"So skinny."
Leon winced but squeezing his lids together did little to improve his fuzzy vision. He sighed, it's not like he couldn't recognise the poisonous voice. He waded out of the lake, his cheeks turning a slight shade of red as he thought of his nakedness being exposed. Not that he could do much about it. He couldn't cover those parts and drag his feet through the muddy basin of the lake and he didn't want to tell the Little Lord to turn around as he couldn't be sure that he was even bothering to look at him.
His dual coloured hair coated his back like a soaked cloak, shielding him to some extent as he stretched his arms out to locate the tree where he had placed his things. Its rough bark appeared at his fingertips as a thick line of darkness altered the brown and green mess in his vision.
"What are you doing?" That man asked as Leon recalled the position of his interspatial bag and reached towards it.
"I can't s-see," Leon replied. "I n-need my glasses." He frowned. Where was the bag? This was the correct tree… wasn't it?
"You mean these?" Leon turned toward the sound of his voice. Again, he futilely squinted, barely making out where the little Lord was by the splash of red in his vision.
"P-please give them t-to me," Leon said, his body shivering as the cold water mixed with the breeze upon his naked skin. He reached out with one hand, even as his other became tucked against his body, curling further beneath his hair as he stood. It was wet and heavy, yet so thick to provide some shelter from the wind.
As if bored of trying to tease him, the glasses were thrust upon his face. His vision focused immediately and he could see the man standing in front of him, arms crossed and looking displeased. Leon thanked him but this only caused this displeasure to increase for some reason. "Yes, well," he said. "You should put clothes on." Leon silently agreed and put his outer robes straight over his wet form, before straining water from his hair as best he could.
****
Leon lit the fire and began to roast the fish over the flames. He hummed contentedly as he sorted out a few pills that he would take to the Herb Hall when he took the mushrooms to the kitchens of the Food Hall. The Little Lord was rummaging through his small possessions. "Have you no spare clothes?!" He seemed incensed when his search revealed nothing.
"No, I h-had to get r-rid of them," Leon replied.
"Why?"
"B-b-blood stains w-wouldn't c-come out," a pained expression fell over Leon's face as he spoke. The Little Lord stared at him, but did not pester him further. Instead he chose to complain about something else.
"Ah, I am hungry."
"B-breakfast w-will be ready s-soon," Leon advised him and went outside to check how the fish were cooking. He sat upon the weathered stump beside the fire and turned the fish, before withdrawing his carving knife. Without thought, he took a larger piece of wood from the pile and began to carve away the bark. He began to hum again as he did so, not noticing that the Little Lord had sat cross legged upon the ground close to him. His elbow rested upon his knee and hand clenched in a fist supported his chin as he glared at Leon with impatience. Leon sighed, inwardly. "What is your n-name?" Leon suddenly asked him.
The man looked slightly startled, but hid it swiftly. "Since you have served me well, so far, this Lord will honour you with my name. I am called Jin Li."
"Jin Li," Leon echoed as he picked up one of the cooked fish from the spit. "B-breakfast is ready."
After breakfast, Jin Li was disgruntled to find out that his only option for a bath was the lake; his new servant did not have a tub to hold hot water, even should he demand that he heat water up. Leon continued to carve the small talisman idly as he waited for the man to return. He was in a foul mood when he did, obviously not enjoying the cold lake. Leon decided not to remain around him as he let loose his potent aura and after dressing properly in both inner and outer robes, he collected his things in order to head for the central pavilion of this school.
"Where are you going?" Jin Li demanded to know, leaning against the inside frame of the door as he asked.
"S-s-school," was all Leon could manage to say.
"School?" The man's nose wrinkled in distaste. "This Lord is too well learned for such a common place. I will remain here. Although this place lacks decent spiritual energy, I will cultivate. Do not disturb me." With that he close the door behind him, shutting a startled Leon out. Leon stood there for a few moments before sighing and making his way to the halls.
As he walked, he swiftly forgot all of his grievances and with each step he was calmer of heart. He was looking forward to being able to cook rice at the hut, if he could obtain something to cook it in.
*****
"Eh? You want cooking equipment?" The lady in charge of the kitchens echoed. She was a grey haired old woman, but retained much vitality despite her advancing years. Leon nodded. "Why? We cook all of the meals here for you brats!"
"B-but then," Leon stuttered, feeling slightly cowered by her, "h-how w-w-will I c-cook th-the rice?" She raised one eyebrow, so he handed her the request form and showed her the mushrooms he carried in his basket. Her eyebrows knitted together and she turned to glare at a young man, who had sidled over in the fuss.
"But mam!" The man said, surprising Leon, "I needed to promise summin' in trade or 'ow else would I get th' shrooms?"
"Wantin' rare shrooms and payin' a pittance! Fool!" She smacked him about the ear then turned to Leon and said; "and more fool for you for botherin'." Leon flushed brightly, how was he to know these mushrooms were valuable? Well, it did say in the library book that they were considered somewhat of a delicacy, but it never spoke in monetary terms. "Tell you what, seein' as what's done is done, how 'bout I get my fool of a son to take you down to the town tomorrow. He's headin' there to collect some supplies for the school. He can introduce you to some who owe me favours, get you some stuff cheap like."
"I d-don't really h-have any money," Leon admitted.
"But you're an alchemist student, so surely you 'ave some pills and the like to trade," she pointed out. Leon nodded in agreement and a small smile appeared upon his face.
"Thank you," Leon said, brightly.
"You're welcome," the woman answered automatically, before her lips curved into a generous smile. She had taken a liking to this polite young man, so refreshing after dealing with so many sour, stuck up youths. "Wait here." She ducked back into the kitchen, before reappearing with a warm loaf of bread, a bowl of fresh vegetables, sliced meats and a piping hot roast tuber. Leon blinked and gratefully swapped them for the mushrooms, which her son greedily stole away. "Come back here at dawn," she advised him. "We'll sort out the rice later."
Leon agreed, before taking the food back to his hut, only for much of it to be wolfed down by his forgotten guest.
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