Chapter 59 Guiding The Making Of Poison Synthesis
The next day,
I left the mansion early in the morning alone to prepare for making poison synthesis - gathering necessary gloves and protective masks for picking poisonous plants, examining the poisonous plants grown in Flaria's herb garden, etc. As I was doing so, the door to the synthesis room was knocked. Since I had asked the maid to leave a message for Lukas and the others, it was probably them at the door. When I opened it, Lina-senpai was standing there with a mischievous smile, saying,
"Good morning, Laura. You're making poison, right? I'd like you to guide us."
Lina-senpai's teasing smile was more playful than mean.
I knew that, but I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about guiding others.
"Don't look so scared. Since this is labeled as training, guiding trainees is also part of the job."
Lina-senpai said. She was right. As a Royal Alchemist assistant, it was my role to guide the trainees. I rarely synthesized poison, so this would be a good experience.
I had prepared masks for four people in advance, but being directly asked to guide made me feel uneasy due to my lack of confidence in teaching.
Suddenly, Chelsea peeked out from behind Lina-senpai.
"Please guide us, Assistant Laura!"
"Even Chelsea..."
I couldn't complain when she smiled so cutely.
――That's right, I decided to brace myself. I knew I would have more opportunities to guide in the future. I looked at Lina-senpai, Chelsea, and Lukas in front of me.
They were not dressed too warmly, with bare legs. The weather was relatively mild, similar to autumn, so their casual attire was understandable.
However, when it came to picking poisonous plants and synthesizing poison, their outfits seemed a bit concerning.
I clapped my hands to boost my confidence and said,
"Let's go see the poisonous plants. Wear these gloves, cover your skin with long sleeves and pants, and meet at the herb garden in 10 minutes. Oh, sturdy shoes are preferred!"
With a forced smile, I gave these instructions. Lina-senpai and Chelsea nodded enthusiastically and left the synthesis room. I was glad they accepted me as a Royal Alchemist assistant, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Lukas, who remained, smiled kindly and said, "Do your best," as he looked at me.
* * *
After making final preparations, we gathered at Flaria's herb garden, located next to the Flaria branch in a greenhouse-like building. Holding a map of the herb garden borrowed from the branch manager, I began explaining,
"Um, I borrowed the map of the herb garden from the branch manager... It seems that the poisonous plants are isolated and planted over there."
As I glanced at the three in front of me, they nodded seriously. Their focused gazes made me straighten my back.
"Everyone, wearing gloves? Are your feet okay?"
I pointed and checked. They all had gloves on and no exposed skin was visible.
Satisfied, I led the way to the area where the poisonous plants were planted. When we found the target plant, I squatted down, and Lina-senpai and Chelsea squatted beside me, peering at my hands. Lukas stood behind me, bending his knees, also focusing on my hands.
"Um, this is... the Magiri grass. Look, it has poisonous patterns on the back of the leaves. Be careful not to touch your skin and pick them into this bag."
I explained. After finishing the explanation, we started picking the leaves. The two beside me picked the same plant swiftly, and Lukas observed with interest from above.
After that, I gave some instructions and picked several types of poisonous plants. It was quite fast for three people to pick them.
"I think this will be enough. Let's go back to the synthesis room."
Upon returning to the synthesis room, I opened the window halfway. My mentor had warned me that synthesizing poison in a closed room could be dangerous. Proper ventilation was crucial.
After opening the door to create a draft, I handed protective masks to the three of them that I had prepared that morning.
"When synthesizing, be careful not to do it in a closed room to avoid being overwhelmed by the smell. And don't forget these protective masks! They contain herbs to neutralize the poison."
I pointed to the beak part and then put on my mask. Following suit, the other three also put on their masks. We must have looked quite suspicious to an onlooker.
After making sure everyone had their masks on securely, I laid out the poisonous herbs I had picked on the table. The real work was about to begin.
"In terms of synthesis, it's no different from making a healing potion. The only difference is the potency of the poison and herbs, everything else is the same. Just be careful with handling the poison. Also, never touch your bare skin during synthesis! Wiping sweat with your sleeves is also a big no-no! If any poison gets on your sleeves, it could be disastrous."
After finishing the explanations, I glanced at the three of them again. They all seemed more tense than before.
I remembered the power of the poison I used when I was attacked by monsters in Emme Village. It was strong enough to dissolve the monster's skin. Just the thought of it touching someone's bare skin made me shudder.
I reached for the synthesis tools to show them how it's done.
"Alright, I'll demonstrate the synthesis, so please watch from behind."
Feeling multiple gazes on me, I started the synthesis with more tension than usual. However, the process was quite simple. Crush the poisonous herbs, boil them in clean water, and strain. That's it. In no time, the sample was ready.
I transferred the sample to a container and handed it to Lina-senpai, who was closest.
"Here, it looks like this."
"You're as efficient as ever."
"Yeah, watching Laura work is always satisfying."
Praised with straightforward words, I felt more embarrassed than joyful.
To be honest, I wasn't used to receiving compliments. While my mentor acknowledged my talent, she often used the phrase "not much to teach" when expressing it, just like Arnold.
Combined with my natural disposition, being praised made me feel uneasy, almost restless. For now, the protective mask was hiding my flushed cheeks, so it was okay.
"Here, go ahead and try it!"
Half-heartedly, I urged the two of them to take over the synthesis table. They immediately started the synthesis.
Watching from the side, I saw them, who praised me for being "efficient", complete the poison quickly with skilled hands.
Having passed the Royal Alchemist's exam, their skills were indeed impressive.
"Is this okay?"
"I'm more nervous than usual."
"But both of you did great!"
Clapping my hands in praise, Lina-senpai seemed a bit embarrassed, while Chelsea smiled proudly. Unlike with healing potions, we couldn't confirm the effectiveness by drinking it ourselves, but visually, the poison they synthesized looked perfect.
As they curiously examined the poison they had synthesized for the first time, I took out a container I had prepared from under the table. It was a long, slender glass case resembling a test tube that I had bought from a tool shop in the morning—covered by expenses.
"Let's pack this into the container and carry it with us tomorrow. If we happen to encounter a monster, we can throw it at them. I've tried it once, and it buys us some time. Right, Lukas?"
Turning to Lukas with a half-hearted tone, he was initially surprised by the sudden topic but quickly smiled wryly.
"It's best not to use it because it's dangerous... but, yeah, I think it could be effective since the monsters seemed to be in pain."
Lukas must have been recalling the image of the monster that was exposed to the poison in Emme Village. He responded with a wry smile to the intertwined gazes.
――After that, the three of us earnestly began the synthesis. Not only poison but also healing potions needed to be synthesized. Though it was a bit cramped for the three of us to work side by side, we managed to steadily complete both healing potions and poison at a good pace.
After finishing a segment, I left Lina-senpai and Chelsea for a moment and approached Lukas, who was sitting a little further away watching us synthesize. He seemed to have been observing us synthesizing for a while, but I wondered if he was getting bored.
When I offered him some poison potions, Lukas reflexively accepted them.
"Lukas, you should keep a few. You can attack from a distance by throwing them."
"Thanks."
"And some healing potions too."
"Yeah, thanks."
As Lukas sat and I stood, he naturally looked up at me. His blue eyes seemed to have something to say, so I tilted my head in curiosity.
"Is something wrong?"
"Today, Laura seems reliable."
"Really? You think so?"
"Yeah. You have been guiding Chelsea-san and Lina-san well. It makes me proud too."
Lukas said with a smile, which made me feel a flutter in my heart. I sensed a significant maturity in him, a growth that was both physical and internal.
"A while back, seeing you like this would have made me feel lonely, like you were drifting away. But now, I don't feel that way. I wonder why. Have I grown up?"
His voice, once awkward from puberty, had now settled. It seemed like we were both growing up.
Lukas was about to turn 15 soon, and I noticed how he seemed to be getting taller every time we met. Perhaps this period was when we felt the most growth, both physically and mentally.
That's right, what should I give him for his birthday? I've been so busy that I haven't prepared anything. To tell the truth, my childhood friend's birthday is right around the corner―during the expedition training.
"Haha, that might be true. I'd be happy if I could continue to be a proud childhood friend for Lukas. I'll keep doing my best."
It made me genuinely happy to be a proud childhood friend for Lukas. When I expressed this, Lukas looked pleased.
"Yeah, I'll do my best too."
"I'm counting on you."
"Leave it to me."
As my childhood friend nodded vigorously, I felt an unprecedented sense of reliance on my childhood friend.
The crest engraved on his narrowed left eye seemed to sparkle brightly.
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