Student

Evan ate his plate at a slow pace. He knew that he wasn't ready to help with anything quite yet, as his mind was still quite hazy. So, while he ate, he pulled his father's "Introduction to Alchemy" book out of his bag. He figured he would skim over it as he was eating.

The moment he read the first words, "Welcome to the world of medicines, elixirs, and tonics. Using the techniques in this book you will learn how to tempura materials, for use in refinement." A little window appeared above the book.

*Alchemy Creative Art: Apprentice Download*

There was a bar filled with gray underneath these words as well.

'What is this? Oh my god, what if Mr. Agate sees it?' Evan wondered and quickly worried. But there was no reaction from Feldman that said he could see the window.

*Download for Creative Art has begun.

To finish download please proceed to store information about practice. *

'So, I have to read the book to become an apprentice.' Evan was quite happy about this. 'Who else can learn an entire subject and master it just from reading a book once?'

"So, what should I call you then. Your father might be an ex-student of mine, but I never took interest in his personal life." Feldman spoke up after Evan had finished about half of his plate of food. That's when he noticed the book that Evan was reading.

"Evias." Evan responded with the name of the body. "But I'd like to change it. I don't really know the people who gave me this name. Once I'm old enough and strong enough to leave this place I don't want anything to tie me to them either." He spoke with a stern voice. He had already made his mind up about this. When he succeeds, he doesn't want his parents searching him out like what had happened on Earth.

"Oh? Well, what would you like to be called then?" Feldman could see the hate in his eyes and couldn't reject the child. He had only known the kid a few hours and most of the time he was asleep, but the scars and bruises on his body couldn't go unnoticed. This kid was abused and left to die. He absolutely could not blame the kid for feeling this way.

"Evan, Evan Freeman." Evan said after just a second. He would just go by his name. There would be no way he would relearn a name that he had had for 29 years.

"That's a good name. Free from your parents and close enough to make the transition easy." Feldman was impressed by the thought process of the kid.

"Are you interested in Alchemy?" Feldman asked nonchalantly but was actually excited. He knew the talent Evan's father showed in this regard, and if his son showed the same talent, he could gain a student that would soar and bring him others. He might even be able to open a school for alchemy with his help.

"Yes I am. It seems very useful, and I might be able to use it to leave my parents." Evan responded, lying through his teeth. He wanted to learn because it would make gaining power easier in the long run. He wouldn't need money to pay people to make the things that he needs.

'My god, if he is as good as his father, I can make him an apprentice in less than a year.' Feldman was getting giddy at the thought of an amazing student. "Forget the chores for the night, I'd like to show you something."

Evan knew that Mr. Agate used to be a top-grade Alchemist and was hoping to get something of value after expressing his interest. It was hard not to see the excitement on his face when he found out. So, Evan just looked at him with a perplexed face.

"Ok sir, but how am I going to pay you for the food then?" Evan was stringing him along, manipulating him into teaching him alchemy for free, and feeding him the entire time as well. He could deal with his parents for a few years with someone like Mr. Agate in his corner. He had done it once before with Shirley, so this shouldn't be any harder.

"Don't worry, you will still be working for everything you owe me." Feldman's words hit Evan like a bomb. He thought he would be able to weasel some food out of him with the free lessons.

"What did you want to show me?" Evan was defeated, so there was no need to dwell.

"This." Feldman said as he pulled a stove out of his subspace. The stove was not like what we are used to seeing today but was more similar to a wrought iron stone from the 1800s. It had small metal door with a few slits that you could see through, where turquoise flames were dancing. The top of the stove contained 2 openings. In one was a stone pot with a stone lid, the stone pot was very large, almost the size of the stove itself. The other opening looked like a smokestack but at the top of it was a large metal box.

It was an alchemist stove. This was the combination work of a Fusion Master and a Master Forger. The grade of the stove was an X rank treasure. It was actually a combination of 3 pieces. The main stove was actually a housing for a specific type of fire used for Alchemy. The pot on top was a large cauldron carved from a stone that glowed blue. And the top of the smokestack was a large metal box that had an ominous purple glow emitting from it. The smallest part of the stove was actually the base that contained the flame.

"This is the 'Soft Stone Pot'." Feldman boasted proudly. "This is the key to any good Alchemist. This is an Alchemy Furnace, and mine is damn good if I do say so myself."

"What does that have to do with me and chores though?" Evan was still a little upset about having to pay back the food. He felt that the least Feldman could do for him is feed him since he had almost died.

"Well, I am willing to take you as a student. That is if you're willing. I will not charge you for the teachings, but you will still be required to do the chores I instruct you if you'd like to keep eating here. I'll also teach you how to properly hunt and search for food." Feldman thought that his offer was quite generous. He would normally charge his students one bronze coin every 6 months for teaching them. He was willing in large part due the fact that he felt guilty about his parents.

Feldman would never tell the kid this, but he was actually the person who suggested to Filmen to try and use a Spirit Crystal to increase his cultivation. From that point, this kids' life has been hell, and Feldman felt responsible. He wasn't making the kid do chores to pay him back. At this point, he wanted to use the chores to show the kid how to survive on his own. He would teach him how to forage for food, hunt, and even raise livestock if he could. He would also try and finish what he started with his father and create an amazing Alchemist as well. It was the least he could do for the child whose life he ruined before it even started.