Okami Wa Nemuranai

Episode 6.6

'Okay then, let's get to work', Shira said that, asked Jericho to bring out four barrels and put the herbs inside those barrels.

"Now Jericho, you stay in the house. Lecan, you come over here."

Shira went to the storage room before going to her private room at the farthest end of the house. The four barrels are floating after her.

In a fairly small room lay a conspicuously big bed.

"Okay, now get to the back more. Make some space in front of the door."

The two huddled together as they moved next to the bed, then the bed suddenly floated away blocking the door.

A huge rectangular hole showed up on the ground after the bed had moved.

"We're getting down."

Shira stepped her foot on an empty space as she said that.

Having no choice, Lecan followed after her.

He's floating instead of falling.

Then they descended.

Shira must have casted <Light (Teraparm)> spell. The huge pit is brightly lit.

They descended quite far down.

"We made it."

The surrounding area was suddenly filled with lights.

It was a huge basement. 50 steps wide, and around 70-80 steps long. In other word, this basement is as big as the whole house and the poisonous plant garden above the surface.

The 24 apparatuses giving off lights on the ceiling are probably magic tools. Each one of them is emitting a bright light.

"What are those shining things?"

"Oh they're magic lamps. They emit light when you supply them with mana. Still, I went all the trouble to show you this secret basement and got no reaction from you. That sure surprised me instead."

"I knew that there was a huge basement beforehand."

"Ooh right, you can detect stuff with your ability."

"No. I already knew before detecting anything."

"Hee? How come?"

"That chimney is way too big for that fireplace. It's positioned oddly as well."

"Haha. I guess that's right. You've got quite some powers of observation there."

This huge basement feels more like some kind of laboratory than a workshop. There's lots of utensils of unknown purpose here and there.

"The air's so dusty here."

Shira shook her forefinger as she said that. Then the wind blows. The huge hole below the bed also functions as a ventilation it seems.

There's a hearth with a huge pot on it under the chimney. Shira poured water into the pot with magic.

"Water produced by <Origin Water> of creation magic is pure water of magical origin, you see. I call it Pure Magic Water. Although a bit lavish it may be, boiling herbs in it will afford you the best medicine. By the way, if you want to make healing magic water, you cast Body type <Recovery> magic or Sacred type <Purification> into the pure magic water and then mix in some herbs. Depending on the type of herbs mixed in, the kind of medicine it will turn out will differ as well, it could be for healing wounds, illness or restoring stamina. Though in actual practice, you'd want to say, put on disinfectant on wound or use specific remedy intended for that particular illness to go along with them. Were a priest who can use the highest form of <Recovery> put it in undiluted form Pure Magic Water, the result would be a medicine capable of healing any wound no matter how fatal. It can only hold such a strong effect for one day though."

Afterward, Shira put herbs while casting <Recovery> magic in it.

Ordinarily, you put magic gems along with catalyst during this stage of magic potion production, but in reality, putting in herbs while repeatedly casting <Recovery> would result in a better effect instead, so Lecan was told.

Shira skilfully continued with the work while explaining the steps to handle herbs.

Lecan labored busily following Shira's instructions, but even while his body was moving about, he made careful observations on things like fire adjustment, or the way to pour magic.

By daytime, it was a break time, and Shira lifted Lecan up to the surface. She would watch over stuff below, she said.

Above ground, Lecan heated up tea and ate some light meal he had put in <Storage>.

Eventually Shira called for him, so he went down again. They brought another four barrel worth of herbs.

He had to rely on Shira to move the bed and went down the basement every time. Indeed, he has great need to learn <Move> and <Float> fast.

His next work was mincing and mashing herbs. Lots of steam rose up from the pot. Shira announced that they were finished for the day when it was still unexpectedly early.

"Now then, we're putting out the hearth's fire for now. We're also done with other works for the time being. Meaning it's a good time as any to practice some magic."

Lecan learned <Move> that day. It wasn't going too well at first, but in the end he managed to roll an empty barrel around.

"Alright. Once you've learned this, the rest should come quick. You've got a stupid amount of mana and all, make use of it to practice a lot."

It was evening when he left Shira's house.

Lecan went back to his room at the inn and continued to cast <Move>.

The next day, he resumed the herb making work. While concurrently practicing magic.

He got the pass with <Move> in three days, and four days with <Float>. Afterward, Lecan moved the bed out of the way and floated down the hole himself. Moving objects wasn't that hard, but moving his own body required a delicate handling, he felt like he would immediately crash down the instant he lost focus.

The medicine making also began for real.

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

Ratio and process to mix, and effects of completed medicines were explained to him, Lecan busily wrote it all down during noon break.

Despite using so many herbs, they're not making that many kinds of medicines.

Since the finished medicines are intended to be mixed with other raw materials depending on the illness, to raise the healing efficacy.

First one done was wound salve. It took them two days.

Three kinds of herbs can be used to make wound salve. The first one is Cula Grass that can be picked during the first to second month, the second one is Krussim Grass that can be picked during the fourth and fifth month, and the last is the Pourika Grass that can be picked during the eighth to ninth month. Any one of these herbs can be used as the main raw material, you boil them with other secondary herbs and then pulverize it into powder.

When you sell it to pharmacies, they will mix it with powder of other less effective herbs before selling it. With a variety of combinations, those pharmacies mix it into several types of salve, from the most expensive to the cheapest. And then buyers will boil a small dose of the powder in water before applying it to the affected part.

This time they're making powder made of Cula Grass. Lecan obtained a huge amount of the finished product. He can use it to make an even more effective medicine if he's able to produce Pure Magic Water himself later in the future, moreover, if he learns <Recovery>, he can make high grade medicine by using <Recovery> on the powder.

Next, they finished making medicine for stomachache, and medicine for chest pain, both in form of pills.

Pharmacies sell these by crushing them into powder and mix it with lesser herb powder, but they also sell it in its pill form to guests of honor. Of course, it's expensive and only a few could afford it.

One time, Lecan asked.

"Shira. You remember about the magic list you gave me the other day, are you able to use everything in it."

"Well now, I wonder about that. I don't recall everything I wrote in there, but I can tell you that I cannot use <Purification> spell of sacred magic. Other than that, think I can manage those magic."

"Impressive. What kind of magic is <Purification>.

"I suppose you could say that it's a magic that cleanses out the evil and the corrupted. It works on most illness, including poison and abnormal status. As <Purification> contains strong divine protection of God, it exhibits similar effect to that of <God Cure>. Though I don't think there's a priest capable of performing <Purification> as potent as <God Cure> today. Priests who can use <Purification> get locked up to be a source of medicine for high-ranking nobles and priests, you see. After all, <Purification> ever so slightly carries a rejuvenating effect, so those old geezers cling really hard on it."

"I guess that means there is no way for me to learn <Purification>."

"Uun. Practitioners of <Purification> are quarantined deep in temples, meeting one would prove hard I think. But I do know the spell, and once you've got far in <Recovery>, you might naturally learn <Purification> yourself. I believe <Recovery> and <Purification> belong to the same type of magic, you see. For now, I'll be teaching you <Recovery> first thing first."

"Please."

"Now that you mention it, apparently the young wife of the Duke House of Schadrest has got quite the talent in <Purification>. At the time being, it's being kept secret and they only let nobles related to them getting the free treatment, but since the rumors are spreading hotly like a wildfire, the temples or royalty will probably summon her before long. So long as she doesn't let <Purification> slip by mistake, it should be fine though."

Lecan wondered hard, how did Shira who was staying indoors all the time even get those confidential rumors.

Lecan had heard of <Schadrest> house name before, but he had no recollection of it. It was at time when his grasp on this world's language was still far than his current understanding, and he heard it only once in a conversation, so of course he wouldn't remember.

If he did remember, he might have noticed that this <young wife of the Duke House of Schadrest> referred to Lady Rubianafale. But he had no idea at this time.

Lecan would only realize the environment Lady Rubianafale was in far in the future.

"Even a very slight showing of <Purification> demonstrates a wonderful effect on treating illness and wounds. Moreover, <Purification> can banish undead type and incorporeal Youma like Revenants or Soul Demons in one shot, regardless of how strong they are. Or at least deal an irrecoverable wound. It can cleanse polluted lands and buildings as well. Honestly, practitioners of <Purification> should be let to work outside more instead."