Staring at the scrawny old man, Ulric's brows arched slightly. It seemed, even after everything he had gathered, he had still underestimated the extent of his knowledge.
***
Watching the dark-robed youth's eyes light up in surprise, Alaric grew more smug. The smile on his face widened at how quickly the tables had turned.
Having been a merchant since he could remember, he had traveled across the realm and its many cities. At first fueled by a sense of youthful adventure and his desire to trade.
But as he grew accustomed to the ways of the world and picked up knowledge and items others would only dream of, he soon grew numb to it all. Nothing fazed him anymore.
That is, until he saw the dark beam of light shooting up into the sky, marking the birth of an S-rank talent.
In that moment, he had been… surprised. Not at the talent itself… but where it had bloomed. A little city far removed from the grand centers of power.
