Lucian leaned back slightly, staring at Carrie with a mixture of surprise and awe. For a moment, she appeared almost radiant, bathed in a golden light that seemed to glow with promise.
He shook his head to dispel the odd thought, but as he looked back at Carrie, a softer, warmer smile crept onto his face. Reverence Points were precious to him now—perhaps even more so than magic stones. Since defeating Apollo, his supply of magic stones had improved a bit, but after the system upgrade, he needed a steady flow of Reverence Points to fuel the appraisal module, which was now key to his progress in alchemy.
From that perspective, Carrie was currently his most valuable resource—an endless fountain of Reverence Points.
Thinking quickly, Lucian's gaze drifted to the wizard robe he'd just repaired. He'd planned to keep it a while longer and reward Carrie in the future, but for the sake of Reverence Points, it was time to be flexible.
"Here, take this," he said, offering her the robe with a smile.
"Thank you, Sir Lucian." Carrie instinctively reached for it but froze upon sensing the quality of the item.
"Sir Lucian, I… I can't accept this," she said hastily, trying to return it. She knew Lucian's resources were tight—even his own robe wasn't enchanted. This one was clearly a valuable piece of defensive gear.
"It's not something I have much use for," Lucian encouraged her, nodding with an encouraging look.
"But… according to the principle of equivalent exchange…" Carrie trailed off, her thoughts swirling.
It felt ironic. While other apprentices fought tooth and nail for even basic resources, she was here trying to find ways to repay her mentor for his constant, selfless support. Since her arrival at Greybone Academy, Lucian had guided her every step, investing in her time and again without asking anything in return. He hadn't even pressed her to repay the cost of her alchemical armour.
Steeling herself, Carrie looked at the robe and then back at Lucian. "I… I can't take it!" she stammered, stepping back.
Lucian drummed his fingers on the table. Carrie's face fell; she was anxious about defying her mentor's decision.
[Your student Carrie feels deep reverence for you. +5 Reverence Points]
"Alright, if you insist on an equivalent exchange, let's make a deal," Lucian said with a slight smile, seeing her discomfort.
"I need an assistant for some alchemical experiments I'm about to start. Right now, your abilities might be limited, but you can handle cleaning glassware and organizing the lab. Once your spiritual rune work is more advanced, I'll teach you the basics of potion-making, and you can take on more involved tasks."
"Yes!" Carrie's face lit up instantly with joy.
[Your student Carrie feels deep reverence for you. +10 Reverence Points]
Lucian looked at her, amused. Most apprentices avoided extra work, yet Carrie was volunteering for chores. She'd even rewarded him with another 10 Reverence Points.
Lucian rapped his knuckles lightly on the table to focus her attention.
"The work will require about four hours a day. Since I'll also be teaching you alchemy, the pay won't be much… let's say two magic stones per week. That should be fair for equivalent exchange."
Carrie blinked, surprised. Recently, she'd learned from other apprentices that basic alchemy lessons usually required at least twenty magic stones upfront. Lucian was offering to pay her for assisting him and teaching her for free. Equivalent exchange here felt more like his own way of looking out for her.
"I… I don't need the magic stones," she replied shyly, wanting to avoid draining his resources.
"Equivalent exchange!" Lucian said with mock sternness, raising a hand as if to tap her on the head.
"Then… just one magic stone, please! Any more would be too much!" Carrie insisted, holding up a single finger.
In her mind, she wasn't worth much more than that. She felt deeply grateful to Lucian and wanted to stick to her own principles.
[Your student Carrie feels deep reverence for you. +50 Reverence Points]
Lucian's eyes widened at the new notification. Recovering, he looked at her with a warm, gentle gaze.
What a wonderful student.