Kays Translations

Chapter 45: Back to the Royal Capital

The members of House Heine who were travelling to the royal capital gathered before the entrance. As in the previous year, everyone except Rosalia and me would be leaving the territory.

Grandmother, an authority on magic potions, was also going to exchange knowledge with other magic pharmacists. I had only recently learned that she had an apprentice in the royal capital.

It was sad to see my family leave, but attending the social season was one of their duties as nobles. After we exchanged farewells, the carriages departed.

“I did it! I’m free!”

I couldn’t stop myself from cheering. The summer-retreat season had been extremely busy, leaving almost no time to research magic potions or develop new magic tools.

This year’s social season also offered an opportunity I hadn’t possessed before.

Until recently, the main building contained the only specially equipped potion workroom. Father had since built an identical room in the annex where Grandmother and Grandfather lived, so she now did most of her work there.

That left the main building’s workroom almost unused, although all its equipment remained. As long as no one was watching, I could use it freely.

For the few months of the social season, I would finally be able to devote myself to potion research. That was another reason I had refused to go to the royal capital.

I attempted to shut myself inside the workroom the very next day, but Rosalia refused to allow it.

“Big brother, why are you sneaking around?”

“I’m not sneaking.”

“That’s a lie.”

“I’m not lying.”

Guided by some mysterious younger-sister intuition, Rosalia followed me everywhere. At this rate, working in secret would be hopelessly inefficient. I would spend every moment fearing that she might burst into the room.

Perhaps it would be better to tell her the truth and ask her to keep it secret.

I discussed the matter with Lionel, commander of the knight order.

“What do you think?”

“If Lady Rosalia is certain to discover it sooner or later, I see little harm in telling her,” Lionel replied. “She’s already six years old. I believe she can keep a promise.”

His opinion matched mine. The person most likely to object was Grandmother. As a high-ranking magic pharmacist, she respected the profession’s traditions and rules more strictly than anyone.

That much was clear from the way she had dismissed my advice when I was younger, assuming a small child couldn’t possibly understand potion making.

I called Rosalia into the salon and asked the servants to leave. Her expression became serious when she noticed my unusual manner.

“I need to tell you something important, and you must keep it secret.”

“What is it?”

I explained that I had secretly been making potions for the knight order and that I intended to use the social season for further research.

“Can you keep that secret?”

“Of course. But I have one request. May I watch you make a magic potion?”

“That’s fine, although it may not be very exciting.”

“It’ll be exciting to me.”

And so Rosalia and I formed a secret pact. At last, I could begin making potions without constantly looking over my shoulder.

I immediately took her to the workroom, brought in the ingredients and storage containers, and began preparing everything.

“Are these going to become magic potions?” Rosalia asked, peering curiously into the containers.

She appeared to be seeing the ingredients for the first time. Apparently, she had never watched Grandmother work.

“Yes. This is a medicinal herb, this is an antidote herb, and that one is a magic herb.”

“You know so much, Big brother!”

“They’re all described in the botanical encyclopaedia. I can show it to you in the library.”

Rosalia enjoyed picture books but rarely opened an encyclopaedia. Some illustrated reference books—such as those about monsters and magic—were entertaining even for children. Since she seemed interested, I would take her to the library later.

As we spoke, I arranged the tools. The dried ingredients first had to be ground in a mortar. I couldn’t use my Drying skill in front of Rosalia; explaining how I had instantly dried the herbs would create another secret.

“Where did you find these leaves?” she asked.

“There’s a secret medicinal garden on the estate.”

“I want to see it!”

“I’ll take you another day, but the garden must remain secret too.”

“Yes. It’s a secret.”

She placed a finger against her lips. My sister was especially adorable today.

Smiling, I ground the ingredients with a mortar and pestle. Magic would have been faster, but doing the work by hand conserved magical power.

Once the herbs were powdered, I fetched well water. Its quality was merely ordinary, so I assembled a distillation apparatus to improve it.

“Good. That should work.”

“What’s that, Big brother?”

“A device for purifying water.”

“You can make water clean?”

Rosalia tilted her head.

“Yes. Watch.”

I heated the well water using the burner from a potion-making magic tool. It was small, but its concentrated flame was powerful. Such a specialised device was unsuitable for general sale: the flame was too small for cooking and had too little range for combat.

The water turned to steam, travelled through the apparatus, condensed, and slowly collected in another container. Rosalia watched without blinking.

“Is that magic?”

“No. It’s a physical phenomenon.”

“What’s a physical phenomenon?”

“That explanation may be a little difficult for you now. I’ll teach you when you’re older.”

Rosalia puffed out her cheeks at being treated like a child. I patted her head.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Her mood quickly recovered, and she resumed watching the apparatus with endless fascination.

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