Chapter 38: Fruitful Day

Chapter 38: Fruitful Day

Chapter 38

Turning in his bed, Kai raised his arm over his eyes to cover them. He wanted to keep sleeping. Opening his eyes, a glimmer of light was filtering through his window. He had purposely left it open to wake up at the first light of day.

Strange. The window looks more closed than how I left it

His eyes shot open. His mother must have closed it to let him sleep. Kai jumped off his bed, running out of his room. As soon as he opened the door his worst fears were proven true. Judging by the light, dawn could have been hours ago. He lost precious time sleeping.

Alana was sitting at the table and watching him. He was about to give voice to his grievances, but his mother talked first.

Come sit and eat breakfast. She didnt raise her voice, but her tone sounded more like an order than a suggestion. You cant work properly without rest and a full stomach.

Forcing his beating heart to calm down, Kai sat at the table. His mind screaming at him to hurry and go brew more potions.This chapter's initial release occurred on the n0vell--Bjjn site.

Seeing his restlessness Alana said, Dont worry its just a couple hours after dawn. Still plenty of time in the day.

Kais agitation went down a little. He took a big breath to calm himself down and started eating breakfast. Under his mother's watchful eye, he tried not to gorge himself and chew every bite a few times.

There is plenty of time. Its all about pacing.

Alana watched him eat, probably still mad about the whole situation but holding off from lecturing him. I have to go out now. Kea should be back to help you in a while and Eleni will be back to cook lunch. I expect you to eat every bite.

With a last look full of meaning, she stood up and walked out.

Im sure shell understand once this is over. Shell understand for sure.

There was no time to think about that now. He needed to work. He was going to skip his training routine, surely Elijah would understand. Doing some light stretching to wake up, Kai was to start.

He found a bucket full of distilled water near his work table. Alana must have worked into the night and woken up early to do this, his heart warming at the thought.

A bucket wasnt exactly the perfect container to avoid contaminants, but he wasnt brewing delicate recipes anyway. It should be fine.

Checking his notifications to see the progress of the day before, he received a pleasant surprise.

Skills:

Running (lv74)Swimming (lv73)Meditation (lv62)Awareness (lv54)Herbology (lv49>50 Max)Acting (lv44)Processing Plants (lv23>28)Reading (lv19)Sneak (lv7)Mana Sense(lv40)Mana manipulation (lv7>8)Alchemy (lv4>6)Inspect (lv4>5)

*Ding*

Herbology reachedlv50 Max, congratulations!

Herbology (lv50)

You are presented with one choice to continue your journey:

Stay the course. You wont gain significant new benefits, but youll deepen your insight into what you already know.

Well, not much choice there.

*Ding*

You chose to stay the course, Herbology (lv50)can now reach lv75.

True to Viryas words, specializations were hard to get. Having three options for Meditation had been an exception to the rule. Swimming and Running had been the same.

He had expected this. To be offered a specialization, the easiest way was to repeatedly use a skill favoring a certain aspect. In the case of Herbology, if he had focused on studying only poisonous plants, he would have been offered an option to make their study easier at the expense of all other types of plants.

He was not ready to commit to something. For now, he wanted to leave all the doors open. Maybe he would try something for Running, but that was for another time.

Satisfied with the significant growth in his skills in just a day. It was time to get to work.

Kai opened his small window to let in more light and air, tidied up his workbench and prepared the ingredients for the healing potions. Ready to start he checked his mana levels on a whim.

What the fuck! Im not yet full. Fuck this shit mana density and fuck my small body.

He was around 95%, the situation wasnt too bad. But after a whole night of sleep, he had taken for granted he would be 100% full. At the estate, he got topped off in a couple hours with a nap. It was true that yesterday he overdid it, but still

Not much I can do, except be even more careful with my mana usage. I cant afford to waste even a drop.

I like it. Why dont you go find something that you like. Kai knew while he was saying it that it was a low blow. Kea was stumped trying to decide about her future. But he didnt have the patience nor the energy for her shenanigans right now.

Predictably, Kea glared at him and ran out.

I might or might not do something nice for her later. For now, this is a relief.

Finally, blessedly alone, Kai immersed himself back into the flow of alchemy.

This is much more complicated than just chopping vegetables.

Forgetting his problems in the methodical work, he was able to enter the same semi-meditative state he had this morning. Perfecting his double batch and then the triple.

As he had predicted, there was no point pushing for a quadruple.

Alana came to check on him at some point, bringing him dinner and asking if he needed anything.

More distilled water for tomorrow. He replied distractedly, he was so close to pushing the quality to the peak. Alana nodded and disappeared.

Finally. Kai raised the vial of brownish liquid with reverence. In his last batch, he finally managed the awaited result. To his senses there was nothing more he could do better. It was perfect.

With great satisfaction, he placed all 50 of them in their boxes.

Outside his window, the moons were lighting the night with their pale colors. Only now he realized how tired he was. Having to stay bent over the cauldron the whole day left him with a sore neck. He made some slow circular movements and massaged it.

Three full bottles of distilled water and the remains of his cold dinner stood a few feet from him.

Finishing the food and drinking a glass of non-distilled water, Kai did a quick stretch and jumped on his bed. Another day was over and, more importantly, he was on schedule. Only 20 bait poisons remained to concoct. Reishi told him they would leave in the evening. So he had almost the whole day.

With his mana a few percentages over half, it all worked out perfectly and he could fall asleep with a smile.

~~~~~~~

Aboard the Fortuna, Reishi stood leaning on the rail of the ship facing the muddy fishing village. A few fires illuminated the houses in the distance, not that he needed them. The lights of the pale pastel moons overhead were more than enough for his eyes.

After just two days, all the possible deals had already been closed. The small village offered no more opportunities for him to train his skills and profession.

The bizarre duo of the day before had given him hope this boring stop might hide a few more surprises. Alas, no one as fascinating showed up. Or maybe he was setting his expectations too high.

The hunter had been a surprise, but the kid even more so. To think he would find an apprentice alchemist at the age of seven in the forgotten corner of the seas.

It had been a welcomed entertainment in this dull voyage his father forced on him. When he had been told they were going on a journey, he thought they would sail the Golden Coast or maybe the Shatter Isles. Instead, his father chose this desolate archipelago he had not even known existed.

New opportunities, a fresh market, he said. More than fresh, the market had been non-existent. True, the low competition allowed them to get a few good deals, but he had hoped for something more exciting.

Do you think its worth wasting a day? The Fortuna hull isnt so fragile, we could set sail right now. Im not so sure hell deliver the order in time or that it will be worth it anyway. Sehns voice drifted to his ears.

The old merfolk walked up to the rail next to him, adjusting his golden monocle to look into the distance.

Sehn turned towards him, The bait poison is not something an inexperienced alchemist can make. And that human child is as green as they come. He probably got his Alchemy skill a couple of weeks ago.

After leaving all decisions to him, his father had been trying to make him doubt himself for this decision.

Reishi glanced at his father, Why not? Its not like another merchant will beat us to the next rock if we wait a day.

Waiting to see if the little alchemist would deliver on his promise beat visiting the next scattered village.

Ill bet you ten silvers that he doesnt show up. His father offered.

Lets make it fifteen, old fish, Reishi replied with a smirk.

Sehn stared at his son, If you want to hang yourself we can do twenty, but also bring at least 90% of the bait poison. If he just comes empty handed its my win.

Deal.

Reishi was sure his father had faked falling for his provocation, but he took the bet anyway. What was the point of going on a journey to become a better merchant if he didnt trust his instincts?

That kid better deliver.