Arriving at the store, Kei entered without much thought.

  Inside, he could see a few customers and at the counter Leroy and Reiyo. They quickly noticed his presence thanks to the ringing bell at the door.

  "You arrived on time, actually a little early, Good. You must present yourself in a timely and orderly fashion at work. Make this a habit kid." Reiyo commented Kei's arrival.

  "Whatever you say, old man. Guess you now gotta go to my mom's bakery, don't you, Leroy?" Kei dismissed Reiyo's compliment and went straight to the point.

  "...I don't have a choice, don't I?" Leroy said while sending a pleading look to his father.

  "No." The response was clear. He couldn't save himself.

  Leroy put up a look of annoyance and proceeded to leave the store.

  'He has good acting skills... a little rough around the edges, but good non the less.'

  "Guess I gotta start working. I am assuming you left a list of the required quantities of potions?" Kei quickly got to business mode and started calculating the different amounts of materials required in total.

  "Yes. Due to this being your first day and being an amateur alchemist, I didn't request much. Of course, all materials are already there with a bit of extra for any emergency that may present itself."

  "And the things I requested?"

  "Don't go so fast, kid. I will get the instruments and materials you asked if you show that you are capable of this." Reiyo said in a tone, which showed he wasn't willing to negotiate that part.

  "Fair. Then I will get to work. No interruptions, please." Kei accepted without trouble the condition.

  "Be careful, kid." Reiyo said before he went back to work.

  ____________

  Entering the room, everything was pretty much the same as when he left yesterday.

  'He didn't check? That's weird... I thought he would definitely verify all things we used...'

  Unsure of his observation, Kei began inspecting the room more deeply, searching for any signs that showed someone manipulated something of the environment.

  'He really didn't check... why does this make me more worried than him actually checking?

  Well, it's not like it matters a lot anyway. I better start working so I can finish early.'

  With that, Kei put on some protection and started working on some beginner health and mana potions.

  'Fuck... I just realized... I need an assistant!'

  Kei started panicking and walked circles in the room.

  'How could I forget such an important thing! I can't make mana potions! Last time I used the residual of what was left of the slime with the mage's blood. But now I literally have nothing!'

  Now Kei was walking around quickly with a contemplating expression.

  'Don't panic... I just have to think of a temporary solution for today. Remember Kei you were taught by the best of the best! I just have to remember something that will help me.'

  Kei calms himself and starts working first with the health potions while thinking about a possible solution.

  'Mana potions are just pretty much condensed mana in a liquid state. You just need a liquid capable of containing mana and inject it with it(at least the basic ones are like that). The liquid is not a problem but the injecting mana part...'

  Kei finishes the first batch of health potions from 3.

  'Like she used to say. A truly talented alchemist doesn't limit himself with the base materials. I need to find a substitute for today. After that I can search for someone. Maybe that goon from when Leroy attacked me... I couldn't see their face or anything but it was apparent that they atleast knew something about alchemy.'

  Kei finishes the second batch.

  'Get back on track Kei! Fix this now, work on the permanent solution later. So I need something that can concentrate the mana in the vial with the liquid. Mhhh... can I use that? But which one could I use? Yes... that one could work...'

  Kei finishes the last batch and prepares himself to make the mana potions.

  'First I gotta concentrate to the max. I gotta interpret it in the correct way.'

  He draws a symbol on the vial and prepares himself. He first closes his eyes and aims one of his hands to the vial with the symbol. He gives a deep breath and relaxes then...

  "Gebo" Suddenly the symbol on the vial starts glowing and what was once a grey-ish color was now a clear light blue. Kei opens his eyes and let's out a smile.

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  'Yes! It still works! Guess all that time learning Rune Magic wasn't for nothing. (Thanks Erin.) One of the interpretations of Gebo is exchange. If i put the rune on the vial and exchange some of my stamina for a concentration of mana then the vial will be able to absorb it.

  For now this will have to work. This will take a while... guess there goes my plans for the day...'

  Kei starts drawing the Rune in each vial and saying it's name.

  ________

  Hours later a little later the afternoon Kei finally finishes.

  'I am never doing this again... I am exhausted.' Kei finds himself slumped over on a chair.

  'It's good to see that the Runes accepted my request. It's probably because they weren't use in so long that they wanted to shine no matter what. It's better not to abuse this grace period because once it ends they will judge me everytime I want to use them.'

  Kei stores all potions on different boxes and prepares himself to leave until...

  'I may be being too hasty but I could make an elixir or 2... I have the time... it appears that Reiyo for some reason doesn't check so... it wouldn't be a problem.'

  Kei uses the hour he has until the afternoon to make 2 aura elixirs.

  _________

  'They are both Basic quality but that's not a problem. The simple fact that I can make them is already a great advantage. If I use them right I can make so that the other Districts Bosses take notice of the appearance of a talented alchemist. For now I will save them for later. The materials were kinda common but I will have to come up with an explanation if Reiyo discovers it. Good thing I also used other random materials so that the recipe I made isn't so obvious.'

  Kei proceeds to go give Reiyo the requested potions, he arrives at the front of the shop and goes to the counter where Reiyo is.

  "Took you a while huh?" Reiyo said a little surprised.

  "Let's just said an inconvenience appeared... I think I may need an assistant..." Kei said looking embarrassed.

  "Let's first check what you just made and then we will talk about that."

  Reiyo proceeds to open one of the boxes and takes out a mana and health potion. Then he opens a drawer from the table and grabs a pair of glasses.

  "A magic tool?" Kei says a little impressed at the possession of the item.

  "I am surprised you know what this is. But yes it is a magic tool that helps determine the quality of potions and the like." Reiyo answers while inspecting both potions.

  "I just read about them from the library." A proud smile appears on Kei's face.

  Reiyo doesn't comment and instead continues inspecting both potions but gains special interest in the mana one.

  "Mhhh... it seems that the concentration of mana here is really good. Didn't know you had such a good manipulation of mana. You would have been a great mage if you had a bigger mana pool. But what can you do... sometimes you win the genetic lottery other times you don't." Reiyo finishes inspecting the potions and stores them again. "Just like I asked you made the requested amount and even gave me a really good set of mana ones. You truly are talented kid. In no time you will be making medium or even high tier potions." Reiyo seemed genuinely proud of him(Real).

  "..." a confused look almost makes its way to his face but he manages to hide it. "Thanks old man. Guess I finally found what I am good at... and going back to that request for an assistant..." Kei gives an embarrassed smile.

  "I will have someone ready for tomorrow. Remember when I told you I knew a good bunch of alchemists?" Reiyo reminds Kei of their previous conversation.

  "Hope you grab the best. Just because I am pretty good doesn't mean I can do the work of 2 people."

  "Don't worry about that kid. I already have a few names in mind. But for today go back home and rest. Wouldn't want my best alchemist to be tired at work wouldn't I?" Reiyo gives Kei a sympathetic smile.

  "Guess not. I will be going then, take care old man." Kei leaves with a wave of his hand.

  "Return safe kid." Reiyo waves back.

  Once Kei left the store Reiyo's smile disappeared.

  "Go check the workplace." Reiyo gives a straight command to apparently no one.

  His shadow moves and stays still again not even a second later.

  "..." Reiyo stays silent while being in deep thought.