Retherly, a small town on the outskirts of the northern dukedom. Inside an unknown small Traven.
A man sat at a table alone. He was dressed in worn-out clothes that were almost falling apart. His face was surrounded by an unkept black Beard and droplets of the alcohol he was drinking were stuck on his beard.
He picked the wooden cup and drank the root beer in one big gulp before slamming it down.
He reminisced about his past; he had been a very respectable knight in his heyday, but he had eventually decided to abandon his own master.
Right now, he was nothing more than a commoner left to live his life in nothing but despair and regret for life.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the chair in front of him being occupied.
"Hello."
He looked up at the person who greeted him before pushing the wooden cup.
"If ye want to talk, buy me some root."
The person looked at him before summoning a waiter.
"There is your alcohol. I would appreciate it if you could answer some of my questions."
The man took a sip of his beer as if confirming before leaning contentedly.
"Ask away, mate, yo bought the root."
The person took out a small notepad.
"I'm from the Alliance high court. I wanted to ask about the Bloodmoor family. I presume you worked there?"
The man took another swing at his alcohol.
"Ooh yes, I did work there, the best place for anyone to work in, ye'. So, you're the Alliance High Court, huh! Never heard of them but you seem big. What could interest you about the family?"
"Were they a functional family? Any inheritance disputes?"
The man chuckled.
"No, only women can inherit the Bloodmoor family. Where are you from since you don't seem to know this?"
"From the neighboring kingdom."
"Aah! That's why? Can you get me another?"
The person ordered another cup.
"You're such a good person."
The man took another big gulp, and he started to sway as alcohol entered his bloodstream more.
"Can you tell me about the youngest Bloodmoor?"
The man paused his cup mid-descent.
"The youngest Bloodmoor. Are you really sure about what you are asking me?
The person at the other side of the table nodded. The man placed his cup on the table and started to subconsciously scratch his forearm his eyes going blank.
"In my personal opinion, he was a very good, extremely clever, and charming child. Kind to everyone around him, he didn't discriminate between servants or the master he was always kind. Too kind actually."
"What do you mean by that?"
"How can I say this. He has never yelled or hit a servant despite any mistake they made."
"Isn't that normal behavior?"
The man shook his head.
"No, for aristocrats servants were just the same as commoners or even slaves. Being yelled at or attacked was a common thing. But that child always had a smile on his face, always."
"How is that something bad?"
"It just is mate. He was a very loved child. The duchess adored him; he never lacked for anything. Teachers for training anything he asked for, he was given."
The man finished with a bitter laugh escaping him.
"That's just normal parenting."
The man nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but it was borderline excessive. The child at three asked to practice alchemy, one of the most hated and feared forms of magic," the man said with a hint of disgust and raised three trembling fingers," a three-year-old child should be playing in the mud or playing with their nanny, not practicing something so crude."
"That seems a bit too exaggerated."
The man let out a bitter laugh.
"I wish I were..... I wish I were. More beer then I'll tell you more."
The person summoned the waiter for the third time.
....
Everbound Academy.
I walked into my class my heart thumping in excitement. The class was just as I had imagined, long tables with one chair on the side were organized around the room.
Alchemy.
Against all expectations I had chosen alchemy as the subject I would be taking. Everbound Academy offered almost everything, and alchemy was also a small part of magic.
I walked to the corner most desk and sat down waiting for my new classmates to arrive. I had come earlier since I wanted to familiarize myself with the class.
Luna was waiting in the servants' area since we were not allowed to bring them to class. That had been quite a let down, but the classes only lasted for two sand glasses (2hrs).
Half a sand glass later students started to slowly trickle in, each one of them glancing at me before going to their seats.
"Good morning students."
The professor, a short old man, stood in front of the classroom, his shaky voice filling the room.
There were almost thirty of us who had chosen the class.
"This is a fair warning to all of you, if you have a weak stomach, you are free to leave."
No one stood up.
"Okay, on the left side of your desks, press the small black button."
I bent down to look for it and pressed it. There was a small grinding sound before the top of the table opened and a naked man's body was revealed.
It slowly ascended until it came to a stop after being fully exposed. Genius. I wondered who made it.
"For today's lesson, you are required to dissect the body and learn about the components of the human body and how it functions. You only...."
Someone stood up abruptly, covering their mouth and running out of class, her eyes filled with fear.
"You only have two sand glasses. I'll be checking everyone's progress."
The professor continued.
I extended my left hand to the side subconsciously, then before withdrawing it. I had become used to Luna helping me with my experiments.
This was going to be a refreshment of my childhood memories.
I picked up the small knife and started to cut into the body from the chest down to the abdomen.
During this time a quarter of the students had left each one of them in different states. Some were too pale, others were crying while some had just fainted.
I slowly cut the flesh just below the shoulders and into the muscles and flesh separating it from the insides, opening the body like a new book as it slowly revealed its insides.
I touched the cold heart then moved down to the other parts. The body parts didn't have any blood since most of it had coagulated.
I started to slowly remove the insides, and I laid them down beside the body for naming and identification.
.....
"Professor Gilbert, may I have your time?'
I intercepted my alchemy professor while leaving. He turned to me with a crooked smile on his wrinkled face.
"Young master Lucian. You were impressive in class. Have you done alchemy before?
I shook my head at the praise and took the books he was carrying.
"Yes, Professor, the class was enlightening."
Professor Gibert chuckled.
"There is no need for useless praise i could see you were truly proficient with the human body. You must really enjoy alchemy?"
"I do, alchemy is a very profound and interesting study, it's quite a shame how it's overlooked."
He nodded in agreement.
"Do you need something, young master? You wouldn't have approached me just to discuss the basic human anatomy and the woes of being an alchemist, would you?"
Professor Godfrey said the moment we entered his office. He gestured for me to sit down as he took the opposite set to mine.
"You're a very perceptive professor," I said jokingly, " yes, I do have something I would like your help with since you are quite proficient in alchemy."
"Yes, do tell," the professor leaned forward, his eyes gleaming," I always love young curiosity, it's rare in our field of study."
"I would like to ask for permission to bring slaves into the school, for experiments of course. The school has more resources and I would like your guidance."
The professor's eyes widened before he burst into laughter.
"You are just as peculiar as your sister. The school will not allow it because it destroys the basic sense of humanity, they say."
He sighed.
"But you can help me, right, Professor, or you would have shut me down."
"You will be required to attend all your classes."
I nodded.
"Your curiosity intrigued me , I would like to see why you would need your materials live instead of dead. The school does offer those in droves."
"It's easier to see the results on a live subject than a dead one, which is more like a rock."
" That is true but those tight pants would never accept that."
"Thank you, professor, for your help in advance. This will be of great help to me and my research."
"It's nothing, just remember I would like to be present in the research since you will be doing it in my private laboratory."
I nodded and stood up. I really wanted the professor's perspective. I wouldn't say I was the best in alchemy since there were better people outside.
The professor would be a fresh air of experienced eyes, maybe I could get a thing or two from him.