The market of the Siedsy Town was bustling at dawn, with all types of treasures of the sea being exchanged here and there. The salty, metallic aroma of the fish and seashells was in the air. Workers moved heavy things around, either on their shoulders or with carts; mothers were negotiating for lower prices and vendors sometimes suffering them, sometimes didn’t. Some kids were running and playing; near the square, some performers were preparing for their performances.

Some people—those on the richer side—had flocoms hovering around them, following them closely. These flocoms, these floating spherical machines…Nero first saw one just a couple of years ago when he was still training under a Master Healer in the Breeston City. When he asked some people how much was one unit, it was at a staggering price of 63,500 Pirasos; when he asked what it’s used for, he received different answers but didn’t really get a comprehensive one. “How much is it now?” he wondered.

Taking his attention away from the flocoms, he glanced at the market products again.

Besides the usual marine products, other items were…in minimal volume; some stores were yet to even open—something that never had happened here in the Siedsy Market. And it wasn’t just today; yesterday, when he came here in the afternoon to buy some meats, the lack of other products and materials were conspicuous.

He went then for the only apothecary store in this small town’s market, through some narrow and crossing paths and almost hidden spot; an old and uncleaned signage above was embossed with a name, “Gueré Pharmacy”.

“Wait for me here, Rius,” Nero told his dog, who wagged its tail. He patted its head.

Then he entered the shop. The well-lit place welcomed him, with its familiar mushy and humid air and earthen odors of pills. Wooden cabinets brushed clumsily with white paint permeated almost all the store’s space, and the only characters it had were a glass shelf displayed to his right (where the samples of store’s pills were displayed, contained in ceramic bottles) and the counter on the way back of the store.

The bell ringing when the young healer entered disturbed the shop owner from reading a book. He was an old man, thin, and skin almost sagging; Nero always imagined that his clean and intact clothes were the only things keeping the old man from falling apart.

“Good morning, sir Laiz,” he greeted the old man as he approached him. “What are you reading? This early in the morning…”

“You’re earlier than usual today, Nero,” Laiz greeted back, and pouting to a steaming cup on the table said, “I haven’t finished my coffee yet.”

“Oh, should I just come back later?”

“No, no, not at all. It’s always good to have business with you, kid.” The apothecary put down the black book on the counter, making sure to mark with a bookmark the place he was just reading; the book titled: “MANA PILLS THEORY: PROPOSED PRODUCTION PROCEDURE, APPLICATIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS”. Such a hard-working old man, Nero thought. “So, what do you need? You’ve just bought some pills a few days ago, I remember.”

“A kilo of aether sand,” the young healer said. “Uncle needs it.”

“A kilo…” The old man stood from the counter. “I’ll get some.” He went then into the back store, and a couple of minutes later went out with a leather pouch. He put it on the table and showed its content: glimmering, blue sand. “That’s a kilo.”

“Are you sure that’s a kilo?” he said.

“Wait, I’ll get my scale.” The old man was about to return to the back store when Nero stopped him.

“I’m just kidding, doctor!” He laughed. “How much is it?”

The old man frowned and shook his head. “It’s 165 Pirasos.”

Nero took out his coin purse and put out eight pieces of silver coins and one bronze coin. “Here, 160 and 5 Pirasos.”

As the old man was writing the receipt, he asked, “So, your uncle’s making another invention? If you need some mana orbs, I also have some in my stock.”

“Oh, he has many,” Nero said. “Fill it with mana, then maybe I’ll buy later. You never know when I might need it.”

“Yes. You never know.” The old man handed the receipt.

After exchanging thanks, Nero went out.

“Come,” he called Rius, who was patiently waiting for him. They then walked back for their camp; he thought of coming straight to the Breeston City, but decided to return home first to get his reimbursement. And, it would take a long time—a couple of days at worst—to return. He shouldn’t make his uncle make his “woman” wait.