Apothecary's Apprentice

It has barely been three days since I arrived here.

That might not be enough time to draw any definitive conclusions, but I've noticed too many irregularities to ignore. My expectations have been completely shattered.

Yeah, this isn't the original story of the novel anymore.

My existence alone might not have triggered these anomalies, especially since I have yet to encounter any of the main cast.

Anyway, I'll worry about that later. First, I need to deal with the issue at hand.

"Oyyyyy. Hello hello? Are you listening?" She kept pestering me.

Her behavior doesn't match that of an apothecary, at least not any I've heard of.

"I'm sorry about that. Could you please repeat what you just said?"

"I said, I want you to be my apprentice. In return, you can use those mana crystals however you wish."

"Okay, but why me?"

"Hmm? Because you're in a difficult situation, and I want to help my student?"

"Then why not just let me use the crystals without this apprentice thing?"

"Oh, come on. Nothing is free in this world, you know."

"Exactly. If someone learns from an expert, the student pays, not the teacher. You're essentially paying money to teach me."

"I told you, didn't I? I want to help you."

"But you just said nothing is free. Please quit with the trickery and tell me your real reason."

"... You're quite different from what I've heard. Fine, listen to this story, and you'll understand."

She went on to explain how using medicinal herbs and healing magic are two separate branches of the same field. Healing magic acts quickly, with nothing to memorize beyond practice, while herbs are slow to act and require precise knowledge of every medicinal plant and its proportions—a tedious task.

Low-level healing magic can only replace lost cells during physical injury, but high-level magic can repair damaged cells and eliminate pathogens. These facts point to one thing: the apothecary field is dying. No one is interested in it anymore.

Despite the Royal Academy offering a course in apothecary studies, no student has enrolled in the past two years. Consequently, the only teacher in that field—this apothecary standing before me—has been reduced from a professor to a mere medical staff member at the academy.

If no one passes on the knowledge of medicines, this profession will die out. I can sense her desperation.

For me, it's a win-win situation. I've always wanted to learn about medicines, and now I get to use those mana crystals for free. She seems genuine, and from what I've seen, she's telling the truth.

"So, are you in or out?"

"Of course, I'll accept. I'm quite thankful for this."

"That's right. You should be thankful. Hahahahaha."

"When do we start?"

"Today, if you don't mind."

"Today? I don't have any problem, but are you sure?"

Why is she in such a hurry?

"Yes. Come to my house as soon as you finish your work."

With that, she left, and I returned to my spot by the river.

***

Whew. That should do it.

After returning to my spot, I immediately started working on a simple hut. The fallen logs scattered around the area provided ample materials, like a DIY kit courtesy of nature.

I gathered the branches and carried them to my sleeping spot. I knew what I needed to do, but I had no idea how it would turn out—like assembling IKEA furniture without the instructions.

First, I dug two large holes for the main support pillars. Once they were in place, I balanced a long piece of log on the Y-shaped tops of the pillars. It felt like trying to put a hat on a giraffe.

Without ropes, the only option for tying the branches was using creepers from nearby trees. I began placing the smaller branches in alternating positions on the two sides of the pillars, using the creepers to secure them. It was like using spaghetti to tie up a roast.

Building the walls was time-consuming, but I finally completed the task. Next, I tied large leaves, each the size of ceiling fans, along with the small branches. It looked like a leafy fortress fit for a jungle king—or at least a jungle jester.

Five minutes passed.

Ten minutes passed.

Twenty minutes passed.

Thirty minutes passed.

Argh! I spent thirty minutes deciding which direction the door should face. Ultimately, I chose to have it facing the river, because, hey, who wouldn't want a waterfront property?

I don't really believe in fixed alignments for building a house, but considering my terrible luck, I thought it couldn't hurt. Plus, the wind from the river would help cool the hut.

Feng shui, eat your heart out.

With the door decided, I tied more large leaves on the remaining three sides. It looked like a giant leafy burrito.

When I looked inside, it was almost perfect. I felt a surge of pride for creating such a piece of work without any prior experience. The hut was large enough to accommodate two to three people, though it would only be me. Party for one, please.

For a bed, I spread out more large leaves, making it thick enough for comfort. These leaves resembled doub palm leaves in morphology. I was practically sleeping on nature's mattress.

The sun was setting, and the evening stars began to peek through the twilight sky. The problem of shelter was temporarily resolved. And I didn't even need an HGTV crew.

***

As promised, I started wrapping up the cleaning after building the house and began walking to the apothecary's place.

My hut's location, on the outskirts of the forest, was convenient. It minimized the risk of intruders or running into any named characters.

No surprise guest stars here, thank you very much.

With the Christiana incident, both sides must be vigilant, and preparations must be progressing slowly. I needed to take advantage of this lull to plan my next steps.

Lost in thought, I soon arrived at the apothecary's house. It was a single-story building but quite large, with six or seven rooms. Maybe a herb Airbnb?

"Hey! It's late, you know. How long do you think I've been waiting?" she greeted me with a complaint.

"I was caught up in a troublesome task and lost track of time. I'm sorry."

"Alright! I accept your apology. Now, let's go inside."

"You said you would teach me about medicines, but what exactly should I do today?"

I mean, its already quite late.

"Ah, before that, I have a visitor."

A visitor? At this hour? As I followed her into the room, a pleasant scent filled the air. I had my first proper encounter with one of the main characters.

"Chris Harrison?" the visitor spoke.

Heh, as expected, it was Christiana herself. Of course, it had to be her.

Why not add more chaos to my day?