The food tasted stale, the once fine meal turning to paste in my mouth at the stomach churning sight of the man that had tried to charm me with his money.

I could feel the malice he held for Darwin and the immense lust that he felt towards me. It was honestly disgusting, enough that it felt like I was going to throw up if he approached us.

And to my chagrin he did, legs weak from years of disuse hobbled towards our table, the butler that had informed us earlier carried a chit that he had placed under his master. The closer that the pig got to us the stronger the sense of list I felt from his emotions.

I had to just close my eyes, shutting off any sense of sight that I had. Darwin next to me felt anger, his own emotions mixing with mine. In the whole world of darkness that I had isolated myself in, he was the only constant. The one which brought peace to my soul.

Though that peace was broken when the navally voice of the man that had interrupted us broke through my ears.

"My lady," he voiced, his voice sounding like someone scratching their nails on a cutting board. "If I may, I would like to invite you to the private seat so that we may get to know each other better"

The self confidence in his voice was as off putting as could be possible, it was as if no one had ever dared say no to him.

"Hah" I sighed out loud, my eyes opening as hey turned to glare at him. "No" I firmly said his own will shaken by the weight of my words.

Though that didn't last for long as soon after he recovered himself and snarled.

"I was being nice, Girl! Andrew take her!" He yelled, his voice reaching the butler's ears who just sighed in response, his eyes losing their light.

"Ahem" a voice interrupted, the coughing man dangerously close to us. Though it wasn't like I didn't notice him, just that his presence was so low that I didn't see any danger in him. But now that I looked closer I recognized him, the soul that wanted to haggle for the jewelry.

"Who are y-" the man started to yell but his voice fell soon after. His eyes stared straight at the man that had intervened to help us, wide as could be.

"I- I- I'm so sorry sir alchemist" he stammered out. His voice cracked and his knees fell, weak.

"You should be" the supposed alchemist glared at the man, "These two are with me"

"Ah, please forgive me" the man said, his voice a mix of desperation and pleas.

"Just get out of here" I sighed out, my hand waving to the door.

"Yes Ma'am, come Andrew"

With that the man was off, his legs taking him out of the restaurant shaky with fear.

..

The sliding of a chair rang throughout the restaurant, a cold silence taking hold of the restaurant as the rest of the customers stared on in silence. Their conversations were forgotten as they looked in awe at the alchemist that had intervened.historical

"Ahem" he coughed again, "let me formally introduce myself to you. I am Sebastian, the head alchemist of this country"

I stood up just as Darwin did my hand reaching out to shake his own.

"Pleasure," I said dryly, "I am Aoif and this is my husband Darwin"

"Married?" He questioned, a raised eyebrow at our apparent ages.

"Not officially but we might as well be" I responded before sitting back down to enjoy the rest of my meal.

'Married?' Darwin questioned, his emotions connecting us so that we could talk telepathically.

'Do you not want me..' I transferred over, my emotions cycling to the saddest that they could be.

'No, no. It's just that.. I your messing with me' at first it was panicked then his emotions caught on, my own turning sly at the deadpan that Darwin had given me.

"Sebastian," I addressed my eyes looking up from my food and into his own as he turned to look toward me from where he was ordering. "Why did you help us?"

"You helped me by selling me that jewelry, it helped me make a breakthrough on a very personal project. Why would I not help you?" At the last sentence he tilted his head as he gave us a playful look.

"I can accept that but don't think that we will sell you anything more at a discount just because you helped."

"Oh no. I wouldn't think to do that, I was just returning the favor. If I could help you then I will."

I nodded my head, looking towards Darwin who in turn nodded his own.

"You said you were an alchemist?"

"Yes" he nodded.

"Then do you have basic books about alchemy, things that a beginner could use to build a foundation"

"I do, but I can tell you they don't come cheap"

"That's fine," I brought my hand into my pocket where I found another gem, one that Selta had told me to auction off.

"Take this in exchange, but first I need the books" I opened the box, a resplendent jewel twice as big as the others and purer than anything else that I had been given. If I put a price on it, it would be at least three to four times higher in price.

Sebastian's eyes widened his expression one of shock.

"Wait here, I'll be right back with the books." His eyes were full of glee as he practically ran out of the restaurant, a faint trace of aether appearing on his legs as he reinforced himself to go even faster.

"Your foods here?" The waiter said, her voice trailing off into a question as she looked on at Sebastian runoff out of the restaurant and towards the street.

"Just place it there, he'll be back soon" I said pointing towards the part of the table near his chair.