Chapter XXIII

The mage seems to have become embarrassed not knowing what to say. Even standing there blinking for a few moments, maintaining an embarrassed look. At one point, it seemed he was about to say something to end up not doing so. Finally, he nods and begins to ask his questions. Some questions were so simple, that she hardly knew what to say. In the end, it was better to explain everything she could to him.

"Alright, thank you. It seems like that's all." He says, stepping away from the alchemy table where he was leaning over talking to her.

"Do you need anything else?" she asks, almost wishing he would ask for help with whatever he wants to do. Partly because he had just revealed a great deal of ignorance, which could be dangerous for her home. But on the other hand, some of his comments reveal very advanced knowledge of potions. Of those comments that she understood. As such, she concludes that it would be very interesting to see what he's going to do. Even if it ends in failure.

"No, thank you. As I said, this should be enough." He replies, using his arms to gesture her towards the exit as he finishes speaking. It's irritating a stranger is ushering her out of her own house. But since she can't do anything about it. She simply follows the path to the street.

His response, though unfortunate, is expected. After all, everyone who devotes themselves to making potions tries to take care to protect their recipes. And even though the young mage may not be experienced in potions, he surely understands the value of her knowledge.

In a relatively polite action considering the circumstances, he accompanies her to the door, where he speaks again.

"Oh, yes. Sorry. But I'm going to have to ask for something else." A small comment, that worries her terribly. From the beginning, when this mage demonstrated his power by destroying a tree. The thought that he hardly only wanted to use her equipment. He probably would need something else. She could only hope that it wouldn't be something too terrible and that her poor village could provide.

In the scenario she had considered most likely, he should need guinea pigs to test the potion he's making. In that case, she was willing to be the guinea pig. Sacrificing an old woman like her is acceptable. But if he chose one of the younger ones, magic or non-magic. Then, she and the rest of the village would defend them.

Seeing that she doesn't respond. The mage appeared to decide it was better to continue speaking. What, he does in an embarrassed and hesitating tone.

"Well... you see... I hadn't planned on making potions. But events on our path led me to change my mind..." his voice becomes more serious, making the little hesitations in his speech begin to disappear.

"...so I don't have everything I need..." she quickly concludes that he needs ingredients. If it's not anything too exotic, she might have it. And if it's just that, he can take whatever he wants. Anything to prevent a conflict that costs lives.

"...so I need bottles." he ends up saying. Bottles, all this for him to ask for bottles. Not that she can deny that it makes sense. After all, if he hadn't planned on making potions, why would he be carrying empty potion bottles? The bottles themselves aren't a big request. While not so easy to find, they can simply be reused. In her case, even if she runs out of bottles, most of her concoctions can be put into other containers since they are used shortly after being made.

"So?" the young man who is threatening her village to be able to use equipment to make potions asks when he sees she doesn't respond.

Considering that what else can she say? "Yes, use whatever you need."

After this interaction, her fear doesn't disappear, but it does diminish considerably. After all, if he gets like this asking for some bottles. What would his reaction be having to ask for something else, more serious?

So she opens the door and begins to leave. Right outside is Seres, the young blond man.

"I'm glad you're here." the mage lightly comments, to Seres clear joy. The boy gains a big smile on his face.

"I'm using all the lady's water and firewood. Go get some." Given his instructions, he closes the door and returns to his work.

She turns to the young blonde man and tells him, "Don't worry, I'll ask someone to take care of it later."

"Yes, but he told me to take care of it. So it's better to do what he said." Seres replies with a very serious expression as if he had been told to defend the kingdom instead of being told to fetch water.

Seeing the boy like this, she explains to him where to get the water and where he can go to chop some firewood.

While Seres goes to fulfill his mission, his friend Adar is by the mule shaking his head. So, the rest of the village can see this new spectacle on this strange day.

The bizarre reactions of these three leave her not knowing what to think. She begins to arrive at the conclusion that. If she hadn't refused their request, the day would have been much calmer.

Nero takes another three hours to do whatever he's doing. During that time, his two companions join together, to do the tasks ordered to Seres. While she and her village watch. 

In her case, there's no other option since they're occupying her house. And in the case of the other villagers, it's simply curiosity and some fear. After all, seeing the remnants of the tree that Nero destroyed, it's clear that if there's any conflict, the outcome will always be bad for the village.

But the lack of any aggressive behavior on the part of these young people leaves mainly the curiosity of what will happen next.

In the end, the terrible mage opens the door and steps out of Eudora's house. To the great surprise of everyone who hasn't seen him yet, the young man dressed in rags takes a step and starts sneezing.

While the mental image of him of many people is completely destroyed. The other two approach him, and Eudora does the same, wanting to see what else will happen. The other elders keep the remaining villagers at a distance.

"Damn it. Damn, the sneezes never end." Nero begins to grumble aloud.

"I warned you..." begins the dark-haired Adar to speak until he notices the expression on Nero's face. Leading him to immediately shut up.

"Give me your hand. I need a wound." The mage states loudly.

The strange expression leaves them speechless. What does he mean by that? Is it something to do with the potion he now has in his hand?

"Come on, move and give me your hand." his irritation with the other young man's hesitation is visibly increasing.

Adar hesitates a little more but starts to raise his hand.

Meanwhile, Seres, who until recently seemed happy to see the mage leave the house, becomes very serious and goes to his robe to take out a knife. Which he then uses to make a cut on his hand.

Seeing this action, more than one person in the crowd lets out a sigh.

"What the hell are you doing, you idiot?" Nero asks in a shout, looking at Seres' bleeding hand.

"Well, since you needed a wounded hand... And Adar was hesitating..." starts to hesitantly say a now pale Seres.

"Blondie. What are you talking about, you idiot? I was going to see if the potion works on Grumpy's frostbite."

Nero starts shaking his head, clearly frustrated with what happened. He extends his hand with a bottle in it to Seres.

"Take this, you idiot. And don't drink it all at once. Take small sips so you don't waste it."

The young man, as always, promptly obeys. Taking small sips from the bottle. While looking at his now cut hand. In two sips, the bleeding stops. It takes two more sips for her to see that the wound starts to close.

"A healing potion." The dark-haired Adar lets out with some admiration showing in his voice.

"It's a health restore potion..." The mage begins to say before stopping. He starts scratching his head as if thinking about something. To then let loose a heavy sigh and continue speaking. "Yes. Alright, it's a healing potion..."

While the others speak, Seres waits a few seconds. While carefully watching his hand. Before taking a last sip and closing the bottle. To return it to Nero with a smile on his face.

"What are you happy with, idiot? You just drank close to half the potion. And I don't have infinite potions." Nero grumbles at him while looking at the bottle.

The criticism immediately wipes the smile off Seres' face. While Nero doesn't even look at him. He simply extended his arm with the potion to Adar.

"Take this. I want to see if it heals your hand. And how much it takes for that to happen."

This time more calmly, Adar moves to take hold of the potion and begins to drink it. Like his friend, he takes it in small sips. While trying to see the possible results on his hand.

It doesn't take long for his face to brighten, indicating that the potion must be working.

Eudora isn't the only one to notice this, as Nero turns away and starts heading back into the house, saying, "Great. It seems to work. Keep whatever is left."

"Healing potions, this is spectacular. Who would have thought he even knew how to make healing potions." The admiration in Seres' voice is palpable.

"Seres, stop. It's not completely unexpected. After all, for what other reason would he want access to alchemy equipment." Adar says, clearly trying to restrain his friend. While observing his now uninjured hand.

"Enough talk." Nero's voice comes. When he re-enters the door with a series of vials in his arms. Carefully, he places eleven small vials with potions on the bench where Eudora usually sits to sunbathe.

Having finished that, he picks one up and hands it to Seres.

"Take this and keep it. Make sure you don't lose it." without waiting for any response. Turning to Adar and handing him another one. "And you take this. You two, be careful. They're for emergencies." The other two young men apparently don't find anything to say.

Then the mage lets another sness louse.

Compelling Seres to ask him. "Aren´t you drinking one? For your cold."

Nero stops and seems to reflect on the question.

"Why? Would it help?" Before anyone could respond the mage continued to speak. Apparently, more to himself than anyone else. "Na. It shouldn't, restore health doesn't affect status. So, it can't heal sickness."

Eudora can't understand what he said. But, he is correct that normal healing potions can't heal illness. You need very specific potions for that.

"Maybe it can be useful if I'm almost dead from complications of the cold. I'll only take some if I get worse. No need to waste potions."

The other two must be used to this type of response because they just nod their heads in agreement as they begin to tuck their potions into their robes.

With the two companions busy, Nero turns to Eudora. And using one hand to indicate the remaining potions on the bench, says, "Choose two." Hearing this, she stands still, not knowing what to do. She really didn't expect this kind of attitude from the mage.

Him making potions wasn't unexpected. The potions simply being healing potions was. She expected to see something more esoteric. After all, he's a mage, not an apothecary. But being apparently willing to share them with her is shocking. The most natural thing would be for him to use his power to produce his potions and simply leave.

In fact, simply avoiding a conflict with him, even losing some supplies, would have already been a great victory.

Seeing that she doesn't respond, the mage's gaze wanders until he focuses on something. At that moment, he brings a hand to his face, covers it, and says, "Plan B. Damn." Hearing this, Eudora looked to where he was looking to see the remnants of the tree he had destroyed.

"Right. So let's do this, choose four." the mage says with irritation.

Eudora couldn't believe she could be more shocked. He's going to give her four healing potions. Which would be very useful in a village like this. She doesn't know how to make these potions. So, normally to stock up, they would have to be lucky enough for a merchant to pass through here. Or more commonly, someone would have to travel to the nearest city to buy them.

As such, the value here isn't even the silver they will save with these potions. Which will already be a significant amount. The real value will be the risks that won't have to be taken to get them.

Eudora is thus left unsure of how to act. Looking at the crowd of villagers, she can see on some faces that they also understand the benefit that these potions are.

"Are you going to take the potions or not?"

Upon hearing the mage's question, she decides not to risk him changing his mind. And as quickly as possible, she goes to collect the potions.

Holding the potions she chose, she sees the mage turn back, to Seres and tell him. "Take the rest and keep them." Before returning to speak with her.

"Well. I think this ends it..." Here, he begins to scratch his face, seeming to think about what to say. But in a few seconds, he shrugs to finish saying. "... So, goodbye."

"If your lordship needs anything else, just say so." Given how this situation is ending, she has to say something. Despite all the concern, her village has just gained four potions. So, she had to show some gratitude.

"Yeah. Okay," the mage responds without even turning to her, as he goes to his two companions, who are preparing their mule to depart.

They don't take long before they resume their journey. She and the remaining villagers don't know exactly how to react, so they just watch them leave.