Scavenger Rat proved his worth by depositing another batch of ingredients in the pool by the next morning. Although there were only two units this time, among all the familiars Euri had cultivated so far, this little guy was the only one returning the investment with profit.
To conserve common foodstuffs for later use, Euri wanted to try using only one unit of the current batch against the two units of beast core and beast body.
But the ambrosia pool refused to move into production mode this way. After several attempts and experiments, Euri had to accept the rule that at least one unit of common foodstuff had to be matched with one core and one body.
His regret over wasting the ingredients in the past spiked higher than ever. He had even used three units of common foodstuffs against single-unit ingredients once! What a loss!
"At least I discovered this optimization route quickly." He could only console himself this way, shuddering at the possibility of never experimenting with the production of ambrosia and wasting innumerable ingredients.
After consuming the two units of ambrosia produced this time, Euri's Physique stat now stood at 1.17 points.
"0.5 points from two beasts, again? Is this number fixed for all types of beasts? It was the same back when I put two Giant Centipedes into the pool. Those creatures have nothing in common with the Shadow Crows I used for this batch. Looks like I need to experiment more radically whenever I get a haul of twin beasts."
When Euri looked at himself in the mirror that morning, he could clearly see the difference between his physique from a week earlier and now. The enhancements were a lot more defined. Even an outsider would probably notice how much his body was swelling up if he didn't take any precautions.
The latest hunting mode also contributed one beast core to the gas well and one incomplete set to the ambrosia pool. There was a frog with an interesting affix this time, but Euri couldn't see any benefits to rearing it in the near future.
After a lighter set of exercises meant to brush up the sore muscles from yesterday's heavy training, Euri was about to head out for school as usual. But he realized that neither of his parents had gotten ready to leave for their shifts yet. It was rare to see them at home past eight in the morning.
"You got an off day at work?" he asked his father, who was lazily reclined on the living room sofa, staring at empty air above him like a paralysis patient.
"...No."
Euri didn't really care what the answer was. He was just trying to make conversation while getting ready for school. But then he heard his father add to the reply.
"Got laid off. No more morning shifts."
Euri turned around at lightning-fast speed, staring at his old man with a serious look.
"And mom?"
"Same. Quite the coincidence, if you ask me. We don't even work under the same management."
While his words suggested clarity and suspicion, his tone held no energy. It was as if even if he came to learn that the two of them had been fired over some unfair grounds, he wouldn't give a shit.
"What did you get fired for?" Euri couldn't hold back his curiosity and frustration.
"Didn't ask. The manager didn't seem interested in letting the conversation grow. Just shoved me out of the building, and I found your mother in the same situation on the other end of the block."
Euri chewed on his tongue for a long time before muttering, "Must have realized it's not good for the productivity chain to employ addicts."
His father's dead gaze turned sharp for a very brief flash. Euri was almost hopeful that the insult would ignite something in him. Even if he got beaten for it, he wouldn't mind as long as the reverie of Black Foam addicts could be broken.
But the lanky middle-aged man's sickly countenance mellowed out again, extinguishing Euri's hope.
"Yeah, you could be right." He simply admitted it. "But nothing can be done to remedy it now. If they had given me a warning, at least..."
"You wouldn't have quit drugs, either way." Snorting in disdain, Euri picked up his backpack. Before leaving the house, he warned them not to entertain any visitors who might claim to be looking for him.
"Is this about that problem you ran into..."
Euri interrupted his mother halfway through the nagging.
"Don't worry about it. It's almost solved. Just a week or so left to make sure that no more troubles come out of it. You two should be more worried about what to eat next month. Don't forget how much a tube of Black Foam costs either!"
Neither of his parents appreciated the snide remark, but they had the same worries. They couldn't reprimand him for getting worked up.
Euri walked out of the apartment, fists and teeth clenched, breath coming out long and venomous, and a heart that yearned to explode.
It would be best if he started looking for a source of earning. Relying on his parents would not be a good idea. There was a high likelihood that they wouldn't land a job until they quit the addiction.
Instead of rushing to the metro circuit, Euri made a detour around the neighborhood and met up with some friends one by one. These guys were about the same age as him, but due to unfortunate circumstances, all of them had quit their studies and started doing odd jobs.
Their line of work was the only convenient way to guarantee quick and safe income each working day. So Euri didn't hesitate to let them know his intentions.
"Bro, if you don't get engines, I can't help you out. Even if you had a basic idea..."
"Euri, plumbing work isn't as simple as going inside a well-furnished kitchen and pushing some pumps. You need to work for a while before you become a pro and get regular calls."
"I can put in a good word for you to my boss and teach you how to paint. But it's boring work with long hours, and right now, we're working on the outer walls of a fifteen-floor project. You sure you can hang on to a rope for twelve hours and paint walls?"
"Euri, my brother, trust me, you don't wanna go down into the tail-zone sewers. You can, but you don't want to. It pays well, but I wouldn't wish it on even my worst enemy, man."
Most of his friends were willing to help, but the problems they warned him about made Euri hesitate. He still had to attend school half the days of a week. Few day job syndicates paid well to such loose workers, especially not newbies.
While his resolve was starting to waver, he met a slightly older guy whom he had always known to have a somewhat shady network. He had gotten arrested more than a dozen times over petty charges, and usually bribed his way out every time.
Euri couldn't help feeling downhearted when he made the same request again. He doubted this guy would offer anything lawful. The worse thing was, Euri would probably accept it if it wasn't too amoral.
One morning full of bad news was all it had taken for him turn to this path.
While every other friend had avoided asking why Euri needed a small job, Aemon simply scanned him from head to toe suspiciously.
"Looking a little intimidating, little Euri, aren't ya? Mind telling the story?"
"What story?" Euri was left confused.
"You're supposed to be graduating from school in two months, right? Doubt you'd come to me for a job unless it was an emergency. What, your parents got into some debt? I can help if it can be solved with violent means-"
"No, not debt. They lost their job," Euri admitted honestly.
"Then why the fuck can't those grown-ass adults go look for another damn job?! Why are they sending out their son, who needs to study—Oh, right..." Aemon trailed off, staring at a group of homeless people under a polythene shade nearby.
"Black Foam, right?" he said awkwardly.
"How did you know?"
"One of my bros see'em on regular while they buy supplies," Aemon replied vaguely, and changed the subject. "Anyway, if you really need some quick cash to ensure that you can at least make it to your exams well-fed, then I can sponsor you for a... Well, it's not exactly a job. But it'll pay, and judging by how much you've been working out, you'll soar through that shit."
"...Do you want me to rob someone? Beat someone up?" Euri was getting wary, very wary of the long, calculative looks Aemon was giving his limbs and torso.
"Nah, you aren't skilled enough for that pro stuff, little Euri. Let's see... Slim build, smaller frame, but that's just highlighting the shape and size of these muscles. And your knuckles don't seem too green for a fight either. Eyes and lips are not very welcoming... Just perfect!"
"For what?" Euri almost wondered if he should back out right now.
"I want you to look just as pissed as you do right now, and help me collect some overdue debt. That's all," Aemon said with a goofy grin.
A/N: The first tier of my patreon now offers 5 advanced chapters. I may not take the WN contract offer, so you can support me on patreon if you want.
Link: www.patreon.com/amrahi