Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

After several tense minutes, the herbs were reduced to a fine, shimmering powder. Ethan looked up at the old woman, who was watching him with a keen, hawk-like gaze. "Three pinches, right?"

She gave a single nod. "Three. No more, no less."

Ethan moved to the cauldron, the iridescent liquid still bubbling ominously. He took a pinch of the powder between his fingers, sprinkling it into the potion. The liquid hissed, the color shifting from green to deep purple.

He added the second pinch, and the potion bubbled violently before calming, the color now a rich shade of indigo.

Ethan hesitated, the third pinch still between his fingers. He glanced back at Lia, whose eyes were wide with concern. The little girl peeked out from behind Lia, her silver hair shimmering faintly under the eerie light.

Ethan steeled himself and released the final pinch. The powder swirled into the liquid, which instantly turned pitch black. The cauldron shook, the surface rippling with waves of darkness before suddenly going still.

For a terrifying moment, everything was silent. Then, the potion's surface erupted, a pillar of dark smoke shooting towards the ceiling before vanishing with a pop.

Ethan stumbled back, his heart pounding. "What… was that?"

The old woman laughed, a deep, throaty sound that echoed in the cavernous room. "That, boy, was the ink accepting its maker. You did it."

Ethan looked up at the mad woman. "I… passed?"

He half hoped he did not so he could get the hell out of this crazy lady's shop. But it looked like that ship had sailed. He could still get out of here but the offer was too good to simply pass up without even trying a little. He sighed and decided to give it a go.

The old lady waved her hand dismissively. "You'll stay in the attic. Room and board are included, but you'll earn your keep. I'm not feeding lazy brats."

Ethan nodded. "I'll work hard."

The woman's lips curled into a wicked smile. "Oh, you'll work. I'll see to that." She pointed a gnarled finger at Lia and the little girl. "And they'll be your responsibility. If they cause trouble, it's on your head. Oh, and they will also work."

The old woman's gaze lingered on the child again, her expression unreadable. "What's your name, girl?"

The little girl blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "I… don't remember."

The old woman's eyes narrowed but then she turned away, shuffling towards a staircase at the back of the room. "What a mischievous child… Come along, then. I'll show you to your new quarters."@@novelbin@@

At the top of the stairs, they reached a small, narrow hallway. The old woman stopped at the end of the hall and swung open a door, revealing a cramped attic room with sloped ceilings and a tiny window that barely let in any light.

The room was dusty and smelled faintly of old parchment and herbs. There were two narrow beds pushed against the walls, each covered in thin, worn blankets. A small table sat between the beds, cluttered with candles and ink-stained papers.

"This will be your quarters," the woman said, her voice flat. "Don't expect luxury. You'll get a bed, a roof, and three meals a day—if you earn them. I don't feed freeloaders."

Ethan nodded. "Understood."

The woman's sharp eyes shifted to Lia and the little girl. "The two of you will stay here as well. If you cause trouble, you're out. If you touch anything that doesn't belong to you, you're out. If you break anything…" Her gaze narrowed. "I'll make sure you regret it."

Lia politely nodded in response.

The little girl looked up at the woman with wide, unblinking eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line. She stayed silent, her fingers still clutching Ethan's sleeve.

The woman's eyes lingered on the child for a long, uncomfortable moment before she turned and shuffled back down the hallway. "You start work at dawn. Don't be late."

She disappeared down the stairs, her voice echoing back. "And don't even think about stealing something from me. There are wards in place and you will be burned alive."

The door creaked shut behind her, leaving them alone in the cold, dusty attic room. Ethan let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping as he sat down on the bed.

"Well… that was something," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. He turned to Lia, who was inspecting the room with a skeptical expression. "This place gives me the creeps, Master" she admitted.

Ethan couldn't argue with that. "Yeah. But it's better than sleeping on the streets. At least we have a roof over our heads."

The three of them fell asleep pretty quickly with the little girl curled up in between Lia and Ethan. Lia had tried her best to arrange the positions, only to admit defeat with flushed cheeks. Ethan didn't exactly care about these things and drifted asleep almost instantly because of the tiredness.

The next morning, Ethan woke to the soft light filtering through the tiny attic window. He tip-toed out of the room after freshening up quietly, not wanting to wake up the other two.

The old woman was waiting at the bottom, her beady eyes narrowed as she tapped her crooked cane against the floor. "Took you long enough. I don't tolerate lazy apprentices."

Ethan rolled his eyes inwardly. "Sorry. Won't happen again."

She huffed, clearly unimpressed. "See that it doesn't. Now, follow me. You've got work to do."

She shuffled towards the back of the shop, her gnarled cane clacking against the floor with each step. They went back down into the underground work space and the old woman gestured to the same cauldron. The thing was still full of questionable liquid.

The old woman then pointed to a nearby shelf. "That box has the bottles. Fill them up and then clean the cauldron once you are done. Then restock the shelves. Every ingredient must be organized by type, potency, and origin. If you mess it up, I'll know. Finish it before breakfast, else I am not giving you any."