Gossip

That night I carted over all the medications personally with a group of guards. I now have concentrated all my alchemy products in one place.

The chemistry/Alchemy lab has officially been set up along with a lovely hearth and flame hood. Vacuum chambers, glassware, sinks, journals, sinks, toxic disposal, and eye wash. A basic chem lab.

I even was able to make a makeshift microscope. It's not a lot of magnification since making curved lenses is extremely difficult and making a small light emitter is even more impossible currently. It's still can look at smaller substances. When I combine it with the alchemical magnify skill, I can start looking at organelles in cells. There's a fridge as well to store Petri dishes when I get around to developing them.

I even have an anvil close to the balcony which I've turned into a huge fume hood for the hearth and experiments dealing with fumes.

The anvil of course I have asked to be a standard rune master anvil. Ironically it was more expensive than the entire house but, Nordri actually built me one this week as a gift since I'm rushing through my training.

With all that I'm ready to experiment!

Downstairs I saw the waiting area and shelves and shelves of my basic medications. In my spare time I made rubbing alcohol.

I am currently testing and trying to see if I can just use naturally occurring opium as a painkiller for wounds. Using Aspirin would thin the blood too much for debilitating wounds. I would only prescribe the opium in house and we aren't a hospital so bedside care isn't expected. I did make two rooms in the back just in case though. One to hold patients for a long time and the other to see them individually.

Downstairs I've set up a vault to hold anything valuable like money or crafting experiments I created. There's a fridge in there as well storing the forbidden medications.

The rest of the room I've set up to store blood, spare medicines or anything I forge to sell.

Tomorrow, the store will open officially with the kids manning the front. Muninn will be present so I can see everything.

I go back home and sleep calmly knowing I'm about to start a medical revolution.

_____

This week I decided to take the standard route to Nordri's using the underground passage in the castle. This time I had Hilda follow me. I figured if Fafnir is going to pester me no matter what identity I use, I might as well go with my regular face.

In any case, he should have figured out both identities were both me. I'd be surprised if he hadn't.

The path was another spiral stair case in a dark corner of the castle. It had a guard in front who let me by.

When I got to the bottom, I surprising ran into Alviss. He was extremely happy to see me.

"Hello Prince Loki! I heard your store officially opens up today. I would love to go check out what concoctions you have cooked up."

I looked at him happily because word must have gotten out, "Do check it out, I've come up with a few medications. I haven't had time to increase my stock so at the moment they are distributed on the basis of need, but in a few weeks I should have enough to start selling whole sale."

Alviss put a hand on my shoulder, "Of course I will Loki, you are my most prided pupil. I can't wait to see what comes out of that mind of yours. I don't want to keep you, Master Nordri is a great man."

I nodded then turned around to leave.

I then I heard Alviss whisper, "be careful of Fafnir".

I stopped for a moment then continued walking.

I then looked looked forward and whispered, "Hilda, I'd there a way to watch the movements of a dwarf in Nidavellir?"

Hilda then explained in a low tone, "In an official investigation no, but us Valkyries have our ways. Why? Do you perceive this Fafnir to be a threat to your safety. I can have petition the King for an injunction."

I shook my head, "No nothing like that I hope. I would just rather be safe then sorry. I'm putting my neck out with the store and would like to have some security."

Hilda nodded then said, "I can have him on watch at all times."

I waved to her a signal to be quiet, "Good, set that up while I'm at Nordri's".

I had sensed someone close by. I quickly moved to the castle and out the front door making it to Nordri's a few minutes earlier than normal.

That day we continued practicing the six fundamental forging skills. Heat treating to strengthen and make metal more valuable, oil to quickly cool down a material and increase durability, forging to change the shape of a metal into another form, casting to use molten metal to form and shape, welding to merge two pieces of metal together, and finally alloys which are created by a mixture of all the previous processes.

Welding is interesting enough since I use a runic welder that spits out highly concentrated heat.

Throughout this entire time I'm multitasking with Muninn. Muninn has a set spot on the first floor desk so he can easily communicate with everyone at the clinic and relay my wishes. I treat Muninn very well by feeding him anything he asks.

Muninn's thoughts are very simple. He can only recognize threats or help from the thoughts he reads. The person who actually reads through them is me.

Muninn usually only responds to me with yes, no, food, fly etc. He does have one quirk though. He can share with me thoughts on what he wants to eat. Ravens are among ores so he will eat almost anything. Today he wanted choco eggs (chicken equivalent here). So I had someone set him up with some hard boiled eggs and some nuts. A balanced meal of course.

Muninn was doing a very good job working with Sif to read life forces and send the images she sees to me so I can diagnose people. Sif and Nix were working extremely well with my Maid custodian Prudr. My maid Reginleif was doing her job correctly as well in categorizing prices accurately and taking accounts of charges.

Our customers that morning were a lot and based on curiosity for my name but the four of them quickly explained that unless you were seriously ill that these medications were not going to sold for a while until we had more of a stock. The only thing for sale currently is some of my alchemy potions I made like the freezing potion, warming potion, soap, and Rubbing alcohol.

No corrosive potion? Like hell I'd sell that.

In any case, the customers stared trickling down because people who thought I'd sell everything thought they can buy my medicines in bulk.

What we had left over were people mainly obsessed with soap that I managed to combine with lavender like scent, and people who were actually ill.

This kept going until strangely around noon, when barely any customers walked in. It was strange enough that Sif had Muninn send me a message. When I got Muninn to read the thoughts of those in the store, they apparently were very nervous to come due to some rumors.

I had Muninn quickly fly around the area collecting thoughts for me so I can see what rumors I was dealing with.

Apparently someone spread some type of rumor amongst the dwarves which spread to the Aesir that was two fold.

The medicine found in the store were of Dwarven creation a long time ago. Not a lot of people believed that one since dwarves have never been known for medicine. It was the second part of the rumor that had people scared. The medicine is based off forbidden medicine that have harmful effects on people. Just looking at my catalogue I do list some side effects and when not to use the medication per my memory.

I already confirmed most of these by testing our biology. By looking at my statistics module, our giant genes do not affect us enough to make us a separate species and all these medicines work as intended. I still wrote the precautions so that people wouldn't be caught unaware but now it looks like someone's using it against me.

There is one thing true from that rumor. This medicine will have harmful effects on nonhuman races. Especially if you change the dosage. I clearly state that before anyone buys.

Stopping what I'm doing I look at Nordri, "Master Nordri, can I have a break for a moment I am very hungry and something has come up."

Nordri sighs for a moment and says, "go ahead but what ever it is, take your time and plan out whatever action you take."

He knows then, I wonder how.

I smile at him with an evil grin, "I of course will take my time. I don't do anything I'm not confident about. Also, no one can touch what is mine and get away with it scot free."

I saw Nordri shiver for a second as I walked out the heated room. That's weird it's extremely warm in that room.

[He is worried for your adversary]

I wouldn't consider a self obsessed dwarf an enemy.

[So you already think it's him. What are you going to do to him]

I'm not violent at all but there were specific laws back home allowing you to defend your property for a reason.

Even if it's not him I will find out and give them some of my own fashion justice.

[Murder?]

Nope worse.

[??]

Loss of pride, family, support systems, belongings, reputation, position

I can pick anyone of them, and it'll be a useful revenge tactic. I'm human, capital punishment is just the end. I also don't believe in it. I want to see my revenge. If my enemy changes his ways and learns his lesson I'll be happy. If he doesn't well, I hear prison here in Asgard is pleasant.

[You still see hope in people?]

Why are you surprised? I haven't gone through anything life shattering.

[Threat of assassination your entire life here, your mother almost being assaulted, war in the south, etc.]

There was a famous biblical figure that forgave everyone. I can't do that to someone who hurts my loved ones, but death isn't an answer. I prefer reformation or revenge if possible.

[so what are you going to do]

Did you know the Catholic Church doesn't consider fighting in a war a sin? They consider reasons for war different but the soldiers fighting for their country blameless. Very interesting fact don't you think?]

I think this as I walk out of Nordri's.

Realizing my body is sore. I quickly chug a minor life potion to heal my muscles. I'm glad I can take advantage of forging to strengthen myself.

I see Hilda coming toward me with a bowl covered in a small clean handkerchief.

"Oats, Milk, and fruit just like you asked my prince", Hilda passes me the bowl of makeshift cereal.

"What a good day, cereal for lunch! Can't defeat my enemies on an empty stomach."