Chapter 3: Apprentice Alchemist
A soft smile played on Alphonse's lips as he reentered the room, his eyes warm with camaraderie. "Congratulations, Seth," he said, his voice carrying genuine pride. "It seems you haven't been slacking off."
Seth's heart raced. "It seems fate is in my favor, looks like we will be seeing each other for a while from now on?" he said, a mix of joy and excitement vividly evident in his voice.
Alphonse's smile withered to a small smirk. "Tsk! Don't be too happy, wait till the actual work starts." From his robe's inner pocket, he produced a delicate silver ring. Etched with intricate symbols, it held an air of significance. "This ring contains your badge, your official robes, and a book that contains all the essential information every member of the Palace of Alchemy should know."
As Alphonse handed the ring to Seth, he explained its purpose. "Pull out the badge and drop some blood on it. That will register you as an official member. It's a security measure against counterfeit badges, and it also ties your magical signature to the badge."
Seth followed Alphonse's instructions, his finger pressing against the badge's surface. The badge, void of any star, absorbed the blood with a subtle glow, its significance settling upon Seth like a cloak of honor.
Alphonse leaned in, his voice dropping to a hushed tone. "The badge evolves as your rank does. No star means you're an apprentice alchemist. A single star signifies a Grade 1 Alchemist, and it goes on up to Grade 3. After four stars, it's the coveted Master Alchemist. And then, beyond that….It doesn't matter is a myth for all I care."
With a nod of understanding, Seth slipped the ring onto his finger, it's cool metal a reminder of the journey he had embarked upon. Returning to the reception area, Alphonse presented a list of tasks to Seth. "Every member is expected to complete at least one task every half a year," Alphonse explained. "As you progress in rank, the complexity and time allotted for each task will increase. Choose one that piques your interest. "Seth perused the list, his gaze flickering over various possibilities. Finally, he settled on a task that resonated with him or to be specific his monetary cravings and the two gems per month fits the bill perfectly. Alphonse checked his choice, a hint of curiosity in his expression.
"Ah, of all the choices," Alphonse sighed, his tone laced with a mixture of amusement and resignation.
With a chuckle, Seth leaned against the counter, bracing himself for the next step.
After processing the task, Alphonse handed Seth a card. "You're required to present yourself at Mage Laraz's Lab in two days' time. He's a one of a kind, so be prepared."
Two days passed quickly, and Seth found himself standing within a spacious laboratory. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of purpose, and the room hummed with the potential of magical experimentation. A stern-looking man, his middle-aged features marked by an air of authority, surveyed Seth with piercing eyes. Clad in a pristine white robe, the man seemed both commanding and enigmatic. It was Mage Laraz, the very one Seth was to assist. Laraz's gaze swept over Seth, sizing him up with a critical eye. Finally, his deep voice resonated through the room.
"You'll do."
A sense of relief washed over Seth as Laraz's words settled upon him.
"Thank you, Magus" Seth replied, his voice respectful. Laraz nodded, his demeanor still stern but softened by a hint of approval.
"I reviewed your alchemical assessment. It was commendable. But now, you have a different task ahead."
Leaning against a table, Laraz proceeded to outline Seth's responsibilities for the next six months. Cleaning and organizing the lab were part of the routine, but the core of Seth's task lay in aiding Laraz's research on the viability of magitech. Specifically, they aimed to break through the limitations that had hindered its advancement. Seth listened attentively, his mind absorbing every detail. As the mage spoke, Seth's thoughts wandered to the rumors he had heard about Mage Laraz. Reputed to be a man connected to the past, Laraz was the last student of a mage known as The Mad Mage – Alex Grindor.
Alex Grindor had been a brilliant and unconventional mage who had delved into theories that challenged the conventional understanding of magic. The founder of magitech as a new discipline of Alchemy and attempts to separate it from mana had marked him as a visionary, but his ideas had been nothing but madness. His goal had been to reach the fabled Legendary Mage tier, but his obsession with altering the fundamental laws of magic had led to his tragic end. Seth knew that Mage Laraz was attempting to rectify his teacher's past failures by pursuing magitech in a different way, by merging it with mana instead of separating it. Seth understood that this pursuit was basically, considered as one without a future but upon seeing the twenty mana gems placed as a reward upon completion he couldn't resist. The Mage world's currency consists of cores, gems and crystals with gems having the least purchasing power and crystal having the most. One gem equates to a hundred cores and one crystal holds to a hundred gems. He had used the Researchers Space to plan and just those two gems every week and being able to work under a Tier 2 Mage would boost his progress both as a Mage and as an Alchemist, to an extent that instead of two years to advance to a High-grade apprentice he would take one or even less would suffice.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone