Summoner's Second Chance

Chapter 11

Footsteps can be heard going down the hallway. Trace looked around, as his footsteps echoed, accompanying him in his search for his sister. Melody had ran off somewhere when he was talking with Argo, and now, he is searching around the mansion for her. "Where did she go?" Trace scratched the back of his head. He was not familiar with the mansion's layout, so he couldn't possibly open any door he came across. Trace was about to call a maid for help, before he heard his sister's laugh.

He followed her voice and come across a large garden behind the mansion. There, he saw his sister and Olivia talk. It seems like they were having a pleasant conversation, judging from the expression they had. Trace sighed through his nose, a smile perched on his mouth. He looked around, and saw a tea table, just some ways from the girls. He knew that his sister will spend quite some time chatting, so he sat down, and took out his tools to create a contract with a summoned beast. His thought wanders, as he chose from the list of summoned beings in his head. Finally choosing two beasts that he thought would complement his current team the best, he dipped his quill into the enchanted ink, and starts writing.

A figure crept beside Trace as he was focused on his task, and he almost jumped out of his seat when a hand touched his shoulder. Trace turned around to see a woman, who he recognize as Olivia's mother. "Good day." The woman bowed politely to Trace. Trace immediately put his quill down and returned the gesture. "I have not introduced myself properly, haven't I? I am Lucy Windwalker, Argo Windwalker's wife and the mother of Olivia." "It is an honor, Mistress Lucy. I am Trace Redfate." Lucy giggled, and sat down across Trace. "Why don't you take a seat? It would be uncomfortable to talk while you are standing, no?" Trace nodded and sat down on the chair.

The woman stared deep into Trace's eyes, as if gauging his worth as a man. Trace may be disoriented before, but it took him no time to regain his confidence. Lucy smiled, seemingly pleased by what she found. "Trace, I would like to personally extend my thanks to you. Please accept this, as a token of my appreciation." Lucy put a small box on the desk, and pushed it toward Trace. She opened the lid and revealed three small bottles filled with purple pills. Trace took one and recognized the content of the bottles. "Mind supplements?" Lucy nodded, a smile still perched on her lips.

"I am an Alchemist, you see, and I specialize in creating medicine to boost one's ability to improve their Soul power. Although... it seems that I cannot rid my own disease..." Her smile dips, as she remembered her days spent laying powerless on the bed, as poison ravaged her body. Trace looked at the bottles, and put the one he's holding in the box, and pulled it toward him. "I would not feel down if I were you. Creating medicine to boost one's ability is an extremely delicate process, and only few alchemist are capable of creating such medicine. Even so, the ingredients to create supplements are completely detached from other medicine. It would be perfectly understandable if you did not know what to make, and it would certainly not damage your reputation as an Alchemist."

Trace's words were facts, and Lucy couldn't help but to be amazed. She wondered how someone so young could have such a deep knowledge about alchemy. Trace mistook Lucy's silent as her being offended, and apologized immediately. "I am sorry if I spoke out of turn. I am still young, and I still have much to learn." Lucy shook her head slowly, her mouth once again curls into a smile. "On the contrary. Your words made my heart sing. Thank you, Trace." Trace nodded as he smiled. Lucy stood up from the chair, and walked to Trace's side, and turned toward him. "Now then. I have distracted you from your task long enough. I will be taking my leave now. Until we meet again, Trace." Lucy bowed, and disappeared into the mansion once again. Trace smiled, feeling a lot more energized than before, and picked up the quill once again.

Meanwhile, the girls are talking about random things they had found at the academy. The two had grown so close in just a matter of minutes, and Melody forgot why and how she got into the Windwalker resident in the first place! "So, Melody. You are attending Summoner's Academy, too?" Melody nodded slightly. "Yes. I thought I needed to look out for my brother, but it seems that my worries were for naught." Olivia nodded a few times, seemingly to agree with every word Melody said.