Chapter 45 The Effects of the Drug
I've never seen Yuruyana mixing potions up close before ── I've got to say, I was pretty impressed.
"Is that why Yuruyana's potions work so well? Because of the way he makes them?"
"Does the way a pharmacist makes medicine vary depending on who's doing it?"
As Ms. Helmine reacted to Yuruyana's muttering, she moved her hand and tilted her head, too.
Yuruyana didn't seem to notice ── he thought this was just normal.
But his method ── passed down directly from an ancient master of a long-lived race, from before the old apprentice-mentor system was even a thing ── was totally different from what I knew.
"No, I think Yuruyana's just special."
"What do you mean?"
Before enrolling at the Arcane Art School, I'd watched pharmacists craft arcane medicine.
They'd make the base potion first, then add magic all at once.
But Yuruyana?
He adds magic to each ingredient individually before mixing ── he's doing something much more intricate.
"How much do you know about magic?"
The woman in male disguise nodded just slightly.
"At least, the sort of education expected of the Marquis family, I suppose. Oh ── and 'Sir Captain', you also have an Arcanist's license, right?"
"Call me Tsukumo. I'm no longer a captain, after all."
Luka probably told him about me──at least, enough that he calls me by my nickname.
It's kind of strange hearing it from him.
"Sorry about that, Mr. Tsukumo. Sir Luka always laughs and calls me that, so I thought it was fine."
"I've told him to stop."
Ms. Helmine chuckled softly──faintly amused.
If it was just about our family connections, she wouldn't be this casual talking about me like that.
So maybe Luka's not the only noble who's trusted enough to speak openly around her.
That made me feel a bit more at ease.
"Alright, let's get back on track. It'll be quicker if you see for yourself."
I stepped aside, away from Yuruyana, and shaped a tiny lump of earth in my palm, ready to show what I could do.
"This is the simplest magic there is──converting mana into earth. Though, it works with water or fire just as well. Then, I alter the earth's properties."
The earth shifted and molded itself into a chunk of dark iron.
"I've used 2 types of magic in sequence here. But in practice, we blend them into one. It's called composite magic."
I hurled the iron chunk towards the wall, and a steel plate appeared in front of it, catching the chunk with a loud *CLANG*.
The metallic sound made not only Ms. Helmine but Yuruyana widen his eyes in surprise.
Focus on what's at hand.
"Composite magic has the advantage of being quickly activated in emergencies. But because each magic competes for mana, it consumes more and is less effective than using them individually. In the case of the steel plate, its strength is reduced."
That's why it's generally recommended to use them one by one. But on a battlefield where a split-second decision can mean life or death, you can't afford to say, 'First light the fire, then create the wind.' It's an ideal theory, academically speaking."
"Does that apply to arcane medicine as well?"
"For simple medicines, there isn't much difference. But for complex ones, I think the discrepancy would become quite pronounced."
Yuruyana has 5 types of medicinal ingredients laid out before him.
If he's to apply the appropriate magic to each, he'd need at least 5 different magics.
There seems to be a considerable difference between using them one by one versus all at once.
"I've only ever learned to do it this way──"
As Yuruyana murmured softly while meticulously mixing the ingredients in a mortar, Ms. Helmine stiffened for a moment.
Probably because she was startled to hear 'I' come out of such a beautiful girl's mouth.
After a while, the medicine was complete, and while waiting for Elza-san to awaken in another room, we enjoyed some tea.
"Now that I think of it, do you know my master, Ms. Helmine?"
Yuruyana asked, nibbling on the tea cakes like a small animal.
Come to think of it, when he first came to the shop, he was referred to as 'Elmer's disciple.'
"It's been over ten years now, but I remember once ── I fell seriously ill out of nowhere. Fever that wouldn't break for more than a week..."
Back then, I suppose she couldn't afford to let pride get in the way──she couldn't have killed the lady of her employer's house.
So she relied on a seasoned healer──one who knew about long-living species and rare regional illnesses.
"What caused it, exactly?"
"I wasn't told everything, I was still too young. Later, the doctor said it was inflammation inside my body. But Sir Elmer not only identified the cause quickly──he even made medicine taste sweet and easy to take."
Ms. Helmine took a sip of her tea, her smile tinged with nostalgia.
"I believe the goddess herself came to help... though he was a man."
She cast a quick glance at Yuruyana.
She had no idea that this disciple might be the same.
"That's why, as soon as I heard from Sir Luka, I trusted him right away. I figured, if it's Sir Elmer's apprentice, he'd help."
No surprise, then──when the Marquis's daughter came straight to the town healer without hesitation, it was for that reason.
"It's a relief tyou knew the symptoms. Still... for the master to be so thoughtful. Honestly, I've never had someone care that much about me."
Yuruyana looked unsettled, as if something didn't quite add up.
A little later, a maid came to say Ms. Elsa had woken up.
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