The royal capital

we've finally reached the royal capital

it took almost a year

gotta say Alexander is a good man, he makes sure I sleep and eat well

he says it's because I'm (profitable) good thing I'm not dense enough to fall for it

though I did lighten his workload a lot : calculating sales ,keeping track of the inventory, and some paperwork as well

when he took me in as an apprentice

I don't think he saw this coming

after work he would pay 2 copper a day

which means 60 copper a month or 6 L.C

I mean father used to make 7 L.C

And mom 3

we didn't live in luxury ,but, we endured the hunger that fat pig caused without any of us being malnourished

since I am a kid I don't need to worry about taxes

and yet, he didn't use me because I am a kid

 that was my test

And he passed with flying colors

and I think ,I earned his trust ,and he earned mine

it's important to gather allies you can trust

now then let me give you a magic update

I made a new spell called "static" it makes the velocity of anything around me in a certain radius 0

basically , another OP skill

no arrows, blades, fire bullets, and the like can get to me now

thing is I am currently the only one not affected so 

[ displays something like a barrier around Colt and a smaller circle where the effect doesn't reach]

also anything that enters stays frozen in the air like time had stopped

so it's effect is actually quite terrifying

I developed this while travelling, since after work ,Alexander just lets me roam around or do whatever I want as long as I'm back in time

so I would go outside the city and experiment on monsters there

mostly goblins though

even though I'm a powerhouse I'm not the type to rush head first into battle

besides a 9-year old taking down an ogre or an earth dragon will draw attention

best to do it when I'm 15 and then show the spoils to the teachers in order to gain some influence

another thing I noticed 

since every living thing has a magical aura surrounding it

I learned by observing monsters that when there is malice it turns to a terrifying dark red

and by observing adventurers,

I learned it flickers with different colors depending on the spell being cast

orange for fire, green for wind, brown for earth, blue for water, white for healing magic

And also

regular healing magic can't regrow limbs

but there is no impossible when it comes to me

but I need a living test subject first

I'm not going to try it on myself, you know

now then , "the royal capital"… it's naturally much bigger than my little town in every way 

population, houses, shops, in my town these were just stalls ,here, there are actually shop owners , which will make this fun 

[ internal evil grin]

also Alexander told me about what is known as contract magic

it's pretty self-explanatory

basically, it ensures , that no one cheats the other

however it can be used for slavery

as soon as I heard that it made me sick

turns out there are elves in this world

there were beast folk but they were driven to extinction

humans will be humans I guess

the elves are widespread but their population is a few thousand total

one elf settlement is 500 elves at most

understandably, they hate humans

turns out there are some living in a forest nearby

catch is, you never know whether you'll encounter an elf or an ogre

but I gotta say knowing there were elves ! who in their right mind wouldn't be excited ?!

this world just keeps getting better and better

[ internal evil grin ]

show time!

Colt: [ opening his item box ] : "Alexander, I have something I'd like to sell

can you do it and take a commission fee?"

Alexander [surprised] : "that's strange !.. you've learned to sell by now…and even saw me do it, and contract magic as well….

what could be so valuable that you need me?"

Colt [ takes out two relatively big diamonds ] "these"

Alexander [ shocked and confused] : "what in the??!! Not even I could obtain a diamond this big… how in the world did you get these??!!"

I made them with magic

Colt [ winks ] : "lesson one: a merchant never reveals his sources"

Alexander [laughing hard] : "guess I taught you too well, ok, you win this round, but you will be there to see how it's done"

this proves he's a good man, he wanted me there not only to learn, but to verify the selling price

Alexander :"First, let's get these appraised"

then he took me to a shop and said

Alexander : "after your apprenticeship is over, you'll be on your own, and with someone with your talents, you need the right people

remember this place well, before you sell any jewelry ,come appraise it here"

this guy

inside was a group of people with lenses on their eyes

and as soon as we entered

they all looked at Alexander with awe

A Clerk : "hello , sir Alexander , what golden opportunity brings you here today??"

Alexander [smiles] : "hello Jerry, cheerful as usual, call the boss for us; we need his eyes"

Jerry : "the old man himself!! This should be good"

and then he led us to a room with a big window and right there was sitting an old man like any other

but his brown eyes were so full of life as if he was a kid

The old man [standing and moving towards Alexander ] : "little Alex ! are you still scamming people?"

 [Colt keeping a straight face but laughing hard internally]

ahahahaha, forgive the pun but this is gold

Alexander[ hugging the old man ]: "Din, you old fossil, are you not dead yet?"

oh, man, I can barely contain myself

Din [ smiling and tapping on Alexander's shoulder] : "I won't die 'till I've buried you myself… and who's this? Your kid?"

Alexander [smiling] :" no, this is Colt my apprentice , way to go Colt ,keeping a straight face through all of this… didn't think you'd make it"

now let's start hitting back

Colt : "you've taught me well sir Alexander"

*turns to face Din*

*proper noble greeting: knee backwards slight bow , hand gesture*

Colt : "how do you do sir Din… my name is Colt and I have the great honor of being sir Alexander's apprentice, it's an honor and a pleasure to meet you"

[ Alexander not knowing how to respond ]

ah ,this reaction gets me every time

Din [fast recovering from surprise ] : "he has a silver tongue too!! Now I know he's not you kid, nicely done Colt, you are a fine merchant"

he recovered fast

now to deal the finishing blow

Colt [looking Din dead in the eyes]: "not at all sir Din, I have not yet reached even half of what sir Alexander is"

Din [ looking at Alexander] : "this young man respects you this much?!! Looks like you've grown Alex"

he said young man, that means he acknowledges me, perfect

Din [ heading back to where he was sitting ] : "enough with formalities, what brings you here today?"

Alexander : "Colt has something he wants to sell and we came to get it appraised"

Din : "ooh??, what could that be ??"

Alexander : "show him Colt"

[Colt recites the incantation, opens item box and takes out the 2 diamonds]

Din : "are those… bring 'em here so that I can see"

*Colt looks at Alexander*

*Alexander nods*

[ a while later]

Din [with awe looking at Alexander] : "these are genuine ,pure, diamonds one of them sells for at least 1 L.G !! where in the world did you find such a thing"

Alexander [ with pride and disappointment] : "Actually Colt here is the one who found 'em"

*Din looks at colt*

Colt : "lesson one: a merchant never reveals his sources"

Din : "damn , you're his apprentice alright"

Alexander [ laughing with pride] : "I know , right?!"