Chapter 43

After distributing the self-made restorative potion to Lukas, I told him that I had something to discuss with the master who had just woken up, and sent him home first. Although I had no solid basis, I hesitated to tell Lukas about Elvira's self-destructive disease, as it was merely my personal feeling.

The master seemed to have guessed from my words and actions, and as soon as Lukas left the hut, she spoke—not to me, but to her.

"Any progress on the self-destructive disease?"

"…I've obtained a rare monster's horn, and I'm currently working on a new potion based on it. However, it's not going smoothly."

The master merely nodded at my answer, showing no particular reaction. It seemed to be as expected.

The master appeared to think the conversation was over, but I pressed on, pulling something out of my bag.

"I brought a ground sample."

I handed her a small packet of powder. The master took it and immediately transferred it to a transparent container, examining the powder from various angles with great interest. Her red eyes seemed to sparkle, revealing her curiosity about the new ingredient. The master, a renowned alchemist, was driven by her innate curiosity. When she was interested in something, she would pursue it relentlessly until she found the answer, truly a "researcher" type.

Seeing her interest in the monster's horn as an ingredient, I couldn't help but smile. I had always intended to seek her help, and now that she was interested, things would move faster. I took out a notebook from my bag and handed it to her. It contained the synthesis methods I had recorded at Arnold's suggestion, with only a few pages filled with ink.

"The main effect seems to be the enhancement of other effects. This is a record of the synthesis methods I've used so far."

The master flipped through the pages with interest, her red eyes darting over the text.

"However, none of the restoratives have been administered to Elvira… the patient yet."

"The stronger the effect, the more concerned we are about its impact on a young body."

The master placed her hand on her chin, rubbing her cheek with her thumb, deep in thought. She repeatedly compared the powder in the container with the notes I had written, muttering to herself. I hesitated to interrupt her thoughts but decided to share one more piece of information.

"Also, I have a new lead. There's a spring in Flaria that is said to cure serious illnesses."

After a few seconds, she seemed to recall something and asked, "The spirit water?"

I nodded slowly in response.

"It's mentioned in the book of legends you lent me."

"Ah, I see," the master replied, her voice somewhat subdued. She probably thought it was unlikely to be effective. Indeed, if I didn't have my past memories, I would have found it hard to believe that a spring labeled "spirit water" could cure serious illnesses. However, I knew that in "Last Brave," the "spirit water" item existed and had effects worthy of a panacea.

However, if I told her this reason, I would be seen as just a crazy girl. Judging that it wasn't a topic to dwell on, I changed the subject.

"Master, I have another request… Can you teach me about poisons?"

Poisons are the opposite of restoratives, designed to harm. As an aspiring alchemist, I was expected to have some knowledge of poisonous plants, but synthesizing poisons was somewhat outside my expertise. My interest in poisons, which are outside my specialty, began recently. I thought they might be my only means of defense against monsters, as I lacked both magical and physical strength.

"What, a dangerous disciple, are we?"

"I've encountered monster attacks twice, and I thought it would be good to have some means of resistance… I haven't studied poisonous plants much."

The attacks in the capital, Shvaria, and the snowy town of Platnovna. My awareness of direct defense against monsters began after the encounter in Platnovna. At that time, I was completely unarmed, unable to use magic or a sword, and my restoratives were useless. I had always thought that fighting monsters was outside an alchemist's expertise, which wasn't wrong, but I strongly felt the need to have some self-defense skills, even if just to distract a monster for a moment.

Unfortunately, I had no talent for swords or magic. So, I thought about what I could do. That's when I "remembered" the existence of poisons. In "Last Brave," there was a poison item that could be thrown to perform an area attack. I desperately tried to recall how to obtain poisons. They could be found in treasure chests in dungeons, bought from suspicious apothecaries, and synthesized by "Granny" using a magic cauldron.

If my memory was correct and there were no significant differences between the poisons in this world and those in "Last Brave," I could synthesize them myself. However, I felt uneasy about tackling a new field alone, so I decided to seek the master's guidance.

"Alright… here."

The master threw me a pair of gloves. They were made of rough material and were heavily blackened.

"Poisonous plants can sometimes dissolve your skin if you touch them, so I'll go with you. The quality of the poisonous plants around here is high."

I hadn't expected this. The area was home to poisonous plants that could dissolve skin. If a child touched them, what would happen? The distrust I briefly felt towards the adults in Eme's village quickly dissipated.

The master led me to a cluster of poisonous plants near a steep cliff. The area was fenced off, with a large sign reading "Poisonous Plant Cluster." The plants inside the fence were neatly arranged, clearly cultivated.

The master opened the fence and beckoned me over. I noticed a spark of lightning when she touched the fence, suggesting it might be enchanted to deliver an electric shock if touched carelessly.

Following the master, I stepped into the fenced area and crouched next to her to observe her work.

"Here, this one is particularly potent."

The master's gloved hand flipped a leaf, revealing a poisonous, mottled pattern. It was clearly a poisonous plant.

I crouched next to her and watched as she casually plucked the plants. There didn't seem to be much to be mindful of at this stage. Her method was somewhat rough, and some leaves were torn. The bag she used to collect the plants was darker and thicker than usual.

After collecting the plants, we returned to the master's house to begin the synthesis.

"Poisonous plants can also affect you through their smell, so you need to be well-prepared before synthesizing."

We opened the windows and doors and put on bird-like protective masks with herbs to neutralize the poison.

"Here, try grinding it. Be careful not to let it fly around."

The protective mask slightly obstructed my vision, but I followed the master's precise instructions. The basic synthesis process was similar for both poisons and herbs, but the concentration required was much higher. A slip could dissolve the fingerprints on my fingertips.

Sweat beaded on my forehead. I instinctively reached for my sleeve to wipe it away, but the master grabbed my arm with a firm grip. She shook her head sternly, and I realized the danger. If even a drop of poison had seeped into the sleeve, it could be disastrous.

A cold sweat ran down my spine. I took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart and resumed the work.

Despite the intense tension, the time it took to synthesize the poison was not much different from a restorative. The poison was completed more smoothly than I had expected.

"You're still a disciple who doesn't learn, aren't you?"

The master glanced at my work and muttered to herself.

Indeed, the basic process was the same as for restoratives, making this my forte. However, I now understood the master's exceptional teaching ability.

Honestly, until I started teaching Emilianna, I had thought my master was a laissez-faire teacher. She had only shown me the synthesis method once, and when I asked for guidance, she would hand me a book. I had taken her words, "You have talent, so there's no point in teaching you," at face value.

While it was true that the master was laissez-faire and I had talent, she also provided concise and accurate guidance. Her ability to explain key points in a single lesson and to recommend the most suitable literature for my questions made me realize how fortunate I was as a disciple.

I glanced at her. Despite her words, the master's eyes were narrowed with a hint of joy, and a warm feeling spread in my chest.