Astarto Village.
“I know the package is going to arrive today, but why do they have to send it so early in the morning?” Letting out a stifled yawn, Vera stood near the village gates, grumbling with a light frown.
Though the sun had only been up for an hour or so, she was already dressed in her usual clothing, keeping a lookout on the path that led to the village’s main streets as she sipped a bit from the cup she brought, which contained a dark liquid that gave her energy.
Fortunately, a few minutes after she had murmured her complaints of being awake so early in the morning, Vera noticed a small carriage from afar making its way towards the village, causing all of the complaints she had in mind to go down the drain as she felt slightly nervous yet expectant that the carriage would have her package.
Thankfully, before the carriage could completely pass through the village gates, the carriage driver noticed Vera waiting by the side of the gates, prompting him to bring the carriage to a halt. Recalling the instructions that were given to him, the carriage driver then rummaged a small box from inside the carriage, reading the name written on the box before looking at Vera. “Are you Vera Aschel?”
“That would be me.” Vera nodded, trying to suppress the excitement she felt once she sensed an ever familiar energy faintly emanating from the crystal.
“That would be one gold coin.” Hearing the carriage driver’s words, Vera went ahead and gave a gold coin to the man before retrieving the box from the man’s hands. Thanking the man for his service, she then hastily made her way back to the village clinic while the carriage driver continued to head deeper into the village to drop off the other goods it carried.
Once at the village clinic, Vera could not suppress her excitement anymore, looking around first if there were any people that would enter the clinic before deciding to open the box.
Tearing off the multiple layers of parchment that kept the package safe, Vera’s sight was eventually greeted by a small mass of black vines in the shape of a ball. Taking in a few deep breaths to calm her emotions down, she then inspected the ball of black vines in greater detail with her mana, finally confirming that the energy she felt earlier from the package was, in fact, the one she should sense from the item.
After infusing the ball of black vines with a hint of mana, the vines gradually unfurled, revealing a flower with petals that were as black as the void, with its center taking on a glistening silver.
“The Crystal Voidblossom…” Knowing how much time and money it had cost her to procure the item, Vera slowly made her way to the back of the village clinic, entering her room as she placed it on top of her alchemical instruments for the meantime.
Conjuring a small barrier of mana around it just in case it fell, Vera then made her way to her bed, retrieving a great number of the boxes under the bed before pushing them all towards the instruments. Placing the Crystal Voidblossom in a more secure spot, she then opened up all of the boxes she had brought from under her bed, which showed a plethora of rare alchemical ingredients.
“Inferno Thistle, Zephyr Vine, Ethereal Azurewater…” Confirming that all of the boxes contained all of the ingredients she would need, Vera could not help but be excited once more, thinking about the item that she was about to concoct. Then again, her mentor did not specify what item she was going to concoct with these ingredients she had been collecting for the past two months.
Nevertheless, she was certain that her mentor would finally tell her since she had all of the ingredients needed for it. After all, an item that would need this many rare alchemical ingredients was definitely something that was best kept a secret until the opportune moment.
Infusing some of her mana towards a light gray orb on a pedestal, Vera went ahead and removed the alchemical ingredients she had procured from the boxes, conjuring small barriers of mana around them before placing them where she had placed the Crystal Voidblossom.
While she was in the midst of removing the alchemical ingredients from the boxes, a demure yet slightly raspy voice resounded from the orb, prompting her to stop what she was currently doing. “Well, if it isn’t my dear student, Vera. What made you contact me out of the blue?”
“Mentor,” replied Vera, trying her best to hide the excitement she felt. Nevertheless, a hint of it seeped through her voice. “I’ve finally collected all of the ingredients.”
“You mean…?” For a while, Mystia did not know what Vera was talking about. Though, once it all clicked into her mind, she could not help but let out a light gasp. “You finally found a Crystal Voidblossom?”
“Yes, Mentor. Every ingredient for that item you want me to concoct has all been procured.” As Vera said these words in response, Mystia could not help but let out a lot of laughter, feeling great ecstasy at the fact that Vera had finally done it.
“You’ve done well, Vera. It’s time for your patience to finally off, and it will all begin with this elixir,” said Mystia after she was finished celebrating in her own way. At that moment, Vera decided to ask the question that had been bugging her for the past two months.
“Mentor, what kind of elixir am I concocting exactly?”
“It’s an elixir that can only be crafted by a Novice Alchemist, as well as consumed by that same alchemist. I wouldn’t have told you to not ascend if not for that reason,” said Mystia through the orb. “Not only does it increase your perceptivity towards the elements and your surroundings, it also increases your overall talent, your vitality, as well your mana. In fact, it even allows you to tap into a purer form of mana.”
“Because of its seemingly miraculous effects, it’s called the Nascent Rebirth Elixir.”
Hearing the effects of the elixir she was going to concoct, though she could not help but be excited that she had the opportunity to concoct it, Vera could not help but doubt her skills. “Would it really be fine for me to concoct the elixir, Mentor? If I fail, it would be a great waste.”
“You’ve learned your craft under me, Vera. You don’t have to worry about a thing.” In response, Mystia reassured her, reminding Vera of her proficiency in alchemy. “Plus, you just have to follow my instructions to the letter. As long as you do that, the chances of the concoction being a success is high.”
“Speaking of which, have you completed the dosage of Basic Reinforcement Elixir?” she asked not long after. “To be honest, I almost forgot that having a reinforced body and soul, even at the basic level, would make you more compatible with the Nascent Rebirth Elixir, allowing you to receive more of its effects.”
“Thankfully that Zeihardt kid reminded me of it.”
“I did.” Vera nodded, even though she knew Mystia wouldn’t be able to see it. “I’ve consumed all 10 vials of Basic Physical and Mental Reinforcement Elixir, Mentor. I’ve also obtained the skill that comes along with it.”
“Good, good, good.” Mystia’s tone was filled with glee. “Alright, dear. Let’s begin concocting the Nascent Rebirth Elixir.”𝞸𝑣𝔩xt.𝗇𝓔t
“After this, Veldanyr won’t just have one Mystic Alchemist…”
“…but two!”