An Alchemist’s Demands

‘Huh? What did she just say?’

“Elena, did you hear anything strange?”

“No, Ailin, did you?” Elena, however, seemed to have heard nothing at all.

“No,” Ailin replied, echoing her sentiment.

Strange… Was I just imagining things?

“Perhaps I misheard,” Ziyao said, shaking her head gently.

Then, she turned her gaze towards the little girl who was currently observing her. “And, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Aiya.”

“I… I’m also very pleased to meet you.”

It seems this princess is rather shy.

“It’s alright, Ziyao is very easy to talk to,” Elena reassured Aiya, stroking her head with exceptional tenderness.

Wow, this is a completely different Elena from before, isn’t it?

“So, when is Aiya’s physical examination scheduled?”

“Physical examination?”

Oh no, does this girl know absolutely nothing?

“My dear Princess Elena, I am currently Aiya’s exclusive alchemist. I need to have a direct and detailed understanding of her physical condition,” Ziyao explained, covering her face in exasperation. “Everyone’s tolerance for potions is different.”

“The potions you purchased before were formulated based on my physical condition, but Aiya’s body is certainly different from mine. So, I need to examine her to adjust the potion’s recipe.”

“Also, your reaction just now gave me a bad feeling. So, allow me to ask: my alchemy workshop should have been built by now, correct?”

This barrage of questions left Elena utterly bewildered. Her mouth hung slightly open, and indistinct syllables escaped her lips. Clearly, she knew nothing.

Helpless, Ziyao could only turn her attention to Aiya, who sat demurely on a chair. “So, Princess Aiya, do you know about these matters?”

“Um, my sister handles all these things…” Aiya murmured, her voice so soft it was barely audible.

What in the world are these two doing? They just saw my potions and came to find me without any preparation whatsoever! And I actually came. My reputation is truly ruined.

“Miss Ailin, I hope you can take care of these matters.” Fortunately, the maid here seemed quite reliable. “In any case, let’s build an alchemy workshop first.”

Otherwise, how could she concoct potions? Such things could not simply be made anywhere inside a house.

One wrong move, and this small building could very well vanish entirely.

“I will arrange it,” the maid replied with a nod. She had not expected that Elena would invite an alchemy master without making any preparations.

“And then, Elena, did you think that simply inviting an alchemist would be enough?” Ziyao could no longer suppress her urge to scold her. “You are completely clueless about alchemy! I’m here to treat an illness, yet you haven’t even prepared an alchemy workshop. What were you thinking?”

“Ten days, ten days! You surely have ways to contact the capital’s resources, don’t you? Couldn’t you have mentioned it and had them set up a workshop first? My demands aren’t high; a Quadrant-tier one would suffice.”

“But why didn’t you ask me? I’m a Septagram-tier alchemist, not an apprentice—I’m a master! Didn’t your royal family employ several masters? They have their exclusive workshops, don’t they? Couldn’t you have used your brain and realized that I would need one too?”

Elena lowered her head. She truly hadn’t considered so much. At that time, her mind was solely fixated on the thought, ‘Aiya is saved.’ She couldn’t think of anything else.

“I’m sorry, I was negligent.” What else could she do? Apologize, of course.

“I hope you’ll remember this,” Ziyao said, sighing upon seeing Elena’s bowed head and apology. Then, she turned to Aiya. “And you, Aiya, you should have some assertiveness. This is your own body, after all. Elena cannot protect you forever.”

“No, I can.”

“No, you can’t,” Ziyao stated mercilessly. “You will marry eventually, and at that time, will Aiya still be your top priority?”

The darkness of the royal family was unimaginable. A young girl as innocent as Aiya could be torn apart by those lurking in the shadows if she wasn’t careful.

“Mm.” Yet, the little girl still kept her head down, appearing weak and timid.

This girl is far too soft, isn’t she?

“Hoh, it seems something interesting happened just now.” At that moment, Raphael, who had gone to retrieve the treatment plan, walked in through the doorway.

She glanced at the two sisters with bowed heads, then at Ziyao, whose cheeks were puffed out, and roughly guessed what had transpired.

It seems Miss Ziyao is quite angry.

“Here, this is the treatment plan I’ve drafted. Please feel free to raise any questions if you have them.”

Taking the thick stack of white papers, Ziyao began to review the treatment plan formulated by the Saintess, page by page.

Fortunately, the individuals from the Holy City were quite professional in healing magic. At least, Ziyao found no major flaws.

“I am merely an alchemist, and not very knowledgeable about these things. However, it seems to be without issue.”

“Hmm, that’s right, each profession has its specialization. I, too, am completely clueless about alchemy,” Raphael said, scratching her head. “Let me first tell you about the requirements for the potion.”

“Understood,” Ziyao replied, pulling out paper and a pen to jot down the key points.

“Firstly, the side effects on the body must be as minimal as possible. Aiya’s body is very fragile.”

“Understood.”

“The potion’s effect is to activate the vitality within Aiya, allowing her to absorb the active ingredients from the medicinal bath I will formulate.”

“By the way, please give me the medicinal bath formula later. I need to check if there are any drug interactions,” Ziyao said, her pen pausing.

“No problem, I’ll send it over to you shortly.”

After nearly an hour of discussion, a pile of papers filled with notes had accumulated in front of Ziyao, containing most of the important considerations.

“I’m completely lost,” Elena mumbled, slumped over the dining table, her eyes swirling like mosquito coils. As a knight, she felt no different from an idiot in the presence of these professionals.

Aiya had long since been carried back to her room by Miss Ailin; it was now Aiya’s nap time.

Due to her weak constitution, Aiya was more prone to sleep than children her age. She spent almost two-thirds of her day in slumber.

“Now, we just wait for Aiya to wake up, right?” Ziyao asked, tidying the scattered white papers. “Oh, by the way, Elena, do you want to be present during the examination later?”

“Eh? Is there something for me to do?” Elena asked, pointing to herself with a puzzled expression.

She had already accepted the fact that she was utterly useless here.

“A full body examination, full body! Without your and Aiya’s consent, I wouldn’t dare to pry into the Imperial Princess’s body.”

“I need to take off her clothes?”

“Of course. I need to check for hidden injuries or anything of that sort. Ah, right, I also need to draw some of Aiya’s blood,” Ziyao remembered. “The blood sample will be kept by you; I’ll tell you when I need it.”

In this world of magic, a blood sample could be used for many things, so Ziyao could only entrust Elena with Aiya’s blood sample.

“Um, then I’ll wait outside the door?”

“It’s best if you come in with me. That way, if any problems arise later, you can vouch for me.”

After all, abandoning one’s allies after crossing the river was a tradition of the imperial family.