3.6

The day after the arrival of the Miller family to their mansion in the capital, early in the morning, the breakfast table was a little livelier than usual. James was practically bouncing and humming as he walked into the dining room. His enthusiasm was such that it seemed that the boy radiated light to those who saw it. In the eyes of the countess, he was even more beautiful smiling and he was very cute.

James had obviously been content since the day started, barely sleeping at night. It would be today that he would go to the streets and see the wizards' tower that he so wanted to see and his mother had already told him the day before that he could go. Everyone in the house saw how excited the youngest was about such an outing and they couldn't help but comment on it. Of course, for his family, it was good that he had so much energy for the day.

It's not just getting out and visiting that James is excited about. He could hang out with Brandon, which he didn't do in Killos. That was certainly something to celebrate. And although he had an escort, it's not something he disliked, he understood that he had to protect himself, even more so in an unfamiliar environment where he could get lost. The most exciting thing was that he could experience many new things that were only seen in the newspapers or the news he saw, such as Chef Vini's Dessert Shop, with its famous cakes and sweets, or the Maquiattes group, who attracted attention for performing in a square on the north side of the capital.

His curiosity could be satisfied, but it was still being piqued.

Brandon, who would accompany him, was sitting with Nott away from the main house and talking with the knight. The conversation didn't have anything very relevant like some important information, it was just a friendly dialogue between friends. Brandon also took the opportunity to inform him that he might have to accompany James on his way out.

Well, it had better be a knight he was more familiar with and Brandon also wanted to have some fun with Nott, they were both friends after all. It was work, but mostly it was playing with James during his walk, it wasn't something formal as long as it ensured the young master's protection. Brandon considered it more like free time than the job itself, as looking after James wasn't very strict. And soon after breakfast, everyone had their business and dispersed. The earl and Ferion left for a meeting with nobles and so did Phillip and Johannes. Countess Miller said she was going to see some friends she hadn't seen in a while and told James to behave himself when he left, and that she loved him. Finally, it was the 13-year-old's turn to leave.

The carriage was ready and it didn't take long for the three people to appear to enter. Soon, the boy left through the front door, pulling the redhead by the sleeve, who obediently followed him.

James was wearing a coat that reached just below his waist and was well tailored, with a shirt underneath and an accompanying tie, along with an ornament. And the bottom part was shorts that revealed white legs and socks with colorful details. Brandon also wore something less formal than he wore on a daily basis. He looked great wearing simpler clothes and gave off a more youthful air, which went well with his soft smile and bright eyes. A sight that some maids who saw it felt drawn to keep seeing it.

And finally Nott, dressed in simple, commoner clothing but carrying a scabbard, which made clear his status as a knight, or at least an apprentice. However, Nott's good looks weren't rude, he was handsome enough to draw a few sighs, even more so when they saw his muscles with his bare arms and the cheerful smile he displayed.

James looked at Nott curiously, until he shook his head at the memory of who he was. He looked her up and down discreetly and then turned to face Brandon. If he remembered correctly, he would be the friend Brandon has been seeing for over a year now. It was good that Brandon had more friends, but he felt a little jealous.

"Third Young Master." Nott saluted in a typical knightly greeting and flashed a smile in Brandon's direction.

"Are you Nott?" James asked him.

"Yes."

"Good, I'll be in your care." And he got into the carriage, pulling Brandon along.

The redhead saw such an interaction and couldn't help but be a little confused by it, but he soon put it aside and went inside, being followed right behind by Nott and leaving the mansion. The gates emblazoned with the Miller house crest opened and the road appeared through the side windows. The houses and walls they had seen when they arrived the day before were being seen again, but with a few more people and carriages, it seemed like a good time to get out of the house.

The trio's first objective was, of course, the one James was most excited about, the wizards' tower, Gylles.

The wizards' tower, Gylles, or Magic Tower, was a tower that traced its origins over six hundred years ago to the Yulard empire. It hasn't been since the founding of the country, but it was one of the main projects that received prominence at the time, for its controversies between the pros and cons that were well discussed both by the masses and by aristocratic circles.

Led by Archmage Gylles Troit, the tower was founded and was intended for magical study, as well as being responsible for the field of research and training of new mages. However, because its founder was an eccentric person and did not have a good reputation, many had doubts whether it would be a good investment and whether it would not harm the country.

Rumors at the time said that Gylles had no regard for the other party's status and that he only respected those he liked or met his standards. Also that he was addicted to magic and a little crazy, although the former may be true, as he was very studious, the latter was less reliable, as such an archmage had contact with the imperial family and had appeared at numerous banquets and events, behaving in a polite and restrained manner.

But in the end, the tower was built with private capital from Gylles and support from the imperial family, creating yet another milestone in the country's history.

As a tourist spot, the tower was famous for being big enough than the imperial palace at the time, attracting many foreigners and people from different territories to see such construction. There are also other reasons, such as the appearance of some wizards who put on a show at the entrance of the tower for the population to see. It's not always, but they say the tricks are good to see.

The vehicle stopped and the trio got out. The first thing they saw was a building that reached the sky. White as ivory, the Magic Tower was enormous. So high that it was easy to be surprised and awestruck by the sight. They were speechless and did not react. It was not known how many floors such a building could contain, but they could not even speculate a number less than thirty, and that was already an extraordinary thing. In modern terms, the Magic Tower could be said to be a skyscraper owned by a large corporation centered on magic and its employees being wizards.

"Incredible." James was the first to react. Words from him came out naturally and a smile came to be drawn on his face. His eyes soon gleamed with anticipation to get closer.

Brandon's eyes were as impressed as Nott's and James' were, but he was more restrained than James. Unlike James, who is a mage and has a passion for magic, he was surprised that a building could be that big. And Nott shared that sentiment too.

"Did we get to see a show?" James asked walking forward.

Brandon snapped out of his daze, and turned his attention to the gate. "I don't think so, James."

The tower was large and filled a large area, but what was in front of them were the gates to enter and there were many with only passers-by and a few people who stopped to stare. Sure enough, those who stopped were just like them, who came to visit. However, there wasn't anyone doing magic or who was going to do it, as there would be a crowd around the person.

"Looks like not." The boy's lips pursed. "We can't go in either."

Those who can enter the tower are only those registered. All magicians who belong to the Magic Tower are magicians sponsored by noble, rich families or who have a teacher, being a disciple, where they spend five years studying before being considered "formed", that is, a magician. And most of the graduates remained in the tower, for research or learning, and the rest would go to the homes of the noble families they sponsored or would leave, each to their own fate.

James' teacher Below Willow was one of those who decided to leave. He had a teacher who taught him and was his disciple, but he decided to leave the tower after his death. Now he teaches young Miller and a few others. He also tells stories of what it's like inside the tower, piquing James' curiosity.

"We already knew that, didn't we? That's why our destiny is different."

"Still, it's a shame." He regretted turning to the redhead. Brandon chuckled at her cute face.

"C'mon C'mon." Brandon looked around, seeing a street that had a larger amount of people walking. "Over there."

The street the trio walked on was busier than the one in front of the tower, because as they advanced they saw many stores selling magical items, even foods that gave off sparks and light. It was very strange and felt like a new world, but it proved their destiny, the Charming Quarter.

The Neighborhood of Enchantments is a set of streets that are in front of the tower and are formed by mages who live both inside and outside the tower. It brings together several specialties and sectors, being considered the magical world of the Yulard empire, for having developed over the centuries. In addition to its fame, it is also known as the place where you can find and get anything you want, as long as it is related to magic. It is made up of shops across the streets, with stalls scattered throughout and all selling something different, including talismans, tools or scrolls that contain spells, being generally basic such as water ball, shield and flare. There are also some that are hall magic, that is, for shows in private places with a little magic.

James walked ahead and Brandon and Nott were behind him. The knight looked at his steady young master, undistracted by the marvels he saw on the street. James, on the other hand, stared at everything with shining eyes, it was even possible to see the brightness of the stars in his brown eyes, or compare it to the rays of the sun, because he was so resplendent. The boy was so excited that enthusiasm was practically written on his forehead in neon and blinking. And Brandon viewed it all with a bit of curiosity, but as he was out in public, his expression was a bit neutral, but softening when he saw his friend or the child he cares for.

James stopped, seeing a necklace he liked. Brandon soon arrived and so did Nott. The old man who was sitting on the floor with a cloth and showing his wares watched them attentively, but soon asked.

"Did you like it?" Eye wrinkles were shown when smiling. "This is a necklace made with wood from the Linden tree, with a petrace and a little iron. It contains a protection spell, a shield that lasts for five minutes."

The old man explained. The necklace is in the shape of a magic circle with faint runes written on the edge, almost hard to make out, but the craftsmanship was good. Its frame was made of an oak-like wood, but there were scattered white fragments that were a sign of its strength and origin. The petracian the man said was in the center of the circle, being snared with the iron and connected to the sides. It was a round shaped black stone, small but used in common magical objects for its ability to retain mana well.

It was a well-made necklace, where you could see the care and work of the craftsman.

"How much does it cost, sir?" James asked. The necklace was already on her fingers and the texture was surprisingly smooth.

The man took a strategic look at his clothes which, although they looked ordinary, were well made. "A small silver."

James nodded and turned to Brandon who looked back at him. He took the bag out of his pocket and handed the old man a silver coin, which he bit down and nodded, confirming that it was genuine. Soon, they left and James had his new object around his neck showing off with a smile for Nott and Brandon.

"Look how good it looks on me." A proud face with a pouty face was shown. "Did not stay?"

"It turned out fine." Brandon nodded and Nott nodded.

Neither one of them was lying, let alone paying lip service just to flatter. The brown wood matched the brown eyes and the black stone harmonized with the dark coat, only the iron didn't match the outfit James was wearing, but that didn't take away from the fact that he was handsome. It was something that was bought, but it matched perfectly, which was surprising.

They continued down the street. James stopped sometimes and bought something, even Brandon bought it too, with his own money. Brandon bought Nott an armband to wear during training, it was made of leather with iron details as reinforcement and a spell to increase durability and resistance. The price was right and it was something that served as a gift for the knight. Nott accepted it with a little embarrassment and even his cheeks blushed a little.

James viewed this with a little jealousy and narrowed eyes.

Close to where they were, a door bell sounded with the noise of the customer leaving. The sound was a little loud to attract the attention of some pedestrians and James. The purple haired boy looked towards the direction and saw in the window cookies placed with a sign written "Surprise Cookies!", which made him widen his eyes and quickly grab Brandon's hand and pull him.

Surprise cookies were advertised in the magic papers and there were even some that got news for something surprising. James always read when one appeared and always wanted to know what it was like to eat one. So he was surprised that he managed to find it.

"Come, come. Hurry." He walked at a brisk pace and stopped in front of the shop called 'Sue's Bakery'.

"What?"

"Surprise cookies, quick." He called again, entering the store and going straight to the counter to order. "Fifteen surprise cookies, please."

A young woman with black hair and brown eyes in a white apron was standing cleaning the counter when the boy approached and ordered. She smiled at him. "It's for now."

Quickly, the woman took the cookies and placed them in a bag and handed them to the boy, looking up to see the two men stopping behind the boy. She fell into a daze at the sight of a gorgeous redhead who looked aloof but didn't detract from the good looks, and a handsome knight who had muscles and a slight smile that made her heart skip a beat. Brandon thought she was waiting for the money and quickly handed over the large copper coins, leaving the store shortly after, not noticing that the woman's cheeks were a little red.

"What is that?" Nott asked. He couldn't resist asking as it looked like an ordinary cookie, but the young master was quite excited about them.

James looked at him and replied. "These are surprise cookies. They are cookies and contain a surprise. It could be an unusual flavor or a random spell, like the one that makes you spit a light fire when you breathe, but that doesn't hurt. In short, it's an enchanted cookie that surprises you. Its effects They pass quickly, from thirty seconds to a minute. They are harmless. Here." He handed one to each.

The boy took one for himself and bit, as soon as he swallowed, surprisingly, his hair changed color from purple to black. He stared at the cookie and tried to make it feel, but nothing came to mind. He glanced at Brandon who was staring at him, or, more accurately, at the hair that had changed color.

"What happened? Has something changed? I don't feel anything." He even touched the top of his head, but he felt nothing.

"James, your hair is black. It's changed color." The redhead said. "But it's still cute." She smiled at him.

Young Miller opened his eyes wide and pulled a strand to look and saw that it was black. Soon, he stared at the cookie again and then saw his hair return to normal. The color change felt like paint, as if you painted it black and then washed it off with water. He decided to keep this one in his pocket, because it would be nice to come home and find his mother with a different hair color.

"Eat too." He indicated the two.

Brandon took a deep breath and took a bite, but nothing happened. He didn't feel, much less have anything that surprising. The cookie effect wasn't unusual, it was one of flavor. "Mine tastes like cinnamon." He spoke to the two.

James heard this and was a little disappointed. He was expecting something big or at least equal to his. He looked at Nott, hoping that this time something good would happen.

Nott took a deep breath, a little anxious about what might happen to his, and bit down. The taste was ordinary, it was even tasty for him. And he felt some relief that he didn't feel any change, but it was too soon to feel that. As soon as he relaxed, his cheeks puffed out, like a squirrel's, only bigger and felt good to squeeze. His head looked a little heavy and when comparing the cheeks to the head it was disproportionate and it was funny, making James and Brandon laugh because it was hilarious.

The knight touched his cheeks and it felt like they could fit in his entire palm, but it was a little smaller. He squeezed and felt the elasticity that increased with the spell, as well as not feeling it grow. It was even funnier because he touched and squeezed, looking like an innocent child playing with his face, which was a contrast to his fit adult male physique.

Soon, his cheeks returned to normal and Nott was afraid to continue eating, but he finished anyway. It was food and it wasn't wasted, besides being delicious. He just had to ignore his cheeks that cosplayed as squirrels while eating and the laughter of the two who were with him.

There were still twelve left and they would be divided between the three of them, making them laugh as they walked down that street.