A group had gathered in a meeting room in the town hall. Theo sat alone with Miltar and one advisor from the Partopour trade ship. The alchemist wanted his first meeting with another nation to happen alone. Without the influence of his over-zealous administrators who were busy enough as it was. He hoped the impression of the wounded downstairs wouldn’t foul the relationship before it started.

A junior administrator brought tea after long moments of silence. When the man left, Theo gestured to the pot. “Mister Sharp. Trade Admiral Sharp?” He poured three cups of tea, stirring them before distribution. “Before I subject you to my Lord Merchant, I had a few questions.”

Miltar shared a look with his assistant. The other man was another Half-Orc. Their race wasn’t as tall as the Half-Ogres, or the Dronon of this world. They were closer in height to Humans with similar builds. The assistant wore a practical coat and a button-up shirt he left open. He had no hat, but displayed the same balding pattern.

“Of course,” Miltar said, holding his arms wide. “This is a rare occasion.”

Theo nodded. He wondered how often a new nation sprouted up. “I’m hopeful about our future relationship. An opportunity for your people to dock on the continent. We’re a safe port above all else, and a neutral party in global politics.”

Miltar sipped his tea, nodding with approval. He cast Theo a look that said it all. The Half-Orc suppressed the smug expression as quickly as it came, something the alchemist appreciated. The representative from Partopour was sitting with a child. An inexperienced upstart that had not proved himself. Not on the continent, or the global stage.

“I’ll say one thing before we continue,” Miltar said, withdrawing a potion from nowhere. He set it on the table. Theo didn’t need to examine it to know it had his name on it. It was one of his early-stage potions. First tier. Poorly made. “When someone rivals our best alchemists with their first offerings, we get curious.”

Theo considered his options before responding. How arrogant would it have been to pull out his latest offerings? To show the trader that the potion he held, however he’d gotten it, was garbage. The alchemist withdrew an unmodified [Healing Potion] from his inventory, setting it on the table.

“We’ve made improvements to the process.” Theo tried not to tap his foot nervously.

“Vast improvements.” Miltar slid the potion over to himself, inspecting it. “Now, do you have questions?”

Dang, my pulse just quickened, Tresk said into Theo’s mind. You nervous about something?

Tresk knew why Theo was nervous. Her ability to infiltrate his mind grew by the day. Why she was so much better at using the bond was beyond him.

Fine. Just meeting with a representative from Partopour.

Neato. I’m watching from outside the window.

“I’d love to learn more about your culture. You can meet with my Lord Merchant later, but that’s what I’m interested in. Azrug will take care of any deals you want to make, don’t worry about that,” Theo said.

Miltar shared a look with his assistant. He shrugged. “Certainly. Partopour is a republic, and mostly neutral in global dealings. We occupy a small continent between the Khahari Desert and Tarantham. We’re politically neutral with both nations.”

That was a good sign. Theo wanted to engage with people where there were no strings attached. The first people he expected in his port, after the Khahari, were private traders. Not representatives from a nation. If Partopour was as neutral as they said, this was perfect. They could establish trade deals and sell their resources without worrying about backlash.

Something caught his attention in his administration interface. The conversation paused, but he held his hand up for a moment. Alise was talking with representatives from Rivers and Gronro at the same time. The ghost problem was settling down, but they had stirred up the undead. A wave crashed against the Sword and Shield, and they called for reinforcements. The alchemist sent a few quick messages to his administrators.

“Sorry. War and all that,” Theo said, clearing his throat. “I’m happy to hear that, I really am. Broken Tusk has a lot to offer, not just potions. We have access to a rare type of wood called [Ogre Cypress], and a type of iron called [Drogramathi Iron].”

Miltar kept his composure, but Theo saw a twitch in the man’s eye. The alchemist’s high [Wisdom] gave him insight on that. As he expected, the metal was rare. What a person could dig up from their mines depended on regional, cultural, and ownership factors. There was likely something to do with the Drogramathi power in the air, too.

“Don’t worry,” Theo said. “I won’t be involved in the negotiations. We also have perfect-grade stone. Marble.”

“Well, we’re here to trade. Aren’t we?” Miltar asked, letting out a chuckle. “We lack access to rare materials like you have here, but we’re industrious.”

“What I need most is a coin mint,” Theo said. “Although that seems like a dream the more days pass.”

Miltar let out a sharp laugh. He nodded. “They’re hard to find. The only [Core Smiths] I know if that can do the job are Elves in Tarantham. I’m sure you’re familiar with how they deal.”

Theo nodded. “Right, then. I suppose we’re done here. You can speak to Lord Azrug about trade.”

“If you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions,” Miltar said just as Theo stood to leave.

The alchemist sat back down. “Alright.”

“I told you about the governmental structure of Partopour. How our people operate, and our core values of neutrality. How about Broken Tusk and the Southlands Alliance?”

Theo froze on the spot. He gazed down at his tea, which was untouched. He had put less thought into this than he should have. There wasn’t a governmental structure. They’d thrown together things as quick as they could, never giving it much thought. His thoughts formed as he sat there, realizing the nature of the [Free City Alliance] was all he needed.

“We selected the [Free City Alliance] for a reason. We formed the alliance before we formed the nation to protect ourselves. The first idea was to defend ourselves against Qavell. When the undead came, it forced us to grow closer. Each town operates as its own government. While I hold the highest position, I don’t desire to tell the other leaders how to run their town.”

“And your ideals?”

“A fair shake for anyone who wants it. Opportunities provided by the state for everyone to live in comfort, if they want it. Any citizen can be whatever they want. We’re here to provide them with protection and opportunity.”

Sounds like communism, Tresk said.

“I assume you own everything in this town,” Miltar said.

“Not everything,” Theo said. “But I’ll admit, I own more than I should. Then again, I sent all funds from my profits into the town.”

“And your people have your word on that. Nothing else,” Miltar said.

Theo shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Communism! You corrupt Archduke. Shame. Shame. Shame!

“You’re not wrong,” Theo said. “This setup is a gateway for corruption.”

“Just something for you to chew on, Archduke Spencer,” Miltar said. He smiled, showing more of those stunted tusks.

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“Do you think my contracts are unfair?” Theo asked, leaning in over the table. He felt like that child Miltar saw him as. How would the Trade Admiral see this question?

“Depends on the contract.”

“They’re all based on profit-share,” Theo said. “Not for goods sold, but goods produced.”

Trying to make yourself feel better, Theo? Your stuff is more than fair, don’t let this guy get under your skin.

He’s not getting under my skin. He’s right. We own the entire town—and a nation—people can’t exactly say ‘no’ to us when we offer them a job.

Miltar’s expression faded from a studious stare into a surprised look. “So, they make something and they get paid? That’s an interesting approach.”

“Interesting in what way?” Theo asked.

“Normally workers get a salary. But that’s interesting. I assume this motivates your workers?”

“It does,” Theo said. “Everyone busts their asses because the more they produce, the more they get paid.”

“Well, perhaps I was wrong to judge you,” Miltar said. “I’ll reserve my first thoughts until I’ve met with your administration staff.”

Theo rose, bowing to both men before leaving. A junior administrator was waiting for him outside of the room. He instructed them to find Azrug and Alise. Then he handed over the potions that Gronro desperately needed. He’d held onto some of his [Hallow Ground] potions for Broken Tusk, but they needed them more. The administrator darted off, leaving him standing on the landing. He looked down, nodding to himself as he noticed less wounded.

People were being treated quickly. From what he could tell, [Stamina Potions] did the trick to cure whatever the ghosts were doing. Maybe that was a stopgap solution, but it was good enough for now.

Not sure why you had to poke me like that, Theo said.

You needed it, my dude. Sometimes you don’t act unless you get emotional. Your contracts with people are more than fair. Often too fair.

Honk!

Theo stepped out into the humid afternoon air. The days were getting even hotter, although he didn’t think that was possible. While I don’t want to agree, you’re right. First impressions are important.

Hope the Half-Orc likes us!

Honk!

That didn’t matter. Theo turned around, walking back into the town hall to find where Xol’sa was. If Partopour wanted to trade with the alliance, they would. He stood inside the wizard’s room for a few moments before his mind shot back to the present. Zarali stood over him, applying a wet rag to the Elf’s forehead.

“How is he doing?” Theo asked.

Zarali turned, offering a smile. “Better than expected. Even if that move took a lot out of him.”

Theo signed, falling into a chair. He ran his fingers through his hair, then traced the shape of his horns with his fingers. “Good. And you? How are you doing?”

“Quite fine. Now that he’s healed, anyway,” Zarali said.

“I should make some more [Hallow Ground Potions.”

“Yeah. After the ghosts? Might be a good idea.”

Theo had already used his trip to Tero’gal for the day. He could crank out an absurd number of his potions if he had another visit available. Instead, he sat there with Zarali for some time. She had thoughts on when she wanted to have her wedding. She hadn’t picked a season to host it, but that seemed like a distant thought. Xol’sa was recovering from something that should have killed him. The town and alliance were safe. There were new traders at their doorstep. What more could they want for?

The alchemist left the town hall, standing in the wide atrium for a while to watch the last of the wounded file out. Aarok had a report for him, but it was expected. Gronro needed help, and they were answering. He made his way back to the lab, finding Salire there with a stack of new orders.

“People want the [Hallow Ground] potion?” Theo asked.

“And the standard stuff.”

“How was the fight for you?”

“Fine. Just fine,” Salire said, stretching behind the counter. “A ghost sucked some life out of me. Wasn’t fun, but I just downed a few potions.”

Theo nodded. That was the way to solve problems in Broken Tusk. Drink a potion, have a rest. Everything would be fine.

“I have a suggestion. Depending on how grumpy you are today.” Salire cast a nervous smile the alchemist’s way.

“I’m at five out of ten grumpy today,” Theo responded.

“Oh, perfect. Maybe you should take an apprentice.”

This again. Theo thought about this often. The only reason it annoyed him when someone brought it up was because it was a mostly impossible task. Even handling the base-level essences was a challenge for anyone without a core. That came down to a normal, unaligned alchemist at around level 50. The only other path was to take a [Drogramath Alchemy Core]. Even then, that only unlocked the first tier of potions.

To make anything more complicated, they’d need the [Unstable Material Handling] and the knowledge of how this stuff worked. Theo cast his eyes to the ceiling and hummed for a moment. Salire joined him, looking up.

“What are we looking at?”

“Trying to figure out the best way to ask Drogramath for help,” Theo said.

The Demon Lord always felt so distant. Even with the shrine upstairs. Theo thought of the mage core in his chest, rolling the sequence of events over in his mind. That took the power of two members of the Demonic Pantheon to happen. The Elves in Tarantham had [Core Smiths] that could create class cores. He doubted they’d ever even think about making a demonic core.

Salire leaned in over the counter. “Is he listening?”

“No. I don’t think he is,” Theo said. “I need to figure that problem out, but you’re right. If we had an apprentice working on standard potions, things would be better for me. Do you have any interest in alchemy?”

“Not really. I don’t even really have my mind set on trade.” Salire shrugged, falling back into her chair. “Not really sure what I want to do.”

Theo stood there for some time, letting his mind and intuition roll over the problem. Not the problem of Salire’s profession. That was something she needed to sort out on her own. He thought about getting an apprentice. Beyond that, he thought of bringing other Dronon into the town. But Drogramathi Dronon were elusive people. He knew little about their culture. Just that they were reclusive. Secretive with their techniques.

Zarali had let it slip in the past that they were born in broods. That made it possible that they didn’t have parents. Something like that compounded the problem, leaving the alchemist without answers. Beyond that, there was nothing that said a Half-Ogre, or an Elf couldn’t take a Drogramathi core.

Salire joined Theo upstairs into the lab. She had been kind enough to purchase more [Dimensional Storage Crates] to place upstairs. The golems had been doing their own thing for a few days now, collecting mushrooms and inserting them into the exterior crates. The shopkeeper transported those [Swamp Truffles] upstairs, saving the alchemist the trip.

Theo loaded all his stills up with the truffles, not bothering to distill down more essence for the random orders. He had enough [Refined Healing Essence] on hand to sort them all out. The alchemist placed his grinder atop the first still, processing 500 units of mushrooms before moving on to the next one. Salire followed him as he worked, oddly interested in the process despite her previous words.

“How important is the grinding phase?”

“Simultaneously less and more important than the other phases,” Theo said, moving on to the last still. “At Tier 2 and 3, the grind still doesn’t matter a lot. For the distillation process, water and heat dispersion are still the most important aspect.”

Theo didn’t have enough barrels of [Enchanted Water] for the task. He held his hand over a barrel and let the mana trickle from his body. It dripped into the water, half-liquid half-flame as it mixed. Salire watched with interest.

“What does the [Enchanted Water] do.”

“It makes the essence better in every way.” Theo finished with the barrel, adding it to the first still. He needed to repeat this process several times, filling each still to the top. He downed a mana potion and got back to it.

“This used to be a two-part process, right?”

“Yeah, there was a massive pressure still outside,” Theo said, jabbing a finger toward the window. “We replaced it with a condenser coil.”

“So the essence gets the ‘refined’ tag, right?”

“That’s more than just a tag. It has physical properties, too. It’s more pure. Closer to the property than before. Watch.” Theo withdrew what little [Refined Hallow Ground Essence] he had from his inventory. “I couldn’t give you a percentage of purity, but this refined batch isn’t perfect. It has impurities from the other properties attached to the [Swamp Truffle].”

Without waiting for her words of understanding, Theo applied his [Reagent Deconstruction] skill on the flask. The silver essence inside went up in smoke, filling the lab with a hovering cloud. The [Primal Hallow Ground] that was left behind held the familiar silver sheen. He was just displaying an example for the shopkeeper, but it gave him some ideas. He could use the primal version of the essence to make a third tier potion. An experiment in the Dreamwalk was needed.

“This is as close to the property as I can get right now. It’s still not perfect.”

“How stable is that compared to the refined essence?”

Theo had to think about that for a minute. “Stable, or unstable. I don’t really know. Technically more stable, but… I wouldn’t test it.”

“Understood, Mister Alchemy.”

Theo explained the next part of the process. They had to wait for the slurry to heat evenly. Salire had some suggestions about replacing the medium from water to something more unstable. She also suggested stirring the mixture, perhaps with an artifice. The alchemist had stirred a mixture in the past, but it had little effect. But these weren’t the wandering thoughts of someone uninterested in Drogramathi alchemy.

“Would you take a [Drogramath Alchemy Core] if I found one?” Theo asked.

The smile that spread across Salire’s face was slow. She raised her eyebrows. “Thought you’d never ask.”