Siegfried Fors
Granny and I continued working on potions for a while, our hands moving with practiced ease as we crushed, mixed, and heated ingredients. Time passed quickly, and after what felt like an hour or so, Granny stretched her arms over her head and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Alright, that's enough for now. Let's take a break." She wiped her hands on her apron before plopping down onto a nearby stool.
I nodded, setting down the pestle I had been using. The rhythmic grinding had almost lulled me into a trance, but her words snapped me back to the present. As I leaned back in my chair, something I had read before surfaced in my mind, something that had been nagging at me ever since I started learning alchemy.
I turned to Granny, curiosity burning in my chest. "Granny, I read somewhere that mana can be used in alchemy, but so far, we've only been using ingredients with extraordinary properties. We've never actually used mana itself… Why is that?"
Granny glanced at me and chuckled. "Hah, so you've finally noticed. That's because using mana in alchemy isn't something just anyone can do. It's an advanced technique, not even common among veterans."
"Advanced?" I tilted my head. "But you can do it, right?"
She puffed up her chest, clearly pleased with the question. "Of course I can! What kind of master alchemist would I be if I couldn't?"
I sat up straight, excitement bubbling inside me. "Then can you show me?"
Granny smirked, clearly enjoying my enthusiasm. "Heh, alright. Watch closely, boy. I'll recreate the first potion we made—the repellent."
She gathered the necessary ingredients and laid them on the table: Faeroot, Void Salt, Ethereal Dew, and Spirit Ash. I leaned forward, watching intently as she placed her hands around them.
Almost immediately, I felt the change in the air. A soft golden glow shimmered to life, enveloping the materials. They lifted off the table, hovering between her hands, suspended by the golden force. My breath hitched.
Granny made a small motion with her fingers, and I watched in awe as the Faeroot was crushed into fine dust by nothing but mana. The Void Salt, previously floating in one corner, drifted toward it, as if drawn by an unseen current, mixing seamlessly into the crushed Faeroot. Then, the Ethereal Dew slipped out of its vial, not a single drop wasted, and merged into the mixture, forming a smooth, swirling liquid.
The entire process looked divine. Otherworldly. As if the world itself was bending to her will.
"And now, we heat it." Granny's voice snapped me out of my trance.
I barely noticed the rising temperature before bubbles began forming in the liquid. The Spirit Ash, which had been floating slightly above, suddenly descended, merging into the potion with a faint shimmer. Almost instantly, the liquid turned an indigo hue.
"And there we have it," Granny announced.
The completed repellent gently floated down into an empty bottle as the golden light slowly faded. She corked the bottle and set it on the table with a satisfied nod.
I blinked, still struggling to process what I had just seen. "That… was incredible," I breathed, getting up from my seat. "What was that?"
Granny wiped her hands and looked at me with a knowing smile. "That, boy, was 'Mana Alchemy.' It's an advanced technique where we use mana to create a 'Mana Alchemy Bench.' That golden light you saw? That was my mana enveloping the ingredients, allowing me to manipulate them directly. I used mana to crush and mix the materials, then applied my fire element to heat it up."
I frowned slightly, trying to wrap my head around it. "So… it's like an invisible alchemy table made out of mana?"
Granny nodded approvingly. "Exactly. It speeds up the process and increases efficiency. But mastering it isn't easy."
"Can I learn it?" I asked immediately.
Granny exhaled, rubbing her chin. "Hmm. That depends. Mana Alchemy isn't something just anyone can do. Some people spend their entire lives trying and never succeed. And then there are those who are born with a natural talent for it."
"A natural talent?"
She nodded. "It's called the 'Golden Hand of Alchemy.' Those who have it can use Mana Alchemy as naturally as breathing. It's incredibly rare."
I hesitated for a moment before asking, "What about you, Granny? Were you born with it?"
She crossed her arms and huffed. "Hah! I wish. No, I couldn't do it at all until my late teens. It took years of hard work and the guidance of my great teacher before I finally mastered it."
"Your teacher…?"
Granny's expression softened for a brief moment before she cleared her throat. "That's a story for another time. Right now, you want to see if you can do it, right?"
I nodded eagerly.
"Alright then, let's give it a shot. Don't get discouraged if nothing happens. Even prodigies take time."
She placed a few random ingredients between my hands and instructed, "Now, close your eyes and try to envelop these ingredients with your mana. Imagine them coming together as one."
I did as she said, closing my eyes and focusing. I thought about the golden glow I had just seen. The way the ingredients had moved, how effortlessly they merged together under Granny's control.
As I concentrated, Granny continued speaking, her tone calm and reassuring. "Remember, it's not about forcing your mana, but guiding it. If you can't do it right away, don't feel discourage it's—What the—?!"
My eyes snapped open at her startled yell.
Granny was staring at me, her mouth hanging open in pure shock. Her eyes darted between my face and my hands, where—A golden glow shimmered softly around the ingredients.
The light flickered for a moment before fading, leaving only silence between us.
Granny took a step back, still wide-eyed.
"G-Golden Hand of Alchemy…" she stuttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
I looked down at my hands, realization dawning on me. Does this mean… I have it?
Before I could even voice my thoughts, Granny suddenly slammed her hands on the table with a loud bang!
"SILAS!! CALL EVERYONE!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.
I flinched. "Wha—?!"
Before I could process what was happening, she had already bolted out of the room, shouting for Silas to gather everyone.
Barely half an hour later, the entire family was assembled in the living room. The atmosphere was filled with a mix of curiosity and mild irritation.
Grandpa was the first to speak, crossing his arms as he leaned back in his chair. "Alright, Elara, what's this all about? Silas called me in such a hurry, I was in the middle of checking whether the land was ready for winter."
"I was preparing Sieg's lesson for tomorrow," Zayn added, rubbing his temple.
Mother, who was reclining on the couch, waved a hand dismissively. "Give it up already. Just look at her." She glanced at Granny, who was standing proudly in front of the fireplace, her hands on her waist and an enormous, almost ridiculous grin on her face.
Mother's eyes then flicked over to me. "Something must have happened."
Granny giggled, practically bouncing in place. "Oh, something special happened, alright!"
Everyone turned their attention to her, intrigued but waiting for her to elaborate.
She took a deep breath, her grin widening even more before she dramatically announced, "Our little Sieg has the Golden Hand of Alchemy!"
Nobody reacted immediately, as if taking time to process the information.
"Wait… Golden? You mean THAT golden hand?" Zayn asked, eyebrows raising.
Grandfather stroked his beard thoughtfully. "That amazing golden thing you do with alchemy?"
Mother sighed, resting her cheek on her hand. "So, in short, it's related to alchemy?" she said in a bored tone.
Granny's head snapped toward her like a striking snake. "Shut up, you idiot!" she barked, before suddenly wrapping her arms around me and shaking me.
I barely had time to react before I was being rattled like a rag doll.
"Our Sieg is a true genius!"
She sounded almost teary-eyed.
"When my own children turned out to be all brawn for brain like their father and had absolutely no talent for alchemy, I was heartbroken!" she cried out dramatically. "But good genes have finally been passed down to my grandson! Do you have any idea how happy I am?!"
I coughed, struggling in her grip. "G-Granny, I—"
Mother clicked her tongue. "You thought all that?"
Grandfather muttered under his breath, "Brawn for brain…?"
Zayn just laughed. "This family really is something else."
"Shut it, Zayn," Mother said dryly, before turning her gaze back to Granny. "So, what now? Are you planning to turn him into a full-fledged alchemist?"
Granny finally let go of me, wiping the corners of her eyes before exhaling deeply. "That's not for us to decide," she said, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "It's up to Sieg."
I blinked, caught off guard.
It was true that alchemy fascinated me. And after witnessing how Granny used Mana Alchemy, it was clear that I had a natural talent for it. I know this Golden Hand thing is rare, but I do not want to make false promises and raise Granny's expectations. At the same time…
I thought back to the mana training I had been doing with Zayn. I still wanted to learn more about magic, how to wield it, how to refine my control. There was so much to explore.
I glanced up at Granny and finally spoke. "I want to keep practicing alchemy… but for now, I want to become a full-fledged mage first."
She studied me for a moment before exhaling with a small smile. "As you wish," she said, patting my head.
Grandpa nodded in agreement, "Yes. You should do what you like."
Mother clapped a hand on my back. "That's my boy."
Zayn finally stood up from his seat, stretching slightly before turning to Granny. "So, are you continuing lessons for today?"
Granny shook her head. "Nope. We're done for the day," she said, dusting off her apron.
Mother raised an eyebrow at Zayn. "Then what do you plan to do now?"
Zayn glanced at me before smirking. "I'd like to borrow Sieg for a little while."
"Huh?"
Zayn continued, "I originally planned this lesson for tomorrow, but since the sun hasn't gone down yet, we might as well do it now."
"Another training session?" Mother asked.
Zayn nodded. "Something like that."
Without waiting for a response, he turned towards me. "Let's go," he said, already heading for the door.
I glanced at Granny and Mother before following after him. As I walked past the others, I could feel their curious gazes lingering on me.
Just as Zayn was about to step outside, he paused and looked back at Granny. "Oh, and Lady Elara, please ask the maids to prepare a bath for Sieg when we return."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "What exactly are you planning?"
Zayn didn't answer right away. He stepped outside, the crisp evening air hitting us from an open window as he began walking through the hall leading to the back of the mansion.
"Like I said—training," he finally responded, his tone serious. He didn't even glance back at me.
I frowned slightly. His attitude had shifted. Just a moment ago, he had been laughing and joking with the rest of the family, but now… his entire demeanor had changed.
What kind of training was this supposed to be?
Zayn led me through the back door of the mansion and out into the training field. I expected him to stop there, but instead, he kept walking, passing through the field and heading toward the back gate.
I followed, stepping through the gate after him. The familiar stone path leading to the arena stretched ahead of us, surrounded by dense trees.
"Are we going to the arena?" I asked, glancing at him.
"No," Zayn replied, still walking at a steady pace. "We're going somewhere nearby."
I furrowed my brows. Nearby?
The path to the arena was lined with trees, but instead of following it, Zayn suddenly veered off to the side, stepping into the wooded area.
I hesitated for a moment before following him into the trees. The further we walked, the quieter it became, only the rustling leaves and distant chirping of birds filled the air.
Then, I heard it.
A faint grunting sound.
I tensed instinctively, my senses sharpening as we approached a small clearing.
Pushing past a few bushes, I caught sight of a large creature lying on the ground.
A boar.
No—not just any boar.
It was a horned boar.
The beast's four legs were tightly bound with thick ropes, keeping it from moving. Its body was tense, its breath coming out in rough huffs as it struggled weakly against its restraints. The long, sharp horn protruding from its forehead glinted slightly under the fading sunlight.
I glanced at Zayn, my body trembling at the cold look in his eyes.
"...What's this?"
He finally turned to me, his eyes sharp and unreadable. "Your next lesson."
I frowned. "Lesson?" My eyes darted toward the struggling horned boar. The beast was powerful, capable of knocking down a tree with repeated tackles. And yet, here it was, tied down, completely at Zayn's mercy.
I turned back to Zayn. "What do you want me to do? Fight it?"
Zayn shook his head. "No. Even without using mana, if you were fighting for your life, you'd come out on top with that superhuman strength of yours."
I hesitated. I wasn't sure if he was overestimating me, but I knew horned boars were no joke. One wrong move, and it could gore me with that massive horn. I haven't even properly learned to protect myself with mana.
Before I could voice my thoughts, Zayn reached into his magic pouch and pulled out a small hunting knife. The blade gleamed under the sun as he tossed it toward me. I caught it instinctively.
I looked down at the knife in my hand, then back at him. "What do you want me to do? Cut the ropes?"
Zayn exhaled through his nose. "No. Kill it."
I stiffened. "...What?"
"You heard me." His voice was firm. "Kill the horned boar."
A sharp, twisting sensation gripped my stomach. I looked at the bound creature, its desperate grunts filling the air. Its dark eyes locked onto mine, not with malice, but with fear. It was alive. Breathing. Just like me.
I furrowed my brows, gripping the handle of the knife tightly. "If you're hungry, do it yourself."
Zayn's expression didn't change. "So, you are scared of killing."
I snapped my head up. "What?"
His eyes locked onto mine, unyielding. "I saw your face that night. When those men—those bastards who kidnapped you—were getting cut down. You looked away. When I severed that man's limbs, you flinched. You were disgusted, weren't you?"
I opened my mouth to protest, but nothing came out. Such cruelty was common in this world, different from the world I come from.
Zayn continued, his voice colder than before. "That kind of naïve thinking will only come back to bite you. You need to face it now, before it becomes a weakness others can exploit. I'm not asking you to kill a human. Just a boar. Something people hunt and eat every day."
I looked back at the horned boar. It was still struggling, its muscles twitching as it let out another weak grunt. It was alive. A living creature.
How could I just—
I remembered the blood I saw during my kidnapping. The screams. The severed limbs. The way the metallic scent of blood had filled the air.
A deep nausea welled up in my stomach.
"I don't want to."
I threw the knife to the ground and turned, bolting. I need to get to Grandpa. He will stop Zayn.
But before I could take more than a few steps, Zayn grabbed the back of my coat and yanked me backward. My feet skidded against the dirt.
"Don't think anyone will help you," he said flatly.
Then, without warning, he threw me.
I tumbled forward, landing harshly on the ground, right in front of the horned boar. My hands pressed into the dirt as I scrambled up, glaring at him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Zayn's expression didn't waver. He pointed to the knife. "Pick it up."
I clenched my fists. "No."
His jaw tightened. "This is my last offer. Kill it, and I'll tell you everything about the kidnappers—their motives, their goals, why they came after you in the first place."
I barely even thought about it before answering. "No."
Zayn exhaled through his nose, clearly irritated. His hand shot out, picking up the knife himself. Then, before I could react, he grabbed my wrist and forced the handle into my palm.
"Stop it!" I struggled, trying to pull my hand away, but his grip was unrelenting.
He stood behind me, his larger frame towering over mine as he gripped my wrist tightly. His other hand pressed against mine, forcing my fingers to curl around the hilt of the knife.
"Why are you doing this?!" I shouted, my voice breaking.
"For you," Zayn said simply.
Then he moved.
He shoved my arm forward. The knife plunged into the horned boar's side.
A sharp, agonized squeal tore through the air.
I felt the blade sink into flesh. Felt the resistance of muscle giving way.
A warm spray of blood splattered across my hands, my clothes, my face.
I gasped, my breath hitching. My entire body tensed as a deep, sickening feeling churned inside me.
The boar thrashed, its bound legs jerking wildly. Its squeals turned into pained, desperate grunts as blood gushed from the wound, spilling onto the dirt. The metallic scent hit my nose instantly, making my stomach churn.
I struggled again. "Zayn, stop—!"
But he didn't let go. His grip on my hands was unshakable.
"Do it, Sieg," he said, his voice pressing against my ear. "End it."
I shook my head violently. "No, no, I don't want—!"
Zayn pushed my arm forward again, forcing the knife deeper.
The boar let out another choked squeal. Blood poured from the wound, staining my hands as its body convulsed violently.
I felt its heartbeat. Fast. Erratic. Fading.
My own breath came in short, ragged gasps. My vision blurred. The nausea twisted inside me, threatening to spill over.
I wanted to let go. To drop the knife. To run.
But Zayn wouldn't let me.
"Look at it," he ordered.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"LOOK AT IT, SIEGFRIED!"
My eyes snapped open.
The boar's trembling body twitched. Its movements slowed. Its eyes, wide with pain, locked onto mine.
I saw the life in them, and then I saw it fade.
The final breath left its body.
The struggle stopped.
I stood there, frozen, my chest rising and falling rapidly.
Zayn finally let go of my hand. The knife slipped from my grip, falling into the blood-soaked dirt with a soft thud.
I stared down at my trembling hands. Blood dripped from my fingertips. Warm. Sticky.
It wouldn't come off.
It wouldn't come off.
A shiver ran down my spine. My stomach twisted violently, and before I could stop myself, I doubled over and vomited.
Zayn crouched beside the dead boar, inspecting the wound. "A clean kill," he muttered. "Straight to the heart. A little shaky, but it got the job done."
I clutched my arms, my fingers digging into my sleeves as I stared at him in disbelief. "...How can you say that so easily?"
Zayn let out a slow breath and stood up, his gaze meeting mine. "Because this is the reality of the world, Sieg." His voice wasn't harsh. It wasn't mocking. It was just firm.
I clenched my jaw, swallowing back the bile rising in my throat.
He sighed, wiping his hands on his coat before picking up the knife from where I had dropped it. "Do you understand now?" he asked.
I couldn't muster a reply.
Zayn continued, "You hesitated because it was a living thing. You hesitated because it wasn't just meat on a plate, it was something with breath, with movement, with a heartbeat." He stepped closer, pressing the bloodied knife into my hands again.
I flinched, my fingers curling away.
"But this hesitation," he said, his voice dropping, "will kill you one day."
I slowly lifted my gaze to him, the effort feeling immense.
"You've lived a peaceful life in this town, Sieg. You have family, you have people who love you. But that peace can be broken in an instant." He pointed at the boar. "This thing was helpless. Tied up. It couldn't fight back. And yet you still hesitated. Now, imagine if it had been a person. A mercenary. A killer. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to put a blade in your throat. Do you think they'd stop just because you're a child?"
I remained silent, gripping the knife with trembling hands.
"...Do you think those men who kidnapped you would have let you go if we hadn't killed them first?"
I bit my lip, my throat burning.
Zayn exhaled. "You're lucky," he muttered, stepping away. "Lucky that you have people to protect you." He turned his back to me, staring at the darkening forest. "But that won't always be the case."
I lowered my gaze, my vision blurring slightly.
I knew he was right.
I knew that the world wasn't kind.
And yet, the warmth of blood still lingered on my skin.
Still, Zayn wasn't done. "This isn't the last time you'll have to kill, Sieg." His voice was quiet. "So you better get used to it."
I didn't answer. I didn't know how to answer.
I just sat there, staring at the lifeless body before me.