Volume 1 - CH 13

Chapter 13 [At the mountain foot village, part 1]

While leisurely riding the broom, I discovered a powerless child lying on the ground. From his features, it seems like he is a boy.

[Hey, laddie? Are you ok?]

It's not as if I could ignore it, so firstly I called out to him while giving that tiny frame a small shake. Shortly after [Uuu......] he groaned as he opened his eyes. Thank God, he's alive.

[W-who are you, big sis?]

The child with walnut brown hair sat up and looked at me with a distressed face. Waking up to a stranger in front of them, anybody would be on guard too.

[I am a travelling alchemist. What are you doing in such a place?]

[While on the way to buy medicine at the town, a dragon attacked me and I fainted]

...Hmm? Wait a minute. Dragon? Such a dangerous being appears around this area?

[If demon beast lives here this place is dangerous. Shall we move to the village for now?]

[But daddy hurt his waist. If I don't buy medicine for him......]

The boy around the age of an elementary schooler was desperately trying to hold back his tear. Uwah, anything but this expression, it's too effect.

Argh alright, I guess I have no choice. Before being an alchemist otaku, I am a human. Let's help him.

[If it's just medicine, I can prepare as much as you like. Let's return to your house first. Come on, lead the way]

Either way, even if we proceed from here the bridge is already gone. While saying that, I pressured the boy into getting on the broom and started moving towards the village at a leisure speed.

Lord, I am doing a good deed so please don't let me encounter the dragon.

◯ ◯ ◯

Enroute to the village, the boy proclaimed his name as Tim and I learned that he was living with his father and big sister.

[Big sis alchemist, that is my village!]

The village that Tim-kun guided me had the impression of a deserted. There was less than 10 residence and besides them was a small field each. It didn't seem like there was plantation there, instead the seedling planted were on the brink of death.

...Could it be that this village's existence is currently in danger I wonder. Not only is the field in a bad shape, there also isn't a single soul outdoor.

I was fantasizing about the local delicacy of an agricultural village......it doesn't seem like they can even feed themselves, much less traveler.

Still, now that I learned the circumstances, it's not like I can just say [I see, goodbye]......while pondering we have reached Tim-kun's house.

[Tim! Where did you go!]

Opening the fragile door, a girl rushed towards Tim-kun and hit his head.

As she looked at Tim-kun who had a tearful face, she noticed me. Probably, she is the big sister?

[Erm, who might you be big sister?]

[Ehh, well. I am a travelling alchemist. The name's Mei]

[Haaa.....miss alchemist, why are you with my brother?]

The big sister looked at me with a guise of doubt. Alchemist is really minor in this world huh. Well, I am getting used to it.

Tim-kun whose original role was to explain the situation was in no state to, so I did it instead. From him getting attacked by a dragon, heading out to buy medicine for their father, the bridge getting washed away, I gave her a run-down of the event.

[Such a thing happened......! Jeez! I have told you multiple times that the outskirt was dangerous and not to venture out alone! Tim, you stupid!]

Whack, yet another fist descended on the crying boy. When it rains, it pours. Poor thing.

[Now, now let's all calm down] with that I de-escalate the scene. Afterwards, the sister introduced herself as Liddie. I see, so she's Liddie-chan.

She who has the same walnut colored hair in braid walked up to me [Sorry for the trouble my brother has caused you. Thank you for saving him] she thanked me while politely bowing. From appearance she seems to be around 10, but her mannerism is strangely mature.

[So, I have promised Tim-kun I will prepare medicine for him. How's your father's waist?]

[It isn't the best. He's currently asleep. This is all because he got cursed by a witch]

[Eh......isn't that an important detail?]

Witch's curse? While mulling over if a medicine can really fix that, Liddie-chan led me to the room where the father was.

[Ugh, ugh. Ouch......]

As I stepped foot into the house, there was the figure of a man buried in the bed. When I called out to him, I learned his name is Danan. Let's start with a simple interview

With that said, I am an alchemist not a doctor, the knowledge of modern medicine I have possess is the bare minimum.

[Do you have any idea what caused the injury? For example, handling heavy objects]

[Ah......while I was working on the field, I put in more strength that usual into swinging the hoe. It was then when I experienced a sudden sharp pain. There's no doubt this is the curse of a witch]

[...Isn't that just a back strain?]

[Eh?]

I couldn't help but blurt out my thoughts, and was greeted with a surprised look. Incidentally, is the west they call back strain a witch shot. Could that have something to do with this I wonder.

[Please hang on for a while. I will prepare the medicine now]

Saying that, I placed the cauldron on an empty space in the bedroom. Apparently, Danan-san was affected as I heard bizarre sound that went [Ugyah].

[Erm, a poultice-like medicine, I recall seeing one]

Taking out the recipe book as usual, from the direction of the bed [Don't tell me, you will be preparing the medicine right now?] an unease voice was relayed to me. It's not as if I am going to crush the herb from scratch, and I reassured them that it will be done in no time. I would like to concentrate so the silence would help.

[Ah, there it is]

After a while, I found a suiting tool. The name is 「Wet cloth」. Uhm, exactly as it is.

Seems like I will be making ointment and cloth, so let's start with the former.

St. John's Wort, St. John's Wort come out......with that in thought I fished for it in my bag but returned empty-handed. Don't tell me, I do not have this material?

[Eeeeh, one moment please. Where does this grow]

I protested to the recipe book but needless to say I did not get a reply.

This child, as a recipe book it's excellent but sometimes it slips up. While it records the material's name, I wonder if it could have the function to tell me the collection point too, I wonder......while deep in my thoughts [Erm......] Liddie-chan called out with a raised hand.

[If it's that herb you can find it at the outskirt. It's the specialty of this region]

She said with a boasting tone. Ah, specialty product. So that's how it is.

I have collected various plants so far but the fact that I do not have this makes sense now. This pattern is the most troublesome when it comes to material collection. If the material is endemic to a certain region, it means replenishing them will be difficult.

[Are you going to tell me the location where this herb grows at?]

As I probe, I hired Liddie-chan as the guide. [I will go to!] Tim-kun sprung up declaring that, only to be met by Liddie-chan cold response of [Until I come back, you are not allowed to leave the house]. Ignoring Tim-kun protest, Liddie-chan brought me outside.

Uhm. What I thought was a simple task have become a difficult voyage. Just kidding.