CHAPTER 5

CROW, GIRL AND ALCHEMIST (2)

From that day, Erica practicing her cooking skill for one month. At last she can make a delicious meal, the unfortunate thing is I'm the one being the test subject. Day after day bad foods entering my mouth until My sense of taste recognize the bad foods as ordinary foods. She still go to old man terios place only to clean and talk to him not everday but at one after two days. Now her skill in cleaning and cooking reach advanced level if this is rpg. Today is the day we go to the old man place.

“Hum, it's good. But I won't take you as my apprentice just because you can cook.”

Jeez, stubborn old man. Just tell her the condition.

“What?! What did you want this time?!”

“Go learn some knowledge in blacksmith then come back and no need to clean the workshop.”

“What?! Why do I have to learn that?!”

“Just learn it, or I won't take you as apprentice”

‘Just do it Erica, he has his reason. Believe me it will only benefit to you’

“Ugh… Okay!”

Erica angrily stepped out from his workshop she headed to smithy workshop and asking to be blacksmith apprentice. But most of smithy reject her until one suspicious guy accept her as blacksmith.

‘Hm? Why did this guy accept you? Even though the other blacksmith reject you.’

“That's true. Hey, why did you take me as apprentice?”

“Ahaha, my name is Goth. You are interesting even though you're a woman but wanting to become blacksmith. If I succeed in making you great blacksmith then my name will be known, it's a way to promote my shop.”

“Hm… Reasonable, alright I accept it. If you do anything funny I will immediately quit”

“That's good, come with me.”

Erica begin her training, as expected Erica can't lift the big hammer, only manage to lift small hammer.

“Strike more strongly! Don't let down your hammer!”

“hah..hah…hah.. So tired”

“Let's take a break and learn how to differentiate metal”

“whattt…?? I want to end it for today.”

“No can do, you must learn smithing at least until you can differentiate ore, and have enough strength to use that big hammer”

“Haha… How will it take?! It's all your fault kuro-chan.”

Erica glaring at me. Uwahh, I'm sorry Erica but it's for you too. Didn't you say want to become adventurer build your strength first and production skill, at least when you're alone you know what to do.

‘Ahaha, sorry Erica. But don't give up! Make that old man lose to you by learning all of his alchemy skill and other skill too.’

“Why did I feel get manipulated by you??”

‘Ahaha, it's just your imagination.’

“Well whatever, right I have to learn about ore.”

‘Good luck’

Erica then went to smithy everyday to learn. One day in her mansion while I'm flying around the mansion.

“Erica! Why did you go to that place everyday! And you come back exhausted!”

“Mother I’m learning smithing, I must do it to become in order to become terios apprentice.”

“That man again, Look at your hand, it's bruise everywhere. How can you expect to gain attention of high rank noble.”

“Mother, I don't want to talk about marriage, you talked about this so many times already.”

Erica then walked away.

“Erica! Erica!....”

Erica ignored her mother, I guess nobles really like that huh. But Erica hand, no Erica must stay soft and comfortable. (Author note: fetish detected). How about Erica wear gloves when she smithing. That's it, I go back to Erica room and saw her still angry.

‘Erica! Let me see your hand’

“Oh, you hear that.”

‘Yeah, huh? did I tell you that?’

“Sometimes I can feel you're nearby kuro-chan.”

‘How about you wear gloves to protect your hands’

“I already wearing a gloves, and Kuro-chan where were you these day?”

‘Ah, I didn't want to bother when you're learning, so I went strolling the city.’

“Is that so?”

‘Yes.’

“Okay I want to rest today, today lesson is hard.”

These fey days ago, I'm not with Erica in smithy but I went to old man terios to spy on him. And what I've found is that he is often not there, when he is there, he always making some potion. 

Half year later, the day passed peacefully. We celebrated Erica 13th birthday. Erica learned all material used in smithing and her strength increase considerably. Are you genius Erica? Now we are inside terios workshop, he opened the workshop 4 month ago and selling various potion.

“Old man! I have done the smithing.”

“Huh? Who told you to do it?”

“What?!! It is you!”

“I never told you to smithing, I tell you to learn some knowledge about blacksmith.”

“Then, what am I doing smithing for? I even ruined my hand. Hiks..hiks… Wuaaahhh...” (Fake tears)

“I see, that’s why it's taking you six month”

What a liar, you knew it from start but didn't care. My precious Erica hand, I feel like crying.

“Haha, But isn't it alright. You got stronger through smithing, and your stamina is good. Now learn some tailoring skill and the knowledge too.”

“What?! Again!? You're merciless.”

“Hoho, if you're done. You can become my apprentice”

Hahaha, stay strong Erica.

“Alright! Just you wait!”

Erica walking out from workshop, and headed to tailor workshop. Fortunately many tailor want to accept Erica. But she has trouble deciding it. She ask the receptionist and found out one exceptional tailor and he is a woman? Or man?, …he is guy but dressed woman. Ahaha.. At least you're safe with him Erica. Erica stunned first at his appearance, a big muscular guy wearing a thick make up. But gradually she used to him. The tailor skill is really good and fast. And he has no apprentice because of his face? Or body? Or personality? He accepted Erica right away, when asked. His name is Bella, of course it's fake name.

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“Ara, Erica-chan your hands are so…ugly”

Erica received an attack! 60% health remain!.

“And that pet is ugly too.”

Kuro received an attack! 40% health remain.

“And both of you are dirty”

Kuro and Erica has fallen! Game over…..

“I just get out from smithy! Of course I'm dirty!”

“Then please get into the bath inside, and pet-chan too.”

Both of us taken by Bella, and throw inside the bath.

‘I'm drowning right now! Help!’

“Kuro-chan!”

Erica lifted me and washing me by herself. Erica is behind me, if I fake an accident then I can see a paradise. But,.. If I see the paradise, it will be followed by Erica wrath. No, I must not look behind.

“Kuro-chan don't look behind, if you dare to look. It will be a cage for 1 week, and no food for 3 day”

‘Yes ma’am’

After the bath, Bella already prepared cloths for Erica, it's beautiful Bella sense is good. And Erica explain things to him.

“I see, don't worry take your time learning tailoring And I'm not strict person.”

“Uhn! Thank you!”

After learned smithing, erica now is learning tailoring, her sense of fashion is really good as expected of noble daughter, she learn sewing, embroidery and material used in tailoring from Bella. It took her half a year to learn all of it. Everyday filled with ordinary days of learning, and I already know everything in this city including the nobles. Again we are at old man terios place.

“Kukuku, old man. I have learned all you asked, now teach me alchemy!”

“Huh? You learned all of it?”

“Of course! Do you think I lie to you!”

“Good! Now you already know 50% of alchemy material.”

“Eh?”

This old man is so cunning, he didn't want to teach her the material so he asked other to teach her.

“Here a book for you, it's my own recipe used to concoct potion, I make one copy for you. Also this book I personally write don't lose it.”

“Huh? You didn't teach me?”

“Haha, what're you talking about, of course I will teach you. But only the basic, afterall I can't lose my business. Take these books, study and experiment it and some tools.”

Three books placed on Erica hands, it's , , .

“Wait old man you didn't teach me personally?”

“Eh? Why should I?”

“Why? After all I done!”

“Jeez, you really don't get it huh. Alchemist don't giving their research for free, and what I just give to you is my lifetime research. Al, you have to do is imitate it and what alchemist do is actually research not selling potion.”

“Huh? I see! That's right!”

erica happily took the books and tools given by terios. 

“Good bye old man, I will take these things.”

“You're calling me old man? Not master?”

“Why should I call you master?you didn't teach me anything at all”

“But.. But..”

“Bye old man, and thank you for the book. I will not return it anymore.”

Erica smiled then ran to outside of workshop.

“You tell her huh.”

I only nodding at terios word, let's go back to when Kuro find the parchment.

‘Oh shit!’

“Hm? Why is the pet here?”

‘Let's try talk to him’

I take the a the feather pen and write ‘nice to meet you terios, I'm Kuro. Erica pet’.

“Haha, I must be dreaming. A crow can write.”

‘Wait, wait, you are not dreaming.’

I fly to front of his face then scratch his cheek a bit.

“Ouch, what're you doing?”

Then I fly to the paper again and write ‘you're not dreaming’

“Huh? A crow that can write?”

Then Kuro explained everything to Terios and terios asking him to help with making Erica an alchemist, all that training is not without purpose include the smithing. It's in order for Erica to gain abilities to live alone when she is adventuring. They still don't know whether Erica will become adventurer or not, but it's not a bad thing to gain these abilities.

‘Erica, wait for me!’

“Hurry up Kuro-chan!”

Erica running toward the mansion, while Kuro flying. Erica stamina is really good, to not tired after running to mansion. After we arrived, a carriage is in front mansion. Erica face frowned when she sees the carriage, I wonder whose carriage it is?

“If it isn't Erica, long time no see”

“Brother, what're you doing here”

Eh? Brother? Your older brother, he seems about 20 years old.

“Hahaha, I’m coming back to visit mother”

“I see, then please excuse me.”

Erica brother stil smiling, man that's creepy. We walk into Erica bedroom.

‘Your brother?’

“Yes, my brother and he is going to succeed the house in two years.”

‘I see, but why are you so unhappy when seeing him’

“He always didn't treat me as his sister, and tried to arrange marriage for me. For now my reason is not coming of age yet, but two years later I have to marry some stranger in noble house.”

‘Huh? I won't allow it!’

“Thank you Kuro-chan, but it's impossible”

But I can't do anything about it, let's see the situation when the times near. For no let's enjoy these two years.