After wrapping up their meal Wolf and South had a very long chat. The boy explained what he really wanted to know, which was more or less everything.

“So, you basically want me to feed you with information?” South said, trying to maintain a poker face.

“I could do that… But… If I feed you information you have to feed me, literally. I mean cook for me, and you have to provide the ingredients for the meals. Let’s say one lunch for one piece of information. How does that sound to you?” the bum offered.

“That sounds great!” Wolf nodded enthusiastically.

Aside from saving money on information brokers, which were expensive as hell, Wolf would have someone to talk to and share his meals with. The boy wouldn’t mind preparing the food even without the information, if it meant that he could chat with someone as interesting and novel as this South fellow.

“All right then!” Just like Wolf, South appeared to wear his heart on his sleeve. But a moment later he regained control of himself and made a troubled face.

“I don’t want to eat well too often. If I ate your cooking every day, I’d stop appreciating it after a while. Even worse, I might even begin expecting fine dining on a daily basis. Then what would happen when you go somewhere and leave me without my delicacies? Hmmm…” The drunkard looked like he was faced with a difficult conundrum.

Finally he nodded as if he’d solved his problem. “Once a week sounds fine. It should be enough for me to be filled with anticipation for your food and then I would get it in a timely manner. Before or after the meal I can answer a question you have. How does that sound to you? It’s fair, right?”

Once South was done talking Wolf hesitated. This arrangement didn’t really suit him. He needed a lot of information and he needed it now. If he asked one question per week he wouldn’t even have all of his answers by the time he joined the Mage Academy.

“Can I get information on credit? I promise to make your meals.” Wolf mumbled sheepishly after considering South’s proposal.

Hearing the boy say the words he’d expected, South smiled playfully. “It’s our meals, not my meals. Besides, that doesn’t sound fair if you ask me. How about this, I can answer all the questions you have, but you have to cook us a meal every week you’re in this city? That seems to be fair. What do you think?”

“I think it’s more than fair. How about we go with that?” Wolf said excitedly. Considering how many questions he had, Wolf had a feeling he stood to profit greatly from this arrangement.

South didn’t care about the exact details. He just wanted Wolf’s company. In fact he already knew that the boy would pick this option, rather than having one question answered after each meal. Wolf was all alone in a huge city which had a population measured in tens of millions. Still, South had to keep up appearances.

“Swear on your family name and we’ve got ourselves a deal,” the drunkard said seriously.

Wolf hesitated. His father told him never to swear lightly. There were certain rules about True-Namers and oaths. Wolf knew them, but, after considering it for a moment, he didn’t see a reason to ever go back on such a trivial promise.

Wolf hesitated a bit, but then made his vow. “I, Wolf Hillman, swear on my good name that I will provide meals as agreed with this here South to the best of my ability.”

South smacked his lip with mild dissatisfaction.

“It would’ve sounded better without the obvious wiggle room you gave yourself at the end, but at least I can tell you’re honest about it. And let’s be realistic, I can’t expect you to stay here all the time. Young people need to travel and sail to see the bigger world and all that. Are you sure you won’t mind coming here and cooking once you’re rich and famous?”

Wolf looked at him quizzically. “Why don’t you just come and live with me when I become rich and famous?”

“Never mind,” South waved his hand, stopping that argument right there. “You made your promise and I tend to keep my word as well. So ask away, what do you want to know, Little brother?”

South merrily drank and answered Wolf’s questions. He even said things Wolf needed to know, but the boy wasn’t aware that he should ask about them. The drunkard kept talking and talking until at some point he toppled over, completely wasted. A moment later South started snoring happily.

Wolf looked at the bum who’d passed out in the middle of his own sentence with mixed feelings. After thinking for a moment he took out a clean blanket from his Ring of Holding. He awkwardly covered the drunkard, trying to avoid staining the blanket with garbage as much as possible.

South smiled happily in his sleep and pulled the blanket up a bit to cover his mouth.

Wolf was also happy as he left the trash filled alley and went towards his lair to rest for the night.

His mind was racing, considering all the new information he’d heard. Some of the things South had said were quite strange. Mostly his demands for their future suppers.

Wolf had to personally hunt the top quality ingredients for their meals. Either that or go to a certain store in the Merchants’ district. South naturally explained in detail how to reach the store and its working hours. He claimed that it was the only clean place around, whatever that meant.

South naturally provided information on other shops as well. Apparently the highest quality of items available in the Merchants’ district was of the Moderate grade. This applied not just to potions, but everything ranging from weapons and magical items down to raw ingredients.

If Wolf wanted to get his hands on anything better he would have to go to the Nobles’ district or find a black market. Considering that no Energy or Soul Refiners lived outside the Nobles’ districts, the city was actually excellently stocked. You really couldn’t blame the merchants for not expecting to have someone like Wolf messing around, pretending to be a beggar.

Fortunately for Wolf, certain guild managed stores did legally get Grater grade items from time to time, even though they weren’t in the Nobles’ district. What they charged was obscene, yet they almost always sold their stock during the first week, if not on the very day when they put the item up for sale.

Wolf got the address of an Alchemists’ Guild store that sold Greater grade potions every once in a while. South had also revealed the location of the Spell Formation Scribes’ Guild store. Wolf could go there to buy Monster Cores and other necessities Spell Formation Scribes might need.

The closer of the two was the Alchemists’ Guild store. However, it was by no means close. It would take six hours to reach, even if Wolf enchanted his speed with Greater Fleet of Foot. After getting a report from Jod, Wolf believed he understood how big this city was. Yet, only now that he had started navigating through it did he truly realize how gargantuan this place really was.

***

Wolf woke up early in the morning. It was yet another frustrating night with barely any result carving that damned column. To calm down he decided to try his luck with the Alchemists’ Guild store.

As Wolf walked around he was kind of surprised that everyone was ignoring him. He was a lone wandering child, so shouldn’t have someone at least asked about his situation? In books there were always kind people trying to help lost children. In reality people were sidestepping urchins, pretending they didn’t exist.

The only exception were shop owners. If Wolf did any window shopping he would be chased away while being accused of ruining people’s business.

“You are driving away paying customers! Come back when you have money!” the shop owners yelled.

Ironically, Wolf was probably richer than any of the merchants that were shooing him away. Besides, no sane person would come back once they had money, if they had suffered such treatment before.

Wolf took the whole thing as a joke until a tailor cursed his deceased mother.

Heeding his father’s advice, Wolf went into an alley and changed his appearance.

Not a minute later, a short gentleman wearing neat clothes that were a tad on the expensive side entered the tailor’s shop.

“Good day dear customer. How may I be of service?” the old tailor asked with a flattering smile plastered on his face.

The dear customer gave the man a cold look as a silver-hilted sword appeared in their hand. The tailor froze, overwhelmed by the murderous intent focused on him.

*Swish!*

The tailor didn’t see anything. He only heard the sound the blade made as it tore through the air.

*Pa! Pa! Pa!*

After hearing three soft thuds the artisan felt sharp pain from his right hand. He looked at his hand in shock and screamed. Blood sprayed from three stumps that used to be his pinky, ring and middle fingers.

“Aaaaaa!” Ignoring the man’s screams, the short mysterious customer stored their sword in a Ring of Holding and left the shop.

Wolf dismissed the illusion in an alley, cursing the dumbass shopkeeper for ruining his mood. He was happily exploring an unknown city. Was there really a need for name calling? And even if they wanted to curse someone, why not curse Wolf? He didn’t care if anyone cursed him.

Why would they sling mud on his poor dead mother? What did she ever do to that shopkeeper? Wolf quickened his pace and didn’t bother with the stinking displays of the stinking shops selling stinking trash.

Without him even realizing it, this insignificant event caused Wolf to develop an aversion towards small shops. In the future whenever he had the time he would use it for something more useful than browsing for wares. If he needed anything specific he would go to large organizations and quickly get what he wanted.

By the time Wolf finally reached his destination, it was already past noon. The boy once more disguised himself as the withered old Mage that had already made an appearance in the pawnshop and the Cornucopia merchant group. Satisfied with his disguise, Wolf entered the Alchemists’s Guild branch shop.

Seeing a wizened, old Mage enter the shop an attendant approached him, walking at a brisk pace. “Good day customer! How may I be of service?”

The attendant was a handsome young man, not even twenty years old. His looks were decent and his eyes and voice were full of enthusiasm. It was likely that he wasn’t here for very long. Either that, or he was recently promoted.

“Do you have any Greater potions that are useful for increasing Soul Force or Internal Energy capacity?” Wolf asked straight up.

He had learned from the experience with the old Alchemist. He didn’t want to anger this clerk, so he didn’t list the names of potions. Anything with the effects he needed was good enough for Wolf.

The attendant grinned, not managing to hide his excitement. A major customer had just waltzed in. “We do in fact have two potions of Greater Clarity. They just came in two hours ago. They cost a mere thousand gold coins a piece.”

Wolf was stunned. A thousand gold pieces?! Were they mad?! Did they use flasks made from diamonds!? Greater potions were supposed to cost no more than six hundred gold pieces! He could feed Oakwood Freeland for almost twenty years with that kind of money!

Wolf clenched his teeth. “Give me one. What are the odds of you getting an Energy Expanding potion of the same grade?”

“Sorry sir, I believe the odds of us getting such an item are extremely slim. Energy Expanding potions are in low demand in the outer provinces. As you know, Sword-Sages are scarce outside of the central duchy.”

“As for potions of Clarity, Alchemists need them and they brew them for their own personal use. Whatever excess they have they put up for sale. If you really need an Energy Expanding potion, you can probably commission one, but that would cost you at least fifteen hundred gold coins.” The clerk did his best to be of service, unfortunately Wolf didn’t take the news so well.

In fact Wolf almost felt ill when he heard the price. Greater Energy Expanding potion was worth around five hundred gold pieces at most. They were asking for at least thrice the market value! These people were bigger bandits than the brigands roaming the wilds! Wolf cleared his throat. “I’ll be taking that potion of Clarity, thank you. Do you accept Rings of Holding?” he asked.

“Naturally, dear customer. Please follow me.” As he left the main room other clerks cast envious glances towards the young man.

The youth led Wolf into a side room and gestured towards the seat. “Tina! Arrange some tea for this noble sir, I have to go talk to the manager.”

The clerk bowed to Wolf.

“Excuse me, I have to get the vault key from the manager. Highest quality merchandise is stored securely.” With those words the young man excused himself and went towards the manager’s office.

He was extremely satisfied with himself. He was lucky to get a rich foreigner as a customer. In Silver City all locals haggled. Even when buying bread, let alone expensive items. For someone to just agree to a price was unheard of.

The Alchemist’s guild sold items for the price dictated by the one that had concocted them. Anything earned above that sum was split between the manager and the competent salesperson. The Alchemist that put up these two potions up for sale asked for eight hundred and fifty gold coins per vial. That meant that the clerk strutting happily through the store had made seventy-five gold coins for himself, which was a huge sum of money for a commoner.

Even more importantly, this clerk had earned seventy-five gold coins for his manager. This was bound to increase his status inside the store, thanks to which he would get better opportunities in the future.

Wolf was once again unaware that he had made a positive impact on someone’s future. This time he did it by splurging. In fact, Wolf never would’ve thought that a guild’s official store was the kind of place where you could haggle. If only someone had told him that sooner, he would’ve saved at least twenty gold pieces…

Meanwhile, in a trash filled alley South woke up from his drunken stupor. He had a nagging feeling that he had failed to teach Wolf an important lesson. He shrugged his shoulders, took another swing out of his wineskin and went back to sleep. With an uneasy expression he continued his headlong dash through the sea of stars.