"Okay dude, what do you want? I'm the only alchemist in this entire city, so it's not like you can find what you need anywhere else."
"You're the 'magical' alchemist? Tch, first just ring these up, and this magic stone. And this, too."
"What're you using these for?" she asked, seemingly amused. "And you don't mean to say this boy is a wizard?"
"Of course he isn't. Not yet, at least."
"Here I was thinking you'd gone and gotten some girl pregnant. Instead, you've found yourself an apprentice. I don't know which is more surprising...?"
"That makes no sense, he's way too old to be my kid! And you should mind your own business. This isn't your world anymore, is it? That's why you found what you saw as the closest thing—alchemy. What a joke."
"Why're you being so rude to the pretty lady?" Linnie asked, punching him in the side. "Didn't anyone teach you to be nice to women? That way, they might even do something sweet to you!"
"Ha, is that right? What's your name, sweetie? Someone definitely taught you manners."
"I don't know about the 'might do something sweet' part, though...!?" Alwyn thought.
"It's Linnie—I mean, it's Lin to you, sweet-cheeks. And don't call me sweetie, I'm already fourteen."
"Fourteen? How grown! I could've sworn you looked no older than eleven, though...? How cute," she laughed.
"Don't make fun of his stunted growth. It's not his fault he looks like a little girl," Alwyn defended his apprentice.
"Yeah! Don't make fun of my—hold on, I don't look like a little girl at all!"
"Well..." the lady winced.
"See? There's no use in being nice to this one, Lin. She won't do something sweet, even if you gave her everything."
"I don't know... I still feel like you're being a little mean."
"Aw! It's nice to have a man that sticks up for me!" she grinned, ruffling his hair.
"Something's terribly wrong..." Linnie thought, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Sixteen stubs!? What a scam!" Alwyn shouted.
"Pay the price or get out. I know you can afford it."
"Damn you..." he passed over the coins and grabbed the magic stone. "Take it."
Linnie held the stone in his hands and stood there, waiting for it to start glowing.
"Are you an idiot, or what? Put mana into it. Once you start, the stone'll naturally draw out the rest."
"...Well how the hell do I do that!? I've never put mana into anything before!"
"How? But—I did it naturally my first time...? I don't get it..."
"Pffft, seriously? How are you meant to be his teacher if you can't even help him with this?" Aliza laughed. "I get it, it was hard my first time, too. I didn't understand it at all."
"You're a wizard!?" he gasped. "Actually, looking back, that seems obvious now..."
"Ahem, correction: she was a wizard. No more, though," Alwyn butt in.
"Ignore him. It's true that I'm no longer able to use magic, but I'm definitely still qualified enough to teach you how to put your mana into a magic stone."
"...I permit it, I guess," Alwyn said.
Aliza jumped over the counter and put her hands over Linnie's. Suddenly, warmth beyond what would normally come from another's hands seeped into his hands.
"Whoa! What is this?"
"I'm sending mana into your hands. Try and, like, memorize what it feels like, I guess?"
She removed her hands as the magic stone started to glow a faint red. Alwyn raised his eyebrow, surprised at the sight.
"Wow, you must not have a lot of mana, then, right?" Linnie asked, causing Alwyn to stifle a laugh.
"Uh, yeah. Right. Try and do it yourself this time."
Alwyn watched with narrow eyes as Linnie tightened his grip on the stone. Strangely, he started to growl, baring his teeth.
"What are you doing...?" Alwyn mumbled, palming his face.
The rock started to glow. At first it was red, then it grew into a brighter orange, then yellow, then green, and it kept getting brighter and changing color until pink.
"This... feels... weird... eugh..."
Linnie started to wobble, swaying side to side. A high-pitched ringing filled the air, and the stone changed from pink to a blinding, white glow. The stone vibrated and shook, and once Linnie's mana was depleted, he started to fall to the side, tossing the stone into the air.
Aliza caught him before he hit the ground, and Alwyn grabbed the stone before it shattered.
"White...? I should've known. It's not like you'd ever take on an apprentice unless they were outstandingly talented."
"Well, obviously. Money, too, though. Pay enough and I'll teach even you, Aliza."
She rolled her eyes, scoffing. Linnie was passed out in her arms, a snot bubble growing with each snore. "White means you've gotta report the score to the tower. It would mean he's the—well, not like it matters. You were never going to report it in the first place, were you?"
"Ha, you know me well," Alwyn laughed. Though, he seemingly caught himself, and the smile dropped from his face back into the snotty expression. "Not that well. Just drop him on the ground; I have questions for you."
She returned to her side of the counter, dropping him onto the floor. Her expression, which had been playful enough, had turned fed-up.
"You didn't have to act all nice for him, you know."
"What can I say? I have a soft spot for kids. Really, I should kill you where you stand."
"That's my line. How'd you do it?"
"Do what?" she coyly asked.
"You aren't supposed to be able to manipulate mana at all, much less get a reaction from a mana stone."
"Oh, please. You really think I'd spend the rest of my days wallowing in sadness just because they shattered my core? I mean, seriously, would you?"
"Recovering a core's never been done," Alwyn said, rolling his eyes.
"Why do you treat me like an idiot? You always have... when I'm as much a wizard as you are. If they did that to you, there's no way you'd sit there and take it."
"Aha, but you're not me."
"The great Alwyn. What happened to that, by the way? I thought surely by now your name would've spread out past the tower. But, I haven't heard anything. No one knows your name. And here you are, with an apprentice...? What was it all for, then?"
"...Ha! You nearly got me! Wow, I really got sidetracked. I don't care about any of this stuff! Tell me. About the illness, that is."
"So that's why you're here? Why do you even care? It's not like you."
"Well, at first, I was curious to see who this 'alchemist sent by the heavens' was. Of course, it turned out to be you. I'm still curious, though. What is it?"
"...I don't know. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. I figured out a way to treat it, but I haven't figured out a cure yet. Nonetheless, the city treats me as a hero." She averted her eyes, grabbing her shoulder.
Alwyn narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... that's it? What's the method of treatment?"
"Well..."