The castle is made of earth, stone and bricks, and the vast basement has only a single oil lamp in the center, and the dim light reflects the scene of the basement, and dozens of boys who look less than ten years old are tinkering with transparent bottles and cans on the wooden tables around them, and the liquid in the bottles is red and green, bubbling under the shaking of the children.

The boys were wrapped in nothing but a tattered sackcloth garment, which seemed to be a little reluctant, for it looked like nothing more than a rag simply enclosed and two holes cut out of their arms. The clothes are very dirty, with black-red patches and yellow stains, and they should have been worn for a long time and have not been washed.

In addition to the boys, in the corner of the basement there were two adult men leaning against the wall, each holding a red-shelled notebook, sometimes looking up at the boys in the laboratory, sometimes picking up a quill to sketch on the notebook.

"The black rot liquid is running out and must be replenished immediately. One of them counted the materials in stock, frowned and said to his companion.

"The new batch of prisoners is still in Darkwater, and the fog demon has appeared in the ash wetlands outside the town, and it will take at least three days to reach the castle after clearing the road. ”

"Three days? The remaining black rot liquid may not be usable even today, and there is no way to test without black rot liquid, and you should know very well what Lord McCarthy will do with us who delay his experiment. ”

The other pondered for a moment, then out of the corner of his eye, swept over the busy boys, and whispered to his companions, "So—the old rules?"

A cruel smile tugged at the man's lips and he nodded at his companion.

......

Feeling the gaze from behind them, the boys couldn't help but feel a palpitation, and the movements of their hands immediately accelerated, praying that this gaze would not finally fall on them.

"Gabry. The man picked a name from the roster, and according to the records, the boy named Gabrie was the slowest in the basement, and it only took three days for the others to prepare a bottle of crying potion, while the boy needed five days.

"Incompetent labor", this is what the two of them said about Gabry.

Such an inconspicuous boy, even if he disappears, will not attract any attention, right?

In front of a wooden table, Gabry, whose name was called, trembled, slowly turned around, panic filled his eyes, he grabbed the rags and linen clothes with his small hands, and walked to the two of them with heavy steps.

"You're Gabry?" the man asked, giving him a nonchalant look.

Gabby's throat twitched slightly, sweat drooping from his ears, and it took him a while to utter the complete sentence: "Yes, two adults." ”

"Are you scared?" asked another.

Gabrie waved his little hands in a panic and tried to explain, "No, my lord, I didn't. ”

"You're just scared. The man's tone became cold, and Gabri immediately closed his mouth, but the next moment, the man's tone softened, and he stretched out his broad palm and rubbed Gabbri's messy hair: "What is there to be afraid of? We won't do anything to you, little Gabri." ”

Gabri's heart suddenly became dazed, he was indeed afraid, but when he felt the temperature from the palm above his head, he began to wonder if he should be afraid again.

"He's right, you don't need to be afraid, Gabbri, the reason why you came here is just that we want to know about you. The man who spoke first smiled softly at Gabri, and even took out a white piece of malt from his coat pocket and handed it to him.

Gabrie looked at the candy in his hand and felt incredulous, for the children who stayed in this dim basement all day, the usual food was just a clear soup with a faint meat flavor, and a small plate of black bread crumbs, even expired, whole black bread was a luxury food, not to mention a snack like candy, wasn't that the food that only noble young masters could get?

"Eat, it's sweet. ”

Gabrie tore open the seal in a trance and put the candy in his mouth, and the rich sweetness soaked his entire body in an instant.

Countless envious eyes were cast at him, and the rest of the little boys could only watch Gabry enjoy the taste of candy, while they could only share a wisp of sweet fragrance in the wind.

How lucky, Gabry!

More than one of the boys began to have such thoughts, and apparently they had all believed the two adults.

The same was true of Gabby, his eyes full of gratitude as he looked up at the two of them again.

"How can I repay you, two adults?"

"We don't need anything, and the seriousness you take when you work is the best reward for us. The man looked at him with concern, and suddenly sighed: "It's just that it's not enough to be serious, we noticed that it seems to take a long time for you to prepare the reagents, little Gabri." ”

Gabrie hung his head in shame and whispered, "It's me who is too stupid." ”

"No, you're just missing the right skills. The man said gently, "We expect a lot from you, but we always waste our expectations of you in the wrong way, and I think you should have a formal counseling, so we have come to ask for your opinion." ”

Gabbey had been convinced, he obviously believed that the two of them had no ill will towards him, and even felt disappointed that his clumsy progress had disappointed them, and when he heard this, he didn't even hesitate at all, nodded and said, "I do!"

"Okay, come with us, I think a quiet place is more suitable for tutoring. ”

The two took Gabrie with them, and the remaining boys looked at each other and whispered.

"Gabrie is so lucky to have the favor of two adults. ”

"yes, that's candy? I swear it must have tasted great. ”

"I knew I should have been more positive. ”

"I think so too. ”

In the sound of such a discussion, a cold mockery was extremely harsh.

"A bunch of idiots. ”

The boys looked at the person who made the sound, and one of the chubby ones, apparently angry, pointed at the snorting teenager and said, "Hodge, why do you say that!"

Although the black-haired and black-eyed boy is young, his facial contours can already see the handsome appearance of the future, and this appearance is ...... among boys No, even if it is placed in the noble young master, it is quite outstanding.

The boy named Hodge didn't say much, but said coldly in a mocking tone: "Because you are a bunch of idiots, look, Gabrie can't come back." ”

"How do you know?"

"I just know, idiot!"

The fat boy was about to argue again, but the door to the basement was suddenly pushed open, and the light outside the door showed the figures of two men, but Gabbri, who was supposed to come back with them, was gone.

"What are you looking for, don't you hurry up and get to work!" a roar of anger shook all the boys, and they hurriedly turned back to their own business.