A few heated minutes later the auction room’s door opened. The city’s high and mighty left calmly, sneakily fixing their clothes as they stood up.

Most of the bigshots forcefully kept their expressions neutral. Only one opulent merchant couldn’t hide the enormous grin on his face. He paid over seven thousand force crystals for a single body strengthening potion, but it was all worth it.

As a commoner the successful merchant had a huge wealth, but without strength this wealth couldn’t buy him a high status. Thus, the older man was ready to invest it all in his talented grandchild.

Tepo looked at the merchant’s back and could only wish him good luck, certain that he overpaid a lot for this potion.

Although such a potion would’ve also been useful for him, Tepo was content with getting the shuár brain. Now he was eager to return to his mother’s store, so they could finally help Yerive.

The warrior weaved through the crowd. He ignored any tries to socialize and hastily disappeared at the end of the road.

Above the auction’s entrance was a spacious window. As the sun graced it, a few figures could be seen standing behind it in a luxurious study.

The auction manager wore a strange expression right now. His face was half crying and half laughing. He felt like jumping in joy and miserable at the same time.

The origin of this contradiction stood before him with a smug smile on her face, the twinkling in her eyes competing against the sunlight. She joyfully spoke up:

“You see, mister manager. I won our bet! Now pay up!”

An ugly smile graced the manager’s lips. A stammering voice left them.

“Ah, you see, Lady Baranoa… Don’t you think this is a bit much… how about we make it half/half?”

“You don’t want to pay?”, questioned the blond girl with a wrinkly nose.

Behind her a stern-faced guard took a small step forward. Immediately the tension in the room rose. The manager had his own guards, but they didn’t even dare to move. They stood no chance.

“This… lady, let’s talk about it.”, pleaded the manager while taking out a white cloth and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Suddenly Baranoa’s mouth turned into a pout.

“Kell…”

Hearing his name, the stern guard narrowed his eyes. A sword suddenly appeared in his hand. Its pristine white blade shone in the sunlight. A threatening pressure engulfed the room.

Finally, the manager faltered. He waved both his hands in the air before taking out a storage bag.

“Ok, ok. Please stop. You won.

Here are 6400 crystals. Just as we agreed you get everything above one thousand.”

Baranoa impatiently took the bag as she clicked her tongue. The blond girl even handed it to her guard, letting him do a quick count.

“I don’t understand why you are so reluctant. Hmpf, stinky manager. I worked so hard to raise the price above one thousand crystals. And you even still have two potions left! You better stop complaining!”

With those words the young girl looked at her guard. Receiving a faint nod, she scoffed before turning around and leaving the room.

Left behind, the manager took a deep breath. The back of his fine jacket was adorned with sweat stains. His face quickly returned to normal.

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What a pity. I lost a lot this time. If I had known that this little girl is this tough, I would have flattered her more. It would be more beneficial to keep a good relationship.

Outside the room Baranoa played with her storage bag. Her mother was already waiting for her. Looking at her mischievous daughter the gorgeous woman couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Have you learned something this time?”, asked Elanoa gently.

“Yes, mommy! I understood that those untrustworthy people can just refuse to pay up!”

“Mhm. And why would they do so?”

Suddenly an uncharacteristically tough look appeared in Baranoa’s eyes. The young girl gripped the storage bag in her hand tightly.

“Because I’m not strong enough.”

“Correct. Only if you and your opponent are of equal strength can you do an equal business. Otherwise, the weaker party will always loose no matter what tricks they try to pull.”

“Don’t worry mother. I will become the strongest and wealthiest woman you have ever seen! Even the matron will look poor next to me!”

Feeling her daughter’s determination, Elanoa’s face softened greatly. She caressed her daughter’s back with a motherly love she seldom showed in public.

“I’m sure you will, sweety. I’m sure you will…”

***

Meanwhile Tepo had left the auction house. He ran along the road with haste, dodging the people in his path to reach his mother’s store.

But suddenly someone blocked his path. A tall, bald warrior spoke up with an obviously faked smile on his face.

“Excuse me, young sir. Can we talk for a second?”

Naturally Tepo wasn’t in the mood. Rather the contrary. The young man frowned heavily, dodged to the side, and continued his way.

The bald warrior’s smile froze on his face, taken aback after being disrespected like this. Somewhat annoyed he hastily turned around, took a few fast steps and reached out with his hand.

“Young sir, please, about the shuár…”

Suddenly the passer-byes gasped. As the bald warrior was close to touching Tepo, the young man reacted instinctively. He grabbed the man by his wrist, lifted him up and smashed his back against the floor.

A pained and anger filled voice cursed Tepo as he disappeared into the crowd.

Hmm this seems to become a habit…

But at least that guy reminded me of something. It might slowly become suspicious if I eagerly enter my mom’s store all the time. I should use [Minor Stealth] just in case.

Tepo acted on his thoughts. He vanished into a sparsely populated alley and used his spell.

With this additional reassurance the young man didn’t hesitate anymore and directly returned to his mother.

In a world where all kinds of spells existed, no one was particular surprised at some store’s door opening by itself. Only Rahva looked up from her counter.

Since the friendly woman knew about her son’s spells, she smiled immediately at the door, put away what she was doing and entered the backroom.

Tepo followed quickly and soon canceled his spell.

“How was the auction? Did you get the shuár brain?

“Quite interesting, although a bit too many interruptions for my taste. But I got the brain.”

“Oh? That’s quite unusual. You need to tell me later. Let’s make the antidote first.”

“Yes. We need to help Yerive.”

As they spoke, Reahva already approached a big black cauldron in the middle of the room. She took out a few black stones from a cabinet, placed them below the cauldron and inserted some force.

Immediately a flame shot out of the stones. Although it was small, its heat shouldn’t be underestimated.

“Come on Tepo, you’re my assistant today. I hope you haven’t forgotten everything over the last few months.”

“Of course not…”, answered Tepo with a light cough.

Reahva smiled, shaking her head faintly.

“The recipe book is still on the stand over there. Just look for shuár poison antidote.”

Tepo followed his mother’s words. As he browsed through the recipe book the warrior quickly recalled many of the easier steps.

After remembering the recipe, Tepo turned around, seeing Reahva already taking out various herbs from a cabinet. The young man admired his mother for the ability to recall even the most obscure recipes.

As his mother already began working, Tepo hurriedly approached a small workstation filled to the brim with all kinds of small satchels, bottles, scales, herbs, tools…

In short, there wasn’t even a spot left to work with.

Smiling slightly the young man clean up a bit before he began helping his mother.

Reahva was eyeing her son secretly. The gentle woman was happy to work alongside Tepo again. Her hands moved dexterously, with the precision of a surgeon, preparing various common herbs, while leaving the easier one’s for her son.

Tepo noticed what his mother was doing as he took a stalk of a small red herb in his hands. This was Dissriis, a plant used in many recipes. With ease the young warrior plucked the small, broad leaves form the branch and threw them into a cup of water.

Quickly the plant showed its effect. As it came into contact with water, the dissriis dissolved within seconds, turning the water into a dangerous liquid for all organic matter.

Now that I think about it, dissriis is really an odd plant. There can’t be any water at a place where they grow.

After this first step Tepo quickly continued preparing herbs. Sometimes he inserted a precise amount of force, sometimes he heated them up before letting them dissolve as well.

In this harmonious atmosphere mother and son conversed happily as they worked together on the antidote.

Soon, all the herbs were prepared. From this point on Reahva took over entirely.