Tyrus had stumbled upon a predicament earlier than expected. It was a dire situation that he hoped to never cross paths with for as long as he lived. Sure, he felt guilty for what he had done, but there was no other way of escaping the chase. Someone else like him would have acted similarly if they were in his position.

"This is the child who rescued you?"

Standing next to her mother, Ivy was twiddling her thumbs. Leaning over the counter, the woman had her chin on her palm as she scrutinized Tyrus. It was hard to pinpoint what exact emotions or thoughts were swirling behind her piercing eyes, and the uncertainty was unnerving. Fiona's presence and active browsing in the shop allowed him to maintain some level of calmness.

There was also the case of her finding out he triggered the flying swords and quills. Ivy had mentioned that she, and possibly others, suspected the two people chasing him were responsible for the break-in, but as time passed, they could harbor other suspicions. Maybe through some type of magic they could find the true reason. But until he was positive Erza held suspicions of him, he had to feign ignorance.

Well, try to, at least.

Mentally preparing himself, Tyrus looked around as he approached the counter. Now that he could look around without his life in danger, he could gaze at the interior normally. Though it's been a couple of days since the break in, the shop was already back to its previous state.

Before he entered, he noticed the windows returned to their complete and shiny form. The shelves and objects were put back to their respective spots, and the floor was absolutely spotless. It was as if there weren't signs of an intrusion at all. He hadn't expected things to go back to normal that quickly.

A mixture of herbs and incense scents filled the air, originating from the many flasks and containers on a shelf behind Erza. On those flasks were letters scribbled at the base, probably to identify them easily. They were quite the sight to behold, given that they were a multitude of vibrant colors like pink and blue. Other than the flasks, the middle of the shop had the expected tools that tried to kill him; quills, books, and all that.

After a quick examination, Tyrus stopped in front of Erza. "H-Hello… My name is Tyrus–"

Raising her hand, Erza let out a sigh. "It's good manners to remove the cloak when you speak to the adults. Might be a lifesaver when encountering foolish or proud individuals. Sthito knows those types always got a pole up their asses. If you're worried about your appearance, don't bother. Soon as you came through those doors, I already knew."

All Tyrus could do was grumble as he removed the hood. Upon getting a good look at him, Erza's face twitched momentarily, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Okay, now this is getting frustrating. How did you figure it out so quickly? This is the third time someone could tell with just a single glance."

The woman shrugged. "Since you're still new, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and tell you. With enough training, a sorcerer can read another sorcerer–or anything imbued with mana–mana signatures. Mana analysis is the name for it, and it can track and identify mana signatures."

"Through identification, I can tell the difference between a human and Beastfolk that are fully cloaked. A human would have a moderate flow while a Beastfolk would be jagged. Your mana signature is a blend of the two, with a steady flow and occasional spikes. Because of that, it's natural to assume you're a Demi-human with Beastfolk blood."

Tyrus frowned. "No wonder Selena and that jerk noticed fast. Since they're strong sorcerers, it would make sense they knew something was off in a heartbeat."

So that's why Wanderer warned me about Advanced Sorcerers, he thought to himself. The person had mentioned that with their observant eyes, they would surely figure out his identity. It had been so long that he had totally forgotten about that key piece of information.

If an Advanced Sorcerer could tell races apart, did that mean Selena, Erza, and the jerk held that title? Or maybe even a tier above? He still had little knowledge about sorcerer rankings, so he was still in the dark about it. While he was surrounded by people who knew a lot more than he did, he never really took advantage of asking them a series of questions relating to sorcerers. Then again, other events would come barging in and grasping his attention, thus leading him to forget later.

"Anyway, I could give two shits about your appearance long as you don't cause trouble to me or my family. And since you saved my precious Ivy and not that shitty excuse of a teacher, a thanks should be in order."

Erza got up from her place and softly laid her hand on Ivy's head. The woman beamed as she briefly fixed her eyes on her daughter.

"I, Erza, together with my daughter Ivy, wish to convey our deep appreciation. Thanks to you, Ivy remains in my company in sound health. If it were to come to my attention that a mere beast had killed my beloved daughter, I am unsure of how I would react. Well, other than getting my hands dirty, but that is beside the point. Once again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

Both ladies bowed their heads simultaneously, as if showing their respect. Tyrus could only muster a meager "no problem" as he awkwardly rubbed his neck. The sound of boots clopping behind him reached his ears as Fiona emerged from behind his back, letting out a chuckle.

"Never thought I would ever see her bow her head to other people. Don't get used to it Tyrus, because you might never see such an action from her ever again unless you helped Ivy again."

"…That doesn't matter as long as she's safe," he said. "I can't imagine a parent losing their child like that. Just from her reaction alone, I can tell that they're very close. If one of them were to lose their life, I'm sure the other would be extremely sad."

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She patted him on the shoulder and said, "Sad is a severe understatement. Imagine a rusty sword being thrust through your heart and you’re left to bleed in a dark room. That's what it would be like to lose a loved one."

Fiona uttered no further words, and Tyrus received her melancholic statement with a wince. As the seconds ticked by, both ladies raised their heads.

"Alright, enough with the sentimental talk," Erza announced. "You must be here for something related to the monthly exam tomorrow."

"How did you know?" Fiona asked.

"Your shitty aunt told me she would sponsor Tyrus to the Explorer Guild. Given that the monthly exam is tomorrow, I assumed you would conduct preparations today. And after what I've seen of the kid so far…"

Suddenly, Erza shuffled toward Tyrus without so much as a sound and stood over him. She roamed around him, rubbing her chin and examining every detail of the boy's body. For some reason, every time she looked at his face and ears, an unreadable expression would wash over her. After about a few seconds of investigating him, she stepped back and nodded.

"So that's what she meant by certain individual... You do look like Talia."

"Uh, who's Talia?" Tyrus asked.

"If you don't know her, then don't worry about it. Anyway, you don't see many children with your level of strength at your age. Because of your lineage, you practically have a head start, which is in your favor. Few children would be stronger than you, let alone match. If you were to enter the Explorer Guild and begin the contracts, you'd have many eyes on you. What’s buried beneath the eyes of others remains to be seen, but I can more or less guess the most probable: jealousy and admiration."

Tyrus arched an eyebrow. "Are you giving me a warning or advice?"

“If you care about your benefit, view it as both. Always maintain vigilance towards those around you and never allow crucial information to elude you. I've personally witnessed the effects of envy and admiration on an individual. It elicits either the most unfavorable or favorable traits in individuals, and their conduct carries repercussions for whoever they express it towards. Someone I knew–one of the best of their class and a rising star–took the brunt of such consequences."

Before Tyrus could process her words, Erza turned to Ivy. "Daughter, why specifically have you brought the kid here? I assume you want to pay him back for saving your life?"

She nodded. "I came across Tyrus back at Mr. Clive's store, preparing for the exam. While he got himself a sword and a dagger, there wasn't any armor his size to wear. So, to repay him, I thought it'd be best to give him the enchanted coat in the storage room."

Erza frowned. "The enchanted coat? The same one I gave you after the rock spider disaster?"

"Yes… is that something I can't give away? I thought someone of his caliber would put it to better use than I ever could. Giving him the coat is the least I could do after all the trouble he went through to save me. The incantation book I gifted him wasn't enough, but with the coat, it should be valuable enough to lessen the gap of what I owe."

The shopkeeper scowled as she glanced at Tyrus and Ivy. Tapping her feet incessantly, she mulled over her daughter's words, then raked her hand through her hair.

"If that is what you wish to do, I will not stop you," Erza said with a sigh. Wordlessly, she spun on her heels and retreated into the storeroom at the back.

Tyrus looked at Ivy, confusion clear on his face. "Um… What's this about an enchanted coat and what does it do exactly?"

"Well, it's a coat that has an enchantment embedded. By infusing magical properties or using materials that are magical, a skilled craftsman can fashion enchanted garments or weapons. Once the process is complete, the finishing product is a pseudo-artifact–an object much weaker than the real thing, but still amazing either way. The enchanted coat specifically has two properties: to mold its shape to whatever the user wants and minimal protection against physical attacks."

A sharp whistle from Fiona had Tyrus wincing as she walked to the counter. "This coat sounds really useful to have. You sure you don't want it? If it were me, I'd keep it. A pseudo-artifact is no joke of an item to have. They go for like, what, 250 sil minimum? And that's for the lowest grade imaginable."

Tyrus flinched at the total. "T-That much? I don't have that kind of money on me at the moment."

The girl shook her head. "Think of it as a gift from me to you. If you don't accept the coat, then I would be quite sad I couldn't repay the favor. Would you please accept it, Tyrus?"

Ivy strengthened her persuasion by clasping her hands together, resembling a prayer, and gazed at him with eyes that shone. Tyrus's mouth quivered as he grappled with the idea of accepting such an expensive item. He was reluctant to carry something that was worth more than twice his current amount of sil, especially since Ivy had already paid him back. To be honest, he didn't enjoy accepting handouts like that. The action served as a reminder of his poverty.

Yet the longer he stared at her pouting face, the more difficult it was to refuse. He would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in the coat. It was garments that could protect him minimally while also fitting to his body. What would that look like exactly, and was it a one-time thing? It would be nice if it could continuously fit him.

Soon after, Erza emerged from the storeroom, holding an ordinary case. "Alright, kid. Per my precious daughter's wishes, here's the enchanted coat."

Once she set it down, everyone huddled around like bees swarming a hive and watched as she kicked it open. As soon as the lid clicked open, a faint pulsing from within washed over Tyrus like a summer breeze. The fully opened object revealed a folded black coat placed on a white cushion.

The coat appeared as black as midnight, yet as smooth as butter. Moreover, the power surge he previously detected unquestionably derived from the garment. As far as he could discern, it lacked significant strength. Despite this, it had enough power to captivate someone, as though it were humming a gentle melody.

"Never thought I would be jealous of a kid," Fiona muttered. "How was this made?"

Ivy was the first to speak, almost instantly. "I'm glad you asked! This right here was made by an apprentice of Mr. Creswell, an artificer and Conjuration Sorcerer, known for his legendary work and research on artifacts. Some say Mr. Creswell has crafted over a thousand pseudo-artifacts, while others say it's an unsurmountable amount! There are even whispers that his estate is an artifact itself, and even the furniture itself! It might as well be a fortress if the rumors are–"

"Sweetie," Erza said in a gentle tone. “You should cut back on your chatter. I know you love anything magical, but please be mindful of those around you. ”

The little girl clamped her mouth and nodded. "S-Sorry, I'll keep it down. The fabric is a special silk that is usually soft but hardens upon impact. That silk was then enchanted by the hairs of a shapeshifting spirit. To any regular person, it looks like your average coat, but to sorcerers, it's an item that many drool at the thought of owning."

Ivy reached down and carefully grabbed the coat out of the case. It unraveled gradually, spilling down like tresses being let down from a braid. The fact that it had a hood was exactly what Tyrus had wished for. Moreover, it looked to be the same size as Ivy, which was fortunate. Tyrus and her were about the same height and weight.

With no notice, she gave him the item to hold. "Here you go. It is officially now yours! If you're thinking about giving it back, we won't accept it. I won't accept no for an answer."

Tyrus studied the coat as he let his hands run over the fabric's surface. It was extremely soft, like a fox’s fur. The sensation of energy coursing into his fingertips evoked a tingling sensation that resembled an electric massage throughout his hands. He also caught a whiff of jasmine in the air.

Impatient to wait further, Tyrus shed his cloak and handed it over to Fiona. Then, as though handling a delicate rose, he put on the new garment.