Chapter 3: The Apothecary

All Ked wanted to do when he got back home was to play. To have some distraction. Who wants to do work after spending 8-10 hours in school working?

"I'm still dressed like this. It is so embarrassing but I have no clothes to change into," Ked thought. Immediately when he came home and walked up the stairs to the second floor, his grandmother was in the kitchen with the stove still on. The bathroom was right across the front door so right after he unlocked the door, he burst into the bathroom, taking in his large bookbag.

"I'll shower first and luckily I always keep my towel in the bathroom. It won't seem suspicious if I come out with in my bathrobe and towel." Ked quickly stuffed that suit and dress shoe into his bag before stepping into the tub.

Approximately 10 minutes later, his plan succeeded and he was in a fresh clean t-shirt and shorts.

"Eat before you start playing," his grandmother called. She expected him to arrive home at this time and made some dim sum. Ked gulped down the food with a cup of milk. Noticing that Ked was in a new set of clothes, she figured that her grandson must have thrown the dirty clothes into the laundry bin. At last, Ked logged on to play the game.

"The laundry bin is empty," his grandmother inquired, "He must have thrown it somewhere on the floor again."

___

There was no longer a crowd of people outside the starter's ground. Instead the buzzing from the streets a few blocks ahead could be heard like loud murmurs . Only the old man was there, and his impatience was getting the better of him. Before Ked had the chance to walk up to him, the old man was in front of him.

“I don’t have anymore bread,” said the old man. “Take this instead.”

The old man gave him his gift, wrapped in a coarse cloth. Inside there were three pieces of wrapped candy bars.

“I’m not a child,” Ked replied. His stomach growled and he felt his satiety dropping. He swiped the three candy bars from the old man, peeled the wrapper off and chewed on the nutty caramel conglomeration. It tasted sweet and delicious too.

“I’m glad you like it. There's a nice lady over there on the very edge of town, on the other side of the famous Magic Institute. If you want more Kid, she makes the best treat.” The old man pointed off in the direction of the hubbub of the madding crowd and resumed his position again on the platform, having completed his duty.

It was only the second day, and there were still several institutions recruiting to train new members.

The Liberal Arts institutions attracted many newcomers with their sonorous speeches, singing, appealing music, expressive poems, paintings and solemn sculptures. Ked had no artistic skills and gave up any hope to excel in the arts.

Then there was the military. Most of recruits were compelled by the glory of war and battle, following the codes of chivalry, honor, loyalty, and brotherhood. There was the Magic Institute that attracted a particular large group.

In a small section, on the outskirt of the Magic District, in a dilapidated house, a woman in her forties resided for many years. Her cures are as ancient as the passing of traditions, but she lived in the Magic District isolated from the other mages. Her house used to be the place to treat ailing patients, treating myriads of illnesses, her herbal medicine miraculously effective.

She was not an NPC however, but the mother of a developer. She given birth to a genius at a young age, and volunteered to be a beta tester years ago. She was alone often in real life while her son worked on his programming, so she often spent time treating other beta players. She understood the game fairly well, but she never left the city. Nevertheless, her accomplishments cannot be looked down upon for she contributed greatly to the recipes and crafts. Without her, a whole section worth of knowledge in the field of magic; even the magic pots and glass bottles would have taken a complete different form if she didn’t set the standards.

She heard a few knocks at the door, and a boy’s voice calling out, “Is someone there?”

It was the voice of Ked, who happened be wandering and pondering around. He strayed away from the crowds of people who were using magic and swords to slaughter the small animals. He was rather shy and hated competitive people. Swords and spells were not his forte. After seeing an innocent bunny murdered by the stab of a sword up into its stomach, the bodies of birds exploding in flames, he was mortifyingly disgusted. He couldn’t tolerate such scene and the atmosphere that smelled of competition suffocated him.

He was never good physically with swords and mentally with memorizing spells, nor was he ever excellent in creativity with the crafts. There people training their stats like hardcore professionals made him feel ashamed, the pressure so overwhelming.

He stumbled upon what looks like a store, the sign above read, “The Apothecary.” It didn’t look occupied and NPCs were usually easy to deal wit, he thought, their speech and dialogues were all programmed mechanically.

Ailit heard a few knocks at the door and a boy’s voice calling out, “Is someone there?”

“Come in,” She replied.

“I like to learn your profession,” Ked said.

This boy in front of Ailit was interested in learning from her, a first for her. The knowledge to craft the strongest elixirs wouldn’t die with her. She felt this determination wash over her, a commitment to make this boy share her love and skills of her magic.

A post appeared: "Would you like to learn under Ailit?"

Her real name was Tilia but for the sake of anonymity, she reversed the spelling. If he accepts then the contract is sealed. I will show him the advantages of the Apothecary, a class wiped away since none of the magic instructors besides her could teach it. She had all these priceless herbs, to an ordinary person, they were pungent roots and leaves, but for her, she could distinguish each and everyone of their values.

“Would you like some hot ginger tea?” She asked Ked. She never had an use for this ginger root she gathered from the lost depths of the Fungo Swamp, but now was the perfect opportunity. It enhanced cognitive development, twice the rate of the average learning rate for small children.

Ked accepted the cup of brewed ginger tea with the heartening fragrance clasping him in warmth, as if he felt the deep sincerity of Ailit’s kindness and care. Even though at his age, he was already in the late teens, he could not help but feel at ease by her friendly ambiance as if she was a real person.

Ailit started by introducing some basic herbs: dendrons, nettlez, flax, basically any plant whether common or rare that she laid eyes upon. By analyzing each property, they can be used to treat injuries directly or indirectly through concoctions. She was going slowly and letting Ked play with the herbs. "This boy is like my own son. If I had the chance to change how I raised him, I would do so if I could. But this boy, for him, I see so much he has in common with my own son. This time I have learned."

When her son was still a child, he was curious about everything. Often times he would reach out and grab some of her indoor plants, plucking leaves off of them. The very first time, it was a Dracaena fragrans massangeana. It had two leaves shooting off from a stem, but not anymore after her son had tweaked these two leaves, thinking that these leaves were like the leaves on outdoor deciduous trees. He didnt know better at that time that these leaves were of aesthetic value and received a long scold.

Thankfully, as Ked scanned each one, not only did he memorized several of them, his wisdom stat also increased from reading their descriptions, and his intelligence and mana pool augmented several folds.

Ked watched as Ailit started brewing an average potion. "Child, this is a firewhisp flute." She would not repeat the same mistake again. She often gave gifts to her son, buying him everything he would always want. But in return, her son became rebellious, wanting freedom and independence- to show that his respect could not be bought so easily.

Ailit sealed its identification with her spell. Only when Ked has refined his skill may he discover the hidden properties of this ancient relic, carved from the heart of this game's yggdrasil. "Thafi, be good." She whispered into the flute.

Each day with Ked was another precious moment. "This child carries an emotional burden that he has never expressed." Her game character was the last beta character. Her son can only extend a beta character's account for so long with his position as a developer. It was inevitable when this immunity would wear off.

End of Chapter 3: The Apothecary