“I’m certainly appreciated you for convincing Bill to do the right thing Mr. Bernays...” Eirian smiles to hide his hesitance, fearing his next word would seem too greedy he considered just accepting the job right away but his aunt taught him that in business you must be ruthless.

“...But I was offering three times the standard pays at Mechanize Magic Industry before coming here. May I ask what a service of an Amiel would be worth to you?”

“Three times?” Bill is in shock; currently he works two jobs, one pays minimum wage, another offers a pay with equipment support. Even if Bill combines what he got from both jobs it wouldn’t amount to half of what Eirian would make.

Bernays moves to tap Bill on the back with his wing.

“Of course,” with Bernays word Bill floored “Amiel skill in magic is indeed an exceptional asset which can’t be easily replaced with any machine. Any half-decent shop would do everything in their power to have Amiel work with them.”

“Then...”

“Still, I will only offer you double the pay since my shop have something to offer you which no other shop can, not even the forge of Alana.”

With an unexpected respond Eirian await Bernays next word while Bernays tries to recover Bill posture.

“We have other Amiel here who is making a core for us. You already seen his work in the showcase below, don’t you want to learn from someone who make such a beautiful craftsmanship?”

Eirian thinks of the core that was glowing from before and realizes he never saw any core like it anywhere even back at his home where he seen a core made in hundred.

‘Human company like Mechanize Magic Industry usually sent a mercury ball to Elswyth so our people can turn them into a core so I doubt they would have anyone who can teach me how to make a core here and learning from the master is indeed the best.’

“So, the Amiel who made your core is here in the city?”

“Well...I don’t know where he is. But according to our contact he will visit me once a month whenever he feels like it.”

“Aren’t you his boss?”

“Our relationship is a little more complicated than that, more like a partner. I help him with something, and he helps me make special class A core. Don’t worry I’ll discuss with him on finding time to teach you his technic, you have my word.”

“Alright.” Corvid might not be trustworthy but since Bill work for him Eirian feels like he can trust him more than other random store from New Terra “It would be my pleasure to working with you sir” Eirian extends his hand to shake with Bernays wing and turn to smile at Bill whom he’ll be working with.

‘Mr. Bernays help me so much and even though Bill agrees to reduce the money I have to give him this still feels wrong, like I’m still own him. I guess I’ll have to find a chance to make it up to both of them somehow.’

“Here a contact you can sign right here, here and here.”

Eirian was surprised that Bernays already had a contract prepared but he carefully read it once before signing.

The paper states his duty and pay which is correct and not more than he needed. He only needs to make or refill a core to each month quota and from what he saw other adults did in Elswyth it shouldn’t be too hard.

“Thank you my...Eirian. Sorry almost call you my boy consider you might even be older than me” Bernays laugh.

“Don’t worry sir for our people age I’m still consider a teen.”

“Please just call me Bernays. We work like a family here, Bill why don’t you take Eirian to see our storage and let him test refilling a core.”

“Right aways Mr. Bernays” Bill then leads Eirian down to the back of store.

On the way Bill looked back at Eirian a few times before asking “Eirian I don’t want to be rude but is it true that all Eirian are rich? Don’t you guys live in a forest? I mean I don’t want to make any assumption but I heard some stuff from Mr. Bernays so I’m just curious.”

A question is a little straight forward but Eirian answers him “Most Amiel have a lot of money left over from making a core for New Terra because we don’t really have a use for money in forest. Anything we need we can use magic to get so most MAM that New Terra sell is not useful to us although we do trade some electronic like radio or vehicle.

‘Still some people did manage to become obsessed for those money.’ Eirian thinks of someone he knew.

“Bill, You don’t have to reduce the pay we agree to you know. If Mr. Bernays is forcing you just to get me to take a job here...”

“Oh no no” Bill cut “I didn’t want more money from you Eirian. It was wrong of me anyway. Mr. Bernays just helped me see that sometimes we just need to invest a bit of money now so we can get more in the future.”

‘wait’

“Consider the reduction cost my pay for hiring herbalist to make potion for our team.”

Eirian feels like he should say something but can only nod.

“And by the way I should let you know that you have my vote for our team leader. One down for you huh.”

“You didn’t vote for me because I give you money right?” Eirian stops to make Bill look at him “Please feel free to vote Amy if you think she is a better leader ok?”

“Of course. But I just feel that you are the best leader we got.” wink.

“...Please never wink like that again.”

Inside the storage room Bill picked out a few used cores for Eirian to try with a mini magicameter ready to measure.

With one core a size of thumb in his hand Eirian try to pull magic from surrounding area in this room into a core. He just keep filling it with magic again and again none stop but the core just keep sucking all the magic he gave it and show no sign of being full. After an hour Eirian need to stop because it’s taking a toll on him both physically and mentally.

“How much did I got?” Eirian pant while looking Bill who is reading magicameter.

“About 10%. Come on don’t be like that Eirian” said Bill when he see the shock on Eirian face “Josh try it with my core before and it was barely gone up 1%.”

“The contact say I have to refill up to 30 core per month...that 10 houre per core without break. I thought 30 small ball was just a little...oh no.”

‘Aunt Euri is going to kill me if she find out that I sign a contact before understanding the work requirment’

“I thought you just order magic to get in the core? Is it hard for Amiel too?”

“I’ve seen people back in my home did it before but I didn’t think it would be this hard.” Eirian now try to calculate the hour he need to complete his task

“Well at least you get paid more than me.” Bill speak without contempt in his voice just acceptant.

“Hey do you...need money for something?” Eirian try to be careful with his word seeing it’s Bill sensitive subject.

“What? Nooo. I’m just love working. Like reallyyy LOVE working you know.”

‘Bill is from a rich family right? Then the other reason for him to work so hard is...’

“You like to hoar—I mean collect money right?”

Bill blink, trying to intrepet Eirian meaning.

“I got some uncle I respect who like to collect money too. Never really see the point of it though but he seem to be very happy when he got that pile of banknotes so I guess you are like him?”

“I guess so.” Bill answers after considered his option.

“Ok then let’s us work hard for our money.” Eirian extended his hand.

Bill look at Eirian hand and shake it “Alright.”

In the moment of truth and understanding between two of them Eirian feel more relieve now that he understand Bill a bit more.

“Actually you know what Eirian, we might be able to help each other here.”

“What you have in mind?”

“Your new job give me the idea of a new MAM design I can make. A glyph to help you gather magic into a core.”

“That sound amazing.” This would really help with Eirian task and fullfill Bill quota of this month as well.

“Can you draw that glyph right now?”

“I can try” Bill pick one of the empty glyph slot out and draw a glyph of magic from memory. This is the glyph that will be in most electronic to convert magic into electricity or in a machine that refill magic into a core; Those magic isn’t free thought because they are either convert from electricity or been store in a shop for service unlike Eirian where he got a free magic from his surrounding.

“Wear this then press a button here.” Bill take out a glove and hand it to Eirian which Eirian must admit he is a little exciting. Most Amiel have no need for MAM so he never got a chance to use much of them.

With a button press Eirian try to focus magic from his surrounding into a core again but this time he found that magic is moving on its own and even go againt his intention. Worse a magic from inside this glove is also been pulling into a core on his palm.

A blue spark shock Eirian hand and sent a core flying into a shelf nearby and shatter a glass. Serveral bottles roll down and crack on the floor.

“What going on in here” Sagax barge in shouting ready to rip the source of the noise out.

Two boys stand looking guilty.