AN: Yo, your lazy author here :D present you chapter 15, enjoy!

PR by Zenla, the royal proffreader

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I have reached apprentice rank in smithing at the end of autumn. Now, I'm focusing on blacksmithing, I want to reach disciple rank within the next 3 years. And my father said I will probably reach disciple rank in alchemy in a few months. As for my martial and magic training, it's going really well. Just like crafters have a ranking, warriors, rogues and mages have their own.

Warriors and rogues are ranked as such from the weakest to the strongest: trainee, apprentice, advanced, expert, warlord, warmaster, titan. There are less than 30 warmasters in the whole world and no records of anybody reaching titan rank. The mage ranking is: novice, acolyte, adept, expert, magus, archmage, avatar. There are even less archmages than warmasters, however it is said that a few hundred years ago a mage almost reached avatar rank, but died in the process, destroying half of his home at the same time.

Zelfron said that overall, my warrior rank is apprentice and reaching the advanced rank. I'm incorporating what I know of capoera in my training, and also what I've seen from others martial arts to an extend. By the way, Arren is an advanced rank warrior, and he intends to join the adventurer guild to explore the Frontier, not too far from Argot. Once in a while I spar with him, he always wins, but I do give a good fight. And it's best to spar with him rather than Zelfron, it's too scary. I'm also done with learning the use of the staff from Bathul, and I got a nice staff as a gift from him.

As for magic, I already expected it after noticing the high disposition I have for it, but I have affinity for all elements. I learned the basics of fire, wind and earth magic from my mother, body, mind and holy magic from the priest, Ellis, and nature magic from the physician, Dumas. I can use the basic spells of each of these elements. My parents were very happy and proud of me. I have affinity for at least 7 elements, which is extremely rare and highly regarded. Needless to say I got even more popular among the villagers with daughters around my age...

There are no magic users with water or darkness affinity in the village so I couldn't learn anything about these elements. The next step will be to learn how to combine 2 or more elements into a single spell, and I will first learn it from Ellis, because I will be able to buff my body or the bodies of my allies with magic, and I will also be able to use healing magic. Also, the elements of the divine sphere are necessary to cast wards, and wards are among the best defensive spells.

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I was practising the stances and forms taught to me by Zelfron a little distance away from my home when I was joined by Kerrina. She never came to me before while I was training, so I was surprised. She was looking at me with a little bit of anxiousness in her deep blue eyes. Then she asked me to have a sparring session with her.

I knew from Arren's slip of the tongue that she had been training for a while, so I accepted. By the way, the combat techniques taught by Erik made me think of the little pieces and bits I knew about silat. It's quite the offensive martial arts. I focused on blocking and dodging her attacks at first to observe her. She lacked speed and power and was a bit stiff, but she was quite precise.

Since she is my cute friend I finished it with a submission move. She looked both impressed and disappointed so I praised her good points and cheered her by pating her head for a while. She was blushing but didn't try to hide it or to stop me. Damn it, that was cute. After that, I told her she should work a bit more on her speed and flexibility because women's bodies are usually more suited for agility rather than power. We would spare once every week since then.

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After months of studies, training and efforts, I have finally reached the disciple rank in alchemy. It means that from now on I can be considered a full fledget alchemist. I had to endure another emotional outburst from my mother while my father was shedding manly tears. Those parents of mine really are kind people. For the occasion we had a little party at home with Erik, Arren, Kerrina, Jenna, Nana and Namir. The last 3 took turns giving me hugs while praising me, it was embarrassing.

My 3 teachers, who came for a bit to congratulate me and have a little drink laughed at me, saying that the women will hunt me and that I should be ready. That made my mother and Jenna glance at me for a second, one with hawk eyes and the other with mischievous eye. My father, however, looked a bit worried, and Kerrina was slightly frowning. Nana, Namir and Erik were looking at me with cheering eyes. Thank you very much. Still, we had a nice evening.

I will have to leave for a week with my father to go to the next town, Lazaris, so I can get my alchemist card and certificate. It would take at most 2 days to go there, 1 day for the formalities at the crafting guild, and 2 days to come back. We would stop on the way in the small village of Carduc, which is like a checkpoint between Argot and Lazaris. We will leave at the start of the next week.

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The first part of the trip was rather uneventful. My father and I left early in the morning, and went down the dirt road leading east toward Carduc. The weather was both cloudy and windy, the kind I like, so I was in a good mood. I had my staff, my bow and a quiver with 14 arrows, and my backpack with a change of clothes, and a flask of water. My father only had his backpack and a short sword.

We reached Carduc shortly before nightfall and spent the night at the inn for 10 copper coins. By the way, the same monetary system is used on all 4 continents: copper coins, silver coins and gold coins.100 copper coins equals 1 silver coins, and 50 silver coins equals 1 gold coins. Commoners earn at least 250 copper coins per month. The following day in the middle of the afternoon we caught sight of Lazaris.

The town was surrounded by walls and fields, and was of a decent size. When we set foot in, I was a bit relieved. There wasn't an elaborate sewer system, but there were at least gutters and drainage channels, so the smell wasn't very noticable. The mains streets were cobblestoned, most of the buildings were made of wood, some were partially made of bricks. The closer to the center of the town, the more stone buildings there were.

The crafting guild was located between the commercial district and the noble district, but it was to late to go there. We went to a reasonable inn and spent the night there. The following day in the morning, we went to the crafting guild for the formalities. When my father told the clerk the motive of our visit, the guild hall became silent.

We were sent to a private room where we met an executive. It was the first time that someone below 10 reached disciple rank in alchemy. I broke the previous record of 11 years old, owned by lycan who lived 200 years ago. They made me pass a theorical test, then a practical test. It took the whole morning, but the results were ready by noon. Then I was officially recognised as a disciple alchemist, and received my card and certificate.

We were taken to the local guildmaster, who proposed me a few contracts and arrangements but I declined them. I was still given a letter of recommandation, just in case I need it. It would raise the prestige of the crafting guild if people did business with one of their promising members. We left the guild building with amazed eyes following me.

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AN: There may not be any chapter tomorrow...