It was almost night as Austin finally found perfect open rooftop to spend the night. Staring at the big city and its huge walls with various black chunks on the walls Austin muttered “must be some kind of weapon for protection.” Choosing a corner with a wall where air didn’t flow too much and all cloths covering him like a mummy he slept quickly.

In another corner of the slums three people were waiting for Austin to show up .

“ Are u sure he will come?” Larry asked “ He will, maybe” said Tom.

Next morning Austin woke up with direct rays falling on his mummified body . He quickly woke up and climbed down the roof running towards the shop. “Having money is useless if you don’t know how to use it and I also have to save some for library .I wonder if Mr. Mark can tell be something about magic.”

Knock, knock. “ Austin why are you here so early? Get in” says Mark.

“ Sorry to disturb you so early I thought I would start cleaning early .” Austin started to clean the shop and patiently wait for customers .he successfully received basic ingredient book from alchemist to pass his boredom. “ Wow so it also has information about beasts “ said Austin .as it was not a monster encyclopaedia he only gained information about their anatomy and special organs and parts of monsters used in alchemy. There names and how to extract and preserve those ingredients and herbs.

There were many herbs and items like blood esor, meadow grass ,black berry, moon stone, claw of Norgil, blood of troll, heart of fire imp ,bone powder ,monster cores etc. Each had different uses and price according to rank of the plants and beasts they belong to .but most valuable information was about monster core and ranks.

“Hmm I found items up to rank 5 .I don’t know if there are higher ranks and the cores are divided into different sections according to elements ranks and type of monsters .I need to get an actual monster encyclopaedia .” Austin was quite concentrated in the book that he kept reading and rereading it to gain more information. He asked the alchemist For more books.

“ What I have are alchemy books and basic theory’s of magic which your probably won’t understand much without someone guiding you, I will give you those but if you want more just visit the city library.”

“ Wait , u know magic? Are you a mage? Why didn’t you say so before? Can you teach me magic?” Said Austin as he was very surprised .

“Of course I am most alchemists are .I didn’t say it cause it was not important I am intermediate alchemist for now. And no, I can’t teach you magic as I don’t have that much time nor resources to make you a proper mage. Just join the academy if u want to learn kid but since academy only takes in students once a year you lost your chance 9 months ago.”

“ What? Oh so I have 3 month to prepare. Can u please teach me few tricks till then master please.” Said Austin trying to act innocent and cute which felt too cringe even for himself but what can he do he has to become a mage somehow.

“ Stop with the act . You are giving me cringes I will lend you my old books and resolve your doubts once in a while .don’t ask for more and u need talent , to become a mage u don’t become one in a whim.”

‘ it seems I am not the only one felling it .’ “ ok boss “ said Austin which brought back some flash back of his old boss but he quickly managed to erase it back to happy go lucky teenager personality.