Mika 015 (Patreon)

“It seems as though we didn’t need to use all your tricks,” Jon said. “How fortunate for us.”

“Don’t worry, we can just recycle the excuses in the future if we’re ever in trouble.”

Jon and Mika were returning to the guild, since Mika was now expected to train there five days a week. He would return on the weekends so that he could spend time with Ami, otherwise it could effect her cultivation since they were so close. The pay would be half to him and half to his family, which his mother would deal with. That didn’t include the royalties or the products owed to him, which he kept secret inside his various rings. 

“I heard quite a few things about you, though none of them were surprising. A perfect score on your test? Don’t you know any shame? You’re already outclassing me in Alchemy, how could you do that to me?” Jon chuckled. “How did you manage it?”

Mika wondered how much he should reveal to the older man. “Let’s speak of this when we are in private,” he said, not wanting even the slightest chance of this being leaked. 

When they finally returned to the guild, Elder Yan approached the pair. “How did it go?” he asked.

“This one greets you, Elder,” Mika said, showing his respect in front of everyone else. “It went well, I think.” He looked to Jon, who nodded. 

“Good, good.” Elder Yan smiled. “This will only be the start of the rise of our guild. Soon we will become the dominant guild within the region.”

“Don’t let the gold contaminate your mind, old man.” Jon grinned.

“Hmph! I will leave you be in order to meditate on some theories.” Elder Yan left and Jon took Mika to a small room which was cloaked in some kind of runes.

“What wonderful runes,” Mika said, examining the runes. “They were written by a Master Runesmith.”

“You know about runes?” Jon asked. Though, after saying it, he felt as though it had been a stupid question.

“A few of them. I haven’t practically studied them, but I know the theory behind them.” He hadn’t had the chance to make any in this world. 

“Just how much do you know, little broth-“ Jon sweat from the glare Mika was giving him and the new found knowledge that the boy knew about runes. 

“I know quite a bit. I’ll tell you the story of how I possess this knowledge,” Mika said, sitting down.

Jon was surprised, having not expected that the youngster was going to tell him so much now. He quickly went to pour the pair some tea.

“I was a young boy when I met a man.” Mika sipped some of his tea and then paused. “A man? I’m not sure that’s the right word. You won’t believe me if I tell you his rank, but let’s say that he could blink and kill any Forged Gold out of existence. You dare not believe me, but it’s the truth.” 

Jon sweat at the words. Should he really learn about such a man? It sounded like forbidden knowledge. “He’s that strong?”

“No,” Mika replied, “he’s stronger. He’s definitely not a man of this realm, nor the realms we know of, that’s for certain. He met me and noted how my soul was crippled, the core of my very being. He took pity on me and taught me many different things.”

Jon wondered if maybe he shouldn’t have asked. Could he keep his life after learning about such things?

“He gave me Insights to the various paths of this world. Cultivation, smithing, runes, alchemy, arrays…” Mika looked down at the coloured liquid of his tea. “I haven’t seen him in many, many years…” In his last two life times he had tried to find the man, but it was to no avail. “I’m sure he’ll return though. I know a few more formulas, but I cannot share them with you. I’m sure he’ll be proud of what I’ve learnt and when he returns, perhaps he’ll be willing to share more formulas with me? Almost every formula I have shown you have been entirely of his design, and there are some even I find difficult to comprehend.” Difficult compared to others, but he found most of them fairly trivial. Most of what he said was the truth, though much of it was stretched.

“That is… amazing.” Jon was breathless, sipping his tea nervously. 

“One day I will find a way to heal myself, but until then I promised to make sure I practise in the various paths. I will keep my mind sharp, like a blade, in order to protect my crippled body.”

“What’s this old Master’s name?”

“I only refer to him as his title.” Mika looked up at Jon. “Of course, everything I’ve told you should be kept a secret. You may tell Elder Yan, but you should stress that he should keep it a secret as well. I can’t reveal my master to just anyone, otherwise he might be a little annoyed, and I don’t want all that blood on my hands.”

“Don’t worry little bro-, Mika, I’ll be sure to keep it to myself.”

“I need to survive the world as a cripple, and this is one of the steps I need to take. In order to assist my sister in becoming a Celestial Guard, I will do whatever is required.”

“We have given you our word that we’ll assist you in this matter as well.”

“I’ll work here now and again, but I’ll need my freedom to do as I please. I still need to cultivate my body so I don’t fall too far behind my peers. I’ll also need to meet with the Storm and Moth families often to retain friendly relations with them. My two brothers are from such a clan.”

“The brothers of my soon to be brother are my own as well!” Jon nodded.

“Why are you so interested in becoming my brother?” Mika asked. It seemed more than a little joke to Jon.

“Do you want to hear my story now?” Jon chuckled.

“It’s only fair.”

“Perhaps another time. I would like to tease this little sir since it’s a piece of knowledge he doesn’t know.”

Mika raised his brow, but he didn’t press the matter any furhter. “Then please allow me to sleep in peace.”

“Let me take you to your room.” Jon let the boy out to a small room. There was a single bed, covered with some plush blankets and pillows, as well as a sturdy wooden desk. “If there is anything else you need, please tell me.” 

“Do you have a kettle and some tea? I’d like some in order to brew some whenever I please.”

“Of course! I’ll bring it in a short while. Is there anything else?”

Mika looked around, his eyes scanning the room as he thought. “Do you have any of those gems?”

“We have a small stock that any Alchemist can access.”

“I need a few gems which are Low Grade. I want to use them for my cultivation and to practise runesmithing.”

“Runesmithing? Are you cheating on us already?”

“In order to understand alchemy, it’s only necessary to develops one’s understanding in order fields. The only reason you didn’t know about some of the corrections I made with the pills was exactly because you didn’t study the other paths.”

“I have some speak of this theory, but doesn’t it risk spreading oneself thin?”

“It’s not a theory.” Mika looked up at Jon, crossing his arms. “Most of the knowledge one needs for each field takes no more than a year of harsh study, even less for most fields. It’s only the finer details which requires decades of practise. Once you have the basics down in the various fields, it will only benefit you.”

Jon nodded and then turned to leave. He stopped and turned back to look at Mika, who was sitting on his bed. “What was the title of your master? You never said.”

Mika smiled. “His title was the God of Medicine, but he allowed me to call him Gomin.”

‘God of Medicine?’ That was quite the title. Jon wondered what kind of man the God of Medicine was. “Gomin…” he whispered.

“He didn’t give you permission to call him such a name,” Mika said.

Jon’s face grew pale, and he hurried away. 

Mika smiled.