Chapter 4 Unexpected Talent And New Worries
I started learning from the granny who is an alchemist living on the outskirts of the village, and it's been six months. I've turned one year older and now I'm 9 years old.
I've been picking up knowledge smoothly. Actually, I've been learning so quickly that even my teacher, the granny, is surprised.
Once I read a book about medicinal herbs, I could understand and recite its contents as if it were burned into my memory. It's strange how I had an amazing memory when it came to the knowledge needed by alchemists. But this memory only seemed to work for the "knowledge required by alchemists".
Feeling a bit cocky about my quick learning, I thought I might be a genius and tried dabbling in other fields like magic. However, it took me a long time just to read one page of books from other fields, and even if I managed to read them, the information didn't stick in my head properly.
'You're quite a mysterious child, aren't you?'
One time, when I was feeling dizzy in front of a magic book, my mentor laughed heartily. Seeing my slightly dissatisfied expression, my mentor laughed again and then said in a very gentle voice,
'You might have been born with a mission to become an alchemist. You have talent. Encountering talent is a very fortunate thing.'
With a caring gaze, my mentor looked down at me.
I had doubts about my mysterious memory, but those doubts were dispelled by my mentor's words. Some part of me calmly wondered if it was okay to dismiss it with just one word, "talent." However, being praised by my mentor, a former alchemist who once served in the royal palace, made me simply happy. And above all, those words boosted my confidence.
――I have chosen the best path. I will leave this village and live as an alchemist.
"――Laura, Laura!"
As I was mentally concocting a mixture of documents and medicinal herbs, alternating my gaze between them — though I have yet to actually try concocting one — I was called by my mentor from the back. Hastily getting up, I headed towards the direction of the voice.
"Mentor, what's the matter?"
"Oh, Laura, there you are. Could you pick a few medicinal herbs for me?"
My mentor handed me a piece of paper. I recognized the herbs written on it. They were often used as pain relievers.
"Mentor, are you feeling unwell?"
"It's not me! A familiar person has been complaining about back pain recently."
"I see... I'll go pick them then."
I often go herb-picking with my mentor. The healing potion with pain-relieving properties is in demand among the people of Emme Village. The aging population in this small village is quite noticeable.
The herb patch is right near my mentor's house, thriving lushly a bit deeper into the forest.
"Laura, wait, wait."
My mentor grabbed me by the back of my neck as I tried to leave immediately. When I turned around and asked what was wrong, my mentor's smiling face was right there.
It was clear that she was up to something. Even though we had only been together for half a year, I didn't have many good memories of my mentor making that kind of face.
"It's dangerous to go alone. I've already informed the knight."
"The knight...?"
I could feel a bad premonition creeping up my skin. My pores opened, and a shiver ran down my spine.
The knight... My mentor wordlessly pointed behind me.
Following her finger, I slowly turned around.
"L-Lukas."
There stood Lukas, my childhood friend who had just celebrated his 9th birthday.
From my mentor's expression and words, I had a feeling of who the knight was. But even though I had a feeling, it didn't mean I wasn't surprised.
The distance between Lukas and me had been growing gradually but steadily ever since I became my mentor's disciple.
I can't play much because I go to my mentor's place regularly. Even when I have free time, I try to deepen my friendship with Petra and others by talking to them.
At first, I didn't want Lukas to pick me up and drop me off at my mentor's house, but because he insisted, I felt bad. However, sometimes when I was about to leave home, Lukas would come over and give me a ride, or when I was about to leave my mentor's house, he would be waiting outside and we would go back together.
In the past six months, I have been studying to become an alchemist and also getting closer to Lukas little by little.
"I'm sorry for making you come all the way here."
"No, I wanted to see Laura working hard too."
Lukas responded with a smile to the mentor's words. They seemed unaware of me freezing up at the sudden appearance of my childhood friend.
"I'm counting on you!"
My mentor's voice is filled with amusement.
Despite the poison in my heart, I leave the mountain hut with Lukas.
The issue isn't going to gather herbs with Lukas, but rather mentor's expression, and the term 'Knight.'
Perhaps, she is misunderstanding our relationship, maybe even more so than the people of Emme Village. It seems like my mentor is enjoying watching us.
Well, every time Lukas escorts me, he greets her as well. While I thought he was just being polite, it seems Lukas coming to escort me made him look like a 'Knight' in my mentor's eyes.
I sigh inwardly.
Just when I thought my studies as an alchemist and my relationship with Lukas were going well, an unexpected obstacle appeared. I need to come up with a plan soon so that my mentor doesn't become a meddling matchmaker.
* * *
"Laura"
Even with just a small step, the hand reaching out to me made me think, "Ah, this might be a knight," I thought.
"Thank you."
When I took that hand, instead of a knight with happy blue eyes, it was a hero of the future. The golden crest engraved on the left eye might just be my imagination, but it seemed to be getting darker day by day.
Lukas is innocent. He's my precious childhood friend. But every time I see that golden crest, it reminds me of the ending of "Last Brave." It's not traumatic, but it's still a bitter memory.
"Oh, there it is, there it is."
I found the herb I was looking for safely. Despite coming to pick it at a reasonable frequency, it always grows lush and green whenever I come. Is this normal, or is it just around Emme Village? Seeing my mentor move all the way to this remote village, maybe this place is abnormal.
Squatting down, I prioritize picking slightly damaged leaves. Even if the tips of the leaves are a bit damaged, the central part is still usable.
"What is this for?"
"It has pain-relieving effects. It works well for things like back pain."
Beside me, Lukas also kneels down, looking intently at the herbs in his hands.
"Is it fun?"
"It's tough, but yeah, it's fun."
A smile naturally appeared on Lukas' face in response to his question.
Yes, studying to become an alchemist is quite enjoyable. While I initially started it as a means to secure future happiness, now learning about new medicinal herbs and alchemical methods excites me. I can't wait to actually start mixing concoctions.
Perhaps it's my unusually sharp memory when it comes to the knowledge required for alchemy. Remembering the hundreds of types of herbs and the countless patterns of alchemical methods is not a burden at all. Once I read something, it quickly sticks in my memory, and when needed, it comes to mind instantly.
It felt so unnatural that I even doubted my own brain. If I had exceptional memory in everything, it would make sense, but I can't remember anything else clearly. However, this memory is definitely something special — I eventually gave up thinking it was just a talent.
Anyway, I put the picked herbs into the basket. It's getting close to being full, so I loosened my picking hand.
"...You haven't been calling me Luka lately."
Suddenly, a voice of dissatisfaction came from beside me.
My hand stopped. Then, I slowly looked to the side. I met eyes with Lukas, who was sitting there hugging his knees, staring at me. Somehow, his gaze seemed accusing.
I had an idea of what Lukas was talking about — as a way to create distance, I had stopped using nicknames. Despite feeling anxious inside, I answered with a smile.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah... Recently, you seem close to Petra and the others... Even though I promised to protect you, I can't be by your side."
That's what I want.
Of course, I can't really say that out loud. But hearing such complaints from Lukas himself probably means I wasn't handling our relationship naturally. Did I mess up?
Studying alchemy, hanging out with Petra and the others, and keeping my distance from Lukas. Maybe I rushed to do them all at once. I should have taken them one by one, steadily.
While reflecting deeply in my heart, I try to mend the situation with words.
"Even if you say you'll protect me, I'm not being targeted by anyone, and I'm not going to dangerous places, right? I've become even more cautious since being attacked."
Lukas avoids my gaze. He probably can't come up with a good comeback to my words. Eventually, he lowers his eyes, looking visibly dejected.
Did I lack a bit of maturity? Lukas seems down, with a sound of disappointment audible. My conscience hurts at Lukas's demeanor, and at the same time, I couldn't help but think "cute."
This "cute" is more like directed towards a younger boy, or rather, a younger brother. Due to the age difference between "me" and Lukas, he had become more like a younger brother than a childhood friend.
Unconsciously, a smile appeared on my face. The words I was about to say to follow up had a softer tone than I had realized.
"So, yeah. Just having that feeling makes me happy. Thank you, Luka."
Luka. Upon hearing that word, the guy next to me quickly raised his face. His cheeks flushed, showing a surprised expression. Then, he tightened his slightly loosened lips, biting down on his lower lip.
While he was happy to be called Luka, it seemed like his dissatisfaction had not been resolved yet.
I gazed at his bitten lower lip and blue eyes alternately. Then, I smiled again, and Lukas' expression softened. Once it softened, he couldn't help but break into a grin as if he had given up.
"I really like it when Laura calls me Luka."
――As I saw that happy smile, it reminded me of something. Squinting as if looking at something bright, I recognized Lukas's smile. Of course, it was familiar to 'me' as well. The future hero in my memories overlapped with my childhood friend in front of me.
I like being called Luka.
The future hero was smiling like that. In front of that gaze was not Laura, but a girl of an ancient species he met during his journey.
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