5 Snowwhite’s Apple

A woman came into the room not long after he closed out of the features described in the system, with two men in tow. They laid down a large metal tub with a series of red rocks called sun stones laid at the bottom. Sun stones were simple, they could absorb heat slowly, and would stay heated for a few hours radiating a heat of about 80 degrees. The woman was a mage, lifting her hand and creating water from nothing filling the tub.

'Where did the water come from?' I questioned, though it soon came apparent as I noticed the air around me get stale. It seemed magic still followed some rules, and converting something from nothing was very much outside those bounds. Though the mage in front of him was a low class mage, it might be different for ones of a higher caliber.

This was the reason Nikolai was forbidden use his creation magic in doors, as pieces of the walls and floor will fuel his magic. Unless of course an emergency took place, then all bets are off.

Placing my clothes to the side the servants walked away, leaving me with bottles of perfumes and soaps. These were luxuries that actually noted my family's wealth, and how much they pampered the alchemists. One wouldn't take these into the field of course, and my thoughts were confirmed when I picked one of the perfumes up.

'Found a rare alchemical product, Dragon Lilly Essence! Product recipe can be bought. Uses: The scent is an aphrodisiac for certain types of lizards, also increases charm when smelled by females of any race.'

I hurriedly placed the perfume down, and picked up each one to look at the effects finally settling on one.

'Found a rare alchemical product, Relaxing Fungal Spread! Product recipe can be bought. Uses: For the next three days your body will release spores that create a pleasant scent. Plants will grow at an increased rate while you are around them.'

This one seemed harmless even if I paused a bit about rubbing a fungus all over my body. The soaps had no added effects though, but their recipes were added as well. Checking the system the recipes were not a full gold, but a few copper. Their usefulness was questionable but it did add a store option tab so this gave me a nice surprise. Gathering up some silver on the nightstand, I it into the system buying up all the recipes.

After bathing, and dressing I rang the bell again having them take away the bath with the soiled water. I dressed in the old fashioned clothes, taking a look at my figure. "I need to learn tailoring so I can make a hoodie or something. With my herbal knowledge I know quite a few plants that I can use to replace cotton."

Food came in on many platters served on top of rolling carts made of metal. Despite the medieval decor, this place wasn't as primitive as one would expect from first glance. The bell from earlier was actually connected to a series of bracelets that were worn by my personal servants. This level of advancement would be considered modern in a lot of ways.

Grabbing at a piece of fruit I brought it to my lips.

'Recipe found! Gradual Decaying Formula: When digested causes the body to slowly decay from the inside out takes several doses over many years.' The fruit ended up smashed against the wall as I stared at the food placed in front of me. My feeling of safety quickly ruined as I sighed.

Improvements can't wait for years to happen, I need to improve now. Advancing my alchemy was a must if I didn't want to die here it seemed. Nikolai wasn't a slouch, but he even died while living in this world.

"Shit, even after death there is no rest," I cursed my luck to be born into such a cut throat family once more. I had clawed my way up the family chain once, I could do it again.

Taking out several bottles of dried, and crushed herbs mixing them into a binding agent to make a sticky ball, using mana to dry it out into a pill.

'Recipe Found! Deposioning Agent: When crushes and used as a seasoning for food or drink, most easily cured poisons will be negated. Salt was added to enhance flavor.'

Crushing the pill I sprinkled it over the some of the hams that were there as well as a few pastries for the quick energy. I needed to train near immediately, the massive amount of healing magic would help in my recovery as my body was still weak, but it could also be used to improve my body. Plus I doubted that my last session of healing considering my father's position.

Both of them were probably smiling thinking that they were taking advantage of the other but no high society relationship started without mutual benefit. It might sound shallow but that's just how relationships worked even for his brute of a father without any political experience once you had power. So at the very least I could take advantage of the meal given to me.

Now the problem is which world's exercises should I use? Taking the sheath and belt off of my bedpost I took a look at the knife, it was short and hooked with a ring on it and a metal grip. I had actually seen and used this knife in my past life, the name here was a tiger's claw, my world it was called the Karambit.

The weighing the effectiveness of both styles of use, my world's style fit the bill a little bit more. It's explosive, and fierce attacks where more beneficial to my situation than the destructive and powerful attacks of this world. This way I'd have a bigger advantage against humans that would be my main threat now.

Taking a look around the room for the first time it was very large but sadly the space was very smartly used so that you had full movements between each furniture. This limited the amount of area which he could practice in here even though it made living here much more comfortable.

Large wooden desks were on each side of his bed one for alchemy the other for note taking, each filled with instruments of their craft. Two wide trunks held his armor, and weapons in a greasy chemical to keep the metal from rusting or the leather from losing its flexibility. A small table for entertaining guests which was needed when they brought over people to make connections. The last of the furniture was a counter was pressed up against the wall with a few hot plates for tea and appetizers, and two bookshelves at the end filled with alchemy books. Flower pots that were around the room for decoration were also very common ingredients in pill, and sauve making.

Everything in this room other than his wardrobe, and his bed was focused towards one part of the alchemist's profession so they were impossible to move from this room. There was no room for the equipment he'd need to train his body, so that left him with little choice but to use the public gym.

'Ding!'

Two announcements came a minute apart, letting him know his workers were done, and he had them continue their mining in the same spot. This time his harvest wasn't the same, gaining one repair gene and ten resource points of iron. The second one had no use as of now but I'm sure it'll be useful in the future.

I immediately used my repair point to repair my danger sense, and a feeling made my hair stand on end. "I'm being watched." I muttered and the feeling immediately went away, leaving me in the room alone, staring at the shadows to my left which moved slightly when I said that.

Danger sense was immediately helpful, though it made me more on edge than I already was. This was not a safe place, not one bit. Gathering up my courage, I stepped outside the room into the stone hallways lit by glowing stones above me. The smell of dust lingered in the air, making it feel stale and old. It made the whole area feel like a prison unlike the lively living area that I was leaving. I'll admit, it made me hesitate for a brief moment before continuing on.

The public gym, or the training hall as they called it was about a ten minute walk through these hallways. Though if everything went well, he wouldn't be sleeping in his room tonight, instead he'd be collapsed in the infirmary. That was a strange goal, but I had to put in more work than anyone if he wanted to guarantee my survival.

———-

The shadow that Nikolai had been looking at moments ago now moved, shaping itself into a human. The man was short with his head hanging forward, his hair was enough grease to cook a meal with. He looked like a rat that somehow learned to take human shape.

"I need to report this to the higher ups, he sensed me. His mana sensitivity must have skyrocketed when he died." The man looked at the food left swiping his hand over the top of them as they all disappeared a ring glowing on his hand. "Considering his improvements we can no longer hurt his father's influence this way. We have to come up with a different plan, training is needed for the our younger generation."

This wasn't his choice but he would suggest it, the later generation was not to interfere with the younger generation squabbles so they couldn't directly get rid of Nikolai without causing a huge mess. Things were getting a lot more complicated now that he was aware of the danger that was around him. They couldn't afford to lose in this power struggle again.

The man vanished from the room, one of the paintings against the wall closing behind him into the secret tunnels scattered throughout the castle. His footsteps in a hurry, as not a scrap of evidence was left behind him.