Rose was very good at explaining the basics of potion-making. She had a spare cauldron, so we set up together in her apartment the next morning. She explained that she liked to have the recipe close by and liked to prepare each ingredient separately before starting to combine them. I wrote down the entire recipe for her, and she seemed excited to teach me.

I didn't mention that I already had part of the potion done because I could finish that on my own after I got a cauldron. I'd have three batches then. Wasn't sure yet what I'd do with them, but I'd decide that after hearing back from Danio.

Rose followed the steps the same exact way as I had, though I could feel she was in much better control of her Energy. I copied everything she did, even trying to imitate her steady channeling.

She chopped up some ingredients, setting them in individual small bowls. She measured out some oils one at a time. For some of the ingredients, she ground them up with a mortar and pestle.

"Here," she said, "this is the most important part. This will make or break your potion. The order that you combine the ingredients. Some work better than others. If you mix them in the wrong, order you can ruin your potion."

"How do I know the order?" I asked as if I didn't know.

"Usually by trial and error based on the potion. This recipe is in order, so that's nice, but sometimes it's just a big list of ingredients, right? It's not the same for all of them. Why would it be? The love potion is to help things... last longer. So for the potion, I think wet ingredients first until it's a boil."

The wet ingredients were the first on the list, but the recipe didn't necessarily call for them to reach a boil first. Would be interesting to see the difference between this batch and my own.

We both started fires with a simple spell, and while we waited for the oils to get hot, she explained some rules about ingredient order. Potions for long-lasting effects tended to take more time to make, and the order was almost like encouraging some marination. On the other hand, the short effect potions were easy to make. Throw everything in and it'd probably turn out fine.

Rose talked about potion making like it was cooking or baking, which was an interesting analogy. In the north, they did everything by intuition and gut instincts. Seemed to work that way just fine, too.

When the oils were hot enough, we tossed in what she called the "semi-wet" ingredients. The ones which released some liquid when chopped or ground up. They sizzled in the cauldron with the oils.

"Don't let it burn though," she warned. "Mix it around until it's a little brown."

I did as she said, then we added more ingredients one by one, making sure each one was carefully integrated with the ingredients that came before. Once we finished, we put the lid on the cauldron and let it sit.

[Notice]

You have been rewarded a Class change to [Potion Maker].

Would you like to accept?

I declined. Why in the hell would I want that?

"Let it simmer for a bit," she said. "Check it every hour. When the color changes from yellow to brown, you're done. Then it's just straining them into vessels."

"You mind if we keep these going here then?" I asked.

"Of course." Rose smiled. "I'll set a stabilizing spell. Doesn't that mean you'll have to visit me?"

I'd never learned a stabilizing spell, but they were meant to do the work of a potion maker when they couldn't attend to the potion. It didn't work for anything overly complicated, though I'd heard that depended on skill level, too.

I promised to visit when I had time, though she didn't promise to be here when I did. When I left, though, I got the impression we'd meet again. The System seemed to be working hard to pull people into my sphere.

To be fair, I had wanted to make connections. The two kids of a powerful merchant family wasn't bad. I could thank Dina, who'd shown me around the red light district, for a few ideas as well. Now there was Rose, perhaps the most mysterious out of them. Would she come to play another part in my life like Alis and Rolf or would I never see her again like Dina?

After I left, I headed back to the red light district to my new apartment as Trygve Teigen. Surprising but not too surprising: Danio was still there, and nothing looked missing.

"Welcome back, Tryg," Danio said. He was laying on an antique sofa in the living room, and he sat up and gave a smile. He had bedhead and crumbs all over his mouth. "I decided that's what I'd call my older brother. Do you want me to report back now? I'm ready."

I told him to hold on. In the master suite, I drew myself a bath and scrubbed off the last few days. Ever since leaving the Viscoti estate, things really had been happening so fast. I was already starting to wonder if I could actually pull this off.

I was still technically missing half of the investment I promised Rolf for the magic shop, so I'd need to come into that money soon or pawn everything else I'd brought. As Trygve Teigen, I didn't have a lot going on yet. Maybe 10 bottles of love potion, but I didn't have anyone to sell them to just yet. If I couldn't find a way into that market, I'd have to think of something else. And fast.

When I was clean, I dressed in a fresh set of clothes and joined Danio. I grabbed him a washcloth and handed it to him so he could wash off his face.

"Okay, go ahead with your report now," I said.

He gave me a list of the brothels he visited and where they were getting their stock of love potions. I was surprised by how many used the same company: Rashania and Co. I'd have to look into them. I was also surprised at the cost of each potion. I was going to make a killing if I pulled this off.

"There's one other thing I should tell you," Danio said. "I was watched the whole time. I think by some of the guys in the Triam Drana. It's the biggest gang in the red light district, and they've been bleeding into the slums where you found me too. They didn't seem to like me poking around too much, but they didn't give me trouble. At least this time."

"Thanks for the info. You did well." I pulled off one of my least expensive rings and gave it to him. "Your allowance for the month. Keep up the good work and I'll even let you keep it."

Danio nodded, looking happier than I'd seen him. Never a bad thing to cultivate loyalty. Another thing I'd learned from my second oldest brother, but in my first life.

"I can do more than this for you too, if you want," he said.

"Well aware," I said. "You'll get more work when I need it from you."

Now it was my turn to get to work.