Mornings began with the chime of Glasmint's bells and the sweet scent of baked nutbread. By sunrise, Elena was already sweeping the alchemy shop's front steps, exchanging polite nods with passing townsfolk. Her hands bore faint stains of ground herbs, and her sleeves often smelled faintly of ash leaves and mint oil.
She liked it.
There was a strange peace in the way things flowed—predictable, deliberate. Brewing potions might have been dangerous work, but it followed patterns she could trust. Ratios. Reactions. Results.
Back in her old world, she'd spent years hunched over lab tables, working with chemicals and glassware. That familiarity grounded her now.
Even in a fantasy land with glowing stones and beasts that howled at twin moons—science, in its own way, remained.
"Again," Liora said sharply, her eyes narrowing as she examined the cloudy tonic on the bench.
Elena winced. "It's the stabilizer. I measured it wrong."
"Half a drop off. Do it again."
It was their sixth attempt at replicating a long-lost formula: the Swiftroot Draught, a tonic said to enhance reflexes temporarily. The original was recorded in a dusty tome Liora had uncovered from her private shelves—its pages brittle, its instructions faded and incomplete.
"You don't need to humor me, you know," Elena muttered as she cleaned the beaker.
"I'm not," Liora replied, adjusting her gloves. "You're learning. And frankly, I'm curious if you'll stumble on something new by accident."
Elena raised a brow. "Is that a compliment?"
"It's a forecast."
That afternoon, Liora dismissed her early. "You've earned the evening," she said, straightening the vials on the workbench. "And the market is liveliest before dusk."
Elena didn't argue.
She'd been meaning to explore further.
The marketplace square was alive with music and colors. Lanterns shaped like blooming flowers hung from strings overhead, casting warm light across the cobblestones. Merchants called out their wares—dried serpent peppers, moonlace fabrics, clay charms etched with warding runes.
She paused at one particular stall that displayed bundles of silvery leaves tied with copper thread.
"Ash leaves?" she asked.
The vendor, a young woman with a braid the color of coal, nodded. "From the north woods. Good for fever tonics and dreamless sleep."
"How much?"
"Three copper for a bundle."
Elena hesitated. Her coin pouch only held four copper crowns. She'd been hoping to save one for dinner.
Then she remembered the system prompt from days ago.
[Bonus Objective: Negotiate Price Successfully]
She took a slow breath and leaned in slightly.
"I'll take two bundles for four," she said. "But only if they're fresh. Otherwise I walk."
The vendor blinked, then smirked. "You drive a hard bargain, apprentice. Fine. Two for four."
As she accepted the herbs, Elena felt the system chime:
[Persuasion Skill +1]
[Herbalism Knowledge +1: Ash Leaf Properties Unlocked]
Elena smiled to herself. Progress felt good.
Twilight crept in.
Elena wandered past the fountain at the town's edge, past the bakery where she'd once traded a recipe suggestion for a warm loaf. She followed a cobbled path that wound into a narrow garden, lined with benches and flowering lanternmoss. It was quiet here—almost sacred.
And to her surprise, Liora was there, standing beneath a weeping trellis of silver ivy.
She wasn't wearing her usual gloves or goggles—just a deep green cloak draped over plain clothes. She looked softer like this. Younger.
"Didn't expect you here," Elena said, approaching.
Liora turned, faintly startled. Then she relaxed. "Neither did I. The breeze helps me think."
"I brought ash leaves," Elena offered, holding up the bundle. "Maybe for that fever salve we were talking about?"
Liora took one bundle gently, inspecting it. "Good quality."
"I haggled."
"You?"
"I have hidden depths," Elena said proudly.
Liora gave the ghost of a laugh. "So I'm beginning to suspect."
They sat together on the bench, quiet settling between them like a soft shawl. The wind stirred the ivy above, sending down a light dusting of petals.
After a moment, Elena glanced at her. "Can I ask you something?"
Liora's gaze flicked to her. "Ask."
"You said Glasmint was self-sufficient. But… do people ever leave?"
"Some," Liora said. "Not many. Most are born here, live here, and die here. Some go to Redhollow or join the guild routes. But it's a hard world out there, Elena. Especially alone."
"I wasn't planning to be alone," Elena said quietly. "I didn't even plan to be here at all."
Liora's expression shifted. Her fingers brushed the ash leaf in her lap.
"You remember your old world?"
Elena nodded. "Bits of it. It comes in flashes. I was a scientist. Alchemist, in a way."
"That explains the way you handle reagents. Precise. Focused."
Elena smiled. "You're not like most people here, are you?"
Liora didn't answer immediately.
Then: "I was born noble. Second daughter. Never stood to inherit anything but expectations. So I left."
"You ran away?"
"No," she said. "I walked away."
And for the first time, Elena saw something vulnerable behind Liora's cool demeanor.
Not just sharpness—but hurt. And choice. And strength.
She didn't press.
Instead, she offered something small of her own.
"I don't know why I was brought here," she said. "But I don't think it was by accident."
"You're adapting quickly."
"I'm trying."
Another breeze passed. A lanternmoss bulb flickered nearby, casting a shimmer across Liora's cheekbone.
"You'll find your footing," she said at last. "Just don't rush it."
Elena met her eyes. "Will you help me?"
Liora's smile was faint, but real.
"I already am."
The next morning brought a new system notification:
Bond Deepened: Liora (Trust: Unlocked)
Bonus Unlocked: Shared Techniques
You may now request one skill from bonded companion per week for study.
Elena blinked.
She tapped into the new interface. Among Liora's listed skills were:
Alchemical Distillation III
Rune-etched Binding II
Herbal Lore II
Combat Reflexes I
Her eyes caught on that last one.
"Combat Reflexes," she whispered.
It was a low-level passive. Increased awareness. Faster reactions.
Not exactly alchemy, but… useful, if she ever had to defend herself.
Skill Selected: Combat Reflexes I (1 Week Study Time)
The system shimmered, confirming her choice.
And beneath it, a new message appeared:
World Event: Whispers in the Veil – Rumors of strange beasts sighted near the edge of Sylaen Forest. Increased danger in surrounding areas.
Elena frowned. She'd been planning a foraging trip soon.
But perhaps it would have to wait.
Later, while grinding herbs, she caught Liora watching her.
"Something wrong?" Elena asked.
Liora shook her head. "No. Just thinking."
"About the forest?"
"About many things."
There was a pause.
Then Liora added, "If you ever need a weapon, say the word."
Elena raised a brow. "Planning to arm your apprentice?"
"I'm planning," Liora said dryly, "not to let you die like an idiot."
Elena smiled, warmth blooming in her chest.
She didn't know where the road ahead would lead.
But for now, in this small town of glowing herbs and quiet strength, she had what she needed.
...
[End of Chapter 4]