Waking Spirit Grass

Ha scolded him, but Dole felt sweet inside instead.

After the New Year, Dole would be thirteen. He had shot up in height, gained noticeable weight, and filled out by a whole size. The Number Three hammer no longer felt especially heavy in his hand, and his strength had increased greatly.

His blood and vitality were thriving; Dole felt power flooding every inch of his body. Only after Ha said that did he feel this place truly resembled a home.

Before long, everyone had arrived.

After breakfast, just as expected, everyone got busy. Several carriages arrived from the military office, loaded with all kinds of weapons and equipment. All of it needed maintenance, and some needed recasting. The quantity was enormous.

Only then did Dole understand what Manager Harley had meant by busy. There really was a great deal of work, but with so much of it, his commission would naturally be substantial. Everyone was the same, and they all threw themselves into their work.

Verek was delighted as well. The more goods there were, the closer he was to obtaining a battle aura cultivation method—and to becoming a level-three blacksmith.

Besides Verek, Santis and Molai were the same, working honestly without a moment's slackening.

Dole spent the day on tenterhooks, but no one from the so-called police station came to make trouble.

It was not until the morning of the third day that people from the police station came. They did not come for Dole, but went directly to Ha.

Others might not know the background of Old Ke Smithy, but the police station certainly did.

Dole had no idea what they said. The police officers soon left, seeming somewhat crestfallen. As he departed, one of them glanced at Dole as if he intended to carve his face into memory. That stare made Dole's skin crawl; his hand trembled, and he accidentally smashed a sword blank in two.

Seeing this, the officer's heart jolted, and he left at once.

Soon, Ha emerged from the back, his expression dark.

Since Dole had botched the job anyway, he simply stopped working. He quietly went over to Ha and asked, "Ha, what happened?"

Harley pondered for a moment. "What else could it be? They wanted me to hand you over. I told them you're a blacksmith under contract with us, so that's naturally impossible. Besides, this happened in the slums. Don't they know what sort of people go to the slums? That Aoduo was simply courting death himself."

Dole let out a breath of relief. Ha was standing up for him; there was no question about that.

Ha left, but Dole's heart was far from calm. Since they could not get him openly, they would probably resort to underhanded methods. He knew better than anyone what sort of people filled the police station. He just could not understand it—Aoduo had connections in both the police station and the city guard. Was the world of the rich always like this?

He raised his head and glanced outside the smithy. At that moment, he felt that apart from the smithy, the entire world was his enemy.

The police station sending people meant he did not even dare wander around the city anymore. If someone spotted him and simply took him away, then he would truly be unable to call to heaven or earth for help.

What a pile of shit.

Dole's vision went dark. He felt there was no light in his future.

He desperately wanted to advance to wizard apprentice, then learn the potion-making methods in that book and improve his chances of survival. If warriors faced enemies head-on, then wizards were synonymous with mystery. If becoming a blacksmith was for feeding himself, then becoming a true warrior or wizard was the foundation upon which he could stand in the world.

Dole became more vigilant.

When work ended that afternoon, he did not leave the smithy right away. He waited until nightfall, then quietly slipped out through the back door.

In the dim room, Sam paced back and forth. Before long, the door creaked open, and Carmen entered from outside.

Sam looked at Carmen's expression, and his heart sank. "Lord Carmen, how did it go?"

Carmen gave a thoughtful hum. "Not for now. You know I'm only a lowly detective. Old Ke Smithy belongs to the Link Family; it is an asset of the City Lord's Manor. It was already no easy matter for me to see Manager Harley when I went in to demand someone."

Sam pondered for a moment, looking at Carmen. "Then what do you suggest?"

Carmen had taken his money, so he had to do something for him.

After thinking it over, Carmen said, "The chief needs to handle this. Don't you know my superior, Dis? We can go to him."

Sam's face darkened. Going to the chief meant another huge expense. But what was money compared to avenging his second son? At worst, he could work for the chief afterward, smuggling out some minerals to plug a few holes.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Lord Carmen." He took a gold coin from his clothes and placed it in Carmen's hand.

Carmen accepted the coin and left in satisfaction.

He had already investigated Dole's background. He was only some brat from the slums. As long as there was money to be made, what did it matter if he offended Harley? He could find some way to make amends afterward. Dole was just a nobody.

He quickly left the room.

Sam remained seated in the room for a while before leaving as well. These past few days, he had been contacting acquaintances, hoping to purchase alchemical medicine through the Ability Institute, but he still had not managed to reach anyone.

The Ability Institute was a place even harder to enter than the City Lord's Manor. He needed time, but whenever he thought of Aoduo's injuries, Sam grew restless.

That little bastard had to die. He hardened his heart.

Walking through the dark streets, Dole kept to the shadows as much as possible, blending into the darkness and drawing as little attention as he could. He did not go to the slums. Instead, he followed the streets into the city center. He was going to a pharmacy. When work ended today, Ha had paid out half a month's wages and commission—a full thirty silver coins, heavy in his pocket. With those silver coins, he could buy some of the medicinal ingredients he needed.

These herbs were very ordinary. The raw materials could be bought at any ordinary herbal shop.

After walking for around ten minutes, he arrived at the entrance of a pharmacy called Future Pharmacy. He looked around and, seeing no one paying attention to him, went inside.

The pharmacy was not large. All the herbs and finished medicines were displayed in plain view, and Dole quickly spotted the medicinal ingredients he wanted. Then his gaze froze on the prices below them. Huh? These medicines did not seem expensive! Awaken Mind Grass, the main ingredient for a level-one spiritual power potion, cost only two silver coins per stalk. Most of the others cost between fifty copper coins and one silver coin. He did the math: if he bought only the ingredients for spiritual power alchemical potions, he could purchase around five batches.

The moment he saw that, he had an idea. If possible, he needed to buy all these things today.

He had no equipment and could not turn them directly into finished alchemical potions, but eating them raw would work too. Most of the medicinal potency would be lost, but there was no time for that now. What he needed was to advance as quickly as possible.

Dole had studied Naluye's book deeply and understood some of the ways of the world. So he did not directly buy the things he needed. Instead, he bought a jumble of many different herbs, mixing them all together, and spent all thirty silver coins on him in one go before leaving in satisfaction. As a result, however, he only bought enough ingredients for three batches of spiritual power alchemical potions, spending the rest on other medicinal herbs.

After leaving the pharmacy, Dole bought a hooded garment along the way and wrapped his entire head in it, then headed quietly toward the slums.

It was already ten at night when he returned home.

As usual, he played with Dog Aoduo for a while after coming back. It was also a way to relax and calm his mind.

Taking the herb packets from behind his back, Dole pulled out the ingredients he needed and laid them on the ground. Then, following the order, he put them into his mouth one by one, chewed them to pieces, and swallowed them.