Bonds

'Magic tools'. That was how the most valuable treasures on the world were called. To exaggerate, they could bring forth the miracles common humans had never seen. In simple terms, they were just some tools that bore spell inscriptions imbued with magic. But since the number of magicians who could create the magic tools was small, there were not much magic tools in the whole world.

"They are the technical innovations of this world!" Huvel remarked inwardly when he read about the magic tools. "There are magic lamps, magic heater, magic cooler and many other things. I wonder, with such things around, will someone ever discover electricity? I don't really want to spend a whole year's saving for a single magic lamp!"

Magic tools were very expensive that only the aristocrats could afford them. And even the aristocrats could not afford to buy them excessively. Even in the Mustero household, only the main mansion and the biggest guest house had magic lamps; and the number had never exceeded seven.

Although magic tools were out of the reach for a young lord like Huvel, they played an important role in potion making. The reason a potion maker without Light Prowess could make potions that were unlike normal medicines and had magical properties was because of the use of magic tools made by light wizards.

Huvel tried to overcome the lack of magic tools by manually injecting light magic while he was making the potion. When he was about to give up and look for a way to steal from a potion master, he fortunately succeeded! In addition to his success in making potion, because the healing potion he made was imbued with magic in the most direct way, they were more potent than the ones made by average potion makers.

-----

Laurent went to a lady merchant that used to hire him before. He thought of going to the nobles' houses to sell the potion tubes directly but he decided to see the merchant first. The merchant he went to see was a strong woman who successfully built up her own merchant group despite the strong suppression of other merchants who could not stand a woman becoming the chief of a merchant group.

"Chief Forrestt, I pray the lady of fortune smiles upon you!" Laurent greeted a woman as he entered lavishly decorated chamber.

"Thank you, Laurent Armon." The woman with distinct curves and silky red hair replied him offhandedly. "I believe you have something important to discuss."

Reading Forrestt's behaviour, Laurent could tell that she did not welcome him well. It would have been embarrassing if he were to ask for a favour but he actually had 'something important' so he was not intimidated.

"Actually, I have a small business to discuss. But it might become troublesome later so I want some help from you. So, I wonder if chief wants to hear it?" Laurent said because he knew that Forrestt would be more interest if words like trouble or danger were involved.

"Laurent, what are you trying to play?" She looked directly at the eyes of Laurent as if she could see Laurent's intention well. "A small business is also a business. Let's hear it!"

She sent her attendants away and told Laurent to sit near her to discuss the business. Laurent told her that he was asked by a noblewoman to sell some tubes of healing potion in her family treasury. He also told her that the potions were made by a light mage many years ago and that he wanted to sell them at around 60 silver coins per tube.

"She wants 55 silver coins per tube so we can make a profit of 5 silver coins per tube if we sell them at 60 silver coins. We will get about 10 gold coins if we can sell 200 tubes. I'll give you half, 5 gold coins. What do you think?"

"Look!" Forrestt said impatiently. "You keep saying 'we', but it's me and my people that have to sell them. And you want to pay me only 5 gold for all the troubles? You can't do business like that!"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention one thing." Laurent said softly as he put his head on Forrestt's bosom. "During the time you try to sell the first batch of potion tubes, I'll stay with you and ease your exhaustion."

Forrestt pinched Laurent's cheeks. "Are you trying to sell yourself to me now?"

"Since you don't hire me anymore, I've to do this so that you won't forget me." Laurent said as he looked up Forrestt with his puppy eyes from below.

"Fine. I'll take your offer." Forrestt replied after a while.

She played Laurent's lips with her fingers and thought, "Selling potions to nobles is a good way to start a connection with them. Even selling them at a lower price is not a problem if I can get to their good side!"

Laurent was happy too because Forrestt agreed to sell the potions for him and she did not realize that he lied about the price Huvel demanded. More than anything else, he was most satisfied with the fact that he could go to bed with a woman again!

-----

Huvel took some time in the evening to train his 'dog'. It was a very rebellious dog and did not listen to him well. Huvel liked role playing but there was not any agreement of play between Bellamy and him. He was just venting his anger on Bellamy since he did not know who ordered him to spy him. And he was also taunting that person by insulting his spy.

Huvel was not patient enough to train Bellamy from the start and he did not really want him either. He pulled him by the leash that was attached to the collar on his neck, and looked into his eyes.

"I took you in because I pity you." He said. "But you are such a foolish dog that can't even follow simple commands!"

Bellamy could not reply him because he was made to bite something and he was not allowed to pull it out.

"I heard you did something terrible before you came here." Huvel continued and sighed. "I'll allow you to go back to your former master now. I think you prefer to be a dead dog on the street than to be a living dog in my house."

Huvel removed the leash and slapped his back.

"Go now!" He ordered for the last time.