Chapter Sixty: An Impromptu Potion
“Petra, Her Highness has sent an alchemist for you!”
On the way, Karen had been told that Frank was living with his sister because their parents had died, so Karen had vaguely imagined a modest home. However, the place she was guided to was a mansion. Though not as grand as the Ehlertt family’s estate, it was larger and more beautiful than any of the noble houses she had seen since coming here.
Petra was in a room on the second floor, where medicinal incense was burning. Karen was guided inside. Sitting in a chair was a doll-like, adorable girl with dark purple hair styled in twin tails.
“Ah! I can’t believe I’m actually meeting Master Julius!”
Petra exclaimed happily upon seeing Julius enter. Despite supposedly being ill, she was fully dressed up with perfect makeup, making it impossible to tell her true complexion. Was she really sick? Her excitement made it questionable.
“It’s such an honor that Master Julius has come to visit me.”
She said that in a sweet, fawning voice that almost seemed to have hearts attached.
Julius smiled wryly in response.
“Petra, Master Julius hasn’t come to visit you, he’s just escorting the alchemist, Lady Karen."
Her brother explained to her.
“To think Master Julius was so concerned about my health that he personally brought an alchemist… Despite all my suffering, it was truly worth enduring…!”
The lovesick girl clearly wasn’t listening to her brother, and Karen, standing right in front of her, might as well have been invisible.
Though thin, she was a beautiful girl with well-defined features and an idol-like face. She appeared to be around adulthood. Noble society seemed to have too many beautiful girls.
And now, this very beauty was captivated by Julius.
Though Karen instinctively disliked her, she understood the girl’s feelings well. Besides, this was work. Karen swallowed her emotions and plastered on a smile.
“Master Julius, Lady Karen, this is my sister, Petra. I apologize. She’s been depressed due to her illness, so she seems unable to control her emotions… Petra, greet our guests properly!”
“I am Petra Schiller. It’s like a dream that Master Julius has come to visit me. I’ve admired you since I was a child. You rarely attend parties, Master Julius, and it’s been my dream to dance with you just once. So…”
“I’m Karen! I’m an alchemist! Pleased to meet you!!”
Petra looked at Karen who had interrupted her with an expression that seemed to say "Who is this?" It appeared that Petra was about to use her illness as a pretext to pressure Julius into promising a dance, which was why Karen had forcefully interrupted.
Why had she even bothered to interrupt?
All the sick girl wanted was to ask for a dance with a handsome man when she recovered. Though she only looked thin rather than ill, perhaps her complexion was poor beneath the makeup.
Even if she wasn’t sick, objectively speaking, it was just a cute request. And it wasn’t as if Karen was in a relationship with Julius. Karen couldn’t understand what right she had to interrupt and felt like holding her head in confusion.
“…I’ll go prepare a potion for you, Lady Petra!”
“I see. Please do.”
Petra replied with a straight face, showing neither gratitude nor pleasure. For her, meeting Julius was more important than curing her illness, and Karen was merely an accessory.
Turning back to Julius, Petra’s face brightened as she said:
“Master Julius, shall we have tea together? You must be cold from outside. I’ll prepare some warm tea for you.”
“As I was introduced, I’m here as Karen’s escort, so I’ll have to decline the tea.”
With those words, Julius turned on his heel and left the room.
Petra glared daggers at Karen.
Fully aware that she had interfered enough to earn the noble young lady’s glare, Karen followed Julius and fled the scene.
“If you need anything to prepare the potion, please do not hesitate to ask.”
Hearing this from the maid, Karen pointed towards the garden from the hallway.
“May I pull up some of the herbs from the garden?”
“Herbs? Do you mean flowers? I believe it would be fine as long as it’s not from Lady Petra’s flower bed…”
After confirming and receiving permission from the puzzled maid, Karen headed to the garden.
Julius followed behind her.
“Did you find a plant you like? You mentioned herbs.”
“I spotted something when we arrived that should be useful for the potion.”
“You’re planning to collect ingredients from here?”
Julius’s eyes widened.
“Yes. I found something that could be combined with what I already have.”
Dungeons didn’t follow seasonal patterns. There was always a chance to find any plant in its prime condition. But even outside of dungeons, it was possible to harvest seasonal plants in their prime.
Karen exited through the front door, crouched down by the plants clustered at the garden entrance, and took out her wooden shovel.
“From autumn to winter, nutrients are stored in the roots, so this might be a fairly good time.”
“Those are dandelion leaves, right?”
“Yes. If we brew the roots, it should make a potion that helps expel toxins from the body.”
Karen explained while skillfully digging up the dandelion roots.
Julius intently watched Karen’s hands.
“It’s impressive that you can make potions from ingredients you find on the spot. You’d be highly valued in a dungeon exploration party.”
“I’d be a burden since I can’t fight.”
“Fighting ability isn’t the only thing valued in dungeons.”
Even so, pure combat power ultimately matters most in dungeons. Karen, who didn’t have an ounce of fighting ability, would just be dead weight.
After washing the dandelion roots with water from the garden well, Karen stood up.
“Now, let’s borrow the kitchen.”
Karen sliced the dandelion roots, baked them in the oven to dry them out, then put the dried roots in a frying pan, infusing them with magical power while roasting them until crispy.
“It’s starting to smell fragrant.”
“It has a nice aroma, doesn’t it?”
She transferred the roasted dandelion roots to a mortar, grinding them into powder while infusing magical power.
She mixed that powder with nettle tea leaves she had on hand, along with herbs effective for detoxification, placed the mixture in a tea strainer, and poured hot water over it.
“There, it’s done.”
Blend Tea
Eliminates toxins.
The appraisal mirror clearly showed the results. It was a completed detox potion that would improve bowel movements, have diuretic properties, and help expel toxins from the body.
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