Mika had been forced to play with the others boys on his mother’s insistence, though he was still a cripple boy, in some ways, so stayed out of their way.

‘Since mother wishes for us to be close, I may as well try to help you,’ Mika thought, watching as the pair played. ‘I should start with that first…’

“Mika, you have rested enough,” Damien said, handing Mika the ball. Mika tossed the ball away, missing the target completely. “You are not very good at this.”

“No,” Mika agreed, hoping that the boy would leave him alone. Unfortunately for him, the boy was very similar to his sister in the sense that he refused to leave Mika be.

Once Mika returned home he was exhausted from playing. ‘I shouldn’t help them out.’

“Mika, the Head has sent word to the alchemists of your ability,” his mother said, smiling down at her son.

‘Right, of course he would,’ Mika thought. He opened his mouth to try and belittle himself, but his throat froze. How could he dare to belittle his alchemy? No, there was no need for that. “I spoke with Elder Yan before.”

“You did?” Martha asked, her voice low with apprehension.

Mika smiled. “He shared some tea and sweets with me.”

‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’ Martha thought, trying to reassure herself. “The Head has also brought you a gift.” She revealed a token made of silver, stamped with the town’s symbol.

Mika accepted it with both hand. “I must thank the Head.”

“You have done well, Mika.” Martha embraced her son for a moment.

Mika hugged her back, taking a moment to take in her scent and warmth. The strange sensation continued to flow through him as they embraced, before he was finally set free to do as he pleased.

When morning came, he decided to use his annual pass, flashing it at the librarian, who had been informed that he had managed to receive the token.

“Well done, young sir,” Nona said, clasping her hands together. “The entire town is talking about how well you did.”

Mika smiled innocently. “I must have been very lucky to pass the alchemy theory.”

‘Don’t let anyone else hear what you said, young sir, otherwise they’ll die from envy!’ Nona smiled wider, watching as the boy read his books. He usually came once a week to read, but with the annual pass, not only could he read daily without paying the fees, but he also had access to more of the library.

There was a question which hung in the air, the young librarian going about her business, though she glanced his way often. “Young sir, are you enjoying your book?” She couldn’t help herself, not when that was looming in the air.

“I am,” Mika replied, smiling up at her, giving her a moment to continue.

“I was thinking of going to see my sister today…” Nona squirmed slightly, finding the next words awkward to say.

‘What am I meant to do with you?’ “Alchemist Rio?” Mika asked. “Mother said that Head spoke with the alchemists, so maybe I should go and see them?”

“That’s right, why don’t we go see them?” Nona’s voice was melodic with joy as she quickly closed the library before the pair made their way out towards the Alchemist Guild.

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The guild was full of the gentle scent of herbs, which overwhelmed Nona, but only relaxed Mika.

“Is this the young sir who managed to score one hundred on the alchemy test?” Rio asked.

“Yes, Alchemist Rio,” Mika replied.

“Why don’t you take a seat, I will inform Elder Yan that you are here.” Rio quickly disappeared into one of the many corridors of the guild.

Mika relaxed in his seat, accepting the tea gratefully. ‘How do they not have a proper tea container?’ Tasting the tea, Mika realised the alchemists kept their tea in wooden crates.

Elder Yan entered the room a short while later, noting the young boy, who was smiling up at the alchemist. “It is good to see you again, young sir.”

“It is good to see you too, Elder Yan,” Mika replied. ‘It’s been a few years but you haven’t forgotten me, have you?’

“I have heard good news about your test results,” Elder Yan said. ‘One hundred?’ Normally, someone passing a test in alchemy theory wasn’t a big deal, but it was Elder Yan who had personally assisted in making it. It was meant to be an impossible task, since the first few questions were easy enough, and the last few would be difficult except for those at the rank of Alchemist. Even a Page would have found his questions difficult, and yet this boy had managed to answer correctly?

“I worked hard since you said I could become an alchemist.” Mika smiled innocently again.

“Have you come to take the test to become a Page?”

“I didn’t bring the fee,” Mika admitted.

“You don’t have to pay the fee since you did so well in the test,” the Elder Alchemist said.

“Elder Yan is so magnanimous,” Mika said, following the older man into his office.

“Good luck,” Nona whispered, throwing Mika a thumbs up as he walked out.

Mika settled down as the alchemist brought out the test, checking the questions over, before handing them to the young boy. He flipped over the hourglass, and Mika dipped his quill into the ink, before writing his answers. Only ten minutes passed before he finished his answers, though he had spent the first minute stretching his arms, legs, and neck.

Elder Yan made no comment about how he had misbehaved, wondering why the young boy hadn’t taken the test seriously. It was only after he checked over the answers that his mind changed.

“Did I do well, Elder Yan?” Mika asked.

“Yes,” the older alchemist replied, his eyes scanning the paper.

“I must have been lucky,” Mika stated, yawning. “Elder Yan, can I ask something about the pills you make?”

“Yes?” Yan replied, staring down at the paper. He hadn’t seen someone so relaxed in answering the questions, nor someone who had answered so concisely.

“Why is it that you half boil the grass? Wouldn’t quarter boiling it twice be much better? You cut it into a hairs width instead of a hair and a half width? You dilute the water nine by nine by nine, when it’s best to dilute the water nine by nine by eight, otherwise the liquid will be too weak.” Mika smiled innocently.

Elder Yan tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. He swore that the answers sounded familiar to him.

“The questions you left on the board outside must be really easy for you,” Mika said.

‘Ah!’ Elder Yan realised why the answers seemed so familiar, it was because he had left it for those with the rank of Alchemist to figure out. “They are…” Yan eyed up the boy suspiciously.

“You must be a wonderful alchemist, but how is it that you’re unable to heal your injury?” Mika asked. “It’s been a few years, so I thought you’d be able to figure it out, but you haven’t made much progress on it.” Mika stared at the papers on the wall. “You’ve taken a step back one way, but a step forward in another.” Mika wondered if the slow progress for figuring out the pill was because he had accidentally made a pill which aggravated his issue.

Elder Yan remained silent. “What?” His heart began to race as Mika spoke, with such arrogance that he was taken aback. How could anyone be arrogant towards an Elder Alchemist? Even the Emperor would have to show him respect.

“Your left shoulder,” Mika began, causing the old man’s eyebrows to shoot up. “You’re finding that it’s become stiffer recently, right? If it’s been this long then your heart is beginning to feel cold at night too, though you’re probably dealing with it using a pill which increases your temperature. Terrible thing, that, you should be cool when you sleep, otherwise it will end up effecting your sleep poorly.” Mika admonished the older man, who remained still and speechless.

The young boy leaned back in his chair, to the point he was looking down at the old man.

“How could you know such things?” Elder Yan asked, beginning to sweat. Even his own son didn’t know the exact details of his ailment, but a little boy had managed to figure it out with a glance. ‘How does he know? No, it’s not just that he knows, is he saying he knew that since the first time we met?’

“How could I know such things?” Mika asked, letting out a soft sigh. ‘If only life was this easy.’ “Well, you could say that I was lucky?”

“Lucky?” Elder Yan blinked, almost dropping his papers. ‘Lucky?’

Mika smiled wider. ‘Yes. That’s the face you should be making when you deal with me. You should realise the difference between us. “Let’s talk, mister Elder Alchemist.”