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墨書 Inktalez
In the Albarez Empire, a port town, a man with only one arm and one leg sat dejectedly on the street, leaning on a cane. In front of him was a sign that read, "Looking for work, skilled in Potions and Alchemy."
This man was none other than Newton. The ease with which he had made his way here surprised him somewhat. He had even removed both of his prosthetic limbs to avoid being recognized. If he were identified like this, it would only mean that the people here were far too vigilant compared to those in Ishgar. If that were the case, he might truly have to resort to working underground.
"Brother, you’re really down on your luck..."
The port was bustling with people, and Newton was not the only beggar around. A man who appeared to be in his forties or fifties approached him, though it was hard to tell his exact age due to the dirt on his face and the weariness in his eyes.
"Yeah, I ran into a terrible storm at sea and ended up like this..." Newton shrugged helplessly.
"If I can’t find work, I don’t even know what I’ll have for dinner tonight."
"Haha, don’t worry..."
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow at Newton.
"Do you really know Alchemy?"
"Can you help me find a job?" Newton's eyes lit up, looking every bit like a true beggar.
"Not so fast, not so fast. Where are you from?"
The man, however, showed no signs of concern and instead began to question Newton about his background.
"Well..."
A hint of embarrassment appeared on Newton's face.
"What’s wrong? Is there something bad?"
The man's expression shifted to one of mild panic.
"Could it be that you’re a fugitive?"
"How could that be? It's just that..."
Newton quickly shook his head.
"Ah, Brother, I’m calling you that with some reluctance. I actually come from another continent. I heard there are treasures everywhere here, so I wanted to come and make some money while also seeking treatment for my severed limb."
"Treatment? As far as I know, we don’t seem to have such means here."
For some reason, the man didn’t seem very cautious. Instead, upon hearing that Newton was from another continent, he wore an eager expression.
"Brother, you might not know this, but we have a genius in Alchemy back home named Newton. He has already invented mechanical prosthetics that can replace human limbs. Once I earn enough money here, I can go back and get a normal pair of hands and feet. Then I can run around both places and make a fortune..."
Newton sighed with a feigned sense of regret.
"What a pity, what a pity. Who would have thought it would be so far, and to make matters worse, I ran into a storm. If I weren't so lucky, I might have ended up at the bottom of the sea."
"Oh, so your Alchemy over there is truly remarkable."
The man's eyes sparkled with interest as he inquired.
"By the way, does your Brother happen to brew that kind of potion?"
"That kind of potion?"
Newton looked surprised and then scrutinized the man, taking in his appearance until he realized he was making the other party uncomfortable and withdrew his gaze.
"Brother, don't let my demeanor fool you. I have some knowledge of potions myself. You don't seem like someone who has issues in that area."
"Get lost!"
The man angrily punched Newton and then spoke mysteriously.
"I mean the kind that can make a person feel like a god."
Newton felt a surge of amusement; he had already guessed what this fellow was scheming. Since ancient times, the trifecta of gambling, drugs, and vice had been societal plagues, yet every society struggled to eradicate them. In essence, they were material manifestations of human desire. If one could not completely extinguish their desires, these three elements would inevitably flourish. The man appeared shifty and was likely involved in some shady business. Especially since he had learned that Newton did not belong to this continent, it only made things more enticing. This implied that they could potentially acquire goods from another continent, giving the man's backing a significant advantage over others. Consequently, this meant greater profits for him.
However, Newton could not point this out first. Sometimes, being too clever is not a good thing; it’s better to be a little foolish and show more flaws. This way, others find it easier to control him, making him someone they would dare to use.
“Brother, isn’t that an illegal profession?”
Greed sparkled in Newton's eyes. Although he spoke of legality, his eagerness suggested he was more interested in whether the other person had connections in this line of work. Indeed, Newton was preparing to shape himself into someone who appeared somewhat greedy but possessed skills from another continent.
Sure enough, the man disregarded the fact that he and Newton had just met and hadn’t exchanged many words. He threw an arm around Newton's shoulder.
“Brother, you don’t trust me? Well, I haven’t shown you anything yet. Come on! I’ll take you to see the world!”
The man stood up and pulled Newton along with him, supporting him as they walked. To an outsider, they looked like long-time friends rather than two people who had just met.
“Brother, where are you taking me?”
Newton asked curiously as the man led him away from the city center. He wanted to enter the city to observe what this empire was really like. However, Newton felt awkward because he couldn’t get in at all. It wasn’t that there were any identification requirements for entering the so-called city; it was just that Newton had pretended to be a destitute person to slip past the soldiers’ suspicions. But now he looked ragged and unkempt. He realized that this empire must place great importance on appearances, even prohibiting homeless individuals from entering the city. There was nothing Newton could do about it. Some might say he could use his Alchemy skills to create a set of clothes, but with his current state—missing limbs—he stood out too much. While this might lower others' vigilance to some extent, it also drew attention; no one at the port guards would fail to notice such a disabled person.
Newton could forge prosthetics to get by, but what about the disabled person? Would he suddenly disappear? Newton couldn’t gauge whether vanishing suddenly would work here. He initially planned to sneak in first in case something went wrong, but now that he had a better option, why choose a dangerous method?
The man seemed unsure of where he was taking Newton until they reached a dead end. He then opened a manhole cover and grinned as he led Newton down into it. Thus began Newton's adventure in Albarez.
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