Chapter 49

49 Inside the Alchemia Tower

Brom was staring at the moonlight from the window, he was bored and prefer to sleep, most of his magi colleagues were enjoying either the palace ball or the citizen festival. He just wanted some sleep or to help his mother with her experiment. A knock came from his bedroom door.

“Brom! Vale’s familiar was here.” Said a voice of a woman.

He open the door where Amaris was standing in his door frame, glaring at Brom.

“Son, everyone was enjoying either the ball or the festival. What are you doing coop up in your room?!”

Brom scratches his head. He was still sleepy and needed some strong drink to fight the sleepiness. Amaris looks concerned suddenly.

“Are you okay? Is it coming again?” She held her son on the shoulder. She was worried.

“No, I’m alright, just a bit sleepy, don’t worry.” Brom was trying so hard to convince his mother, but every time he got his episode, Amaris will be hysterical, he look around to find the Silver Hawk, “Where is Silver Hawk?”

“I perched the bird on the lab. I need to analyze the sample immediately before the preserved magica disappeared completely.”

“Come on, let me help you, then.” Said Brom with a forced smile on his face.

.....

His mother shook her head and pointed at the door. “Go to the communal kitchen and make some Caftea with moomilk. It will be good for you. Afterward, then you can join me.”

Huffing his breath, Brom steps outside their apartment, they are living permanently in the Alchemia tower, since his mother is the chief Alchemist, only the chief and the higher-ups of the Alchemist department have the spot to live in the Alchemia tower, Amaris as the chief has the biggest apartment and permission to live with her member of the family.

Brom was in the middle of making his caftea with moomilk when another alchemist enter the communal kitchen. It is one of the master sergeants named Darren. He smiled when he saw Brom, although the latter just ignored him.

“Hey Brom, you don’t go to the ball? Oh right, nobles only.” Said Darren with a bit of arrogance in his tone.

Brom just chuckles and shook his head. He knows very well better to stay away from Darren. Everyone knows how snobbish he was, the illegitimate child of an earl in a remote town. He came with a golden pass and passed the rare alchemist entrance exam. Unlike other exams that are held every year, some formations like Alchemist are so rare to be open. The last time the Alchemist formation in the entrance exam was five years ago.

“What’s up with you private? Demon cat got your tongue?” There’s an annoyance on Darren’s face. He doesn’t like to be ignored, especially by the chief alchemist’s son.

“Nothing, master sergeant, just making my caftea with some moomilk.” Brom doesn’t want any confrontation with him right now. He just wanted to finish making a warm drink and go away.

“Good, finally you talk to your superior. I thought you’re a mute sometimes, f*cking fr*ak.”

Brom’s hand was shaking, a crackle was coming from his left hand. He was so ready to launch a thunderbolt at the arrogant master sergeant behind him, but then someone called him from outside the communal kitchen.

“Brom, what took you so long?” It was Amaris. The older woman took glanced at Darren and knew immediately there was something brewing inside the kitchen, and it wasn’t the caftea. “Master sergeant Darren, what are you doing here?”

Darren’s face changed, he is now standing straight and very nervous when he saw his chief. “Chief Amaris, I thought... I thought you were gone to the palace ball?”

“Tsk... It was a boring event, anyway. What about you? I know you like to mingle with those pompous people all day.” Amaris replied to Darren with a lot of sarcasm involved. She knows how ambitious Darren is and is aware of how he likes to pick on his son.

Darren’s face changed color to a red beet. He was ashamed, but there was nothing he could do against his own chief of staff. “I... Uhm... I think I need to go now. Good night chief, Brom.”

Running away as soon as possible, Darren used the elevated floor to go to his own apartment on the tenth floor. Amaris scoffed and shook her head. She knew his father, Earl Bradford, is a tyrant, who likes to collect women rather than marry them. He was a good-looking earl, even in his old age, sadly not about his lecherous behavior.

“He was just like his father, too bad. His late mother was a kind woman.” Muttered Amaris.

Brom handed his mother the caftea, “You know his mother?”

“Yes, we were closed... Anyhow, enough with him. Come on, you need to help me with the sample.”

Inside the laboratory, a pink liquid was already inside a brewing jar. Brom looked into the liquid and know immediately what the content of the liquid was.

“Amore potion, it’s a bewitched test. How many people that you need to check, besides my captain?” Asked Brom while sipping on his moomilk caftea.

“Four men with one woman, a young girl, actually,” Amaris answered Brom, questioned with a speck of sparkling dust on her hand. It was fuel for the green fire that brewed the amore potion.

Brom chuckled, and stir the potion, “I think I know who are they, even the young girl.”

Amaris turns her head to Brom. Curiosity came at her. “Really? Well, this is interesting. Who is she?”

“Do you remember when I was having a patrol in the forest of the lost?”

“Yes, you said there were three exam participants who got lost and got attacked by the snaillog. One of them was a unique girl. Was that her?”

Brom shook his head, “No, that wasn’t the girl, but another one, the one that my captain seems too invested with her. He also asked the girl to become his partner for tonight at the palace ball.”

“Hmm... is she pretty? Kind?”

Brom shrugged it off, “I guess so, unique hair though, purple color.”

Suddenly, the sound of broken glass came from behind. Brom turns around to see his mother already on the floor trying to clean the floor from the broken cup of caftea.

“Mother, what happened?” Brom asked her. He was in shock, and when he saw blood coming dripping from her hands, he cast a first aid spell immediately.

Amaris laughed nervously, “Oh, nothing, it was so clumsy of me, let me... Uhm... It’s alright son, it’s nothing much, it’s already healed.”

“Well, you’re not a clumsy person. What happened to you?”

“I’ve already said nothing, calm down!” Amaris let out a sigh and push her son gently, “Maybe you could go to Silver Hawk and tell him that the test will be done in six hours, and you should get some rest after.”

Brom stared at her for a moment. He could feel his mother getting restless. She was hiding something. Although for now, pushing her to answer his curiosity will cause her denial. Brom step out of the laboratory, but before he walked out completely, he turned his head to Amaris.

“Mother, whatever the result of the test, I think it’s best for you to not over-informed my captain.”

Amaris never answered him, but knowing his mother’s nature, she already agreed with her son’s advice. In the living room, Silver Hawk was perching on the chair, his eyes looking at Brom.

‘Good evening private Brom, six hours, was it?’

“Always forgot that you have very good senses. Add a cake for my breakfast, will you?” Said Brom with a wink to Silver Hawk.

‘Affirmative, have a good rest, private Brom.’

The silver-wing bird flies away from the alchemia tower. Brom looks at the view from the window. When the morning come, Brom still sleeping soundly in his bedroom, Amaris tried to calm her nerves. The result is definite, the four of them were being bewitched. She heard a door knock and a man with wavy brown hair and green emerald eyes appeared from the door.

“Oh, good morning to you, Captain Vale. Care to wait for us to tell you to come in next time?” Said Amaris, teasing the young man.

“I’m sorry Amaris, forgot my manner there.” Said Vale, with a grin on his face.

Amaris smiled at him and then patted his back. “I was joking. Anyhow, Brom is still asleep, but I have the result.”

He took a deep breath and nervously looked at Amaris. “So, what’s the result?”

Amaris needs to look at his face. This is not a good answer that he will get from her. Not to mention how she is so fond of Vale. She knows his late grandfather and thinks of him as her own son.

“Your suspicion was right. The four of you are being bewitched.”

Vale grunted in frustration. “I suspected it, but still hoping it wasn’t the truth.”

“Vale, I do need to ask you about something else.” Amaris nervously looked into Vale, her mannerism changed immediately.

“Yes, what do you want to know?”

“How much do you know about the girl?”

Vale looked at Amaris, a bit taken aback by her curiosity. “Why do you want to know more about her?”

Looking around the room, Amaris put her hand on Vale and said, “Well... It is because...”