For a sixteenth birthday

This vacation leave coincided with their sixteenth birthday. Chu found Mr. Thomas waiting for him among the supply wagons in the same field when they first visited. Dressed in an attire no doubt picked by Mrs. Thomas, he radiated the bearing of a successful merchant or nobleman with his demeanor. It seemed the old man regained a part of his soul during the past couple of months.

"Well, seems like these couple of months have treated you well. I had to look twice to make you out."

Chu said while holding a load over his shoulder. Given that he had taken his time in walking together with Ming, the others would soon arrive. Unlike the few curious onlookers squinting or widening their eyes from the nearby trading wagons, Mr. Thomas laughed while replying.

"Beth had me drive her into the city nearly every week for a stroll. No matter the problems, we had some fond memories in Frost City. This city helps us regain some of them. To stand beside such a woman in the city, a man has to have pride, I have realized it now. Oh, this is Lory, who works in the stables of the villa. He drove the other wagon."

Mr. Thomas waved to the young man still trying to wrap his mind around the odd scene. Mr. Thomas had either not seen anything or pretended to not find anything strange about the girl hanging on one boy's back conversing with another.

"Lory? Couldn't we have squeezed into the carriage... wait but isn't that the cage wagon?"

Chu asked while twisting his mouth. He doubted Mr. Thomas wanted them to ride inside the cage. Surely the villa didn't lack a normal flatbed wagon.

By the time the others arrived, Chu had already splurted out blood and dropped the troublesome load.

Before leaving, Chu called over the young man.

"Lory, take twenty silvers and enjoy yourself in the city. Take the remaining evening off to relax."

Chu said. Receiving the nod of confirmation from Mr. Thomas, the young man's eyes sparkled. Today, he could surprise his wife and daughter at home with a few gifts from the city. After a couple of breaths of standing in silence, Chu turned to Ming.

"What are you still waiting for? Fork out twenty silvers. I know you weaseled out money from somewhere..."

***

"One drop of skincare potion during the day would have driven away all those vultures but you just couldn't do it, could you?"

"Did it occur to you, that a girl who has personal guards accompanying her within the academy, definitely isn't normal? Heaven alone knows what will happen if she finds out your secret by accident. How many fifteen-year-old girls floating around the Empire can knock out a grown man with a roundhouse punch?"

"What the heck, you running a gambling den now? How long again before one of those suckers decide to pull an underhanded trick?"

"You think concocting pills is like frying beans? Couldn't you tell those old codgers you're a cook? And why couldn't the two of you help Sue dish up a lie? Heaven knows you lived around Ming for so long."

"And you! You just think all this is just a piece of forest for you to have a stroll..."

"Sakura! I want a complete account by tomorrow of every coin and payment these guys received."

Amidst the bickering in the carriage, Chu actually felt pleased inside. These companions of his had the mentality of dragons. They climbed into positions far out of reach of the average person while causing troublesome ones to become wary. At least he shouldn't need to worry when they separated while traveling in a city.

Chu shoved his head out the window and called out to Mr. Thomas. A short time later, the two wagons left the road and then stopped atop a small, open knoll. Chu jumped out and sent a hand signal to Ming who drove the second wagon while turning to the others.

"Dyna, have the wolves secure this place. Lucy, scan the road, see if we have company."

In a few minutes, Chu exhaled a deep breath. He had chosen this spot on a whim, and it also lay outside the villa estate. Research had shown him that magic for long-range eavesdropping didn't exist. Mr. Thomas remained outside while walking among the sentries as they crammed back into the carriage. They knew Chu came to the Tower for a purpose, and from the glimmer in his eyes, it seemed he found something.

Chu cleared his mind while collecting his thoughts. Convinced because of the absent pain in his chest, he then began.

"I think I am a little closer to solving my problem. Only an idiot, however, would not take advantage of the position we find ourselves in at this time."

Chu rubbed his jaw while continuing.

"Sue, I want you to coax those old crows into showing you how to create spiritual pills. Since you said you saw women Healers, see whether the Alchemist Guild or Churches Union can teach you about channeling mana into spiritual energy. The academy might not want to share their method because of its closeness to magic casting."

No matter how advanced the science, High-Tier pills required the injection of spiritual energy. Without the stored mana locked into the pill, it became useless candy. Given the contributions of measurements and science, those old men definitely owned Sue that much. If gender posed a problem then he would have no choice but to learn it himself.

"Sally, you and Bella accompany Sue but don't leave the Herb Division. I'll have Ming tell you what I need. Sakura, are there illustration pages of ancient or tower talismans that need copying?"

"I have to check but I think the small guides copied for Frost City might have pictures of what a talisman looks like for new adventurers and mercenaries."

"Good, have those pages sent to the classes of Amanda and Dyna. I want you all skilled in drawing those talismans. Ming, grab the book from the secret compartment, tonight everyone has to help copy a few pages for next week..."

By the time they returned home the sun had long set. Mrs. Thomas waited for them at the front steps and gave them all a welcome hug.

Elder Norivak made him swear an oath to never share the secrets of the Tower with anyone. The secrets never included teaching females and concocting his own mana pills...

***

"Ah, my fingers are killing me. I couldn't even hold my sword this morning, because of you Elder thinks I'm slouching off at the academy."

Ming said while holding up his right hand and slowly unfisting it.

"Stop whining like a baby. You only had to copy five pages. Besides, Sakura had to rewrite half of them this morning because of that turkey foot scrawl."

Chu answered as they walked along the cobbled street. The brick and wood shops, offices, and offices all reflected the stable feel of a city. A far cry from the slightly bowed wooden shops in Karst, not to mention the village.

"I have no idea why you're forcing me to write, Chu. I met dozens of fighters who can't even spell their names, much less write it. True warriors focus on the sword. I can leave a bloody thumbprint like most mercenaries"

"It boggles me as to why you don't get hornswoggled in the city."

Miki voiced while walking up with Dyna. The two of them had lined up at the Kale's Bakery shop since they arrived in the city. According to tavern gossip, this establishment sold the best bread on the north side. The two of them returned with greasy faces carrying a loaf in one hand and an oily parchment wrapped around slices of meat in the other.

"The roasted meat is great but the bread is coarse and has a few fine stones. A guy told me the cook seasons the meat from long overnight. Nothing beats our bread though. Clod and Toll would never hand over flour like this for Sue."

Miki complained. She ran over to an alley and handed over the loaf to a barefooted, little girl dressed in rags and then returned while burying her mouth in the wrapping.

Chu led them towards the center of the city. He had three days until the end of the summer so as to plan their birthday celebrations. For this sixteenth birthday, he planned for them to have lunch inside the city and then relax in the evening at the villa.

The streets soon became wider and cleaner, while the shops turned larger, displaying quality and expensive merchandise from their open windows. Pedestrians wore casual clothing of the latest trends, armed with only a simple sword or dagger sheathed at the waist.

"So that's why you made us wear these clothes. I haven't worn a full dress in ages."

Miki said as she twirled around in her light cape and one-piece dress. With her hair combed into a ponytail, she looked like a young lady from a merchant or even a noble household. Her birthday would place her at the marriageable age in the empire. He already noticed the second glances from those young men in the streets. In her sixteenth year, she bloomed like a flower.

If she wiped the grease from her face that is.

No matter the casual dress, they all wore a swordbelt while Dyna had her buckled dagger. Chu and Ming even had a leather vest hidden under their shirts. Chu paused his steps at the front of a large stone building that towered two levels over the surrounding shops. Rumors in the academy stated that this place served as no mere tavern but as something better.

Blue House Eatery

With its chiseled stone architecture, extended eaves, and manicured garden, it acted as a prominent landmark. In this medieval empire, this place held the position of a high-class restaurant. A perfect place for their birthday. He called Miki over and rubbed the oil from her face while ignorant of it turning red as a tomato.

Taking in a deep breath he then walked up the steps with the bearing of a CEO, towards the greeters standing at the entrance. Four black-haired beauties dressed in fitted robes to enhance their curves bowed before the arch doors. Chu also didn't fail to notice the group of uniformed guards standing at either corner of the restaurant.

"Greetings patrons, may I ask if you have a reservation?"

One of the young ladies asked in a sweet voice. On hearing they wanted to book a reservation the young lady escorted them into a wide parlor inside towards a well-dressed clerk. Chu nodded at the service, he knew if they probably visited here while dressed as adventurers or mercenaries, they would have been booted out.

It didn't take long for Chu to secure a reservation on the third floor under the letter drafted from Mage Norivak. Even an apprentice from the academy could only hope to reserve a table on the ground floor, much less a private booth on the third level.

"I hear Blue House Eatery caters to some of the villas outside of the city?"

"That is correct sir but we only do so for the large Clans and Houses. A gathering of your number is too small."

The clerk answered politely while taking down his instructions for the birthday reservation.

"I see, how much is the cost for hosting one of those banquets?"

The man paused as he placed a finger to his chin in thought.

"I believe our figure begins at serving a minimum of one hundred guests, and cost a minimum of ten gold per person."

The clerk paused to allow the boy some time to recover from his coughing fit. Seeing him thump his chest and gaze at him with the shocked face, he continued.

"Our catering service, like I said, is really to host large functions held by the high ranking nobles and esteemed mages. We use the finest silverware, offer the rarest dishes, and provide quality servants. This private 'birthday' gathering less than twenty cannot satisfy our mobilization."

Chu nodded as the man puffed with pride at the end. This business seemed geared towards the Tower with its members and visitors who lacked anything besides money. For this birthday celebration, he hoped Sue and Mrs. Thomas would not have to cook or supervise in the kitchen.

"Ah! Young Lady Dyna, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here?"

"This one is?"

Dyna asked while tilting her head.

"Forgive me, this one is Manager Han of the Yu estate outside the city. Young Miss provided me with great help back then. Is Miss also invited to the banquet?"

****