Surprising the three locals, the boy suddenly sighed in relief. For a moment there Leo was really scared someone would think he stole the wine Jamie gave him earlier.
“I found them in the mortal world I was just at.” He said with a smile. Now that the pressure from Kevin’s father was gone he realized it’s really pleasant to feel own legs again, “You really scared me just now, Sir.”
“Found?” The adoptive father furrowed his brows. Although improbable, it was theoretically possible. And if the kid was here, someone obviously brought him.
Therefore he also slightly relaxed and asked, “You know what they are?”
“Ye. Fruits from a lighting tree, Sir. Very expensive – a sect with thousands of disciples can be destroyed because of those things.” Leo honestly replied according to his understanding.
“Alright. How did you get them?” The bum asked.
Even Kevin was surprised by his father’s patience to not speak about master Zaraki. The possibility of a child stealing something precious in the Golden city was disturbing – not because of the value of the goods, but because of the fact itself. It obviously pointed at everyone getting too complacent with themselves lately.
“I …” Leo stuttered again, but then decided that with a guy of this caliber the honesty might be the best policy, therefore he truthfully said, “I picked them.”
“Don’t give me that crap!” The adoptive father snorted and suddenly appeared right next to Leo.
He put a palm on the boy’s head while the latter froze in fright. The man’s idea was simple – if the child really was somewhere in the proximity of the Divine tribulation tree and survived it, he had to have residual bits of lightning somewhere within.
“What the f*ck?!” The bum exclaimed in surprise, but then quickly collected himself and said, “Who would’ve thought! Alright, show me them!”
Everyone saw the boy hesitate and understanding the reasons Kevin came to help out, “Dad won’t take anything from you against your will. There are rules in the Golden city, you know? Even I didn’t force you to sell me that thing on your back.”
With a sigh of relief Leo pulled from backpack a small bundle of dry leaves and passed it to the adoptive father who carefully opened it to find three small fruits with purple colored spots on them.
“Not bad.” He said, “They are almost ripe.”
Leo looked back at him in surprise, but the man continued, “I’ll need few of these in the upcoming years. I tell you what – give them to me and in exchange I’ll give you pointers on your cultivation. Otherwise you’ll die in few years and the fruits won’t be useful to you anyway.”
Now was the time for Kevin and master Zaraki to be surprised while Leo’s expression turned bitter. The guy was going to hoodwink him for sure and he, idiot, gave the fruits away already!
“Sir, those fruits are worth …” He tried to reason, but master Zaraki was getting bored and annoyed at the same time – there were things he needed to do and he was staying behind only because the guy persuaded him to give more pointers to his son.
He said, “Ye, ye – worth thousands of lives. Listen, kiddo. If master Shaw said you might die, then those things are worth only one life – and that is yours. Only a complete idiot would refuse the guidance from the most talented genius in the Golden city of the last fifty thousand years!”
“This …” Leo was confused.
It was obviously too much for an actual true immortal to lie to a child. In fact, Leo still couldn’t believe he was in the presence of one. But the fruits was his ticket to the contribution points he would exchange for cultivation techniques and resources. Was the few pointers from someone really worth it?
Master Shaw obviously had seen enough in his long life and understood the child’s inner struggle.
He asked, “What is worth more for you – one life or the lives of many thousands of people?”
Hearing it Leo’s face went blank. Theoretically the answer was simple, but there was no need to ask him a trick questions, right? Didn’t these people have anything better to do?
But then his eyes lit up and he said, “Mine, of course.”
“Good.” Master Shaw nodded and said, “I’ll give you an offer one last time – the three fruits in exchange for pointers from me. In or out? They are rare, but not unique. I could find them in one of the auction houses around the city if I wanted to, but I really hate crowds. And I’m mostly doing this for Kevin so he could have another chance to persuade you.”
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‘F*ck it!’ Leo quickly decided, ‘When in the world I’ll come to Golden city again and meet another true expert? And if master Zaraki will be present, maybe he can show me another sword move!’
“Ok, I’m in.” He said out loud.
“Alright, let’s go!” The genius who looked like a bum said, but seeing Leo’s expression change again asked in annoyed tone, “What now?”
“I’m sorry Sir! I was supposed to wait for elder sister Fan Lia. She forbade me to run around until she got back.” Leo hurriedly said, but Kevin’s father’s reaction surprised him.
“Hahaha! I can’t remember when a junior has bossed me around like this … and I have an eidetic memory!” He said clearly amused, “Fine! Tell miss Lia to bring you to my place. And hurry up before I change my mind!”
Leo was in daze from the events he experienced today. The surreal Golden city, the many experts and the food at ‘The King’s kitchen’ were already too much. But then he got to know a true immortal and was invited to their home!
In the mortal world he came from these beings with infinite lifespans were only a myth and there was no way anyone could actually believe him if he told he met two at the same time. Maybe he was actually sleeping and it all would be gone after he woke up.
But a slap on the back of his head proved he was awake.
“… are you listening? Leo! Snap out of it!” Fan Lia tried to bring the boy back to reality, “Do you remember what I said?”
“Uhmmm … I have to behave …” Leo awkwardly said. His thoughts did wonder off when she began to give another lecture on a proper etiquette.
“Arhh!” She clenched her fists in annoyance, “Just what did master Shaw see in you? Alright, let’s go over everything one more time!”
She took a short pause and then in one breath continued, “Master Theodore Shaw is the most talented genius the Golden city has ever seen! He became a True immortal at the age of twenty five and that record still stands! His main area of expertise are the cultivation techniques, not combat, but his knowledge in alchemy, rune crafting and many other fields is almost as wast. I don’t know what he saw in you, but apparently you have some kind of a unique talent.”
“Sigh, I wish. He said he was doing it for Kevin.” Leo shook head in regret.
Every child wanted to be special, but he clearly knew that compared to these monsters he was nobody. It did pain him to be reduced to a plaything of a youth, but after his emotions settled down from the earlier encounter, he realized this experience would remain with him for life. The fruits though, even if they were rare he had eaten seven already and then found another three. Who knows, maybe in few years he would find some more.
“That makes sense.” Fan Lia finally saw logic behind the invitation, “But you watch yourself. Master Shaw is the only one in the Golden city who owns his private floating island and even his old steward, Ian Hart, is a true immortal. Can you imagine a true immortal to serve another person? That’s how great master Shaw is! And don’t you dare to embarrass me! Even though master Shaw technically is the co-lead of the Alchemy division, his knowledge is so wast he could be the head of the whole Golden Hand society! I might work under his supervision one day thus the first impression I make is very important!”
She lectured Leo for quite some time while bringing him high above the clouds to a relatively small floating island. There was only a single large mansion in the middle of it surrounded by a gorgeous garden where trees and bushes were in full bloom, but strangely fruits of different colors were ripening on their branches at the same time. Contrary to the other floating islands except for the two guests no one was coming or leaving. It even could seem that the place was deserted.
“Welcome to the Shaw residence.” The moment Fan Lia and Leo landed they were greeted by an elderly man, dressed in plain linen clothing and sandals, “You’ll have to wait while wasters finish dinner – please, follow me!”
“Sir Hart, you are too polite!” Even if she came from one of the most powerful families of the Golden city, immortals didn’t have to behave around her like regular butlers.
“This place has its own rules, miss Lia. Just because someone has become an immortal, in the presence of master Shaw it doesn’t make them special.” Ian Hart carelessly smiled while leading the way, “By the way, I knew your father’s grandfather, Jun Lia, quite well. He was a good friend.”
“Thank you!” Fan Lia blushed and said. Her own family had a number of immortals, but none was as amicable as this old man.
Both guests were left in a simply decorated room with only few chairs. The old steward already warned them that master Shaw didn’t care for luxuries and it could be easily guessed from his own ragged attire.
Afraid their conversation might get overheard Fan Lia didn’t start lecturing Leo after they were left alone thus the two sat in silence each engrossed in their own thoughts.
When the large door at the far side of the room opened, Fan Lia sighed in relief for a brief moment noticing the two masters sitting in comfortable chairs and sipping wine – the thought of staying silent proved to be correct. Unfortunately she became rather downcast right after.
“Sir Renaud, master is waiting for you. Miss Lia and I will have a chat meanwhile.” Ian Hart politely said and it took a while for Leo to realize he was the one the old man spoke to – after all ‘sir Renaud’ has always been his father.
“Thank you, Sir, for inviting me to your lovely home.” Leo said, following Fan Lia’s instructions the moment he stepped into the room.
“Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? It’s late and the sun is probably already setting.” Master Shaw said, while master Zaraki nonchalantly filled his own glass.
This wine was the reason he came here and their deal was he could drink as much as he wanted for giving few pointers to Shaw’s kid. He knew well that Theodore Shaw brewed it himself and probably there was no better wine in the Golden city.
Master Shaw obviously knew that and to reduce losses wanted to wrap things up as quickly as possible, urging his son to get the lesson right after the dinner so that the sword master could be on his way. Unfortunately the cheeky bastard Zaraki insisted on taking part in this conversation claiming it to be a ‘peculiar case’ and master Shaw had no choice, but to bring out few more bottles of his precious wine.
“Okay.” Leo said with a nod. He was here to listen anyway.