The blacksmith, a burly, bald man with a formidable belly, entered the workshop. Viki, who was following him at a distance, also got in, closing the door behind him. Bruno waited, surrounded by a group of his new students, while holding a vial, explaining something, but as soon as his eyes stopped on the stranger, he also halted his lesson. This caused others to look the same way as well.
„This will be all for today,” the young alchemist announced. „I have a slightly more important issue to take care of now. We will continue after lunch. Now… Please leave,” he gave them a fake smile.
Sighing, and whispering, they all began to move toward the exit, while the blacksmith and Viki patiently waited. When the door closed behind the last one of them, the bald man spoke.
„Thank you for letting me rest after the long journey. After a good night's sleep and breakfast, I’m ready to work. What is it that you want me to make, son?”
„I’m not your son,” Bruno replied heading toward the desk to pick up his book. He opened it and flipped several pages, then moved toward the blacksmith. „This is what I need you to do.”
The man grabbed the book narrowing his eyes and investigated the drawing. It had multiple parts spread across several pages, so he began flipping to analyze the sketches.
"This is the design for a sprinkling device I want you to create. These two cylindrical elements form the container that will hold the elixir," Bruno explained as he reached to take the book from the blacksmith’s hands. He quickly moved to the correct picture, and then he pointed at a cylinder resting on a thin, flat circle, extending slightly beyond its expected boundaries to create a broad rim. The second cylinder, wider than the first, appeared sealed on one end. It was big enough to fit the first cylinder inside, sealed completely by the protruding rim. "The elixir will be poured into this one, while the other will serve as its seal. We will use a cloth soaked in tar to ensure a tight seal, along with a locking mechanism."
With a fluid motion, the young alchemist turned the page, shifting his finger to a different section of the paper, where he sketched a simple lock comprised of three components that utilized leverage to secure itself until intentionally opened.
"It should rotate here and here. When you push it in this direction, pressure is applied to this element, drawing it closer to fasten and lock the entire mechanism. This cylindrical part should have a small hole at the bottom, where this hose will be attached,” he explained, returning to the first sketches. „We will construct it using rolled, thin leather, expertly fused together. The hose will terminate with this ceramic piece. The holes will ensure that only small droplets are dispersed. By employing a bellows-like mechanism that pumps air inside, the elixir will be propelled with force, creating a rain-like effect. We can use resin or glue to ensure the components remain securely connected," Bruno's finger deftly navigated each element illustrated on the paper as he spoke. "Do you understand?"
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The man gasped but remained silent. Scratching his bald head, he wrestled with comprehending the intricate instructions. Observing his perplexed expression, Bruno stared patiently.
"I don't," the man admitted. "But I will try my best to make it."
"Good," the young alchemist smiled. "I’ll have bigger drawings prepared for you by the end of the day. Someone will bring them to you. In the meantime, please go and check the workshop, so you can get familiar with it."
The man nodded, returning the book to the young alchemist, then left, clearly humiliated by his lack of understanding of the complex machine.
Viki watched in silence as the bald man left. When the doors finally closed behind him, her eyes darted to Bruno. „And why did you want to see me?”
He started with a heavy sigh. „To check on you. I know you are angry becaus...”
She snorted, cutting him off. „Now you suddenly care? You send our friends to a battle! Sometimes I feel like we are just your minions, fulfilling your orders, and you don’t care,” she shook her head. „You don’t care about us.”
He slowly nodded, accepting her words. „I know it might seem this way, but I do.” He sighed again. „This is a tough situation we found ourselves in, and some risks have to be taken. I didn’t want Raul to go, but when he heard Javohir was leaving, he decided for himself. I had nothing to say.”
„Right,” the words came from her mouth soaked in so much irony, that Bruno almost clicked with his tongue, but he didn’t and endured.
„Look V… I know you are angry, but we can't afford to be divided right now. We need to work together.”
„Of course, we need to, she continued with the irony as she threw her arms in the air, allowing them to fall, and hit her in the tighs as they did, producing a loud sound.
Bruno gritted his teeth focusing on his breathing. „Soon they will take me, but I won't let them take you. This is why I made this,” he raised the book he still held in his hands. „I will trade it for your, Javohir's, and Raul’s freedom. After I’m gone, you will go to the pirates. Among them, you will be safe.”
His words clearly worked, as she stopped her tantrum and focused her eyes on his face. „Do you even have a plan? What the hell are we doing in her, Bruno? We could be in Blackrock. Safe,” she hissed, taking a step toward him.
„I do,” he assured. „You can help me go on with it, or continue nagging. Which one is it, because I don’t have all day to listen to you and try to figure it out on my own.”
A grimace of anger twisted her lips. She clenched her fingers thing, to the point her knuckles went white. He was sure she would start yelling, but instead, she let out a deep sigh, which reached his ears. „What do you want?”
A brief smile bloomed on the young alchemist’s lips before he rushed back to the desk. From the pile of paper placed on the side, he picked something. The much smaller piece was folded and sealed with wax. He returned to her with it. „Go to Razun. Today. Take this to the leader of rebels.”
She snatched it from his hands and then shrugged her shoulders. „Whatever,” she threw before leaving.
He observed until she vanished before going to prepare the sketches for the blacksmith.