Chapter 16 - Alchemy Journal
The next day started similar to the day before starting with archery practice but with a twist. Brain had taken out the two hides and stretched them out straight up using wooden frames. After handing Yue some blunt edge arrows they shot at the hides in order to soften them. Brian told Yue that most people beat the hides to soften them but this way they could practice archery at the same time.
Hunting and gathering was next, except this time when they returned Brian quickly skinned the hares and handed them to Grace for dinner. He had also placed the hides in the cold box stating that they would work on it next tailor day. Brain led Yue downstairs to his alchemy room, the room wasn’t all the way underground so it had small thin windows near the ceiling edge of the walls for smoke and fumes to escape.
“Here these are for you,” Brain said as he handed Yue gloves, goggles, and a face mask.“For today you won’t be needing them but when you start to work with herbs that produce gases, are irritant for the skin unprocessed, or even splashing dangerous potions its best to have these on.
Walking to the workbenches Yue noticed that her father had already doubled the amount of supplies such as knives, bowls, herbs, and others. Yue felt that happiness of being loved again but quickly snapped out of it so that she could pay attention.
“Now, since you have been watching me for a long time you probably know this but I am going to repeat it just in case. There are two types of alchemy, the magical kind and the nonmagical kind. With the magical kind the alchemist has to feed mana into their potion during the creating process. These potions will work exactly as they are supposed to. If you make a healing potion it will heal what it heals right away. A paralyzes potion will paralyze right away, and if someone made a poison they could even make it so it has a delay effect. However, this has a down side. You use your mana along with herbs to create them so when you run low on mana you cannot make anymore, also the amount of mana you put in can affect the potions. Because of this magical potions cost more on the market than normal ones.”
"The second type, the nonmagical one, is solely based on the herbs and the processing of them. Anyone can do this type even if they are unable to use their mana. However, this way doesn’t make for any guarantees or immediate results. For example you could make a goop that helps heals wounds and repels infection but it won’t heal the wound right away it just helps the persons own body systems heal faster. Armies are a big customer for this type since it’s cheaper to buy large loads of it for the common soldier. ”
Brain then handed Yue a journal. It was crisp and new, with a brown leather binding and lots of empty pages. “ This will be your alchemy journal. You will write all your recipes in it. Novice alchemists might just use others recipes, but if you ever want to become a master then you need to make your own. I will tell you what herbs are needed for known recipes and show you how they look after being made but it is up to you to find the best amounts and way of processing. There is no failure in alchemy only paths to a greater product even if it doesn’t turn out the way you expected.”
Yue nodded, although this would slow down the time it would take to make multiple types of potions it would help Yue truly understand what she makes. Sort of like chef #1’s own recipe will taste better than chef #2 that tried to copy the first chef’s recipe.
For the next hour Yue experimented with the healing goop’s herbs trying to figure out the best proportions and way to make it. Her dad was a master alchemist so just from feel, look, and smell he was able to rate her products on a scale from -5 to 20. Yes negative 5 was Yue’s first try, it was negative five because according to her dad it would have actually caused infection if used.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
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When it was time to head to Nik’s house Yue’s best goop was at level 1 meaning it worked but not that well, even with it the wound would take about the same amount of time to heal as without it. And even the cloth tied around the wound would help prevent infection better than the goop.
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As Yue left her house she her danger senses tingled and she quickly jumped to the side.
“Plop.”
Right where she had been standing a glop to bird poop fell. Yue looked up and found mister bird crackling.
“Caw caw caw,” said mister bird as he flew away dodging the pebble Yue chucked at it.
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At the courtyard Yue and Nik did their routine workouts and practices. Yue had noticed though lately that she was slightly falling behind of Nik in terms of strength. She knew that it most likely because she was a girl and he was a boy. With each year the difference will continue to grow. Thinking of that Yue decided to start focusing even less on strength and more on speed since it will be the only way that she could continue to be on a similar level as Nik.
Nik and Yue were walking around the courtyard slowly cooling down their bodies and talking before Yue had to return like every day when Nik suddenly stopped and faced Yue slightly nervous.
“Yue, I have a favor to ask. In a week my father is holding a party celebrating my first brother’s twentieth birthday. A lot of people are going to come and I would like it if you were there too.”
Although this may sound like a boy liking a girl situation Yue had known Nik for years and quickly realized the true reason. “You just want me to act as a guard against other girls right.” Yue said with a raised eyebrow.
Nik sighed why he though Yue wouldn’t figure it out was beyond him. When they first meet Nik thought he had a crush on Yue but with time he realized it wasn’t that type of love. While he did love Yue it was in a best friend or sisterly way. And since he knew she felt the same, she was the perfect girl to keep away the other girls who were attracted to what his mother would call ‘future eye candy’ looks.
“Yes I need you as a guard, will you help me.”
Yue smirked. “Poor Nik needs me to keep away the little girls of corse I will help.” Then in a more sober tone, “I will tell my father I can’t craft that day and have to go to your deadly party. Poor me.”
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After getting home Yue spent four hours in the basement working on her goop and writing in her journal. Then in the forest Yue and Ink played tag with Yue using air mana to increase her speed so that she was practicing at the same time. For dinner they had hare stew and Yue told her parents about the party. After some meditation Yue went to bed.