The Nachwald great house is a 30-meter high building of impressive stonework, an imposing fortress built over a dried up waterfall on a scalloped precipice eighty meters of steep drop above an equally dry stream.

Generations of warriors were born within those earth coloured walls. For centuries they led thousands of troops that stood as defense against the legion of monsters of the Sleeping Forest.

The dry canals of water and the basin behind were only a shadow of their former glory. The magnificent aqueducts and spillways are parched making the huge percent of the land barren.

But far from its foreboding outer appearance inside is a homey atmosphere.

Rushes are scattered along the floors for insulation, huge fireplaces are lit to keep the residents warm. It may seem like an old way of running the house but everyone is content at the current state of affairs inside the humongous structure.

The current lord Duke Aldebrand Nachtwald with his two sons and daughter live in frugality.

The lady of the house Sterne Nachwald agrees that one's family who only has its ancient name and family crest with no wealth should live humbly.

It makes Sir Ahmose proud and sad at the same time. Their lady is such a young thing at the age of nine yet she understood.

The funds coming from the Royal Capital are sufficient enough to feed the troops and pay the staff under Duke Aldebrand. Being in the front lines against the monster horde, the kingdom's support is only a small compensation.

His Majesty King Ernesti favoured House Nachtwald because of their long loyal service to the kingdom and for their supreme military might.

Who inside the Aurum Kingdom can match against their battle prowess and tactical knowledge?

Not even the celebrated Mythril Knights can match against the Obsidian, such words came out even from His Majesty's mouth. If by chance the noble lords and officials heard of it, they will most probably scoff the notion off.

If not for the Nachtwalds continuous monster subjugation the whole kingdom would have been obliterated by monsters. Yet everyone in the royal capital Aurea and nearby territories have long forgotten that very fact.

From its domineering hundred thousand troops, Obsidian tragically dwindled to less than half of its former power when the kingdom lord ministers unanimously voted to recall the forces. Now, in Lord Nachtwald's generation, there are only less than thirty thousand remaining to the formerly hailed Obsidian Order of Knights. Most of which are people who are severely loyal to the lord.  

Changes came to the shunned territory like a storm. It all began after the heavens rained down its blessings.

Lady Sterne, being young, manifested incredible talent beyond their wildest imaginations, shocking everyone to their core.

 

"Sir Ahmose," The imposing man turned his head towards the girl holding a wooden sword in one hand and a cloth for wiping the sweat on the other. "How important is a Regen Solution?"

The butler now dressed in practice uniform turned to the child with lustrous dark blue hair and striking grey eyes. 

"Milady, as far as I can remember that hailed item is on the same as a national treasure."

Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Oh dear… Na-Na-National Treasure you say?

Confused as to why she asked the question, Sir Ahmose continued to look at her. 

Sterne began to sweat buckets. Eek~ if I told my teacher I made one, will he take me as a crazy woman?

When she said one, it was actually a barrel full. The said medicine is now sitting outside the garden where she left it under the sun. Honestly, she was a little frightened looking at it.

Where in the world do you find a nine-year-old child successfully concocting ancient medicine without prior knowledge of it? In your dreams!

Seeing her tangled expression, Sir Ahmose sighed inwardly and chose to turn a blind eye to it. "Why does the lady want to know about it? Have you changed your mind about being a Sword Master and want to become a Healer instead?"

"T-Teacher, must be joking, you know I love the sword and besides, I cannot practice magic. Being a Healer is impossible."

But that will not prevent her from furthering her studies. There are plenty of things she want to know…

"Regen Solution is an absolute cure medicine higher than 8th Tier Healing Magic, unfortunately, the real method of making one has been long lost."

"Is it possible for a recipe to be forgotten just like that? I mean, isn't there something left in people's memories? Stored knowledge, books, even the sages." You know, anything so that I can at least say I copied it from a second-hand source.

"Sages are fools." Sir Ahmose muttered but Sterne did not hear that and continued. "Anyway, I'm certain that there is no real record about this said medicine anymore. Even after exploring many ruins, the all-important concoction recipes are still not found."  

"How come it vanished just like that?"

Sir Ahmose rubbed his bearded chin while in deep thought. His knowing eyes looked at her as though she was a tiny helpless fawn.

"Very well," after expelling a long sigh he seems to have made up his mind. "As your teacher, it is my responsibility to impart everything I know and answer any questions you might come up with."

Amazed, she nodded. Sir Ahmose is not only an excellent butler but also an outstanding Sword Master or maybe even more. His vast stock of knowledge always kept her curious for more, Sterne suddenly wondered how father got a hold of such a man.

Surely someone of his caliber is in high demand in the Royal Capital and yet he chose to stay in Nachtwald. The barren land. 

Because of the dire financial capacity of Nachtwald, Sterne could not trouble her father to hire a professional academic tutor from the Royal Academy or the Magic Bureau. However as time went she realized that knowledge cannot only come from people with titles. The people of the manor are enough. Most of the senior staff served as her guide since they are also capable individuals who have rich life experience from travelling beyond the continent and overseas.

Sir Ahmose's lesson with the sword was far higher than any titled person from the academy. Etiquette lessons, however, were not discarded no matter how much she told her father she does not need it.

No matter how loved she was, the lord duke was adamant she learned  her lesson as a member of nobility. 

The freedom to be unbridled as she wishes comes with the condition that she apply the same devotion in sword fight to her etiquette class with Miss Amy.

Sir Ahmose turned to the little lady, "The Regen Solution is only a small part of the Lost Recipes. As we all know the Lost Recipes held numerous records of archaic ways of mixing and combining various solutions. It was the culmination of different techniques from several magical races from an advanced ancient civilization. More than a book, the Lost Recipe is a gift."

Inside it are legendary formulas and lost magical formations or matrices which are no longer practised today resulting in the stagnation of civilization. That said recipe is said to be dangerous and that it can drive mankind to the madness of obsession thus it was judged by the Herald and erased."

Formulas? Matrix? Sterne began to feel uneasy, she felt her feet and palms pour out cold sweat after hearing the information from Sir Ahmose.

"Is… is making the Regen Solution considered a taboo?" Her voice trembled while asking. Well, she can't help it! If the Herald judged it then she might have unknowingly done a huge violation by tinkering on it because she got 'too curious'.

Oh dear… oh dear… nine years of life. So short. Sterne wailed inwardly. Waiting for Sir Ahmose's reply seemed like waiting for her death sentence to fall.

But instead of answering, Sir Ahmose asked worriedly, "Milady, are you feeling fine? You look pale."

A panicked laugh escaped her lips, "Ahahaha~ I am fine." I guess.

Father. Mother in heaven. My elder brothers, I Sterne Eloise Nachtwald has done something to upset the Gods.

"A-About the Regen…?"

"Oh, that." Sir Ahmose pounded his right fist into his palm. "Although it is impossible to create it without finding the Lost Recipe first but if by chance--" He looked at the girl pointedly.

She averted her eyes in guilt. 

"--if by chance the said mythical medicine comes out then that only means one thing: the Herald has bestowed the book to man. The Lost Recipe has long perished from the records of to keep all creation from coveting it. Placing it back into our hands means that the God of Creation is giving us another chance."

Her jaw fell.

Relief. Such a cathartic effect has made Sterne weak-kneed; she overlooked the other important words he said.

Hooray! I'm not going to be erased?

"It seems Milady has done her lesson well about the history of the ancient races. You appear to be very much concerned about the Herald's wrath. Be assured Milady, as envoys of the Gods, Heralds are just beings. Eccentric as well."

Sterne nodded. Her troubled mind was put to rest. 

Since there was no threat of dying, she decided that she might as well begin learning about this strange ability she earned for no apparent reason. Based on her experience these past few days, Sterne is now convinced that what's currently in her hands-- or in her head, rather, is the coveted Lost Recipe.

 

The days passed in a blink. 

Sterne worked hard on her combat lesson in the morning and learned about the Lost Recipe during evenings. First, she has to understand how mana works. From where they came from and how they are able to develop in one's body. Second, memorize the ancient's alphabets in order to make magic formulas. 

A formula or spell is needed in order to create magic. Like fire for example, there is a certain equation in order to activate it. Aside from that, the caster must also have a strong mental image in order to convert that formula into a physical phenomenon. 

Walking around in a daze, Sterne almost forgot the presence of Emilia and the young knight Sir Thais following behind. Occupied by what she learned all night her head is abuzz with questions.

At this moment, she was on her way to her garden. After which she will drop by a friend's house to change the books she lent him. It took a while to focus back on the task at hand.

Up ahead on the field the crane flowers she painstakingly cared for are blooming beautifully. It thrived despite the dried up soil and this sea of violet and red buds was a welcome change against the dismal surrounding and its perpetual grey skies. Sterne sighed in her heart, thousands of acres of land but only a few were planted. Nachtwald territory and its five towns are barely surviving.

If only she could find a solution how to remove the poison in the water and make the soil healthy once again it could boost the fief’s food production.

Reading so many books until now and still no clear lead as to how to return life back to the fief seemed a pointless effort. For years, the town leaders never stopped searching for answers and testing every kind of method only to be faced with failure. How great it would be if they could raise their livelihood to earn more profit to support the people and Order.

Speaking of which, her crane flowers stubbornly refuse to wilt despite the lack of water and nutrients. How she wished the other crops were as tenacious as them.

These crane flowers were common plants, but despite their mediocrity there was a certain mysterious allure in them. Once afternoon comes the violet petals spread outwards appearing like a crane ready to take flight and the exposed blood red pistils unravels serving like a majestic crest. It was regrettable that Sterne had cut a large quantity of it to make the Regen.

However, aside from her and the uncle in the town of Datura, no one spared these wayside flowers a glance. Who would've known that they were the primary ingredient for that extinct elixir? If those Pharmacologists living in the Royal Capital found out, they would most likely go bald with anger.

Confirming that there is no danger in making the medicine, Sterne finally resolved to further study knowledge from various fields inside the Lost Recipe. 

To what extent is she allowed to fiddle with it? She had no idea. Perhaps it was about time she climbed the third layer of their library. 

She thought about it for a moment. 

Her father already gave permission to use it in moderation. The library is quite old, the books and scrolls inside are delicate. He worried that she might accidentally destroy them. Along with caution and restriction she was also instructed not to climb the third layer where she would be in danger of breaking her neck.

But no matter what, Sterne will find information related to these eyes--

~Ack!!!

Sterne let out an inelegant cry similar to a strangled goat. She was too absorbed in her thoughts that her foot got caught on a small stone.   

The two people following behind rushed to her rescue.

"Milady!"

"Are you hurt?"

No, a harmless stone is not enough to injure my body. Apart from my pride of course. She wept silently. 

"My lady, does it hurt anywhere?" Sir Thais asked.

"You almost smacked face down, what if you break your neck?"

Emilia does worry excessively, doesn’t she? And what's with Sir Thais? He reacted as though she was going to die. Hehe, I'm not made of glass, you know. 

She looked at the two with a helpless smile. 

Strange as they may be, Sterne is glad with their company. The oddballs of Nachtwald, as she put it quite funnily, it would be boring without them. She sometimes finds herself laughing once in a while when recalling the disparity against other noble households. 

Take Emilia for example, as a handmaid assigned to her, there shouldn’t be any moments where she could act familiarly with her lady based on the difference of status. If they were to follow etiquette, a handmaid is not allowed to look her master directly in the eyes or share her opinion unless asked. Especially in the last part.

It’s a common practice in every aristocratic house. 

The code and conduct for servants state-- well, if only her late mother did not toss the stifling book in the hearth declaring that she doesn't want to employ mindless dolls who can only nod. That must have been quite a sight. 

Then here's Sir Thais. He's not from Nachtwald, but a true born dandy of the Royal Capital, he's a man with urbane charm with him, according to the maids gossip, and heaven knows how many more ladies out there are pining over him. Whatever that means, thought Sterne.

She agreed that Sir Thais is indeed good-looking in his long light purple hair along with his downturned soft green eyes.

The poor guy, his expectations were fairly smashed when he arrived. Although her family is on top of the aristocratic hierarchy, their purse is nearly empty and to add more dilemma to the young knight, people in here act differently.

For someone like him wrapped in a silk cocoon and with a silver spoon shoved in his mouth Sterne surmised that this drastic change might have been quite traumatic. He once said that aesthetics is highly valued in Aurea, decorum is strictly applied on a daily basis. The knight's training is elegantly devised to be good role models of the citizens.

Must have been a lot of hard work in her own opinion. 

Oh well, here you get to wear rags while in a life or death training with the knights, not a least bit elegant. She can somehow understand if he experiences a meltdown and fled back home to his mother but surprisingly he didn't.

What a tough guy despite his gentle looks.

The three of them were about to finish inspecting the garden when the crows started screaming.

"That looks ominous." Sir Thais murmured, eyeing the crows with disgust.

"Don't worry, if you scare them a little they'll fly away."

He looked at Sterne as if she had gone crazy.

Thus she felt the need to demonstrate, "Emilia, show him."

With that, Emilia elegantly crouched down to pick that stone her lady stubbed her toe with. Her smile looked dark as she held it in her hand.

Ah… Emi, they're just birds. Not bandits.

Surprisingly, as if sensing Emilia's murderous intention the score crows took flight, danced in the sky and charged towards them. Quietly observing as Emila took aim, Sterne had her hand in front looking unperturbed. She couldn't help smiling while imagining what's going to happen next.

Sir Thais pulled his sword from the scabbard ready to chop those flapping birds to pieces.

Sir Thais, you should calm down.

WHOOSH!!!

That was the sound of air being ripped by the stone Emilia hurled. The fastpitch hit the nearest crow square on the head and the poor bird fell.

"The menace is gone, milady." She declared with a serene smile while patting her clothes for a fix.

The remaining birds scattered and disappeared to the far distance fearing Emilia's wrath. Sterne put a hand over her eyes, from where she stood, she could clearly see the fallen victim's feet twitching.

Sir Thais looked at the two girls and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

"Dear me, that was a clean hit. Are you sure you're not a child assassin Miss Emilia?"

Emilia frowned. "How rude, I am a proper lady's maid. If I cannot do this much for my master, then I'd better go back home and dig up clay."

Emi, I’m pretty sure most handmaids cannot hit birds as viciously as you did. Sir Thais thought secretly. 

 

***

 

In a quiet room devoid of light, in a place far from the south. There was a sudden painful gasp.

The peeper lost its only eye all of a sudden.

They knew?

Damn it. He thought he perfectly disguised the hybrid crow. He was sure no one had noticed. But what was that all of a sudden?

The look that the maid gave was menacing; it was enough to arouse gooseflesh in his skin.

Doesn't matter. They can search all they want. They will not find me. He said as if to convince himself. 

 

***

 

After our stroll Sterne and company continue to the village where her reading buddy Bisque lives. He's a huge guy with difficulty walking because of his weight and weak heart but his mental fortitude was one thing she finds very admirable. He said that even though he failed to become a knight he would at least expand his knowledge.

Bisque shows the same enthusiasm as Sterne whenever he opens a new book, and he particularly likes those law, political and management ones. If he had no difficulty moving, he could have learned more by going outside.

"Thank you, milady." Is what Bisque always says whenever it's time for them to go.

With a book clutched on hand, he seemed a little lonely. Sterne very much wanted to help him. She wished there was something else she could do aside from sending him books to at least alleviate the helplessness that was slowly eating at him. 

Then she remembered the Regen Solution.