Episode 23.1

"I believe even you must understand the gravity of this situation now."

"Fumu. One thing."

"What is it."

"Who's this Skalabel guy again?"

Town lord of Vouka, Crimus Ulban, suddenly stood up, bent forward and grabbed Lecan's overcoat by the collar over the table with both his hands.

"Aren't you an apothecary! How'd you NOT know our country's greatest apothecary, <Herb Saint> Guide Skalabel!"

Crimus kept trying to shake Lecan for a while, but Lecan wouldn't budge.

He eventually used up all his strength and sunk down into the sofa.

"Tesla. Explain to this dungeon wolf."

"Sir."

Commander Tesla who was standing next to him turned toward Lecan and began his narration.

"Lecan-dono. At one time, the art of apothecary was something the old experienced pass down to the young in each region, there is no uniting them, and medicines were of low quality."

"Fumu."

"There were also a very small fraction of apothecaries who knew how to make highly effective medicines, but most would keep that tightly to themselves before bringing it to their graves."

"I see."

"But then, Guide Skalabel discovered medicinal plants and mixtures of herbs that work against all kinds of illnesses and wounds, as well as methods to extract the most out of medicinal herbs. Accomplishing that grand feat in one generation."

Skalabel probably didn't discover those himself, Shira must have taught him, thought Lecan.

"On top of that, he was a great master who raised many disciples, unselfishly teaching the art of apothecary to many. Most apothecaries who are active in this country today, those with true art of apothecary, are said to be Guide Skalabel's disciples and disciples of those disciples."

"And then."

"Not only that, he went on to hone his medical craft for the sake of saving the poor and finally awakened to <Purification>."

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

"What."

"Eventually the nobles caught wind of him until it got to a point where the king himself would ask him to prescribe medicines for the royalty, he would even brandish <Recovery> and <Purification>."

"That's a surprise."

"Furthermore, he worked with every temple to raise the bar of their medical departments. And despite not being a priest himself, he assumed the position of apothecary head of the royal capital's Elex Temple."

"And no influential figures tried to confine the guy despite him holding that much power? Did he not get bound?"

"No one is capable of confining Guide Skalabel. The royal capital would see a huge riot if someone did. No, that's not the issue. The royalty, nobles, temples, all of them bow their head before Guide Skalabel's virtue."

"It all sounds unbelievable to me. Who gave him that Guide title?"

"'Guide' is a title given to those who have reached the height of a particular field, but in case of Guide Skalabel, it wasn't awarded by anyone in particular, everyone simply naturally called him that."

"Then his position is that of an apothecary?"

"That he is if you have to ask. The temples had tried to have him recognized as a saint many times over, but the Guide himself kept firmly denying them, so I heard."

"Just how old is this guy?"

"He is surely more than a hundred years old. I don't know the detail myself."

"More than 100 year? But. I see, guy's a <Purification> user. He's been casting <Purification> on himself all this time."

"Being as active as the guide is even after a hundred year is proof the guide's <Purification> potency."

"And that guy is coming here eh?"

"It is very surprising. Or rather, I still cannot believe it even now. I have never heard of Guide Skalabel leaving the Royal Capital before."

"And that's that. Get it now, Lecan? <Herb Saint>, <Master of All Apothecaries>, <King of Herbs>, <Father of Medics> are among many names he's known as, a living god in all but name. One such person is coming to this town. In order to meet Shira-dono. Just who is Shira-dono anyway?"

"She's an apothecary."

"She cannot be a mere apothecary."

"Did that Skalabel guy call himself <Herb Saint>?"

"Of course not. That is how people call him."

"Then Shira is also an apothecary. How other people call her is none of my business."

"Lecan."

"What."

"There's a rumor saying when Guide Skalabel saw a medicine made by Shira-dono, he thus spoke 'the person who made this medicine is my master'."

"Go ask Skalabel himself if you wanna know what he means by that."

"It can't be that Shira-dono is truly the master of Guide Skalabel, can it?"

"No clue."

"How old is Shira-dono?"

"Crimus."

"What."

"I see you guys really like this Skalabel guy."

"It is not a matter of me. The guide is a treasure of this country."

"Shira is a treasure to me."

"Mwu."

"If you guys are going to bother Shira and stir things up to butter up to that Skalabel guy, then."

"Then what."

"I'll fight."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Fight you say. HAHAHAHAHA. The guide's got Undersecrtary-dono and First Class priest of Elex Temple as his messengers. The royal knights and temple knight elites are surely behind him. And you're going to fight them? WAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

It must have been very amusing.

Crimus laughed heartily with his whole body shaking.

"Oh I will. If those guys intend to threaten Shira's peace that is."

Hearing that, Crimus asked back, still with a half-laughing face.

"Are you serious? Do you think you can win? No matter how strong you are, you're just one guy."

Lecan stared back at Crimus with cold eyes.

Color of blood gradually seeped out of Crimus' flushed face.

"You're, serious. No way."

Crimus sunk deep into the sofa, bent over forward, covered his face with his right hand and let out a deep sigh.

"Who the heck made this guy a gold rank adventurer."