Upon noticing Amon's arrival, the lady placed the pencil on the counter and greeted him. Her voice was calm and low, with a touch of roughness.
"You arrived early, Amon. How are you feeling?"
Ada, the herbalist, was a petite woman, standing no taller than 1.60 meters. Her brown hair was tied in a bun. Despite subtle expression lines on her face, her eyes sparkled with cunning wisdom, while her mouth curved into a gentle smile.
"Good morning, Ada. I came early because I want to finish reading the 'Encyclopedia of Herbs - Initial Volume' to start producing some simpler products like medicines or ointments... I feel ready, but I want to complete the research first."
Amon replied as he walked behind the counter and stowed his bag. After a brief dialogue between him and Ada about how to proceed for the rest of the day, he delved into the shop until he found a small office-like room. Entering it, Amon picked up a large book from one of the chairs before sitting down to continue reading.
The morning went smoothly until Amon finally finished reading the Encyclopedia. The book contained a compilation of knowledge about various herbs, diverse plants, and even fungi. Additionally, it provided information on their uses, where to find them, and how to safely prepare them, as some could be toxic or poisonous.
Putting the Encyclopedia back on a shelf in the front of the store, where other books were available for purchase, Amon went on to complete his tasks in the shop. Among them was the task of cleaning the tools and containers used in the production of medicines and potions. Maintaining the hygiene of the instruments before and after use was crucial to avoid adverse reactions during or after preparation.
While cleaning, Amon noticed Ada entering the laboratory to start crafting the potions commissioned during the morning.
Ada's shop operated a bit differently. In the morning, she sold popular and pre-made herbs, potions, and remedies, while in the afternoon, she withdrew from the counter to craft specific orders for customers.
"Amon, come with me. I want you to observe how I will produce a special potion today; it will be a good experience for you to witness the making of high-quality potions."
"Wait, did you say high-quality? Until today, I've only seen the Superior Healing Potion that you keep ready for emergencies..."
"That's because a commission for a superior potion like that is very rare, appearing every few months. But that's due to the enormous cost of these potions... Each step of the production must be done with extreme care and methodically, with no room for the slightest error. Not to mention the need for more valuable ingredients to increase the chances of success."
"We're talking about how much money?" Amon asked curiously.
"With a little negotiation, I set a price of 70 silver coins for the potion, along with some other demands, which she accepted without hesitation." Ada replied with a greedy smile.
"Seventy silver coins?! My family needs to work for half a year to earn that amount! What is the potion in question, and who could afford such a price without hesitation?"
"Well, this potion is a [Superior Antidote], used to heal poisoned individuals. As for the client, it was Countess Luara, the wife of Count Cameron."
"The Countess sent you a request to make the potion?! Now it makes sense how someone can pay 70 silvers without blinking... And what were the other demands?"
"Well, she didn't send a request... She came personally to me, and she left a little while ago. It seems she's really in a hurry to get the potion. As for the demands, I asked for sponsorship to open a store in the kingdom's capital if the potion proves effective."
Amon was left speechless, his mouth opening and closing like a fish in an aquarium. Receiving a personal visit from the Countess and a promise of sponsorship if the potion works well is a great honor.
Opening a shop on one's own in the capital wouldn't be difficult, but the competition there would be enormous, with major stores receiving sponsorships from different nobles and political or economic forces. So, strong sponsorship is crucial for the success of an alchemist in the capital.
"Well, enough talking; let's get to work. Today, we'll need to use all the protections for the potion because, in the initial stages, it will be as dangerous as a highly deadly poison. Put on the suit, apron, gloves, mask, and tie a cloth around your head. Any hair in the potion, and it will be completely ruined."
Ada began instructing Amon to prepare the location where they would craft the potion, with him promptly obeying orders and helping Ada as much as he could. After a few minutes, Ada left the laboratory and returned some time later, holding a box 15cm tall and 30cm in length and width. On the surface of the box, Amon could see small inscriptions glowing in golden color. Quickly identifying the inscriptions and recognizing them as magical runes, Amon asked Ada about the purpose of the magical runes on the box.
Ada patiently explained to Amon the functions and effects of the runes while slowly opening the box and carefully removing its contents.
"These are stasis runes¹, used to keep the contents of the box preserved for long periods, essentially, time within the box passes extremely slowly. I estimate that an ingredient that would begin to lose its properties after 3 days would easily last 3 years inside the box."
As Amon watched Ada gather materials for the potion inside the box, he was amazed by the artifact before him. It must be kept in mind that it's very rare to see items enchanted with magical runes in a medium-sized city like Okane. The few enchanted items that could be seen in the city were usually weapons or armor used by officers or experienced adventurers.
"Incredible! This is the second enchanted item I've seen up close, and I must say the inscriptions are amazing!"
"Wait, can you see the magical inscriptions on the box?"
Ada asked with a slight astonishment. Runes usually remain hidden on enchanted objects, actively shining only when infused with mana² or a powerful enchantment is active.
"Yes, I can faintly detect the glow of the runes on the box. If it weren't for having seen an enchanted object up close before, I might not have noticed such details."
Amon replied to Ada while smiling excitedly at the item in front of him. Amon has a keen interest in runes and enchantments, but he hasn't had opportunities to study any.
"That's impressive; sometimes I forget how impressive your senses are. You mentioned that this was the second enchanted item you've seen... I wonder what the first one was."
"Well, the first was the forge hammer that my father keeps guarded secretly in our house. I've never seen him use it, but once at night, I saw him holding the hammer while drinking next to my mother in the armchair. Even from a distance, I could see the runes glowing with a wild power, with the air around him seeming to vibrate slightly in its presence. Unfortunately, my mother spotted me quickly, even though I was in the dark, and sent me to bed. Since then, I haven't had the opportunity to see the hammer again, even if I asked."
Ada's eyes widened at Amon's account. After closing the box and storing it in a secure place, she warned Amon seriously.
"Amon, never disclose this to anyone; it could attract unwanted attention. People are greedy and can do terrible things for their own benefit."
Amon looked at Ada with concerned eyes, thinking he might have put his parents in danger unknowingly. Fortunately, he had never shared this story with anyone else.
But what he didn't know is that there aren't many people willing to jeopardize their family. And anyone attempting to do so will join the other brave souls in the afterlife.