At the crack of dawn, Viki presented herself at Bruno's doorstep, a worn leather bag slung over her shoulder. Its contents, judging by their shapes, appeared to be a collection of books. Bruno, in the midst of dressing, struggled to secure his tattered shoes as Viki obstructed the doorway, casting a shadow over his path.

"You have it," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, I do. Now, can you please explain your grand plan to me?" Viki demanded.

"Certainly, but first, I need you to bring Raul here. He needs to be aware of what we're about to undertake."

Viki's brows furrowed in disbelief. "First of all, when did you two become friends? Second of all, do you think I'm your maid or something? 'V, do this, V, do that.'"

"Just do it for me, please?" Bruno pleaded, batting his eyelashes playfully. "And I'm not friends with Raul. I will never be friends with Raul. He is just a tool I'm using."

Sighing in resignation, Viki set the bag down on the ground and walked away. The boy, knowing her well, smiled with the certainty that she would ultimately comply. He leisurely made his way to his stash of goods, retrieving them and carrying them inside to place on the table. With deliberate care, he sifted through each book, one by one.

Two volumes delved into the realm of botany: 'Big Botany Book' by Ruth Rabouth and 'Magic of Plants' written by Mesmediah Amont. Both names held no significance for him. Disregarding a novel, Bruno's attention turned to 'The Good Parts' by Pim Butcher, a treatise on animal parts used in alchemy, and 'Magic of the Minerals' by Mesmediah Amont, focusing on the elemental world. Surprisingly, he also discovered 'The Guide to Alchemy' by Amir Glothberg. And then there was a mostly empty book, seemingly a personal notebook with just a couple of handwritten pages.

Taking the notebook outside, Bruno pored over the scrawled text, struggling to decipher the unfamiliar handwriting due to his limited reading practice. The contents consisted of a few experimental disclaimers by the previous owner—failures and inconsequential details regarding cough medicine and calluses. Bruno retained the pages, envisioning a future where he might pursue similar goals and find value in the recorded information.

Returning to his shack, Bruno methodically examined each book, one after another, skimming through the pages to ensure they contained the desired knowledge he sought.

In the midst of this process, Viki reappeared, accompanied by Raul.

"I brought him," she informed.

"Come inside," Bruno beckoned, setting aside his reading materials and gesturing for Raul to enter.

Curious, the young, tall boy stepped forward and posed the question, "Why did you want to see me?"

He definitely still felt pain in his arm, which was wrapped in a tight bandage to hold it in place. His face was a bruised mess of blue and yellow, a reminder of his father’s fury.

Bruno gestured towards the chairs, and the two of them sat down. He walked over to the window and cracked open the shutters, letting in a sliver of light. Then he closed the door to the shack. The place was plunged into near darkness.

“Do you want to get rich?” he asked them.

“Everybody wants that,” said Viki shrugging her shoulders.

“Yeah,” Raul agreed eagerly.

“Answer the question.”

“Yes,” they both said.

“If you were a free adult, how would you get rich?” he asked them.

“I would rob someone wealthy,” Viki replied.

“I would become a pirate. They can get rich quickly if they are lucky,” Raul suggested.

“I’m talking about something that would make you rich for certain. A sure business.”

“I don’t know. Why are we even sitting here in complete darkness?” The tall boy complained. He was growing impatient with the situation he found himself in.

Viki had a better grasp of Bruno’s character, and she was willing to play his game.

“You just said it, business,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but what business?” he agreed.

Raul realized his remark was ignored, so he kept quiet.

“I don’t know,” Viki shrugged again.

“I’ll give you a clue. Think of something a lot of people need, but nobody has. Think of things people consume every day.”

“Booze. Cheap booze. So cheap that people will buy only yours!” Raul blurted out.

“No. The booze is as cheap as it can be, but you are close. You are on the right track, Raul.”

“Everybody needs, but nobody has… Medicine?” Viki guessed.

“No.”

„Then I don't know," she conceded, frustration evident in her voice.

Raul shrugged, mirroring her uncertainty.

"Every sailor and most adult men, not to mention a big chunk of older kids, regularly get drunk in this city. 'Drunk' is an understatement—they get trashed. So obliterated that the next day they can barely walk, yet they still manage to stumble to work," Bruno explained, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Every ship captain and employer is fed up with it, but there's nothing they can do because everyone indulges in this behavior. I want to create a cure for hangovers, and that's why I need your father," he turned to Raul. "He'll be my test subject."

The wounded kid snorted dismissively.

"This is stupid," he retorted.

"Shut up!" Viki snapped, shooting Raul an icy glare before refocusing her attention on Bruno. "How do you plan to do that? You don't have the necessary equipment or knowledge."

"I have books and the ability to read. We can buy, steal, or even make our own equipment, and I can work right here. The same goes for the ingredients. I'll make a list of what we need, and then we'll acquire it all. Just give me a few days," he explained confidently.

"How certain are you that you can do this?" She pressed, her skepticism evident.

"I'm certain," he lied, meeting her gaze without flinching.

"Fine then. Just come to me when you know what you need, and we'll figure something out," Viki agreed before abruptly leaving.

Raul intended to follow suit, but Bruno intercepted him, blocking his path.

"We'll need your father to test the medicine," Bruno pointed out.

"But you agreed to help me kill him," Raul reminded him, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"I'll create a poison for you when I'm finished. Nobody will suspect a thing. It'll look natural. But first, you need to help me obtain what I want. Once my medicine is successful, you'll receive your payment for your assistance as well. So much money that you won't have to live in a shack anymore," Bruno proposed.

"You're just a kid," the tall boy scoffed.

"No, I'm not just any kid. I'm Bruno. You may go now," he asserted, stepping aside.

The son of the drunkard regarded him for a moment before walking away from the shack. With time to spare before breakfast, Bruno delved into the first book, immersing himself in its contents before making his way to Mrs. Griselda's place to start his day.