Chapter 89 – Plans within plans. (Patreon)

A/N: I'll start with what you want more. there'll be a quick update post made in a few minutes.

-------------------------

“We were… umm… just making some ointment?” Kori answered, trying, and like usual failing, to not sound guilty of something.

Har simply looked over the no longer neatly arranged equipment, and soiled tools that were arrayed in front of the two. “And I suppose you made a mess of the store room too digging for the ingredients?”

“Nuh-uh, didn’t even touch em, Bolst brought some fresh!” Inadvertently throwing the other Elder under the proverbial cart.

Har gave him a withering look, this likely wasn’t the end of the discussion. “I suppose I should have seen this coming…” He said, shaking his head. “Now what was this about something going wrong that I walked in to? It’s not going to explode or anything, is it?”

It dawned on Kori that Har might not be mad about them making some ointment, but that he had walked in on them arguing about how something hadn’t worked. She was certain he’d had flashbacks to the last time she and Bolst had worked together.

Bolst seemed to come to the realization around the same time, as he frantically waved his hands while trying to explain. “No, definitely not that! We attempted to have Kori here finish a batch of ointment that I started in an effort to share the workload and improve her productivity. She is adamant that it should be possible, that we simply require more trials to find the point she must take over. I on the other hand believe this is likely a limitation of the Skill itself, or possibly that she leaks mana into her creations unconsciously during the process, and that the entirety of the act of creation must be by her own hand.”

Har’s shoulders relaxed as he listened to the explanation, even he hadn’t realized just how tense he had become seeing the pair of them over the work table.

“So, nothing is going to explode, or burst into a cloud of toxic gas, or otherwise threaten to bring the mountain down upon us?”  

“Nope! Just some helpful ointment. Or at least I assume so…” She pouted a bit, still a bitter that she couldn’t actually tell outside of how the craft had felt whether she’d succeeded or not. “Are you sure there isn’t a way for me to learn Appraisal?”

It took Har a moment to catch on to what she meant, he’d assumed that Bolst would have verified the outcome already. “None that I know of. Want me to take a peek?”

Kori simply nodded while he walked over, it took him less than five seconds to confirm that she had in fact created her Imbued Herbal Healing Ointment, and that it was the same common grade that she’d expected.

“Hmm… I think I can get it up to uncommon… Just need to improve the ingredients a bit. Maybe try that hot air gust rune drying method?” It didn’t seem like Kori’s musings were meant for anyone but herself as she scribbled notes down on a sheet, already planning out her next batch. Or rather batches, as she began creating instructions for multiple experiments.

It landed on Har to pull her back from her daydreaming. “Kori… Kori!” Her hand twitched as he yelled, ruining a line of suppositions she had been making.

“Huh?” She looked up, only then realizing that the table around her had been cleared and most everything from their morning crafting session cleaned up.

“About time…” He muttered. “You need to eat breakfast. I brought it down with me.”

“Oh. Okay.” She immediately began picking up her writings, intending to take the sheets with her and either read over them or continue writing while she ate.

“Let’s leave your writing for after you eat.” Har instructed. She looked back and forth between him and her page a few times before sighing and setting down her pen before walking back towards the front room. She just barely made out a muttered, “This is going to be a long day…” come from behind her as she left.

Breakfast was exactly as expected, though with a little touch of surface manners added in once she retrieved the cutlery and brightly coloured dishes from her basket. Bolst found the utensils to be a bit awkward, completely unused to them, while Har and Kori enjoyed themselves. Kori was especially grateful for her fork, being able to drizzle over some of the spicy oil and not make a mess or get it all over her claws was appreciated.

As the trio finished their meal and were tidying up, Har spoke up to try to set the plan for the day, or at least not allow it to get further sidetracked.

“Alright, so we need to get your storeroom arranged a bit. Have you thought about how you want to organise things yet?”

She, of course, had not. “Uhh…”

“I thought as much…” Har sighed, tempted to repeat his earlier mumblings. “Did you take any notes on how Imelda had her own supplies set out?”

“Oh, her organisation method was by usage. The more commonly used herbs were set nearest to her work space and the rest was placed by plant family. Well… except the rarer ones, she had those off on their own way in the back.” Kori shook her head at the inconsistency. “I guess she doesn’t trust the other townspeople that much? Some of the cabinets even had locks.”

Both Har and Bolst pointedly ignored her naivety, neither of them was prepared for the unending utterances of ‘why’ that would follow, and interrupt, such an explanation.

“We can do something like that, arrange the herbs that you’ve discovered recipes for nearer to the door, we’ll probably go through more of those anyway, and then the rest we can organize on the other shelves.” Har thought a moment before he added. “Though perhaps alphabetically? Otherwise, you’ll be the one doing all the work because I have no idea which plants are related to each other. Or what that even means…”

Rather than simply accept his statement, Kori decided that it was an opportunity to teach him something for once and started in on a long-winded explanation of how stone nettle and stinging nettle were related, even though one grew underground and the other above ground, or that they only barely resembled one-another. Or how the tasty fruit, and she insisted that it was a fruit when Har objected, the tomato, was closely related to one of the deadlier plants, nightshade. The last bit had Har double checking the manifest of all the crates contents, which he found did indeed include a sample of nightshade, in fact it included samples of dried berries, roots, flowers, and the leaves.

Har promised himself that he’d get Ortik to double check everything he’d precured, and future shipments, and remove anything that she wasn’t ready for. Or maybe it wasn’t her that wasn’t ready to experiment with such things, but the clan. The idea of providing her with a plant that was so unsubtle about its nature that it’s actual name when appraised was ‘deadly nightshade’ did not sit well with him.

Try as he might, Har couldn’t get away from the subject. It went on for hours, using words he’d never heard before, and was surprised that she knew, like genus or classification. It continued on, and on, and on, as they unboxed and arranged dozens of crates of herbs. He’d gotten a little of everything apparently.

To Kori’s disappointment the deathshroom sample did not make an appearance from the depths of the crates. Many of the samples were in sacks or simply tied into a bundle, once freed from their manner of packing, each was placed into waiting clay pots with lids, something made by the clan’s smattering of crafters, and small pieces of slate were marked and hung around each to indicate their contents.

She’d rather they had used glass so she could see what was in each quicker, but even she recognized that it would have cost more to do so. She wasn’t sure how much more, just that it would be.

It took the three of them the bulk of the day to get things at least close to organized, there would still be a lot of movement of things, especially as she discovered new concoctions, and there were more supplies on the way from the Circle as well. She’d decided that their ingredients would be kept separate from the rest, that way she knew where to turn if she needed more of anything.

Bolst knuckled the scutes on his back and stretched. “Finally!” As he settled back into an upright posture, he looked around the room at everything that was on hand to work with, grinning widely. “So, what do you want to make?” His excitement from earlier that morning returning instantaneously.

“Not to ruin the mood or anything, but, well, Ortik made a list of what he would like by the end of next week.” Har interjected, before Kori could start in on whatever rambling plans she had made in her head since the morning.

“Oh…” Was all she could manage in response.

“And I suppose you have this list with you?” Bolst asked, knowing that his days of mentorship coming up would likely be consumed by rote crafting to meet demands rather than experimentation. He suspected that it may have even been on purpose.

“It’s in the bag I brought breakfast with.” Har nodded. “It’s not too bad, but we are very low on the healing ointment after we spent so long in Whatzakt. I’m sure the two of you can use the time to figure out how much help you are able to provide, or you could send Kora down while you oversee the relocation tomorrow.”

Everything else was suddenly no longer important at all for Bolst. “You mean it’s approved?!” His eyes going wide. “Wait, that means you knew the entire day and are just telling me now?”

Har just gave him a smirk in response, savouring the moment. “Ortik agreed last night. Ylst will be sealing it in mana worked stone herself.” Har’s mood darkened noticeably before he added. “And I was encouraged to be the one drawing the cart it’s getting loaded onto while we move it towards the surface…”

Bolst winced. He knew that last part had been a point of contention for a while. Har was the highest-level cart driver they had, his abilities as a Caravan Master only making him better at the job. If anyone could ensure a smooth and steady ride, it was Har.

The old trapper wasn’t naïve enough to not see this for what it was. They were distracting him. He thought it had been too easy to get the first days of mentorship with the youngling in the new lab, and now he knew why. These days were never for him to teach her anything, they’d just wanted Kora all along.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” He huffed. “But fine, I’ll bring Kora down tomorrow morning before we start the move.”

Har just smiled, it didn’t matter if Bolst knew or not, there was no way he’d pass up the chance to get the awaiting disaster as far from his lab as possible and they both knew it. The fact that his presence was mostly unnecessary when it came to transporting the oversized explosive was irrelevant, he’d be there.

“No need. She can come down with Kori in the morning.” He turned his attention to Kori. “Ortik wants to see you. He said to meet him in his chambers when we were done getting things unpacked.”

Bolst could see Har’s claws all over the plans that had been made. If anyone was going to scheme it would be him after all. He didn’t care though, he was getting his lab back.