I knocked on Theodore’s door normally, as thankfully my non-dominant hand was the one crippled. The walk over gave a good amount of time for [Bleeding] to stop and think about the nature of status effects. Hitpoints definitely ‘came first’, that is, what I was sensing wasn't just some mystical interpretation of my body’s state. Having full hitpoints meant being at 100%, full stop.

What really was curious was my ability to know instinctively what conditions were applied to my status. It acted like some clunky analogy to actual biological feedback, but that seemed redundant considering I still had a sense of pain and touch. Not that I would complain, it seemed much easier to grasp.

Like my hitpoints, mana, or stamina, I only really had a vague feeling of the effect. It was probably only my years of playing Underworld of Armok that let me identify how and when I could expect to be healed. [Crippled] is actually a large set of debuffs varying in their effects and the methods to heal them; overall they are connected by being a negative affliction as a result of physical action(as opposed to a curse, poison, or disease.) Classified as [Hit Point], as soon as my HP hit max, I’d be good as new. So long as I didn't get in another fight before then, the [Moderate] portion didn't really matter to me.

“Come on in. Oh, you’re here Alric! Good, good, good, I was wondering when you would show up.” Theodore had been in the process of gently examining several extracts that resided upstairs. At the sound of the door opening, he began chuckling, but quickly put on a concerned face. “You—agh, didn't I say to use the reeter sap as a base? And what’s happened to your arm?”

My mentor seemed more exasperated than troubled, probably because the blood had all been cleaned up by magic. I suppose a bit was still leaking from my arm, but only an aesthetic amount to indicate I wasn't at full health. Some regularly cast s took care of too much building up though.

“How did you know I used reeter sap, and wrongly at that?”

“It’s on your face and hands. Don't think you’re cleaning up any time soon though, it takes a few years to wear off naturally, and the only way to get it off includes an expensive ingredient.”

Half my mouth turned upside down as I realized my hands remained flecked with silver spots. Experimentally scratching at the surface, the chromatic splotches felt appropriately metallic. Like Theodore said there didn't seem to be any effect, my hands may have well been turned partially metal. Patting my face, there seemed to be an exceptionally large spot the size of an ID. Great. At least the shiny silver looked pretty cool.

“You were warned.”

“I thought you meant the balance of ingredients would just end up disturbed.”

“That too. Now what happened to your arm? There seems to be a bit too much blood.”

“Oh this? I just won’t be able to use it for a little while.” I shrugged. Debating whether to spill the details, I decided to do so. Who knew if those criminals were the sort to barge in during my lessons? “On a somewhat related note, what do you know about The Poran?”

“By Tias! What have you been doing? Is the skill of my successor destined to be proportional to their misfortune?” Theodore groaned and began grinding his hands through his hair. Old man, you're going to go bald like that.

“I really don’t know. The thug that came after me said something about being near a *Gear* Square or something. He wanted to take me to his boss, but that didn't sound like a good idea, so I got out of there.” Honestly I still hadn’t figured out what was going on. Perhaps they ‘owned’ a section of the old city that I casually walked through, but why that would warrant a visit with the boss escaped me.

“I should have just made you stay in the shop. That was Ghel Square, The Poran’s base of operations. Seeing you wander around, those idiotic scum probably thought you were an easy mark. Responding like that does seem a bit strange though, I don't know—Hold on, you said you got away?”

“Er, yeah. I knocked the three of them out. I also kind of stabbed one, is that going to cause any trouble?” These casual words turned Theodore grey. After a few moments he started moving again in tremors.

“Knocked them out? When you said you got away, I thought you meant you escaped! You knocked out three of The Poran’s men, and stabbed one of them?”

“To be fair, they stabbed me first.”

“Where do you come from that you can treat this so casually? Do you not…” The old alchemist rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Wait, of course you don't know anything about them. You seem calm, so you probably left and didn't make much a scene after, right?”

I nodded in affirmation as Theodore took some deep breaths and began to assess the situation. Depending on how large the Poran were, he might not have been blowing things out of proportions, but as a heretic in a fanatically religious state, it didn't seem all that worrying in perspective.

“Right, you cleaned yourself up with magic and walked off. The crowds probably weren't paying much attention to you when you reached this part of town. The Poran react quickly, but there won't be anyone who would remember you walking in here, or at least enough to know you're still here. I'll send Dom to deliver a letter to Castor, so he knows the situation. He won't mind altering his schedule to depart a little earlier.”

“Can you really say that for him? He seems like a good guy, but I don’t want to trouble him too much. It’s not like I wouldn't take up the offer, but I don't want to make him feel obligated to do so.” The way Theodore offered Castor’s services seemed slightly dismissive, like it was a matter of course to take advantage of such a nice guy. Lyssa did mention something along the lines that one shouldn't spare too much kindness, didn't she? The alchemist wasn't really looking down on the merchant, and his beliefs seemed more moderate than they were explained to me, but it still felt a bit overbearing. Castor provided a lot of food on the road, and gave a free lift, I didn't want to act exploitative. “Besides, I learned to speak in the village, I never learned to write Derrish.”

“Right, right, it slipped my mind. Despite your accent and occasional odd phrase, you do speak rather fluently. I thought someone like you would have picked up writing by now.”

“I’ve been meaning to, but never really found the time or means. There don't seem to be many written works in Derriad either.”

“True, aside from the Church and merchant organizations, it is rather difficult to purchase paper. There isn't much point to publishing anything other than records here. Luckily as the main alchemical supplier, I get an allotment from both the Church and Alchemist’s guild. We could make time for practice, keeping notes is important for the successful alchemist.”

“I’d much rather get through learning more about actual alchemy. I'll be returning to the village in the morning, and I won't have much use for it there.” Learning to read would be so helpful, but it was a skill I could theoretically learn anywhere with letters. Given the numerous languages I learned, if only in part, it wouldn't be impossible to decode with no help at all. Alchemy was just the opposite, and information relating to it would be able to improve my standing, while most citizens were able to get by without reading as well.

“That is true, but seems a bit too concerned with the immediate results. I suppose you can dictate a letter now, and if we have time later on a few ■Characters■.”

Right, I didn't know if the written language was phonetic, or logographic(you emotic fans, please remember the time period. That system would have no way of working, not that it ever did. I’m kidding~, seriously calm down.) I’d probably learn it a bit later in the day, so I didn't ask at the moment.

To no surprise, the parchment and writing utensil Theodore brought out were of low quality. Not making a fuss over it, I dictated a short letter to Castor as Theodore scratched away at the paper. As opposed to how he had phrased it, I made sure that Castor knew it was only a request and informed him of the situation. I could always make my own way out of town and meet up shortly after.

As Theodore finished up writing, I brought out the Livewood oil.

“Before we start, would you check to see my results? Despite not listening, it does seem to have turned out properly.”

Theodore glanced over and took the small jug from me.

“It looks passable, but the container won't preserve it long.” The Livewood oil hardly rippled as the old man lightly tapped it before returning the jug to me. “I take it this was done with some tools of your own purchase? See, you really do have a gift for this.”

“There’s still quite a ways for me to go though.” I chuckled awkwardly, scratching at the metallic splotch on my left cheek. A gift? I was gifted with fortune at best. A character actually gifted in alchemy would be in a position far higher than mine. My skill hardly warranted my name.

“Ambitious, yet so strangely modest. I hope my teachings are good enough that you'll be able to show some pride by the end of them. Let’s start with the ingredients of the Ironeater salve…”

Diving into the lessons, I felt much more motivated that second time around. We started with what was needed for the salve to remove the reeter sap, but Theodore didn't go over the actual recipe. Even though he kept calling me modest for some reason, I was apparently too curious and prone to overreaching my abilities. He very thoroughly went over the disastrous consequences that could result from mishandling keichei cores(analogous to a fire sprite with mandibles, I guess). Due to all the warnings, the pace went more slowly at first, but dutifully learning it all, we went through ingredients faster and faster.

It’s not like we sounded like chipmunks rattling of descriptions, questions, and answers. Instead, Theodore spoke like a Venn diagram of numerous circles, and after a review of my Derrish conjunctions, we were hitting maximum speed.

It doesn't sound like much, but to be involved was a fairly entertaining and intense experience. Theodore seemed short on breath throughout, clearly listing ingredients by biome or potion before focusing on one, giving its description or properties, then moving to the next which shared similarities. My brain worked in overdrive, while perfectly fine with most of Derrish, the constant influx of names were absurdly difficult to categorize. To help, I did cheat a little and memorize several as variations of plants and materials from various games I played. So some of those with arbitrary nomenclature were mislabeled in my head, but the properties were memorized correctly.

After several hours, I informed Theodore my arm had recovered, and though he gave me an odd look, we shifted to practicing my physical skill. Amidst his cries of ‘Wrong!’ and ‘Do it over!’, he continued to lecture about other reagents and tools. The two of us got caught up in a positive feedback loop of trying to intensify my training. I sliced my hand into a [Crippled-Minor:Hit Points] state and Theodore reflexively yelled. He began to look bad about doing so, but I cut him off with a question as I bandaged it, and renewed the purely theoretical session. When I went back to processing the Yoll crystals, he went right back to demanding absolute perfection of my work.

In retrospect, I don't really remember much of Klutz’s presence that day. I probably should have felt a little bad for him, as he ended up doing a lot of menial work hauling and running to other stores to get materials Theodore wanted for my training. I vaguely recall him being more shaken than usual, it’s doubtful he would ever want to go through such training. When told to find Castor to deliver the letter, the rabbit fled out of the shop.

Theodore and I became too engrossed in the task, and only when the master himself spilled a jar of tyourous fibers that began trying to meld with the floor did we skid to a halt. Made of some sort of grey solid air, it was just heavier than neutral buoyancy, and when they writhed around they bounced several inches into the air.

As a catalysts, they could bind and ruin all sorts of materials, so the two of us carefully used crystal water. A synthetic fluid that needed to be carefully stored, alchemists who worked with more dangerous materials kept it around. Upon contact with basically anything, it solidified and turned what was within the fluid into a semi-crystalline form as well. Not something you want to stick your hand in, but tyourous fibers tend to merge with things and keep on shaking, usually breaking them apart.

After controlling the minor calamity, my hands were tried to tell me they were sore, though no intrinsic messages informed me. Theodore started coughing a little, and his voice suddenly turned hoarse, taking this chance to try and give up.

“Even if you retain a tenth of what you learned today, I doubt anyone’s learned so much in a single day.”

“Haah~, to be fair, we did go long into the night.”I took a satisfied breath inwards. My Stamina had actually been falling intermittently during processing. “Given all that work I hope I remember it.”

A moment of silence fell as we collected ourselves.

“Well Apprentice Alric, you’ll be leaving in just a few hours. No point wasting them is there? You keep saying you have ‘no talent’ for this, so you'll need to make up for it with hard work.”

Groaning with a smile, the two of us snacked on some of the edible reagents before continuing on until dawn.

A/N:AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!