Year 16, Month 1, Day 22
The familiar scent of dried herbs welcomed me as I pushed open the door to Old Man Herbal's shop.
I'd devoured the countless words on the pages of the given books over the past two weeks and the smell of returning here was extremely satisfying.
"Back so soon, Spiritward?" Old Man Herbal looked up from his workbench, a grin of surprise upon his face. "I didn't expect you until another week and a half."
"I finished the books," I stated simply, placing the heavy tomes on the counter with a soft thud.
He raised a bushy eyebrow, a hint of skepticism in his gaze. "All of them?"
"Yes, sir," I confirmed with a smile and a bit of pride warming my chest despite my exhaustion.
He chuckled, his beard swaying as he stroked it. "Always exceeding expectations, aren't you, lad?" He reached beneath the counter and produced a slim volume bound in worn leather. "Acupressure," he explained, placing it in my hands. "Some techniques don't require needles, just a firm press at the right points."
I flipped through the book, intrigued by the different but similar diagrams from the acupuncture books along with detailed explanations. It was a new layer of knowledge and it was extremely interesting.
I finished reading it in a few minutes since I already knew a ton about acupuncture. The points of pressure were similar enough and the concept was parallel enough that the link between them was easy.
Old man Herbal spoke up once he noticed I had finished the booklet. "For the next two weeks," Old Man Herbal smiled, "You'll observe and watch how I interact with patients, how I diagnose their ailments, and how I apply the principles of acupuncture and acupressure to alleviate their suffering. When there are no patients of that nature you will man the counter and only call for me if there is a sale or problem you cannot handle."
Year 16, Month 1, Day 23
The shop was quiet this morning, the only sounds were the gentle rustling of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling and the rhythmic tapping of Old Man Herbal's pestle against his mortar.
I manned the counter, flipping through one of the acupuncture books as a refresher, after all cramming doesn't let you keep all the info it just lets you pass the test.
Now that I'm actually learning this, I need to know it backwards and forwards.
An hour passed before the bell above the door chimed. The sound of groans of pain announced our first customer.
The burly man I clad in the metal armor with the iconography of the village guards placed on it. He limped in with an arrow protruding from his thigh and bleeding over the floor.
The wound seemed to be turning black, too.
"Herbal! Need your help, old friend," the guard grunted as his face contorted farthing into a painted expression.
Old Man Herbal hurried over with his face schooled into a look that was a mix of concern and practiced calm. "Another scuffle with those blasted Razor Boars Gang? Seems like they are using poison now. Do you think they can still be moved onto the right path if they don’t try? I think you should take them root and step at this point for all our sake." Herbal admonished.
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It seems he was just about done with this gang they were talking about and looking at the blood that is already turning black, I’m not sure I blame him.
"Aye," the guard grimaced. "Nasty buggers. This one got lucky. I guess we’ll be doing that when we get back."
With practiced ease, Old Man Herbal extracted the arrow, his fingers probing the wound. “Good. Well, I suppose I should help you get to it then.”
A frown etched his brow. "Poisoned with something interesting." he muttered with consternation writing all over his face.
He quickly retrieved a set of silver needles.
Then his hands moved with a speed and precision that showed his age and experience.
He inserted the needles at specific points around the wound at lightning speed.
His fingers dance across the guard's skin as he guides the flow of Chi to expel the poison and staunch the bleeding.
I watched as all the while he kept up a steady stream of conversation.
Inquiring about the guard's family and the recent harvest.
He continued nodding along as the guard told him a story that I was sure he had to have made up.
The village gossip was the last thing they talked about.
As Old Man Herbal finished sealing the wound with a final press of his thumb.
After a moment, the guard noticed me and for a moment he observed me intently.
Then his face softened into a smirk.
"Don't be discouraged by the time it takes to learn the old man's tricks," he said with a wink.
"Herbal here is the best damn alchemist for a thousand kilometers. You're learning from the best."
Old Man Herbal chuckled. but As I observed closer a large hint of annoyance flickered into his eyes. "Hold your tongue, Thorgath," he chided with a bite that was hidden behind a cheerful facade. "Don't go filling the lad's head with such nonsense."
The guard shrugged with a good-natured grin on his face. "Just speaking the truth, Herbal. Everyone knows your skills are unmatched."
He paid for his treatment and walked out without his previous limp.
But his final words left me with a question.
"What did he mean by that? Are you truly the best for a thousand kilometers?"
Old Man Herbal sighed with his gaze on a distant spot only he could see. "Just idle chatter. Pay it no mind."
He turned back to his workbench with his expression as unreadable as I was sure the advanced alchemy books in the back were.
I frowned.
I wouldn't pry further.
—
Year 19, Month 5, Day 20
Three years of tireless study and countless hours spent hunched over dusty tomes was- interesting.
What was more interesting was the young woman with the false-darkness spirit body that gave her purple hair.
A long beautiful waterfall of purple that that mesmerized me whenever she walked in with that tiny smirk of hers.
The young woman that kept coming back to talk to me every week since my 17th birthday.
She captivated me.
Even if I had gained Level Six Body Tempering, it didn’t actually matter at all compared to her.
Her face was always stoic but she had a hidden sass sarcasm that made me smile along with her hidden smirks.
I feel like asking her out when she comes today would be a good idea.
As I walked into the back of the store, Old Man Herbal looked up from his workbench with a warm smile spreading across his face.
"Spiritward," he greeted with a voice filled with a familiar warmth. "I've been reviewing your latest concoctions and I must say I'm impressed by your progress."
A genuine smile tugged at my lips. "Thank you, Master," I replied, a wave of satisfaction washing over me.
“Now if only you would ask the girl out. We both know you both are interested, so once you’re done with those, get out and do something about it.”
He gestured towards a stack of books on the counter along with one extremely large book.
"The large one is the Pill Compendium and the stack is that of Basic Alchemy Techniques. Learn these, and you'll be well on your way to becoming a low grade alchemist." He then frowned, “You’re not getting the large one until you handle the obvious, though.”
I found myself unceremoniously kicked out of the shop.
Alright. Time to go see Daisy.
I wouldn't be a coward about this.