Chapter 95 – Chapter 3: What Only I Can’t Do – 1
Tia left her general store and headed to her drugstore.
She was ready to make recovery potions as usual, but today she had to take on a slightly different challenge.
That is, making the recovery medicine to be given to Ritz smell and taste good.
I started with a simple task.
I tried to remove the scent by adding the liquid in which the herbs were steamed.
However, the unique bad smell did not disappear.
Next, we diluted the ‘Cheonjinju concentrate’, which was the cause of the strange smell.
Mix the herbal liquid and half-and-half little by little to adjust the consistency.
The color and smell got a little better, but the terrible taste was the same.
The next step also failed.
The next time also failed.
I felt increasingly urgent.
It was getting dark, and no matter how hard I tried, the recovery medicine was not purified.
“I tried everything written in the book.”
There is no more reference.
As I tried various methods, I vaguely realized why this medicine had a bad smell.
Uncle Posao said that the ‘Tianjinju Mixture’ contains several medicinal ingredients, but he did not explain exactly what was in it.
I tried everything I could think of, but it still felt like something was missing.
It feels like there are impurities.
Anyway, because of this unknown impurity, it is not purified properly… I had no choice but to come to a conclusion.
It would be easy if he knew the ingredients of the mixed medicine, but if you ask someone who knows nothing about medicine, you won’t get the right answer.
It is also difficult.
Tia crossed her arms and looked down at her still.
“Then…”
A new method emerged.
It wasn’t in the book, so I don’t know if this will really work.
Since I understood the principles of making medicine, I felt like it might be possible.
First, I brought honey.
Honey is a material that goes well with anything, so it could be used with simple processing.
It is a material that is avoided because it is too simple and primitive, but that may actually create a simple ‘sweetness’.
Bubble-.
Rubus herb and honey were added to hot water and steeped deeply.
Cheonjinju concentrate was added to one side of the distiller and honey water was added to the other side and mixed.
Boiling temperature is important.
You must adjust the intensity of the fire appropriately and take a long time to completely melt the sticky honey.
Bubble-.
“…”
Tia squatted in front of the still and rummaged around with kindling.
Crack. Tak.
I looked at the burning flame.
A cold wind blowing through a small hole in the roof.
And the warm heat basking my face.
I felt like it was somehow nostalgic and familiar, but this feeling…
In a cabin during a rainstorm.
I realized that it was when Uncle Posao started the fire.
… I think it was probably from that time.
I felt that Uncle Posao was a better person than I thought.
To be honest, I kept my distance from him because I was still suspicious.
After going to Deseo and coming back, I came to acknowledge that feeling.
Now… Even as a joke, you can’t say that he’s a bad person.
Looking back, it all felt like a momentary dream.
It already feels like it happened several years ago.
It seemed so far away that sometimes I wondered if I had really been to Deseo.
The village is still peaceful and the same.
The boundaries of Dragonez, which do not change at all.
When you look at the villagers who feel like they can’t breathe.
After reading 〈 World Adventure Book 〉, I even thought that I had just had a strange dream.
Perhaps… Could it be that I had such an absurd dream because I really wanted to leave this village?
Because I wanted to run away from the guilt of hurting Ritz, causing her chief and her grandmother to die, and causing Ruev and Marie to leave.
Could it be that I saw a journey that never existed as a fantasy?
… But.
The adventure is not a dream or fantasy.
I realize this every time I go back to the general store.
Every time I talk to Uncle Posao, I learn something.
The journey of the past two months was all true.
Gongdaewa, Charrakwa, Rotenbangua, Deseo. The memories I left there.
A kind knight, innocent sisters, a storm, children met in a remote village, the harsh smell of a mine, the sound of cold rain falling in the harbor, fireworks in the city.
It was so hard, and that made all these memories even more precious…
Uncle Posao was proving it.
Tia, you were definitely there.
“…”
It reminded me of a story my mother told me when I was young.
The knight sets out on a long journey to find the princess and undergoes difficult trials.
He finally returned to the kingdom with the princess, and the two lived happily ever after.
… That’s right.
I’m happy.
I’m so happy that Ritz is by her side and that she’s alive.
However…
“…”
Why do I cry?
Mom didn’t talk.
She did not say that no one would know about the trials and journey the knight went through.
Was the driver really happy?
What was real?
That moment when you were adventuring with your colleagues?
Or the rest of your life after returning to the kingdom?
“I am…”
Bubbly-!!
Suddenly the still rattled.
The moment you come to your senses and raise your head.
A boiling liquid was seen inside the still.
“Huh?”
Oh no.
Because I was so absorbed, the distiller became overheated.
I quickly grabbed a handful of sand to put out the fire, but it was already too late.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
The glass of the still broke and the liquid flew everywhere.
Fortunately, the back glass broke, and I didn’t fall this far…
The problem is that the entire pharmacy became a mess.
The shattered pieces of glass even broke medicine bottles and jars.
The embers are crackling on the dresser.
“No!”
I put out the fire by spraying water.
To extinguish the remaining flames, I covered myself with a blanket and stepped on it, but thick soot remained on the dresser.
“Ha-ha-ha-.”
I lost all my strength.
It’s a mess.
If she sees Ritz Guy like this, she will definitely scold him.
No, it probably won’t end with getting scolded.
“…”
Pathetic.
A meticulous Ritz would not have made this mistake.
I just end up having an accident again…
“Ha…”
I’m so tired.
I didn’t have the strength to move even a finger.
Now, watching the barn in disarray…
It was the best I could do.
* * *
Uncle Posao asked in a puzzled voice.
“… Huh? Why are you doing that?”
As soon as she entered the general store, Tia just sat there without saying anything.
The man, who became anxious, asked if he was thirsty and gave him water, and even gave him a ginger biscuit to eat if he was hungry.
Tia closed her eyes tightly as she felt her chest and throat being squeezed.
“T, Tia. What’s uncomfortable… ?”
“I… Uncle.”
“Huh?”
“Also… I don’t think I can.”
“Hmm-? “What?”
“It means ‘helping.'”
Uncle Po Sao was dazed and scratched her head.
“Oh, uh, that? Me… Me again! “I did something!”
“I’m sorry.”
“No! No! T, if Tia can’t do it, she can’t!”
“…”
Uncle Posao tried his best to help.
It is said that even today, he walked all the way to the northeast of Tailden to get Cheonjinju medicine and brought it back.
Thanks to this, Ritz’s health was recovering quickly.
If she hadn’t had her uncle, it would have been difficult for her to do it on her own.
But… Ritsu’s words continued to haunt her.
My fiancé, Ritz, also said we should do something like this later.
Because it’s still strange to touch the cock of Mr. Posao, who is not the man I’m going to marry.
The man asked.
“Can I hear why you’re acting like this all of a sudden?”
“Therefore…”
In fact, she had touched Ritz Ge first, so she thought that Uncle Po Sao would be at least somewhat okay.
Even the prostitutes said that such things are not considered ‘sexual’… That’s why she readily offered to help.
When I looked into it more closely, I was told that according to the village rules, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman was only possible after marriage.
Uncle Po Sao bowed her head and apologized.
“I see. I’m sorry. I am… “I didn’t know there was such a thing.”
“…”
“B-the only women I can meet in Brisden are…” Because Lee, Lina was everything… I… T, you shouldn’t have done something to Tia… You did it. “I’m so sorry!”
“No. It was my fault for not checking properly.”
Uncle Posao is not at fault.
Because I know that he is a very kind person and that he always takes care of my body and mind first.
So, ‘I didn’t know’ would be true.
In the first place, people didn’t even think of him as a resident of the same village.
When she was young, she ran away from the village and lived in this general store for a long time, so she had no choice but to know the rules.
Fortunately, the man understood well, and I was just thankful.
“Oops! “It’s not the time to be like this.”
As if he realized something, he hurried into the warehouse and came out holding a black medicine.
It was Cheonjinju medicine.
“Thank you so much.”
“How is Ritz these days?”
“It’s really improved. It’s all thanks to you.”
“I’m glad… Hehe.”
Tia smiled once, and then she was about to leave the general store.
At that time.
The man asked.
“Excuse me… T, Tia.”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s it… Speaking of ‘that’…”
The man calmly took a breath.
And she spoke carefully.
“Ho, maybe there’s a different way… Can I do it?”
“… Yes? “A different way?”
“Ugh.”
Tia looked troubled.
“I explained it earlier, but…”
“Tia just needs to stay still!”
The man said in an earnest voice.
“I’ll take care of everything.”
How can I do something by myself?
While Tia, who knew nothing, blinked her eyes, Posao repeatedly asked.
“So ha, one more time… “Can you help me?”
“…”
Tia bit her lip.
She came with a firm resolve.
I won’t do anything like that with Uncle Posao in the future.
Since Ritz told me not to do it, I can never do it.
“I am… I can’t do anything…”
“Yes, that’s right. You don’t have to do anything. Just do it like yesterday, I won’t ask you to do it.”
“But how can I help you?”
“You just need to help a little… The village regulations and rules are not broken.”
Chin.
Just like last time, the man’s hand was placed on her shoulder.
“I’ll tell you more details when I go up.”
“… “Isn’t it strange?”
“Yes.”
Tia looked down.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Because the man said it wasn’t anything strange.
Because that’s not what Ritz said.
Then…
Uncle Posao said with a smile.
“If this seems strange… Well, you can leave right away.”
“…”
Tia silently wiggled the hem of her shirt.
