" Indeed, what of it?" Asked the elder dwarf.
" I’m a man, I can’t wear that, I’ll be a laughing stock." Answered Mercury.
" You humans are weird, a pretty little boy like you doesn’t look much different from a woman to me, so what if you wear a necklace."
" The necklace itself is not the issue, it’s the design, the design is what I have a problem with.
Anyways, let me check the others, oh..this looks good, thank you old man, how much do I owe you?"
" If you’re not taking the necklace then you owe me 230 gold coins, if you’re are taking it, it’s 238." Answered the dwarf.
Mercury froze, " Ah well you see.." he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. " There’s no way I can afford that."
The dwarf rubbed his long white beard, " No matter, it’s not like anybody else has any use for these things.
Take them, pay me later but be warned boy, they’ll be interest." Said the dwarf, Mercury grinned.
" Thank you old man, I’ll pay you back later I promise." He took the rings and bangles and ran out.
" Wait, you haven’t told me your name yet human boy!" Shouted the elder dwarf.
" It’s Mercury, Mercury Al’Karl." Mercury answered.
" This old man is Elder Duran Stonefang, come find me when you have my money." Said the dwarf.
Mercury nodded and ran out, he went back his in and closed the door, he placed the items on the bed.
There were 10 rings and 10 bangles each about a cm thick, they were pure golden in colour with red runes running through them.
There were no large void stones so Mercury was half doubtful they would be able to contain his mana.
He took off one of his older ring and replaced it with the new one, the change was immediate.
" These things, they’re so strong." He took off all of his former rings and replaced them with four of the new ones.
Just four rings had a stronger effect than 10 of the previous rings. The 10 old rings dropped his mana to 10 times what it was before he was able to increase it.
However these four rings dropped it even further to merely 5 times, that was still an absurd mana pool but nowhere near his current pool.
The effects on his mental strength was basically the same, he could still easily maintain his compressed D rank mana skin.
But when he tried to make a D rank bolt, he was only able to maintain one, " If I add another ring I’m afraid I might die."
An extra ring might just drop his mana to zero killing him instantly. Mercury made a decision.
During the remaining week before the tournament he wouldn’t absorb more mana, he decided to take a rest.
He spent an entire week touring the capital, Mercury has never had such a chance before even though he’s lived here for 4 years.
The capital was incredibly large, just one part of the city stretched for kilometres, even with an entire week on his hands, he couldn’t see it all.
His money was almost running out, fortunately the week ended before then, he looked at the coins on his hand.
" Just 30 silver, things are damn expensive in this place." He dragged his depressed body to the academy.
Showed his student card to the guards and went in, the first thing he needed to do was report to the deacon.
" Welcome back lord Al’Karl, I’m glad to see you safe and ready for the tournament, I expect much from you." Said the deacon sarcastically.
Mercury didn’t talk back, he still needed the academy to protect him from his father so he just bowed.
" I need to make a report regarding my lodging deacon."
" Oh, are not satisfied with the place the academy gave you?" The deacon asked, Mercury could tell this man wanted him to slip up.
To show any dissatisfaction so he could use it to paint Mercury as ungrateful, Mercury was not going to give him that.
" No I have no dissatisfaction deacon, the academy has shown much kindness to me, I’m deeply grateful.
But it appears others couldn’t accept such kindness being shown to and destroyed academy property."
" You’re saying others destroyed your house? How do we know if it’s not you who did it?" Asked the deacon.
Mercury made a confused expression,"Why would I do such a thing deacon, I loved that house.
It was proof of the academy’s care for me, it has sheltered me for 4 years, how could bear to destroy it in any way?"
The deacon didn’t respond to that, " We’ll look into it, for now, find a temporary place to stay by yourself until tomorrow."
Mercury nodded and left, he went back to the ruins of his house to spend the night there, away from everybody.
Unfortunately his night was not going to be so peaceful.
" There you are you ungrateful bastard, I’ve been looking for you for months, what were you thinking signing up for the tournament.
A weakling like you, are you trying to show off to me, you think if you act brave I’ll love you?
Keep dreaming, Marcus is the one I love. Anyways, I can here to tell you to drop out, unregister from the tournament." Said Emilia.
Mercury sighed, " I don’t see how what I do is any of your business Emilia, leave me alone, I want to sleep." Mercury yawned and closed his eyes.
Emilia looked at the place he was sleeping on, on top of rubble, she felt uncomfortable just looking at it.
" Did you destroy your own house just draw attention, do you want me to pity you Mercury?" Emilia asked sounding angry.
Mercury opened his eyes and finally looked at her, Emilia took a step back, her heart pounded with unease.
’ Those eyes, is this really the Mercury I know?’ She wondered. ’ No it’s him, he’s just playing hard to get to draw my attention, it won’t work.’
She felt angry again but something deep inside her told her something was wrong, something fundamental has been broken.
Mercury sighed and rubbed his forehead with fatigue. " You’re exhausting so let me make things clear right now so there won’t be any confusion.
You don’t matter Emilia." Mercury voice came out cold making Emilia shiver with deep unease.
’ Mercury would never talk to me like that, What’s happening?’ Emilia wondered. Mercury had always chased after her like puppy no matter what she did.
" How dare you talk to me like that Mercury I’m your fiancée, do you want me to cancel out engagement?" This threat had always put him in line.
Mercury sighed, Emilia smiled, she took that as a sign he was giving in like he always did.
" Fine."
" Huh?" She froze.
" When the tournament ends we can also end this farce of an engagement, now leave."
Mercury closed his eyes after saying that and drifted to sleep ignoring Emilia who stood there frozen.