Medicinal Herbs
Selena had trained in the Anillova-style swordsmanship based on what she read in books. Yet one problem remained. Because the style had been created with the image of a sandstorm in mind, it was a ferocious technique that spun the body and sliced the opponent with the blade. The difficulty was that she had never actually witnessed a sandstorm.
“I rarely leave De Marinda, so I have no idea what a sandstorm truly feels like.”
Her imagination was the limiting factor. Of course, imagining a sandstorm would not magically perfect the sword style, but it would have been a great help. What Selena truly needed right now, however, was not a flawless replication of the Anillova style. If that was her goal, learning directly from a member of the Anillova family would have been far more effective than relying on imagination.
So what did the current her actually require?
“First, I’ll focus on becoming intimately familiar with the movements.”
Her objective was to master the distinctive motions of each sword style and forge her own technique from them. In that sense, there was no need to go so far as imagining a sandstorm while practicing the Anillova style.
“Letting go of lingering attachments is important. The real priority is making these learned movements my own.”
In truth, the motions possessed an inherent character that made them not only perfect but beautiful. Some were rather fierce, yet she interpreted them with her own lines, transforming them into something clean and free of excess. At least, that was how it looked to Bagan.
“Understood. It means practice is the only path to strength.”
With those words, she repeatedly executed the spinning slash taken from the Anillova style, slowly taming it as her own. She continued training right up until lunchtime, then abruptly stopped. After moving her body so vigorously, she was drenched in sweat.
Wiping the beads rolling down her cheek with her sleeve, she spoke.
“I can’t take any more of your time. It’s already mealtime, and I have duties this afternoon. Shall we meet here again tomorrow?”
She had declared the day’s training complete.
While Selena practiced the forms, Bagan had sorted the Anillova-style movements into those useful for sword dance and symphony, those that were unnecessary, and those that should not be learned at all.
“Take this. It should prove quite helpful. The Anillova style contains fatal flaws.”
Suitable as base movements for swordsmanship, but lacks any separate defensive techniques. A legitimate swordsmanship manual for defense is......
Indeed. The Anillova style was an extremely aggressive sword technique. It cared nothing for defense, favoring swift, decisive strikes. While it included evasive maneuvers, it was vulnerable to attacks that could not be avoided.
Especially weak against binding techniques.
Bagan had faced characters who used the Anillova style while playing the game. They were certainly strong, but their limits were obvious. That was why he had told her not to pursue perfection. Becoming too enamored with a single style would cause her to lose her own color and prevent her from directing battles from a broader perspective. In other words, fixating on one sword style could turn even winnable situations into dangerous ones.
“I understand. I’ll organize my questions after giving it proper thought.”
Bagan nodded and smiled. The fact that her thinking had already reached that point meant today’s lesson had been excellent. In a pleasant mood, he saw her off. Though she was only stepping into the building right next door, it would have been rude to turn away first, so he waited until she disappeared from view.
“Shall we go have some fun now?”
As if they had been waiting for this moment, Sally and Arien rose from their seats the instant Selena vanished. They closed the books they had been reading and followed Bagan.
“Yes, I would like to study the herbs as soon as possible.”
“I need to see what traditional games De Marinda has to offer.”
Both of them seemed quite bored. They practically tossed the books they usually enjoyed to Bagan and walked ahead. Since they planned to eat at the inn anyway, the group headed back.
Upon reaching the inn they immediately sat down to the meal that had been prepared. Because Bagan’s party occupied the best room, they received free meals unless it was a special course, so they could enjoy delicious food without restraint. Lunch consisted of a richly herb-scented beef steak and a light, appetite-stimulating soup.
Meat by the seaside cost more than inland, but the free meals removed any hesitation. After finishing their lunch, Bagan’s group left the inn and moved toward the shopping district.
“Eat here! We received excellent meat this morning!”
“Hats and gloves made from Hilan rabbit pelts for sale. We also purchase Hilan boar hides.”
The bustling street rang with the ambitious cries of merchants at every corner. Yet Arien paid the noise no mind, her eyes blazing as she searched for the exact shop she wanted.
Then a voice caught her full attention.
“Potions for sale! The cheapest recovery potion in the area, only seven silver!”
It was the sound of someone selling potions.
“Bagan-nim! It is that direction.”
Arien promptly led them there with precise steps. When they arrived, the seller had arranged potions on a simple stall. It was not even a proper store, merely a small outdoor stand. Still, Arien stood before the potion merchant with shining eyes, having finally found what she sought.
“Do you sell herbs as well?”
“Hm? Ah, yes. That’s right. They don’t sell well, but I do carry a few varieties.”
Perhaps because it was an uncommon question, the merchant looked somewhat flustered as he checked his bundle.
“Could you show them together with the potions you are selling?”
Seeing him examine his wares, Arien’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
“Here. These are some of the herbs I used when making recovery potions, plus a few others I kept because I don’t know the proper compounding methods.”
He seemed to have a good sense for business. Following Arien’s request, he placed the herbs used in recovery potions beside the bottles, then scattered the remaining herbs separately. The haphazard arrangement of the other herbs was not particularly pleasing, but after examining them Bagan understood why the man did not know the formulas.
Plasia, Doplin root, and Borha seeds, of all things.
The three herbs Bagan barely recognized were all materials used in advanced alchemy. At that level, one needed not only herbs but also purified venom salt to neutralize mana and fairy wing powder to dramatically increase potency. There was no way a novice alchemist who only made basic recovery potions would know them. Moreover, Bagan had only guessed at the familiar ones; he did not recognize the rest of the materials.
“This is Choru flower, good for the lungs, and Ibina tree fruit that purifies the blood. And this root is Tibica. It functions as an excellent tonic even if simply chewed.”
Arien excitedly identified every new herb that caught her eye. She seemed to have learned them from books. Or perhaps she simply knew them as “Apothecary Arien.” Either way, she was in a good mood, having found what she wanted right at the entrance to the shopping district.
Bagan, who had noticed her excitement early, asked the merchant,
“How much for all the herbs you’ve taken out?”
“Y-you’re buying all of them? Well then… After hearing this young lady speak, it’s clear they are quite valuable materials. Two gold will suffice.”
The merchant named two gold. Bagan immediately produced the coins from his subspace and tossed them over in a show of generosity. After all, thanks to Arien’s explanation, the man now believed the herbs he had not even known the true worth of were high-grade materials. Today must have felt like a stroke of heavenly luck. The recovery potions he sold were clearly not very effective; he was a complete beginner as an alchemist. Nevertheless, earning two gold put a broad smile on his face.
“Here you are.”
In his good mood he swept the herbs into a basket and handed it over at once. Bagan accepted the basket and glanced at Arien. She still could not tear her gaze away from it, her eyes full of fascination. The sight was so adorable that both Bagan and Sally burst into quiet laughter. Bagan did not forget to stroke her hair.
“I want to analyze the herbs right away.”
Arien could not endure the petting she usually loved for long; she promptly voiced her desire. Bagan felt a little regretful handing over the basket, but because she wanted it so badly he gave her the entire thing. The group then left the merchant behind.
“Thank you, come again!”
The merchant bowed ninety degrees, fully embodying the idea that the customer is king. Earning two gold in a single transaction was probably not something that happened often in his life. The sum Bagan had given him was simply too enormous.
They moved to a fairly secluded spot. Once there, Arien placed the entire herb basket into her mouth. She did not merely eat the herbs; she swallowed the basket itself. Bagan had suspected she might do something like this, which was why he had asked her to wait until they reached a place with few people. Although Arien looked human, her true form was a slime, so the sight would undoubtedly shock onlookers.
Her mouth transformed into slime mucus and engulfed the whole basket in one go.
Gulp!
In reality she was dissolving it rather than eating it, yet her throat still moved with a convincing swallowing sound. Watching her, Bagan grew curious whether Arien’s analysis would match the contents of the books exactly. He knew some of the information himself, so he would be able to compare the parts he recognized.
“The components of Seinard, Tallin, Plasia, Doplin root, Borha seeds, Choru flower, Ibina tree fruit, and Tibica have been analyzed.”
Fortunately she knew the names of several herbs, so Bagan could roughly guess at their properties. However, he had no idea what effects the high-grade materials Arien mentioned possessed.
“Seinard and Tallin are ingredients used in recovery potions. They contain components that aid internal and external wound healing, along with additional effects such as sterilization and immune system reinforcement.”
These were the properties of the materials used to create the red recovery potion once called a panacea in this world. Bagan had known about the wound-healing effects, but the sterilization and immune reinforcement were new to him, so he found it fascinating.
“Plasia contains mana, which helps restore energy and relaxes muscle tension for smoother power usage. Doplin root includes components that improve concentration and, though mild, enhance growth potential. On the other hand, Borha seeds contain elements that clear the eyes, yet they also possess toxicity and are closer to poisonous herbs. Consuming them without proper processing can cause blindness.”
Once again Arien’s analysis contained information Bagan had not known. He was especially surprised by the Borha seeds. In the game they were frequently eaten when raising archers and were popular among elderly tycoons with failing eyesight. The revelation that excessive consumption produced the opposite effect—blurring vision rather than clearing it—was shocking.
The rest of Arien’s analysis left Bagan speechless. The effects of Choru flower, Ibina tree fruit, Tibica, and the other herbs all possessed far greater efficacy than he had realized. Above all, he was astonished by Arien’s ability to analyze and remember so many substances at once. Sally seemed equally impressed; she gazed at Arien with open admiration.
“Bagan-nim! There is more I wish to investigate. Shall we not proceed to the next shop immediately?”
Seeing her bright expression, Bagan nodded before he even realized he was doing so.