eirian wants to shout louder but try to control himself.

“Temporary necessity, when I’m done I’ll leave this place and you should do the same now.”

“Princess Alana and both her parent support the peace. What would Astra and Lucena think of you now.”

Bam! In an instant Aven shoots a core that he made past Eirian face. A blood flow out from a small cut on his cheek.

“Don’t you dare speak their name in front of me.” Eirian felt truly scare for the first time in his life. How could an Amiel be so full of such hatred? He never thought his peaceful people who live among nature far from other races could ever be vicious or cruel.

“Unlike you I know them. And I know...” Aven turns silent before smile and change the subject “Do you really want to work here for this city when there seems to be something going on? Look at all the bombing and power that this city keeps amasses. For a city that stands for peace most of the deadliest weapon ever created like gun and MAM are made or pass through here. They might not have the large number of troops but their small army is said to be one of the most elite equip with all the best gun, powerful MAM and all new toy that the public don’t even know about. Do you even know about the graffiti at the last bombing site?”

“There was a written graffiti?”

“Yes, they are quite good at cover up aren’t they.”

Eirian hesitates before asking “What did the graffiti say?”

“That this city is a lie.”