Chapter 36: Bad Impressions

Chapter 36: Bad Impressions

While I stand here, I can feel the guardian lion occasionally glance at me. Almost as if to say, Really? You arent going to ask for something else, for giving me that?

Of course not. Its clearly the alchemists shops guardian lion and to take it away from its job, more than I already have, would likely have the opposite intended effect.

After a bit more time spent like this, it eventually settles down.

However, just as it does, a young man about my age comes jogging down the stone street with a large backpack on. It appears this is a regular thing, as people automatically move out of his way.

Some people starting moving to the edges of the street, just by seeing him.

That cant be a good sign.

As he gets closer, I begin to realize why people were moving away from him.

He smells horrendous.

My scan automatically notifies me that many of the scents on him are from alchemical ingredients, both beneficial and deadly. Based on the shape of the bag, they must be tightly sealed in containers.

He, however, still carries the smell from collecting them.

As he jogs to the entrance towards me, he appears to be a bit winded. Finally reaching me in all his stinky glory, he pauses in front of me with a quizzical look.

Shaking his head, as if coming to a conclusion, he plops his bag right on top of the living guardian dogs head.

Just based on the look on the dogs face, this is massively irritating for it. The young man, on the other hand, has a refreshing smile on. He gives me a quick look at me.

So, waiting for an order, huh?

Well, hes not wrong.

Yeah, just waiting out here with the guardian lions.

He nods his head as he pulls out some kind of leaf, which he chews. Yeah, I see it all the time. Youve come to the right place, you know. My dads the best at this stuff.

He then leans his butt against the guardian lion. The lions face turns into a scowl, not even trying to hide it.

Does he not know that its alive or is he doing this on purpose?

Just as I think that, I can hear the slightest *poof*, as a massively satisfied look crosses the young mans face.

Maybe the negotiations werent going well?

The young mans voice catches my ear again. He dared to tell me to remove my backpack and buttocks from the lions head! He even asked me if there was anything, I noticed about our guardian lion. Like I havent been seeing it since I was young! Like I was some kind of idiot!

Only a fool would believe there is something special about this silly statue.

He slaps its head with his leaf.

The guardian lion has its eye on the alchemist. No expression.

The fathers eyes glaze over. After a moment of silence, he begins nodding subtly to himself. The young mans eyes light up. The father turns to me.

I apologize for my son's embarrassing display of disrespect. Im assuming that you are the master of these two young women here?

I hesitantly nod, both at the comment and the sudden sageness coming from the older gentleman.

As I thought. Also, the fact that you were able to perceive the guardian lions true nature, at your age and without qi, is quite amazing. Once again, I must greatly apologize for my sons conduct and you can have the items I spoke with your assistants about, as a gift.

No, we couldnt! Thats far too mu

Please, I insist. It will make what I must do later much easier for me to bear. His eyes have a steely look as he says this.

I actually feel kind of bad for the young man now.

A look over to him, shows that he still has no idea whats coming to him.

Yep.

Maybe this older gentleman has the right idea.

With this, I cant help but to accept, as he heads back into the shop and grabs the items. After handing them to Lin, he then asks his son to bring in the backpack and to go inside. Confused, the young man heads inside. Before he walks inside, I can see him bow to the statue, as if in apology.

As we walk away, we can hear the pained screams of the young man echo from the building. The fact that no one seems to care on this street, is telling.

We head to the other side of the street, confirming that everything is as we needed. In fact, it appears that the father added a few more dead seeds than we had asked for. When I asked on the way back, why they were having trouble, it appears that typically you need a sponsor to buy certain items or show competency in alchemy beforehand.

Really, its the typical You need a job history to get a job, but in order to get a job history, you need a job. Unless you have enormous amounts of money, then you just do what you want. Unless you are a demi-human. Then get out, situation.

In a way, the young man was a boon to us and gained us the trust of the alchemist.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m