Taking the brunt of attention

"To think that it would be so damn easy…" Muttering under his nose, Sebian shook his head, only for his body to suddenly tense up. 'Wait a moment…' Puzzled by a sudden notion, the alchemist could feel his face tensing up. 'Aren't I shaking my head… a little bit to much over the last few days?'

As useful and common as shaking one's head was, there was a limit to how much one could do it. Not only due to possibly straining the neck muscles responsible for turning the head to the sides, but mostly in the weight of doing so. Just like with curses or profanities, they held far greater meaning when used by someone who usually abstained from spelling them out loud than when they would come from some low-life in the middle of the slum, who barely knows any other words.

'Heck, what the heck am I wasting my time thinking about?' After the first realization, came the second. In terms of his current plans and situation, what did it matter if his head shaking would lose its meaning? And how could he worry about his muscles or tendons getting sprained, if all he had to do was to concoct a simple pill to alleviate the problem?

'Ah, I guess it's that.' The third realization was the last one for the alchemist. Because when a certain memory from his past life reappeared in his mind, the alchemist noticed how similar it actually was to his current position.

Back in the days, his mind would also wander to some random territories, making him ponder over the most useless of topics. Back then, it happened right before the confrontation with his first major foe. At that point, he was no longer able to prepare any further, strengthen himself anymore or find any new allies. With all the schemes finally nearing their conclusion, all the forces invested and all the dices cast, his mind used this method to detach him from the fight.

This strange, little quirk to his mind was something that Sebian forcefully carved out in his soul. 'Even before I made my first step to greatness, I was already infatuated with that quote, wasn't I?' Smiling to his own memories, Sebian continued to walk towards Sheeren's workshop.

"When the dice is cast, an officer can only make things worse. With all the orders given and pieces set to their respective places, the role of the overseer of an army ends." Muttering this simple truth under his nose, Sebian pushed the doors of the workshop open, waltzing inside.

"Men, I need three of you to grab a crate of Kubian Pills each. Add two boxes of Low celestial pills to the count, and then deliver it directly to the Gloryhouse sect." Informing the handymen of Sheeren about their new task, Sebian couldn't fail to notice the looks of slight disappointment on the apothecary apprentices. "Guys, is there something wrong?" Gently raising his left eyebrow, the alchemist looked at the young men with curiosity.

"Ah, esteemed master, it's just that we would rather give up our pay and hire someone to carry the boxes around in our stead. Being able to use those new recipes…" The leader of the youths stepped forward, respectably nodding his head before explaining the situation. "It's just too much opportunity for us to miss." Lowering his head even deeper than before, the young lad pleaded.

"Fine, I'm not someone to turn around from those eager to grow." For a moment, Sebian could see a small part of himself reflected in the young apothecary's eyes. It was the same thirst for knowledge, for understanding of the world around them that pushed him towards the path he took in his previous life. And right now, he could see the very same fire burning in the eyes of all the Sheeren's apprentices present in the workshop. "You will arrange to have those boxes carried, but make sure no one will be able to connect this place with the delivery. Let's say…" Putting up a vile smile on his lips, Sebian picked up one of the crates stacked with the chocolate pudding that everyone in the room spent the entire night making. "It will serve as a lesson to you, about the many ways that a single man can move entire cities."

Stacking another box on top of the one he brought before, Sebian put them both at the workshop doors, before pulling out his trusty old furs. Quickly tearing his current outfit from his body, the alchemist dressed up in his usual attire before picking the two boxes and leaving the workshop. "Also, your workers will be received by the elder of the Gloryhouse sect once they name themselves at the gates, so make sure to hire someone who won't piss himself in happiness due to that!"

Leaving the young apothecaries with this order, Sebian then picked up the boxes and moved out of the workshop. With just a few steps on the road and then on stairs leading to the shopping hall, he already made his way back to the building. And just as he entered, Aina's eyes instantly found him, expressing just how desperate the girl was.

"Everyone, the new product of the stall of Immortals will be introduced in a few moments!" Given how he just arrived, Sebian had no way of knowing what caused the girl to have her face so full of distress. That's why, rather than showcasing just how much he was worried about the girl, he decided to save her by drawing all the attention to himself. And soon enough, not a single pair of eyes could move away from the huge crates he brought to the stall, only to place them directly on the counter.

"Master…" Hidden in the safety of the man's shadow, Aina felt her body relaxing. Even though this man clearly lost his strength while treating her, for some reason, he appeared as a tall mountain, shielding her from all the evil of the world. And it just so happened, that one of those evils was right at the stall!

"Sir, I'm so glad that you came back. I'm here so that I can hopefully resolve the misunderstanding…" Alternating his eyes between the girl and the middle-aged man standing in front of the stall, Sebian's eyes squinted. "You were here for a while, so my disciple surely explained all the misunderstandings. Scram."