A Normal Day With An Abnormal Apprentice
Sven Sometime between 1-8 and 1-10.
My name is Sven, I have been working in Ris village as an alchemist for almost ten years now, long enough to remember the old mayor in any case. Recently I was saddled with a new student. She’s the daughter of the current mayor, and she is incredibly abnormal. Frankly, her skill with alchemy is prodigious. I can definitely see why the mayor thinks she has the “Alchemy Prodigy” talent. Thing is, she’s too good. A mere prodigy would still need training, but Stahlia seems to know everything I teach her before I teach it.
A normal child would get bored with my explanations after a few minutes, but she sits politely and listens until the end. After I finish talkin’ I always ask her if she has any questions. The first time I asked I was expectin’ she would be at a complete loss, and I would have to run through the whole thing a second time. Rather than be confused, she put her hand on her chin and gave it some serious thought. Then the wee lass asked me why I didn’t do the process a different way I had never heard of!
I was really shocked the first time she did that and explained to her that the method I was teachin’ her had been passed down for nigh on a hundred years at this point, and in all that time no alchemist had found a better way. She seemed to accept my answer readily enough, but then she asked if we could try it her way. I sighed, who wouldn’t? and explained that she might be getting ahead of herself when I felt a chill run down my spine. I looked up and saw the maid who was the little lady’s escort.
Now, I don’t have any proof, but the first time I met the lass, I was just wondering whether or not I should hold my tongue after she made her poor old Ma faint when I got a chill just like this one. Looking out my window at the time, I saw a figure melt out of the shadows and flash a dagger at me. Now, I’ve traveled ah wee bit in my time on this world, and there’s rumors about a dark underbelly to this kingdom. Call themselves “Shadows”. According to the whispers, the king leads them himself, no generals or nobles in the way. Whenever there be somthin’ important goin down, you bet the major players will have two shadows, their own natural one, and a second one from the dark. I thought they were a myth, but seeing is believing. I somehow knew, that figure was one of those Shadows, and she was followin’ the lass in front of me.
Now, I don’t have any proof, but I’d wager that this maid is that same shadow. She was a little too eager to be the young lass’ escort to and from my shop. She even spoke out against the lady of the house! What kinda self-respectin’ maid does a thing like that? In any case, the message was damn clear. I told Stahlia we would try it her way. Well, who would have guessed it? The little thing’s method not only worked splendidly, it managed an efficiency far an’ above anything anyone had ever tried before! There was no way she was an Alchemy Prodigy. She was something alright, but that wasn’t it. Well speakin’ of the devil. I was lost in thought and look who walked in my front door but the wee lass and her demon maid as well, “Hello Mister Sven!” she sure is cheerful today, as usual.
Better greet ‘er afore the maid gets anxious, “Hello Miss Stahlia, Jacqueline. Ready for today?”
“Absolutely! You were going to show me how to purify mana out of restoration potions right?” As usual, the lass was excitable and eager ta learn.
Indeed that’s what I had told her last week. It was common sense that when you mixed ingredients, you would come out with a brew that had more than one effect. The trick to making an effective potion was to get rid of one of the effects. Come to think of it, this is what I had been doin’ the first day I met the wee lass; boilin’ out the restoration effect from a Concentrated Mana potion.
“Alright then, as I told you last time when you’re brewing a restoration potion, you will first mix up the ingredients and come up with a potion that contains both mana recovery and restoration elements. Do you remember how we extract the Mana Recovery Element in order to produce the Restoration Potion?” Ah, look at the wee lass smilin’ if it weren’t for that demon behind her it’d be absolutely adorable…
“Yes I recall, to remove the Mana Recovery Element you chill the potion, that makes the mana element crystallize at the bottom of the cauldron so you can pour out Restoration Potion. Conversely, to finish a Mana Recovery Potion you boil it; this evaporates the Restoration element leaving only the Mana Recovery Potion. Speaking of that, Mister Sven, I have a question!” Ah course ya do, well it ain’t like that demon shadow maid is gonna give me any choice in the matter, let’s see how your about to revolutionize alchemy this week.
“Hmm? What were you wondering about?” Better check the demon, yep she’s smilin’ at me.
“Well, instead of wasting one element by chilling, should we not heat the potion and then use condensation to recover the Restoration element? That way we would be left with both a Mana Recovery and a Restoration potion!” This wee lass… ‘Condescendation’ what? Yet another thing I ain’t never heard of before.
“Well we could try that, but I haven’t ever thought of doing something like that before so I don’t exactly have the right tools for it…” Please just give up, I don’ know how much more my world can be shaken ‘fore I wind up in an early grave… Ah, shit, the wee lass is smilin’… and now she’s waving over the demon maid.
…And what’s this thing now? Some sort of metal lid for my cauldron? So you put this on then add distilled winter to that bowl-shaped area eh? And now they’re lighting a fire… I hope this doesn’t fail, or I won’t be able to fill out my order request…
Wait, Restoration Potion is coming outa this spot thing in the lid as a liquid and drippin’ into that bucket?! And since they’re heating the brew that means Mana Recovery Potion’ll be leftover in the cauldron! What in the blazes, this completely eliminates the waste from the refinery process! Where in all the hells did this wee lass learn about this Condescendation thing from?!
“Ah, well fancy that, looks like it worked. Honestly, I don’t even know whose teaching who anymore…. Ha…ha…ha…”
“Do not be silly mister Sven sir, I would never have been able to do this if you had not taught me about the refinery process!” All smilin’ and cheery as usual, forget prodigy! I swear, this wee lass is some kinda alchemy demon!
★★★★★★
It was in this manner that Stahlia inadvertently revolutionized the world of Alchemy. In the coming years, this revolutionary process would come to be known as “Condescending” and would completely replace the previous Refining Process, but that is a story for another time.
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Knight Commander Giogi
Giogi - Right after Stahlia kicked his ass in 1-12.
I picked myself up off the ground after I was sure she had left. Looking around to be doubly sure she had gone, I winced as I bent to pick up my knife. I almost died, I’m sure of it. Stahlia had beaten me thoroughly. I didn’t know what came over me, but I had completely lost my nerve and drawn a blade on her. Rather than turning white and fleeing, Stahlia had instead run straight towards me, easily caught the knife, and nearly broken my arm taking it away from me. At that moment I felt a wave of malice; I was certain her next move would be to stab me.
It would have been justified too. My mother always told me I was a fool whenever I brought up Stahlia at home. I wasn’t sure when it first started, but for as long as I could remember, something was different about her. The way she walked and talked was just so… special, unique. I had been jealous, I think. Jealous of a girl technically three months younger than me. I made it a point to poke at her, to try and break the façade I was sure she was putting up.
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That all culminated in today, I had finally made her snap. As it turns out, she was certainly putting up a façade. The real Stahlia was a monster in the body of a little girl. Despite not having a purpose she had outmaneuvered me, a born knife-fighter, armed as I was with my weapon of choice. What’s more, it didn’t even feel like she was trying all that hard.
Who exactly are you? How did you learn to fight like that? I had thought she was just an uppity noble girl wannabe, going about with delusions of her Father’s former title. I didn’t realize that my ill feelings stemmed from jealousy until I pushed her past her breaking point with my taunting.
But that had only answered one question and given me so many more. To put it bluntly, I was confused. Confused and fascinated. Stahlia was a completely mysterious existence, I found myself wanting to know about her, to learn what caused her to adopt such a false persona. Dusting myself off, I resolved myself. “Sark, Diil, are you guys ok?” Sark groaned and sat up.
“Is she gone..?” I nodded in response to Sark and gave Diil a kick.
“Diil, get up.” Opening his eyes he glared at me.
“Giogi, the hell?! Why’d you try ta grab her like that!?” He was rightfully upset with me, I could see that now.
“Oh shut it, how the hell should I have known she was really like that?! We all knew she was weird, but I don’t remember anyone suggesting she could fight like that!” Still, this doesn’t bode well. What if she tells her dad I came at her with a knife?
“Come on, let’s get out of here and wash up… I’ll go over to the mayor’s place tomorrow and apologize. That’s probably all I can do…” Sark nodded and shot Diil a look.
“Yea, me an’ Diil will go with you. We should get all the guys to go together, but no way in hell will they believe us if we tell ‘em what happened.” Diil looked like he wanted nothing more than to refuse outright, but he nodded solemnly.
The next morning found the three of us standing outside Stahlia’s place. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wrapped the gate frame. I heard Stahlia coming up on the other side of the gate and unlatching it. The moment I saw her face as the gate swung open, I reflexively bowed my head.
Apparently, she was not expecting that. “Huwah?!” Right, after the way I’ve been needling you ever since I can remember, you would hardly expect me to suddenly through myself at your feet huh.
“Stahlia, I’m sorry for my behavior!” I belted out my rehearsed line.
There was a long very awkward pause. I dared not raise my head before she responded, the cold look in her eyes as she flipped my knife around in the air was floating unbidden to the forefront of my thoughts.
“A-ah, u-u-um. Well. A-apology accepted? Yea. Yea, let’s go with that.” Strangely enough, rather than being haughty, she sounded somewhat flustered. Is this good or bad? I need to show her my sincerity somehow before her mood sours. A thought came to my mind and without thinking it through overmuch, I blurted it out.
“Stahlia, please teach me!” After a long pause, I risked a peek at her. Stahlia was standing there looking down at me with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open. I suppose that would be a shock huh… Just as I was debating turning tail and running away, a small head poked out from behind her. The head had eyes and hair that matched Stahlia’s perfectly. I knew she had a little sister, but I don’t remember ever seeing her before… she would be what, two right now?
“Sister, who, is, this?” Her speech was, frankly, adorable. She was taking great pains to pronounce all her words properly. It was clear she was putting a great deal of effort into refined speech. Did Stahlia have to work that hard to get to talking fancy like she does?
“R-right. Rosial, this is Giogi, Sark, and…” Stahlia trailed off, looking at Diil. Ah, this is my chance to improve her perception of us! I got to my feet and gave a bow; I was imitating what I had seen some of the village men do when greeting Mayor Fynn or Mrs. Rosalie.
Taking great pains to use the proper manners, I introduced the three of us. “Rosial, I am Giogi Sutvenson. These are my friends, Sark Ohbeson, and Diil Grawlson. Sark and I attend lessons at the temple with your sister.” That’s… way harder than it looks. I glanced nervously at the two girls. Rosial was wide-eyed and looking between all of us. Stahlia’s gaze had hardened a bit and she was staring at me intently. Shit! What did I say wrong?! I’m dead for sure!
“Rosial, go inside please, I need to have words, alone with them for a moment.” Her voice was cold, and her gaze didn’t leave me for a second. Rosial looked at her sister with big, saucer eyes and dashed into the house. Right, I suppose you wouldn’t want your sister to witness an execution. I sent a mental apology to Sark and Diil.
“Giogi, what are you after?” Her voice was still cold, but I could see a hint of curiosity in her eyes. Maybe we still have a chance! I need to make sure I don’t mess up again. Putting even more care into my speech, I announced my intentions.
“After what happened yesterday… Well, I guess I just realized how much you’ve been holding back. I was being a real ass to you all this time, and you put up with it for so long…” Hopefully, she accepts that… I really don’t want to die here…
I felt sweat trickling down my neck; Stahlia’s gaze had hardened, and her jaw was now tightly clenched. Out of the corner of my vision I noticed her fists ball up, I tried my best not to look at them. This is how it ends…
“Alright already! Just… stop talking like that! It’s creepy.” With that exclamation, the tension drained out of her, and as a result out of us. I didn’t know what had happened but, somehow, we were saved.
Of course, the other three guys didn’t take kindly to the new arrangement, but they weren’t Stahlia. It only took me one or two scraps with them to establish the new order. In class, I found that things were going much better after Stahlia took me on as a student; she really was exceptional in her studies. Our teacher was really bad at explaining stuff, but it only took one or two conversations with Lady Stahlia for me to wrap my head around all the things I had been struggling with. Sana was something else too, it was hard to believe, but I think she might be even better than Lady Stahlia when it comes to history and letters.
After I witnessed Lady Stahlia privately asking Sana for help with our history lessons, I resolved to start treating her like my teacher too. “The master of my master” and all that. It took another couple of scraps with the other boys but, by the time I was done, Lady Sana no longer had to worry about any of the other village children calling her names or stealing her school supplies.
True to her promise, Lady Stahlia started teaching me proper knife fighting. As it turns out, she was even better with a blade than she was with her hands! Apparently, the techniques she was teaching me were called “Shadow Fighting Style” she made me swear an oath of secrecy to never ever disclose the name of my style or tell how I learned it. I thought she was joking when she said “If you talk about this, an assassin who I could never beat will make sure it’s the last thing you say.” My laughter trailed off when I noticed her expression; she was being completely serious.
Since I was learning a secret style, our training sessions were limited; she would approach me during class and tell me when and where the next one would be. She always picked out of the way spots like alleys or abandoned buildings. At first, I thought she was planning for me to disappear, but eventually, I figured out she was just being really serious about protecting the secrecy of the fighting style. Apparently, not even her parents knew about it.
Over time, more of the boys started coming to lessons with me; they had obviously noticed how much stronger I was getting when we would play knights and monsters. Before long, my entire circle of friends was learning how to fight from Lady Stahlia. She was a good teacher too. Each time someone new showed up, she put her hand on their forehead like she was checking for a fever. From whatever she was doing she would figure out if they would be better suited with a blade or a fist then teach them appropriately.
After about a month of learning proper fighting, Sark called all of us together in our old hideout. Once everyone was there, he informed us he had an announcement.
“I hereby begin the first meeting of Stahlia’s Knights. Knight-Commander Giogi, do you have any words to mark the occasion?” I stared at him blankly.
“Sark, what the hell are you on about?” He looked at me confused.
“Commander Giogi, weren’t you saying the other day how Lady Stahlia is like a warrior princess?” I did say that… but why would you go and tell everyone?! I could feel my cheeks turning red.
“I-i-I Mean y-yea, I m-might ha-have said that? But wh-what gave you the i-idea to go and do this?! And why am I the commander when it’s your idea?!” Sark grinned at me conspiratorially.
“Well, every princess needs an order of knights to protect her, right? I can’t be a knight commander when my purpose is to be a scribe, don’t worry commander Giogi, I’ll use my talents to support you in the day-to-day.” Still red, I looked around the room. To my surprise, none of the guys here seemed opposed to the idea.
“Sark, you know damn well Lady Stahlia doesn’t need us to protect her! Hell, if anything were to actually happen, she would likely be the one protectin’ us.” Besides, aren’t we a little old to be playing knights? Sark’s grin got even wider.
“Oh come now Giogi, I thought you would love the idea. After all in all the stories, it’s always the Knight-Commander who marries the princess at the end right? We all know how you feel about Lady Stahlia don’t we guys?” That comment caused all the guys in the room with us to start laughing uproariously. I could feel my face getting even redder, I probably looked like I had spent a week out in the fields.
“S-SHAHT UP!!”