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This suited Kai perfectly; a few days in the capital remained before his scheduled duel with Reyk and only after that, he would be able to return.

Before they could truly get into crafting the mana cannons, Kai needed to ensure secrecy and he asked the minotaur for an oath.

While Balen wasn’t a Mage, most beastfolk held oaths in high regard, valuing their word even above their lives.

Balen readily agreed— after all, success would mean wielding a weapon powerful enough to attract unwanted attention, even from the kingdom itself and he seemed to understand the value of something like that.

A simple oath, then, bound the minotaur to silence regarding the nature of their creations.

With the blacksmith secured, Kai turned his attention to their next acquisition— securing an alchemist and more manpower.

The second was easy enough, but getting an alchemist wasn’t an easy task. Most of them were bound with the tower and were known to work on their own projects or for nobles for a considerable sum. The truly best ones were employed by the kingdom itself.

Thankfully, Malden had let Kai on the address of a small alchemy workshop nestled in the lower district.

Apparently, it was run by a peculiar crew: a lone second-circle Mage who ran it alongside a handful of first-circle apprentices.

The very notion sent a jolt of intrigue through Kai. A second-circle mage, slumming it in a dingy workshop? That kind of situation screamed backstory.

He got a bit of it from Malden and after checking that he was at a decent enough level as an alchemist, he decided to meet him.

Determined to get the man on board, Kai made haste to the workshop. His only expectation was a man who was decent enough to get the job done and not plunge a knife into his back.

He ignored the acrid scent of burned alchemical mixtures that lingered heavily in the air as he stepped inside with Killian following behind him.

The interior resembled a mad Mage’s subterranean laboratory far more than a proper workshop. Glass vials filled with different colours of liquids lined crooked shelves, bubbling cauldrons threatened to erupt at any moment, and dust adorned the grimy, cracked walls.

A few apprentices gave him a look and one of them led him to their boss.

As he navigated this chaotic building, Kai could see that they weren’t doing well.

Finally, he reached the second floor, where a lone figure awaited him in an office. It was a small empty space with a big table in the centre surrounded by chairs and the alchemist sitting in the centre.

The man cloaked and sported a weathered leather eye patch over his right eye, the other was blue. He seemed to have been waiting for Kai’s arrival and as soon as he entered, he gave a small bow.

"Greetings, Orion, I believe my associate, Malden, may have mentioned my arrival. I’m Arzan Kellius."

Orion immediately nodded and gave a tight smile.

"Malden, bless his nosy soul," the man rasped, his voice gravelly with age. "He tells me you’re looking to recruit my entire workshop for some territorial endeavour?"

Kai, keeping his voice even, offered a curt nod. "Indeed. I’ve heard of your capabilities as an alchemist, and with the project I’m undertaking, a skilled alchemist and their apprentices would be invaluable."

A sardonic chuckle escaped Orion’s lips. "Apprentices? These lots are no fledglings."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Looking for a master, then? Because I’m willing to offer instruction in return for your expertise. It won’t be a regular apprenticeship, but you will learn a lot."

The man leaned back, confusion etching lines on his weathered face. "Haven’t the faintest clue who you are, Lord Arzan. Because that’s all I’ve heard about you from Malden. That you are a baron. But waltzing into my place and talking about teaching alchemy…" he trailed off, his single eye narrowing.

Quick as a thought, Kai conjured a small fireball in his palm, the wavering red orb illuminating the dusty office. The man’s posture stiffened, emotions of recognition replacing his initial surprise.

He saw his arm reaching for something under the table. Probably a vial of exploding potion or something similar. Kai shot a warning glance at him, daring him to do anything and Orion was smart enough to let the moment pass.

"No need for worry," Kai said, dispelling the fireball with a gesture, but making sure to send a mana signature in the air to let Orion know that he won’t be able to do anything against his power. "Now that you know my identity as a Mage, it should be easier. I myself delve into alchemy and let’s just say, I appreciate a good potion when I see one."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out two vials filled with shimmering liquids— one a murky green, the other a clear blue. The first one was brewed by Orion himself and the second one was by Kai.

Orion’s eyes widened and Kai didn’t know if it was because he had revealed his strength or due to the potions.

"I saw your work at the market," Kai continued, setting the vials on the table. "These healing potions— quite remarkable for someone operating in these… less than ideal conditions."

Orion’s gaze darted between Kai and the potions.

Kai unscrewed the blue vial, swirling the clear liquid within. "You’ve got the basics down, I’ll give you that. But the quality of your ingredients— is subpar at best. And your brewing technique…" He paused.

With a flourish, he took a swig from his own vial— a clear substance that shimmered faintly. Killian, who’d been silent until now, obligingly held out a hand, allowing Kai to draw a small cut with a dagger.

Blood drew out and fell on the carpet.

Kai quickly uncorked his potion and handed it over. Killian without a word drank it. Kai looked at Orion to see how his attention was fully on Killian’s bruise.

Within three seconds, the gash was no more than a faint pink scar.

"Shallow cut, mind you," Kai explained, gesturing to Killian’s hand. "Your potion, with its current formula, would take at least ten seconds, likely leaving a scar. See the difference?"

The one-eyed man stared at the healed wound, his jaw slacking with disbelief. Even if he hadn’t believed Kai’s initial words, the demonstration spoke for itself.

He might have wondered if the potion was brewed by Kai himself and he was simply being lied to, but chances of that were low. Orion didn’t come across as stupid and he had clearly revealed his strength.

As if to demonstrate what Kai was thinking, Orion asked, "You really brewed that potion?"

"I have no reason to lie to you. If you join us," Kai pressed his advantage, "you’ll have access to better resources, and more importantly, the chance to truly hone your craft. You’ll be a valuable asset to my territory and in return, I’ll see you well-equipped. Not just with ingredients, but with knowledge. You’ve got the raw talent, but you need refinement."

Silence stretched between them, the only sound the rhythmic ticking of a dusty clock on the wall.

The one-eyed man’s gaze flickered with indecision.

Kai waited, his hands reaching for Orion’s potion while he swirled it inside the vial, seeing how the mixed ingredients had blended.

When he looked up towards Orion, he saw how his single eye was focused on him, a lot of emotions passing by them.

A moment of temptation… or maybe it was his consideration towards his decisions. But it was quickly replaced by a sigh.

"Look," he rasped, "we appreciate the offer, Lord Arzan. I truly do. But we’re settled here. Making do with what we have and it’s getting better. We have even—"

Just as the man seemed about to decline, a muffled boom echoed from below, followed by a string of unintelligible curses. The one-eyed man winced. "Apologies," he muttered. "Sounds like Edgar overshot his fire-breath potion recipe again."

Kai couldn’t help but grin. "See? That’s exactly the kind of chaos we can avoid if you join us. Proper facilities, safer environment, and the chance to finally focus on perfecting your craft instead of patching holes in cauldrons."

The man leaned back, a wry smile twisting his lips. "Tempting. Very tempting. But I wouldn’t want to burden you. I am confident in my skills, but we come with baggage that I’m pretty sure you don’t want to handle."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Baggage?"

"Let’s just say, I had a bit of a disagreement with a certain adept mage back in the Archine Tower," he said, rubbing the back of his head with a frown. "Ended up with a permanent block on my advancement and a one-way ticket to the slums."

Kai absorbed the information and knew what he was talking about. Malden had mentioned tidbits about it but not the entire story of what happened.

He guessed that he must have offended some Mage with enough power to destroy his career and when he had tried to go independent as an alchemist, no one had taken him up probably because of that same Mage.

Either way, it didn’t matter.

"Malden hinted at something along those lines," Kai admitted. "And that seems to be the case for most of your companions. But listen, I don’t care about some political squabble in the tower. My territory is a week’s journey away from the capital. They won’t reach there, and even if they did, I’ll ensure your safety." He paused, a sincere note entering his voice. "But before we go any further, I’d like to hear the full story. What happened with the Mage in the Tower?"

The one-eyed man met Kai’s gaze, a storm of emotions swirling in his eye. After a long, contemplative moment, he let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, Lord Arzan," he rumbled. "You’ve piqued my curiosity. Sit well and tell me if you need anything to drink. This might take a while."

***

For the rest of the day, the one-eyed man recounted his tale with bitterness laced in his voice.

Kai had been expecting a story of corruption and he hadn’t been wrong. By how Orion spoke of the tower, it felt like a place where ambition curdled into greed, where credit was snatched with ruthless efficiency, and where advancement relied more on political manoeuvring than raw talent.

Stronger Mages, secure in their reputations, preyed on the research of up-and-coming alchemists like himself, stealing promising formulas and passing them off as their own.

Most of the adepts participated in this web of deceit, using their influence to suppress those who threatened their positions.

Orion described a series of incidents, his frustration simmering with each recollection. There was the time he’d developed a decent rejuvenation potion, only to see it claimed by a Mage who used it to curry favour with one of the savants.

He spoke of countless sleepless nights spent perfecting a new method of crystal amplification, only to have his discovery stolen by a jealous rival who used it to secure a coveted research grant.

As the alchemist spoke, Kai listened intently, the picture of the tower darkening in his mind. There was no wonder such things happened inside, it was, after all, a place for competition. And when there’s competition, things always get dirty.

But it had been worse than what he expected.

Since Orion wasn’t a noble, but a commoner, he had no real power against these Mages and had to spend countless days feeling powerless and helpless.

By the time the alchemist finished his story, the sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dusty office.

Finally, Kai rose from his chair and offered his part of the deal for which the single-eyed man nodded and accepted. His final words were, "You’ve got yourself a deal. I will convince the others. I wasn’t liking being in the slums either way and you have gained my interest with your potion. If you treat me and my subordinates right with respect, we will do our best to work for you."

With Orion on board, along with his ragtag team of talented but ostracised alchemists, Kai felt a surge of optimism.

He didn’t waste any time after that and returned to the library in the tower to focus on his research on ice magic.

While the restricted sections of the library remained stubbornly out of reach, he wasn’t left empty-handed. The library had an extensive collection of basic first and second-circle ice spells, enough to provide him with a solid foundation for further exploration.

He spent the rest of the evening meticulously studying these spells, dissecting their components, and visualizing the flow of mana.

Hours melted away as Kai became engrossed in the intricacies of ice magic. The spells within the library were different from the ones he had learned back in the Sorcerer’s Tower, using different methods for the structure.

Here, the incantations were more complex, relying more on visualisation of the spell rather than mana manipulation.

It wasn’t anything he hadn’t expected and he knew it wouldn’t take too long for him to modify these spells for him.

However, it took a while to understand ice spells.

Their structure itself felt alien to him, different from the other spells he was accustomed to. Where fire spells were all about raw power and destructive force, ice magic seemed to be about control, about shaping and manipulating the very essence of cold. It was a subtle art, requiring finesse and precision.

I will get more advanced, I just need to familiarize myself with these further.

This was the foundation he needed, the building blocks upon which he could construct his own, more powerful ice spells. He devoured the information, memorizing glyphs, and tracing pathways of mana flow within his mind’s eye.

As moonlight began to stream through the high library windows, Kai finally closed his fourth book on ice spells with a satisfied sigh.

He’d made significant progress, laying a groundwork that would propel him forward. As his eyes wandered around in the almost empty library, his mind thought about the ball that was going to happen tomorrow.

A social event that held little interest for him. He knew what was going to happen in it and even if getting a better look at the nobles wasn’t bad, he wasn’t particularly interested in it.

If he replied positively to the prince’s offer, he would probably be invited to join their side in the succession. Otherwise, he would be ostracised, but that was something he was okay with.

But after the ball, the duel would take place with Reyk.

A shadow of a smile touched his lips.

Both things were minor worries to him rather than something to be extremely concerned about. He had already decided on an answer to give to the prince and was looking forward to the duel.

After all, he knew that Reyk was probably going to make it a social event, inviting other nobles to watch and it would be a good place to show a more formidable side of him.

He stood up from the chair without a screech and closed all the books he’d opened for his research. It was time to get some rest.