房客(糙汉)何璐程曜坤

They walked for a long time, Vexzi was many times bigger than any of the cities in the Kingdom of Bellcephora even though Atreterve was a much smaller country.

Finally at a place where the crowds of people seem to be thinner Zoemi suddenly turned and enter one of the buildings.

Even though nothing from the outside made one think of a shop – no stopper or other sign - as soon as Zoemi opened the door a silver bell rung out clearly showing that this was indeed a shop of some sort.

"Just what do you plan to put me through...?"

Surou looked around, muttering with suspicion but following after the black-haired boy nonetheless.

He didn't have many choices left by this point after all...

"...oooohhhhh...!

But as soon as the blue-haired boy properly entered the building, he couldn't help himself from gasping in awe.

It was a shop with jewelry.

And it wasn't just a shop.

It was also a workshop.

A master jeweler was sitting by the counter in the innermost part of the shop and was busy working, carving various runes into the mana stone that would be a core for yet another accessory.

Although the bell to his shop rung twice, signaling two potential customers - or intruders - the jeweler didn't even flinch.

Instead, he kept on working as if he was still alone, as his focus seemed to be unbreakable.

Surou was drawn to the beautiful pieces of jewelry put on a display behind a thin layer of glass that was giving off cold air.

The designs of the accessories were intricate and delicate, a perfect combination of the natural beauty of gems and craftsmanship.

Zoemi didn't even spare a single glance at the wonders behind the glass and instead headed straight to the counter.

"Master, I brought you a stay-in apprentice!"

"?!?!?!"

Zoemi declared loudly, making the flabergasted Surou take a step back and almost knock another display case over.

"...tsk...|

That finally made the old jeweler glance at them, but he only clicked his tongue after looking at the black-haired boy and shook his head.

"You have the hands of a martial artist, not a jeweler, go away."

The old jeweler scoffed at Zoemi and looked back to his work.

"...martial artist..?"

This time even the black-haired boy furrowed his brows – he even raised his hand and checked his palm with old calluses he got from all the sword practice.

Not even a swordsman, but a martial artist?

"..."

Surou who managed to tear himself away from the breathtaking jewelry was looking at Zoemi and the old jeweler with a concerned face.

"That's it...?"

The blue-haired boy moved away from the display case and inched closer to Zoemi, leaning forward and whispering in confusion.

"Sorry, that took me by surprise."

The black-haired boy shook his head and nodded apologetically at the second prince before making a serious expression and facing the jeweler.

"You seem not only blind but deaf as well, old man, I never said that I wanted to become your apprentice. He is the scapegoat."

"Scapegoat...?!"

Zoemi pointed at Surou who flinched and paled.

Zoemi was being incredibly rude to this old person even though he was asking him for a favor, but more than that the blue-haired boy was alarmed by the choice of words...

"Put him through the test. Your usual one."

"...hmph..."

While Surou was reconsidering running off on his own, Zoemi declared without changing his rude tone and the old jeweler stopped his work and faced him whit a cranky expression, putting aside the thin mana stone-powered drill.

"Hoh... I thought that everyone has already forgotten about my test..."

But instead of getting mad the old jeweler took off a magnifying monocle and smirked, scratching his chin as his light-brown eyes shone playfully.

"You do know the stakes of the test...?"

The old man looked at Zoemi and the black-haired boy grinned in return.

"Of course – the bag, please."

*whoom*

*jingle*

Zoemi nodded and muttered and the next moment a murky-black orb flew out of his shadow and spat out a bag full of coins right at the counter separating the shop from the workshop part of the room.

"I will pay up for every ingredient and piece of equipment that my friend here will destroy during the test, but if his work will show promise you will take him in as an apprentice."

"Good."

The black-haired boy announced and the old jeweler nodded with satisfaction.

But Zoemi wasn't done talking.

"I want to make a slight adjustment to the second part though."

"Hoh...?"

The jeweler squinted his eyes and stared at Zoemi, his light-brown eyes seemed to pierce right through the black-haired boy.

"You're getting older, old man and your art doesn't have a worthy successor. This guy here isn't an enchanter yet but is quite the promising jeweler. He got banished from his home because he fell in love with the wrong girl. He will show you something amazing and you will make him your inheritor and pass on your craftsmanship and the workshop. Of course when you will pass away or decide to retire."

|He went mad...!|

"..."

Surou straightened his back and froze in shock while listening to what Zoemi was saying, the old jeweler's face also seemed to freeze but in anger.

"You..."

The old man breathed out about to lash out, but Zoemi didn't let him continue.

"Remberu, think about it as paying the debt to your son."

"...?"

"!!!!!"

Zoemi said in a cold voice, Surou shook his head and raised his brow staring at the black-haired boy in utter confusion, but judging from the old jeweler's reaction, Zoemi didn't just go mad and started spewing random nonsense.

"They ended up like that because of you, think you will be able to face them on the other side as you are now?"

"???"

"..."

Zoemi added, making Surou even more weirded out, but the old jeweler's body trembled.

"Just test him, Remberu, you owe it to Varem and Sekuru."

The old jeweler's pupils shook and he looked away unable to keep eye contact with the black-haired boy.

Someone else might have argued or started asking how Zoemi knows all about his name or the name of his son and his fiance but the old jeweler, Remberu, was carrying a burden too heavy to question anything.

His past.

His past mistakes were too grave to question anyone who would use them against him.

"You there, come here."

Remberu was avoiding Zoemi's glare and called to Surou instead.

"S-seriously...!?"

Surou asked in disbelief, looking between the old man and Zoemi as if expecting one of them to reveal the whole scene to be some weird set-up.

"You there, come here."

But instead, Remberu avoiding Zoemi's glare called out and beckoned Surou to walk around the counter and approach him.

"S-seriously...!?"

The second prince asked in disbelief - could that day become any weirder...?

"Sit here, you can use whatever you see here, take as much as you want, make an accessory since your friend is willing to sponsor you."

"Mister - I want to remind you that I am not an enchanter..."

Surou breathed out and explained cautiously.

"But you want to become one right? In this workshop, I don't make weapons or armor but jewelry instead. If you have a talent for that, I would be willing to teach you the rest. Now, make some jewelry to prove your worth, or get the hell out and take your friend with you!"

"...the things that I have to bear with..."

Remberu scoffed making the blue-haired boy frown.