Chapter Twenty Two - I earn my first silver

According to the diaries, Apothecaries are both simple chemists and doctors, administering basic medicines and first aid. Indeed the shelves in the shop had many jade bottles containing pills upon them as well as dried herbs and potions. There were also simple cauldrons for sale as well as other items that Leon did not recognise.

A little bell rang at the door as they entered the shop, announcing their presence.

Mr Clawse was a man dressed in dark hemp robes, with long, blue-black hair and a rather long nose. He was tall, his height being on par with Jin Li. Leon had to look up to view his face.

"Mr Clawse," Mino greeted. "I brought customers. Mam asks if you would treat 'em well." He bowed then indicated that he would wait outside for them.

"H-h-hi," Leon greeted and bowed belatedly. Clawse looked at the student before him, examining him from top to toe.

"Well, what is it you wish to sell?" He asked, his tone slightly wane. A few students, who happened to be educated on the mountains but came from this town, visited him frequently. He doubted this youth's wares would differ much in quality from their products. Did students of the outer school all think him as a charity?

"Oh," Leon replied and began to place numerous bottles upon the counter. As Clawse expected, these were One Heart Pills and of very average quality. The only surprising fact, perhaps, was that the quality did not differ whatsoever amongst the pills… until… "Ah, I p-packed these b-by m-mistake," Leon murmured aloud and reached for the Jade bottle, but Clawse stopped him, placing his bony, long fingers over Leon's pale hand.

"May I see?" He enquired. Leon removed his hold and Clawse examined the pure coloured pills within the bottle. He frowned, he had thought that these were also One Heart Pills, but they seemed quite different. He unplugged the bottle. The fragrance was that of the basic healing pill as he expected, but it was cleaner and fresher. There were five in the bottle. "I will be honest with you," Clawse said. "I have much stock on One Heart Pills such as these." He indicated the average quality pills. "I sell them cheaply, in fact were you to buy the ingredients, it is unlikely there is any profit in them after refining."

"Oh," Leon wasn't aware of their worth. Leo had not visited any town since he had left his village, enjoying too much his experiments to leave school.

"If you were to provide higher quality ones, I would consider purchasing them. However, I am interested in these," Clawse shook the bottle slightly. "I'm curious to know why these One Heart Pills are so different."

"Um…" Leon wasn't sure how to explain it.

"Trade secret," Jin Li said suddenly, realising that the boy would willingly give away the recipe if asked. His eyes narrowed, if the boy could produce a pill of this ilk, perhaps he was not lying about the Blood pill he had used to heal him. There was more to this boy than met the eye. Ha, consider yourself fortunate, he thought. Until I am able to leave for home, this Lord has decided to protect you from unscrupulous men and women.

Leon looked at Jin Li with a slight frown, before realising that the man was right. He should hide the method for now. If others were to find out that he had a better recipe for the pill, he might be targeted. So he nodded in agreement with Jin Li.

"B-b-but, th-they are o-only slightly b-better than average," Leon tried to explain, after all the ingredients he used were not any different. "Th-the imp-purities are m-much less a-and s-side effects gr-greatly r-reduced. E-effect-tiveness n-not changed."

"How much less impurities?" Clawse asked.

"50%" Leon managed to answer clearly.

"You used sunclover," this was a statement rather than a question and Leon nodded his head in agreement. The sunclover leaves were chopped up with the silver nettle leaves to brew the tea, but many alchemists knew this and the impurities usually only reduced by 20%. "And the side effects?"

"H-h-haven't t-totally tested," Leon admitted, "b-but tightening of th-the m-m-Meridens 70% l-less."

Clawse eyes widened. "If that's all true, then a non-practioner could take these several times a week instead of no more than twice and a Cultivator could take one a day… not that they should need to, of course." He looked at Leon with calculating eyes. "Do you have more of these?" Leon shook his head. "Any other improved pills that you are willing to let go of?" Leon thought about it for a moment, before reluctantly taking out his remaining two Blood pills. Clawse took in the scent of these pills which again produced a more potent and fragrant scent than their counterparts. "You are full of surprises."

Jin Li had to agree with him. This had to have been the same as the pill he had partaken. Admittedly, he was not an expert in pills, but he had taken them before to improve his cultivation and heal wounds. None had quite the clear and untainted scent as these.

Clawse asked several questions about these two pills and calmly allowed Leon, who was struggling with his stutter again, to answer fully. Once satisfied, he named his prices. "An ordinary One Heart Pill I purchase for 30 brass, sell for 50, with a 10% increase should the pill be of good quality. However for these five pills, I will offer you 1 silver for all five. And 2 silvers each for the Blood Pills. That is a total of 5 silver."

"What do you normally pay for average Blood Pills?" Jin Li asked.

"About 500 brass coins for each," Clawse replied. "Internal wounds are, after all, harder to treat than external ones and if one does not wish to purchase a One Heart Pill, one can easily wrap a light wound and let it heal naturally at no cost." Jin Li agreed with this. Although natural healing left scars, scratches and light wounds were not so urgent that pills were absolutely necessary. "If you have more pills in the future, I will be willing to purchase them and we can discuss prices then."

Leon thanked him and sold him all seven pills, happy to pocket the 5 silver, even though he could not be totally certain of its value. Again, Leo really hadn't cared about the price of things once three meals were fed to him a day, a roof over his head and lots of herbs to play were provided by the school. They left the Apothecary and Leon thanked Jin Li for his help. Jin Li gently slapped the back of his head. "Don't be so open next time," Jin Li told him. "You will end up fodder for beasts." Leon rubbed the back of his head, tears unbidden in his eyes, but he offered Jin Li a watery smile, knowing the man was right.