It had been ten days since the attack. Ten days since I was nearly kidnapped. Ten days since my family wiped out those mercenaries like they were nothing.
And yet, no one would tell me who was behind it and why they did it.
I had asked Grandpa. He had just ruffled my hair with a cryptic chuckle and said, "No need to burden your little head with it, boy."
I had asked Zayn. His response had been a tired sigh, "You'll know when the time is right."
Even Granny, who never hesitated to speak her mind, had waved me off with a simple, "Focus on your studies, child."
As for Mother, she remained silent, her expression calm, but there was a terrifying stillness in her eyes.
A few times, I heard Mother and Grandpa discussing something in hushed voices. I tried to listen in, but Mother always shooed me away. I was the one who was kidnapped and almost died, yet they still refused to tell me anything.
I clenched my fists, staring down at the training field.
Things could have been worse. When James and Erina saw me vanish in thin air, they had run all the way back to the church, shouting for help. If not for them, the response wouldn't have been so swift. I still remembered James and Erina's tearful faces when I met them the next day.
If my family hadn't responded so quickly—
I shook my head. No point in thinking about it.
The only thing I could do now was get stronger. That was why I was here.
I shake off the negative thoughts and turn my attention forward.
Sitting a few steps away, a small fox spirit gazed up at me with bright golden eyes. Its fur shimmered under the sunlight, its tail twitching in anticipation. It tilted its head, ears perking as if waiting for something.
I wasn't alone. Zayn and Silas stood beside me to oversee the process
"Alright, Sieg," Zayn said, his tone firm. "You've been practicing your mana control for the past ten days. You're getting the hang of keeping it steady around your body, but now we're taking it a step further. You're going to form a contract."
I nodded. "So, how does it work?" I asked, glancing at the fox.
"Simple," Zayn said, gesturing toward the spirit. "You need to establish a link. Place your hand on its head and pour your mana into it. The spirit will absorb it, and if the bond forms, it'll respond."
"And if it doesn't?"
"Then it doesn't like you," Zayn snorted.
I shot him a flat look.
Silas rolled his eyes. "Please be serious, Sir Zayn. I heard there could be backlashes sometimes during a contract. We need to be careful."
Great, that's the last thing I need.
I took in a deep breath and crouched in front of the fox. It didn't move as I reached out, resting my palm gently on its head.
Then, I focused. To flow the mana, I focused on the heat, the ember I felt burning in my mind, but that's not how I needed to think about it. According to Zayn, I didn't need to pull mana; I needed to suck it. The easy way to understand it is to imagine there's a glass of water, and I need to drink from it without touching the glass. To do that, I will need to bring my head down and suck it. I needed to think of the Crucible like a glass. I followed suit, sucking from the Crucible, and directed my mana outward, letting it flow from my palm into the fox.
At first, nothing happened.
Then, it kept going.
A soft glow surrounded the fox as my mana flowed into it. Its fur trembled slightly, but it didn't resist. If anything, it leaned into my touch.
But something felt off.
"Uh…?" I said, furrowing my brows. "How much mana is this thing supposed to take?"
Zayn hummed in thought. "It shouldn't take much. Just enough to establish the link."
"Then why does it feel like it's eating my mana like a starving beast?"
The fox let out a content chirr, still happily absorbing mana.
Zayn laughed. "Looks like it's got an appetite."
"Sir Zayn. Please," Silas said, concern etched on his face.
I scowled but didn't pull back. The glow intensified for a moment before fading. The fox let out a small shake, and I noticed something, It had gotten slightly bigger. Not by much, but enough to be noticeable.
I blinked. "Is… is it done?"
Zayn examined the fox, then nodded. "Yeah. Looks like the contract formed successfully."
Silas exhaled in relief. He had been on edge the whole time, I guessed he was worried about me. What a loyal man.
Before I could react, the fox whirled happily in the air, spiraling with excitement. Then, it darted toward me, only to hesitate mid-air. It tried to perch itself on my shoulders, but it was too small for it now.
I smirked. "Looks like you lost your favorite spot."
The fox huffed. Then, to my surprise, it floated above and landed directly on my head. Its limbs dangled lazily over my face. I groaned. "Are you for real?"
Silas smiled. "It's quite fond of you, young lord."
Zayn burst into laughter. "Congratulations, young lord. You're now a living mount."
I shot him a glare, but the fox merely shifted, getting comfortable. Great. Just great.
Once the annoying bastard stopped laughing, I turned to him. "So… what can I actually do with this contract?"
Still laughing, "The most common ability is sense sharing," Zayn explained.
"Sense sharing?" I repeated.
"Yeah. Basically, you can see, hear, and feel things through your spirit. It's like having an extra pair of eyes."
That sounded incredibly useful. "How do I do it?"
"Close your eyes and focus," Zayn instructed. "The fox is now connected to you. Your mana is inside it, just like an extra limb. Try to feel that connection."
I nodded and shut my eyes. At first, there was nothing. Just the familiar pulse of mana inside me.
After some time, I could feel something else. A presence, separate yet connected. The fox. Its mana pulsed in sync with mine, like a second heartbeat.
I concentrated harder, And suddenly, I saw myself. From above. A completely different angle. For a brief moment, the world shifted. The ground seemed farther away, the wind carried dozens of scents I hadn't noticed before, and movement in the distance became sharper, more instinctive.
I gasped and opened my eyes, the image vanishing instantly. "It works," I muttered in amazement.
Zayn smirked. "Not bad for a first try."
Silas clapped next to me. "Congrats, young lord. You're getting there."
I relaxed, a slow smile forming.
"Good," Zayn said, stretching his arms. "That's enough for today. Let's end the session here."
Shaking off the lingering strain in my arms. Controlling mana was becoming more natural, but it still took effort.
"Alright," I nodded. "Then, I'll be heading to my lessons now."
As I turned to leave, I caught part of a conversation behind me.
"By the way, the horned boar you asked for is ready," Silas mentioned casually.
I slowed my steps. Horned boar? I had eaten it before—thick, juicy meat with a rich flavor that lingered on the tongue. Cooked properly, it was one of the best dishes I had eaten in this lifetime. Looks like tonight's dinner will be good, I thought, a small smile tugging at my lips as I entered the house.
The servants greeted me as I passed. I acknowledged them with a nod before stopping one of the maids.
"Where's Granny?" I asked.
"She is with Lady Valka in the study, young lord," the maid responded with a polite bow.
I thanked her and made my way upstairs to the second floor. As I approached the study, I heard the faint murmuring of voices through the door. I hesitated briefly before knocking.
A moment later, Granny's voice called out. "Who is it?"
"It's me," I answered.
"Come in."
I pushed the door open, The study was warm. Sunlight filtered through the large windows, casting a golden hue over the room. It was a familiar space, one that always carried the quiet hum of work being done.
But today… Today, something was different. Something shocking.
Sitting at the grand wooden desk, pen in hand, papers neatly stacked before her… was Mother. My mother, who normally found any excuse to avoid work, the greatest escape artist, the laziest person I've met in this world, was actually working? I couldn't believe my eyes. She wasn't lounging on the couch with a book. She wasn't finding an excuse to slip away. She wasn't sighing dramatically about how bureaucracy was the greatest enemy of warriors. She was actually sitting there, diligently scribbling notes, flipping through documents, eyes narrowed in concentration. Mother. Working.
What alternate reality have I stepped into?
"Oh?" Granny's amused voice broke me from my thoughts. She sat comfortably on the sofa, a cup of tea in her hand, a few documents spread out on the low table before her.
She glanced at me, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Training finished for today?" she asked.
I nodded slowly. "Yes, but…" My gaze flickered back to Mother, still struggling to process what I was seeing. "What is… this?"
"Hmm?" Mother hummed distractedly, barely acknowledging me as she turned a page. "Just handling some minor affairs."
Minor affairs? Her?
I narrowed my eyes. Something wasn't right.
"I know," Granny chuckled, sipping her tea. "It's a rare sight, isn't it?"
"Rare?" I scoffed. "This is unheard of."
Granny laughed, clearly enjoying my confusion.
"So… what caused this miracle?" I asked, arms crossed.
Granny set down her cup, her expression turning just a shade more serious. "Let's just say she remembered what's at stake here."
At that, Mother finally lifted her gaze from the papers, her sapphire eyes meeting Granny's. There was something there, something unspoken. A silent conversation passed between them. And I had the distinct feeling that I wasn't going to like whatever it was.
"Um, Granny… what about my lesson?" I asked, shifting my gaze between her and Mother.
Granny set her teacup down with a quiet clink and stood up, stretching slightly. "Right." She glanced at Mother. "Do you need help with anything else before we go?"
There was a pause.
Mother tapped the end of her pen against the desk before speaking. "So, just to confirm… we're selling forty percent of the cotton to the imperial family, thirty percent to Duke Valois, twenty percent to the merchants willing to pay the most, and keeping ten percent for ourselves." Her voice was full of seriousness and professionalism.
Granny nodded. "Yes, but there was also a letter from Duke Valois's wife. She's requesting more."
"Just reject it," Mother responded flatly, without even looking up from her papers.
I almost tripped over my own feet. "Reject it?" Did I hear that right?
Duke Valois—our barony was under his dukedom. He wasn't just anyone; he was one of the five dukes of the empire, a powerful figure. One of the strongest individuals in the entire empire. And Mother just… dismissed his request? I half expected Granny to chide her, to tell her that it wasn't a good idea to reject a duke's wife so bluntly. Surely she would at least mention the consequences, right?
"Whatever you wish."
That was it. That was all Granny said.
…What?
Were they serious about this? I glanced between them, but neither seemed particularly concerned. Mother simply returned to her paperwork, and Granny turned toward me.
"Come along, Sieg," she said as she walked toward the door.
I hurried after her, still trying to process what had just happened. As we walked through the hall, Granny glanced at me, her gaze settling on the fox sprawled across my head.
"Hmm… it looks like your little friend has grown a bit," she remarked.
I reached up instinctively, feeling the fox's soft fur as its fluffy tail twitched lazily. "Yeah," I said. "I formed a contract with it today. I can use shared sensing now."
Granny's brows lifted slightly. For just a second, there was a flicker of surprise in her eyes. Then she hummed, a small, thoughtful sound. She reached up and gently scratched the fox under its chin.
"Take care of my Sieg, will you?" she murmured.
The fox let out a low, contented growl, its small body vibrating against my head. "Fuuuu."
I sighed, reaching up to poke at the weight hanging over my head. "You're getting too comfortable up there."
It let out another lazy Fuuuu in response, its limbs dangling over my forehead like I was nothing more than a cushion. Granny chuckled softly.
I glanced at her and, with a childish curiosity, asked, "Granny… was it really okay to reject a request from the duke's family?"
Her expression remained calm, unreadable. "Let's go inside first," she said, leading the way into the alchemy lab at the end of the hall.
As soon as we stepped in, the familiar scent of potions, preserved monster parts, and dried herbs filled my nose. The air carried a faint sharpness from the alchemical reagents stored in glass vials along the shelves. It had become a familiar thing over the past month, a mixture of strange yet oddly comforting scents that reminded me of long hours spent learning under Granny's watchful eye.
Granny walked around the large wooden table in the center of the room, taking a seat on the far side. "What do you think the duke's family would do with so much cotton?" she asked, her tone light, almost like a teacher posing a question to a student.
I followed suit, taking a seat opposite her. "Sell it to someone offering a higher price?" I guessed.
Granny's sharp black eyes studied me, as if scanning my thoughts. "That's the gist of it," she confirmed. Then, leaning back in her chair, she added, "The one requesting the cotton isn't Duke Valois himself, but his second wife. She's irritated that Fors Barony was one of the families chosen by the imperial family to maintain the cotton supply."
Right, I remembered reading about that. The empire had a strict system where the imperial family controlled what crops were grown on lands they had a hand in developing. Even if a noble cultivated land with their own money, they still needed permission from the Ministry of Domestic Affairs before growing cash crops. It was a way to regulate supply and prevent food shortages.
"Her family… which one is that?" I asked, frowning.
"She's from Hansen County—the territory we're under."
We're under them, and they're under Duke Valois. So, in the end, Duke Valois was the boss above us all. I couldn't help but frown.
"But we pay taxes, don't we?"
"We do, but due to the damage we took from the Beast from beyond the sky, the Emperor reduced our taxes until further notice," Granny admitted. "So our taxes are a drop in the ocean compared to the profit we make from cotton. This isn't about duty or obligations, it's about greed. She wants to create trouble for us and buy up more cotton so she can sell it at a higher price for her own gain."
That's just too low. Going after a territory that took so much and lost so many of its children. She was already a duke's wife, and yet she still wanted more? No matter how much someone had, they always wanted more. Even in my past life, I had seen it, the endless hunger for wealth, for power, for status. No matter the world, humanity's greed never ends.
Maybe my frustration showed on my face, because Granny let out a sigh and spoke up. "That's not something for you to worry about now," she said, her voice calm yet firm.
I let out a breath, forcing my irritation down. She was right, there wasn't much I could do about noble politics at the moment. I was still just a kid, and even if I understood what was happening, it wasn't like I had the power to change anything.
"Let's do what we came here for," Granny continued, brushing aside the topic.
I nodded, pushing aside my thoughts as well. I was here to learn about alchemy, not talk about greedy nobles.
Granny stood up and walked over to the large shelves lining the wall, her fingers trailing over the labeled glass jars and vials filled with various alchemical ingredients. "We'll be making a repellent today," she said.
"Repellent?" I echoed, watching as she pulled out a few jars and placed them on the table.
"A potion that drives away spirits."
I blinked and glanced up at the fox still draped over my head. It smirked as if mocking the very idea. "It won't hurt them, will it?" I asked.
Granny chuckled. "No, it simply makes them uncomfortable. Spirits are highly sensitive to mana fluctuations, and this potion disrupts the flow in a way that irritates them. They'll naturally want to get away from the source."
That sounded useful. This might be the only way to stop my head from becoming a nest.
I watched as she measured out the ingredients, explaining each one as she did. First, she took out a small bundle of Faeroot, a pale-blue herb known for its connection to spiritual energy. She carefully crushed it with a mortar and pestle, releasing a faint, minty scent. "Faeroot acts as a base stabilizer. It makes sure the potion doesn't go out of control," she explained.
Next, she added a pinch of Void Salt, dark crystalline flakes that seemed to absorb light. "Void Salt disrupts mana flow, creating interference that spirits find unbearable."
She then reached for a bottle of Ethereal Dew, a rare liquid extracted from flowers that only bloomed under moonlight. "This ensures the potion remains effective for longer periods. Otherwise, it would disperse too quickly."
I leaned in as she poured the dew into a small cauldron and placed it over a gentle flame. The mixture inside shimmered, shifting between shades of blue and violet. "Now, the final ingredient…" Granny murmured, reaching for a vial of Spirit Ash, a fine silver powder collected from the remains of dissipated spirits.
The moment she sprinkled it into the cauldron, the potion let out a soft hiss, and the colors darkened, taking on a deep indigo hue. The air around us seemed to tremble slightly, as if the very fabric of mana had been disturbed.
And that's when it happened.
The fox on my head suddenly tensed, its ears perking up.
Then, without warning, it jumped off me, phased through the nearest wall, and bolted out of the room.
I blinked.
Granny let out a chuckle. "And there you have it, proof that it works."
I turned to her, still processing what had just happened. "You could've warned me."
"Where's the fun in that?" she replied with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I realized where my mother's nature of wanting "fun" comes from.
"So… Does it have any other use?"
Granny smiled. "A Spirit Repellant, a potion that disrupts spiritual entities and makes them flee. Perfect for warding off mischievous spirits, keeping unwanted ones at bay, and especially useful against Spirit Mages."
Spirit Mages, huh. The ones who use spirits to fight. I glanced at the cauldron, then at the wall the fox had escaped through. Remembering its panic-stricken exit.
"Yeah… I don't think my fox is coming back anytime soon."
Now alchemy feels even more exciting.