Episode 20.5-6-7

The next day, the first thing Lecan did was sorting out all the herbs he gathered.

Some need to be cut at the roots, some not, before you can dry them.

And some whose leaves fall off shortly after drying need to be separated.

This time he's not making ointment.

He also only needs a small quantity of remedy and cold medicine.

As for potpourris, he's gathered enough herbs for 100 pouches.

It's not that he wanted 100 pouches of potpourri, he was using it to practice and better polish his medicine making skill.

There are two types of Shira's potpourris, one that uses eight ingredients, and another that uses 21. All the potpourris Lecan is making this time are the 21-type ones.

Once all 21 ingredients have been put in a pouch, it needs to be poured with mana. The way you put this mana decides the potpourri's efficacy, but it's quite a complex process. Thus he's using this chance while he's still under Shira's tutelage to practice on 100 pouches.

He was done sorting out the herbs in the first half of the day.

The later half and tomorrow would be for drying out the herbs and bundling them together.

"Now now, you. What's with that mountain of stamina restorative ingredients, how many did you gather anyway. Which country are you planning to go to war with?"

Lecan picked up a lot since it was for a year worth of medicine, but he may have picked a bit too many. The main ingredient may be Kyumis grass, but in term of quantity, the other sub ingredients trumped. The processing later would be an ordeal.

He started potpourri-making on the third day.

First, he puts 21 kind of herbs into a pouch to create the potpourri then he casts a spell on it.

Lecan wondered how Eda is doing right now while working.

Since the trip to the site takes one day, she might even come back by the end of today if they were quick with the suppression. Wonder if she's on her way back right now. Or perhaps something happened and she's still on the site right now.

"Quit it with your irritation."

Said Shira as she read what seemed to be a letter while having tea.

"I'm not irritated."

"Then stop clack clacking your feet on the floor."

"I'm not clack-clacking my feet on the floor."

"Oh really."

For now he should forget about Eda and focus on his work.

Clack, clack, clack, clack.

He noticed his right leg stepping repeatedly on the floor and stopped it.

She's together with 20 people, the operation surely won't fail.

Zeki is someone who can issue commands with sound judgments.

The enemy's leader is supposedly quite strong, but how strong are we talking here.

Clack, clack, clack, clack.

He had started stomping on the floor again before he realized, and stopped.

"I'm tired. Heading back."

"Oh really."

In the end, he didn't finish making potpourris that day.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

The day after, Lecan caught sight of Jericho while he was making potpourris.

He's tilting his head, making a face like asking, "What's the matter?"

Lecan looked at the potpourri in his hand.

"Shira."

"What is it."

"You must have cast <Morph> on Jericho this time as well, haven't you."

He had started making magic beast warding potpourris in front of Jericho, a magic beast, without thinking.

"Eh?"

Shira took her eyes off a document she was reading and replied back with a perplexed sounding voice.

"Aah, yes that's right. Of course, I did."

Lecan finished bundling up the potpourri in the morning.

After having their lunch, Shira spoke to him.

"Lecan. There's something I need to consult you about Eda-chan."

Lecan jolted.

This wise elderly woman has something to consult about Eda-chan.

Surely, it must be something that will greatly affect Eda's life.

"Eda-chan's changed her speech recently, hasn't she?"

Oh right, Lecan never talked to her about the reason for that. Just when he was about to say that her previous way of talking was a product of her forcing herself, Shira continued on.

"Well. I've got a rough idea as to why she came up with that speech."

Looks like she got it without Lecan's explanation. Then what is she consulting about.

"That ssu-ssu speech, you see."

"Ssu-ssu speech?"

"Like, <Really ssu>, <Oh no ssu>, <Thanks for the trouble ssu>, those ssus."

"Yeah."

"I thought it sounded annoying at first, but now that she's stopped doing that, I can't help but missing it. Is there no way to get her talk like that again?"

"Hell if I care."

It was an exceedingly worthless consultation.

Just when he was about to put a spell in the potpourris.

"Mwu."

A red dot shown on <Life Detection> is drawing closer.

This is probably Eda.

(She's coming.)

(She's coming.)

(Soon.)

(Soon she'll get here.)

<3D Perception> caught Eda landing down the garden.

Her energetic voice could be heard a moment later.

"I'm back~!"

"Shira-baachan's tea is the best in the world."

"Oh really, really now. So, how was it, the suppression."

"Un. We all gathered in front of the west gate as scheduled. And then, Gyom was there."

"What."

Gyom was an adventurer Eda saved when he was suffering from a grievous wound. Even though he promised he would keep the matter about <Recovery> a secret, he went straight to the temple and sold Eda off to the priests for a loose change. Thanks to him, Eda got summoned to the temple and went through a trial. As a result, Lecan ended up having to go visit the orphanage for nine days.

Hence no one can blame Lecan when his right eye glared out when he heard the name.

"But that stuff was my fault for failing to see through Gyom's real character. That's why I said nothing to him."

"Hmm hmm, then?"

"The Guard Corps commander Ritton said this when he saw me. They can't bring a little girl with them."

"Hou."

"Lecan. Quit putting up that scary face."

"I'm not."

"But thanks to Zeki-san giving an assurance, saying that <Thousand Shoot Eda> is a dependable adventurer, I was allowed to go with them."

"I see."

"The suppression force was split into six groups as we went on our way to the site and gathered back at a campsite once we got there. I dunno why but that Gyom guy was being overly familiar to me, but I coldly told him off. Then Zeki-san came by and helped shooing him away."

"Zeki is a good guy alright."

"Huh? Shira-baachan, you know Zeki-san?"

"Oh, yes I do."

"Then Zeki-san asked me what happened, so I told him the whole story about Gyom. I was summoned by the temple and had a tough time because Gyom sold me off, I said."

"Were Gyom and other guys nearby when you told your story?"

"Un. Gyom was saying something about <Recovery> being a wonderful ability and that he's obliged to report it to the temple or something. Zeki-san said, you trampled upon the moral code of adventurers, and even sold off your life savior for money."

"And then."

"Zeki-san spoke to commander Ritton. Should we send a decoy to scout out the enemy, we've got just the right person for it here, he said."

"Oh my my."

Must have been quite an undertaking for the taciturn Zeki.

"Gyom was gone the night that day."

"My my, well well."

The guy accepted a quest from the town lord then fled in the presence of the enemy without permission. Lecan is ignorant of Adventurer Association's rules but the guy probably won't ever be able to take on jobs in this town anymore. He might even get his adventurer's qualification revoked.