Throughout the night, the princess's screams reverberated, relentless, and piercing. Bruno found it inconceivable that her voice could endure such strain, half-expecting it to falter and cease. However, to his dismay, the relentless shrieks persisted, rendering sleep an elusive luxury.

Faced with sleeplessness, the young alchemist occupied his restless mind with thoughts of escape. The collar remained the greatest obstacle, and he racked his brain for a means of removing it. He even contemplated testing whether the collar's threat of death was genuine, but the lack of a viable plan to evade the consequences deterred him from pursuing the risky endeavor. Reluctantly, he abandoned the idea altogether.

As morning's gentle light flooded the kitchen through the window, awakening the tower and its inhabitants, Bruno rose from his makeshift bed alongside Hadiza. To his astonishment, Vere was noticeably absent—an unprecedented occurrence in the morning. Normally, the boy would have considered inquiring about the tall man's absence, but he knew better than to expect a satisfactory answer from the head maid. Thus, he maintained his silence.

Under the guidance of Hadiza, the young alchemist and the other servants busied themselves with various tasks, focusing on preparing the morning meal. By that time, the screams already faded away, hinting that the princess possibly got tired and fell asleep, or her voice gave up on her.

Gradually, more maids appeared, joining in the culinary preparations. With the breakfast nearly ready, Vere wordlessly entered the room, claiming his customary stool. Nonchalantly, he reached for an apple from an open crate on the nearby table, extracting a knife concealed within his shoe to meticulously slice the fruit.

Bruno couldn't help but notice Hadiza stealing glances at the imposing figure of Vere, but she refrained from uttering a word. Likewise, the other maids maintained an uncharacteristic silence.

Once everything was set, an eerie stillness enveloped the room. The head maid wordlessly placed the tray bearing the princess's breakfast before the tall man and, in turn, served herself a bowl of porridge. Meanwhile, Bruno discreetly enjoyed his own portion in a corner, alongside the other servants.

Suddenly, the sound of the entrance door closing reverberated through the kitchen. Footsteps, deliberate and measured, ascended the staircase. The young alchemist's surprise was matched by Vere's initial motionless response, a half-chewed piece of apple suspended from his mouth. Yet, a flicker of anger flashed across the tall man’s face, and he forcefully drove the knife he held into the table, penetrating its sturdy surface.

Startled, Bruno leaped in shock, never expecting such a display within the tower. However, he wasn't the sole observer of Vere's outburst. All attention converged on the towering man, only to swiftly shift as a fleeting shadow materialized at the kitchen's entrance.

"Good day," a voice greeted, the figure eluding Bruno's recognition.

In a fleeting moment, the mysterious visitor vanished, continuing their ascent. The young alchemist remained bewildered, uncertain of the events unfolding, yet instinctively aware that he needed to scrutinize every detail. There was a palpable air of conflict, and where there was conflict, there lay the potential for escape.

The resonating sound of the princess's chamber doors swinging open and shutting reached the ears of all present in the kitchen. A profound stillness settled upon them as they continued to eat, their gaze fixated upon the towering figure of Vere, frozen in the entrance like a dagger lodged in place.

While fear gripped the hearts of the others, Hadiza's countenance betrayed concern and worry for the tall man, whom she carefully watched. Her eyes betrayed her unease, a fact not lost on Bruno.

Then, once more, the door upstairs creaked open and closed, accompanied by the faint echo of footsteps. This time, Bruno paid keen attention, determined to discern the identity of the mysterious intruder. A shock coursed through him as he recognized the familiar blue robe, immediately connecting it to the figure he had encountered in the depths of the dungeon. Though not entirely certain, his suspicions were confirmed when the person spoke.

"I talked with the princess," Mamun declared. "I managed to calm her down. You should bring her food."

As Mamun's gaze scanned the kitchen, seemingly searching for someone, his eyes locked onto the boy. There was no way he could recognize the young alchemist, his surprise instead stemming from the hue of Bruno's skin.

"Go, boy," Hadiza hissed, urging the slave into action.

Reacting swiftly, Bruno rose from his seat, placing his bowl on the table before grasping the tray bearing the princess's meal. Throughout the entire exchange, the old man's watchful gaze remained fixed upon him.

As Bruno passed by Mamun, en route to the top of the tower, he seized the moment and whispered, "I told you I was smarter than all the others."

Without halting, he continued onward, his words hanging in the air. Mamun turned, his eyes tracking the slave until he vanished from sight behind the kitchen wall.

Pushing open the door to the princess's room, the young alchemist revealed her chamber bathed in the gentle morning sunlight. The rays illuminated the space, casting a warm glow. A gentle breeze whispered through the window, providing respite from the otherwise stifling air.

Hallel sat motionless on the edge of her bed, her expression vacant, fixated on the wall. She remained unresponsive to his presence, even as he cautiously approached, taking measured steps toward her.

"Princess, I brought your breakfast," he informed her.

Only then did she stir, as if brought back to life. Her gaze turned toward him, accompanied by a radiant smile.

"Put it here," she said, patting the bed next to her.

Bruno hesitated slightly, unsure if she had any ulterior motives for wanting him closer. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the remnants of the shattered blade still scattered on the floor. Perhaps she wasn't armed, but he couldn't confirm this hypothesis.

Summoning his courage, he cautiously approached, tray in hand, ready to use it as a shield if necessary. However, the princess showed no signs of aggression. Instead, she smiled and waited patiently.

Finally, the tray found its place, and Bruno took a step back.

"You may leave," the princess instructed.

He retreated another step, wary of exposing his back to her, before swiftly departing without running and closing the door behind him.

To his surprise, the old man awaited him outside.

"Curious," he remarked.

"W-what?" Bruno stammered, his composure shaken by the recent harrowing encounter.

"You. She tried to kill you, am I right?" Mamun queried.

The boy didn't answer immediately. He took a moment, then nodded slowly.

"How did you escape? You didn't fight her. I'm certain of that because there are no marks on her body. So... What did you do?" The old man's voice remained calm, devoid of emotion.

This left Bruno uncertain about how to respond. He had to take a chance.

"I didn't look," he replied.

Mamun's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"That's interesting... You claimed to be smarter than the others back in the dungeon, so how did you end up as a slave?"

"Betrayal," Bruno quickly replied.

"Betrayal?" the old man inquired, even more intrigued.

"I was an apprentice in an alchemical guild, but one of the senior students didn't like me. He poisoned me and then sold me to a slave trader in the dead of night. That's how I ended up being sold."

A brief pause ensued as Mamun absorbed the information, remaining silent for a few moments.

"How long?" he finally asked.

"Was I an apprentice? Not too long, but I grasped everything quickly, which made the older students afraid and jealous of me," Bruno explained. "I even created a new product for the guild."

The old man nodded slowly.

"Come with me. I need a new assistant anyway, and you seem like a promising candidate. The one Nirav sold me before was a complete imbecile…"

With those words, Mamun turned and started descending the stairs. The young alchemist hesitated for a second or two before joining him, trailing behind the old man's footsteps.

"I'll be taking the boy with me," the old man declared as they passed by the kitchen.

Without waiting for any response, they left the tower, crossing the surrounding area. As they approached the gate, Bruno halted in his tracks.

"I can't go," he suddenly spoke, causing the old man to turn around. "The collar will kill me."

Mamun smiled and waved his hand. The metal clinked, and the collar fell from Bruno's neck, landing noisily on the brick pavement.

"The locks I create, I can unlock," Mamun explained.

"Are you... Are you a wizard?" Bruno asked, astonished.

"Yes. I am the archmage of this kingdom, also known as Mamun. And you have just become my assistant... Well, temporarily, unless you prove yourself," the old man revealed.

He spoke, opening the gate and stepping through. The boy followed in silence, his mind buzzing with the possibilities that lay ahead.