At the academy, the first weekend of "leave" arrived—a few days when students could leave the institution. If they lived nearby, they visited their families; if they lived far away, they usually stayed at the academy, taking the time to explore and get to know the city. Silas and Jean, who by then were good friends, discussed what to do.

  —Silas, I’m staying at the academy. My parents don’t have enough money to send me back and forth every leave weekend, so I’m going to check out the city market. What about you? —Jean said.

  Silas thought for a few seconds:

  —To be honest, my village is very far away. I’d like to see more of this city because Lampone doesn't compare to how big this place is. On the other hand, between our scholarship money and the other amount I was given as a gift after the evaluation test, we could buy something fun.

  The other money was what Andros had given him along with the gloves. And so, Silas and Jean headed out. A few meters behind them, Leon followed, wanting to ask if he could join them. —I’ll ask the guys if we can see the city together; I do nothing but train and study... —Leon thought, but his idea was interrupted by the arrival of his father, Goryl Lugal.

  —Leon, son, how have you been? —Goryl said in a deep, imposing voice.

  His body, like Leon's, was quite impressive, resembling a gorilla. If compared to Ronny, one might think they were twin brothers, though Goryl had the strange anatomy of arms longer than average. Despite his imposing voice and body, Goryl was an affectionate father to his son.

  —Son, I’ve come to take you to rest at the estate —Goryl said.

  —I’ve been well, father, though I haven’t been able to make many friends —Leon replied.

  —Well, that will come with time. People are usually intimidated by our appearance; in fact, if your mother hadn't spoken to me, I’d still be single, ha ha ha! —Goryl joked.

  —I know, father, you always tell me. Is mom at the house? —Leon asked.

  —Not right now, she went to Bronya to look for some gloves as a surprise gift for your enrollment… Damn it, don’t tell her I told you that! —Goryl corrected himself.

  —Alright, father, but only if you don't come next leave, so I can see if I can join the other boys to make friends —Leon negotiated.

  —Alright, it’s a deal.

  Father and son Lugal climbed into a carriage heading for their home. Meanwhile, Silas and Jean looked at everything in the market. There was food at street stalls of everything one could imagine. Silas bought a beef skewer and, upon tasting it, found it good.

  —This skewer is good, but there’s a place where the food is ten times better —he said, referring to Mrs. Estella’s inn.

  Some shouting distracted the boys. A guard was taking a person into custody who was yelling: —But I didn't do anything! Being a scholar shouldn't be a crime!

  In that moment, the guard became distracted and looked disoriented at the handcuffed scholar.

  —Fine, I'll let it slide this time, but the next time you fake your faction, you’re going to jail —he said in a semi-robotic voice, as if someone were controlling him from a distance.

  —What was that? —Silas asked Jean.

  —Well, scholars have a hard time finding work, so it's better to pretend you’re a legionnaire or a passive shaper; but even if it’s a passive role, that’s still illegal —Jean explained—. The other way is to beg for money, like those people.

  Jean pointed to some women begging for money on the street, which Silas found strange.

  —Well, even though Lampone was a small village, that didn't happen there —Silas said, since he only had memories of the village where there might not have been great luxuries, but no one was begging on the street.

  Silas gave several skewers to a female scholar who was begging.

  —Why did you do that? —Jean asked.

  —Well, I hadn't told you, but my mother was a passive scholar. In the village, we never lacked for anything and we weren't discriminated against, so I don't understand how this happens in a city —Silas replied.

  —Thanks for telling me that. While I don't have a problem with it, if others find out your mother is a scholar, they might treat you differently —Jean advised him.

  <> Silas thought.

  The boys had caught the attention of eyes that were fixed on how students from Jarred Academy had given food to a scholar and that the boy was the son of a scholar. In the mind of the individual spying on Silas, a thought arose: —Good, I’ve already taken care of that guard, and that boy could be a candidate in the future, but there’s still a long way to go, though it wouldn't hurt to know more.

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  Silas suddenly felt Cognis directed at him and looked in several directions.

  —What’s wrong, Silas? —Jean asked.

  —No, nothing, I just got distracted —Silas replied. He thought it had been a long time since he’d run into a scholar and it was strange to feel Cognis after so many days.

  <> the mysterious man thought.

  The boys passed through the section selling shaper items, from weapons to tools like hammers, precision cutters, and centrifuge machines. A shaper caught Silas’s eye; he was working with an item similar to a thick metal pencil with buttons, which he used to set a ring. Like a mirage, Silas saw that shaper as if it were Don Alfonse working in his jewelry shop, and a pang hit his chest—not of pain, but of melancholy. <> he thought.

  As he walked with Jean, Silas remembered Don Alfonse. During one of his visits to the workshop, Silas saw him using very similar tools: they looked like metal pencils with sparks coming out of the tips, and they weren't connected to anything. When Don Alfonse noticed his curiosity, he said: —Does this trinket surprise you? It’s a hand welder. It’s used to melt certain metals and join jewelry. It’s activated by using Mana. All shapers have these kinds of gadgets, and some even have personal protection weapons that are activated with Mana.

  Silas had always wanted to ask Don Alfonse about his life before arriving at the village, though he always changed the subject. Perhaps by asking about the origin of those objects, he could learn more.

  —And did you build those items yourself? —Silas asked.

  —The truth is I could build one —Don Alfonse replied—, but I bought this one decades ago in Mikailier.

  <> Silas thought, seeing his opportunity—. Did you live in Mikailier ten years ago?

  —Uhm, no —Alfonse replied—. Mikailier is like a temporary city.

  —How is it a temporary city? —Silas insisted.

  —Let’s see how to explain it to you —Alfonse said—. In Mikailier, there is the Perrin I Academy, which is the most highly valued academy of all for Shapers. The best in the kingdom are trained in this academy, and there is no age limit; the limit is the skill and potential one has.

  —Did you attend that academy?

  —Something like that —he replied—. I spent several years in Mikailier, but if you aren't a resident there, it’s hard to stay for long.

  —The locals must be very difficult, right, Don Alfonse?

  —Look, the locals are very kind. What happens is that the city is near a large Mana vein; therefore, it’s normal to suffer attacks from Mana beasts. It’s like a city that is at war every day. Besides, not everyone can stand being near Mana veins for so long, which is why Shaper careers are very short. Whether in solids, liquids, or gases, each specialty has two levels: Master and Grand Master Shaper.

  —And you, Don Alfonse, how many did you complete?

  —I couldn't complete any level, hahahaha. I think I just dedicated myself to drinking in that city.

  Returning to the present, the boys had walked quite a bit, far from the incident with the scholar. They passed near a shop called "The Invisible Man."

  <> Silas thought.

  —What’s up, Silas? Did you get stuck staring at something again? I think you should go to the infirmary, though you might not make it because you’ll stop to look at a flower on the way, hahahaha! —Jean joked.

  —Yeah, Jean, very funny, but the name of that shop sounds familiar from somewhere.

  —Well, it’s true you’re a country boy who probably hasn't heard of the renown of "The Invisible Man" workshop, the best shaper workshop, whose head is Salva Dalin, a Grand Master level shaper —Jean explained.

  —Ah, of course! I have some gloves that were made in this workshop! —Silas exclaimed with a small shout.

  —Sure, Silas, and I have Baun Oliven brand armor in my pocket —Jean said sarcastically.

  —Seriously, Jean, I have them in my room at the academy… if you want, we can bet on it.

  —Okay, Silas, I see you want to take this farce further. Fine, what do you want to bet?

  —How about a favor? Nothing humiliating or anything like that, just a favor —Silas said in an expert salesman tone.

  —Fine, it’s a deal.

  The boys shook hands and returned to the academy. Back in the room, after eating more than they should have, Silas showed him the gloves. He had hesitated to use them before for fear that his Ether would spiral out of control again. Jean took the gloves and read the manual.

  —"Made in The Invisible Man workshop" —Jean read aloud—. Damn it, Silas, fine, nothing I can do about it, I admit I lost. Do you have a relative who owns a gold mine or something?

  —Why? —Silas asked.

  —Look, first, it’s a 3-star item from the best workshop in the city. Also, the functions it has and the low Ether consumption it mentions must have been made with materials from Mana beasts; that makes them very expensive. Finally, it’s an item named "Ghost Gloves"—that name is given when the shaper creates a singular item.

  Silas thought: <>

  —Who gave them to you? —Jean asked.

  —A country boy I know gave them to me —Silas said, imitating Jean’s voice.

  —Alright, Silas, I got the hint. Then let the show begin!

  Jean, who had already learned to channel a small amount of Ether, put on the gloves. At first glance, nothing happened.

  —Silas, nothing’s happening. Could it be that I couldn't channel the Ether correctly? —Jean asked, putting his hand to his chin.

  —Jean, look at that! —Silas shouted, pointing at his friend’s face.

  For Jean, nothing had changed, but when he brought his hand to his chin, it went from being open to touching his face in less than a blink.

  —Wow, so that’s how they work —Jean said, starting to make quick gestures with his hands, but in Silas’s view, Jean’s hand seemed not to have moved at all—. Wow, I think these are great gloves!

  Silas asked for the gloves and put them on. He knew they would act like a "muscle" that would consume Ether. For safety, he would only channel for a second. He began his unique process (Ichor-Cognis-Ether) and sent pure Ether. His hands moved faster than the human eye could see and without a sound. Silas had to accelerate his own mind to perceive his movements.

  —Hand me that paper —he told Jean. Silas put the paper on his extended hand—. Jean, look at this.

  As if by an act of magic, the paper turned into a ball out of nowhere.

  —How did you do that? —Jean asked.

  —Well, I just squeezed it. The hands move almost the same as without the gloves, but to everyone else, it’s as if they hadn't moved.

  The boys began to play, coming up with tactics for blocks or attacks that would be imperceptible to the eye. What they couldn't test was the Mana core button that dispersed attacks, for lack of a strong opponent. As a result of that play, Silas had acquired an item that would be very useful in his future—one that would save his life on more than one occasion.