"Ugh…Was that Miss Rebbeca's voice?" I grumbled as I slowly opened my eyes, the early morning light filling my senses. I could feel the subtle warmth of the rising sun even if it was winter. For a moment, I just sat on my bed, looking outside the window and noticing that people had already started their day.
"Why do I have to keep waking up this early every damn day…? I hate this."
Letting out a sigh, I pushed the blankets off me, a shiver ran down my spine as I felt the cold floor beneath my feet. I shook my head and focused on what Miss Rebbeca had asked for. "Uhh…what was it again? Yarr— ugh, I don't remember."
"What did you ask for Miss Rebbeca?" I called out, still a bit groggy from the last remnants of sleep.
"Dry and water infused yarrow!" A soft voice rang through my ears, a hint of a smile at the corner of my lips as I replied.
"Got it!" I quickly rushed off to the kitchen. Upon arrival, I looked around and got confused a bit after seeing all the mess she made here with her herbs.
"Geez…where do I even look for it?" I muttered under my breath as I kept glancing around a familiar jar. My eyes fell on a certain drawer and I knew I got it.
"There you are."
I opened the drawer and on the right side were dried yarrow — a bundle of brittle, straw-thin stems topped with tiny papery blossoms and feathery leaves, all faded into earthy shades of beige and green.
And on the left side, there was water infused yarrow in jars. A thick, earthy mash with a dark greenish-brown color, soft and slightly fibrous, like crushed wet herbs pressed into a paste.
I picked up one jar and a bundle of dried herbs and closed the drawer. Then, I made my way towards the apothecary room.
As I reached the entrance, my eyes widened at the ineffable sight in front of me.
'I might be hallucinating because I just woke up, right? There is no way…'
I blinked my eyes several times to see if my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, but it seemed that they really weren't. It was actually them — 'The Astrian brothers!'
They both looked back at me as I stood in the entrance. A bit nervous, I made my way to Miss Rebbeca and handed her what she had asked for, there was a pair of scissors on the counter. I nodded my head in both their direction as they both nodded back.
I made sure to put up a face that told them I didn't know them. Because Miss Rebbeca didn't, and I didn't want to overwhelm her.
"Ah, thank you, Gray.." she smiled as she took the jar of water infused herbs first. "Hold the dried ones for a moment, okay? I'll need them after I am done with this first." Said the herbalist as she mixed a spoon of the green paste into a cup of warm water.
The liquid turned cloudy and herbal, carrying a faint earthy scent.
As she mixed it, I glanced back at the two men sitting on the chairs like they owned the place, noticing the blood on one's right arm of his black jacket. The sight was ridiculous, 'Hah…The king of Astria coming to this meager little apothecary?'
I thought, being a bit self depreciating. But it seemed that while Zordus seemed a bit austere, Connor seemed more friendly and vigilant. He had a smile on his face as he saw me glancing at them, though not the king — stoic — just like rumours. Ignoring him, I smiled back and quickly turned my attention back to Miss Rebbeca.
She was done with the mixing it seemed. She then looked back at me and held out her hand, "The bundle." She said without looking at me. I nodded and placed it in the palm of her hand.
She took the bundle and untied it, taking out a mortar and a pestle from the counter. She then placed the dried yarrow into a stone mortar and crushed it with the pestle until it turned into a fine, pale-green powder. She was pretty adept in her work.
Slowly, she placed the pestle on the counter and looked at the king and said in a polite tone, "Sir, I would need you to remove your jacket."
I glanced back at the king, his expression unreadable as he nodded. Slowly, he removed his black fur jacket, a red cloak trailing down from the shoulders. He wore a soft white shirt beneath, now covered in blood around the arm.
He handed it to Connor and pulled the sleeve up, revealing the firm muscles of his forearm, right in the middle was the wound. It…didn't look that bad from the jacket, though?
It was a shallow gash, but wide — stretching across half the width of his forearm. Without being told, he brought his arm up to rest on the counter, the blood was still flowing, even if a little, it wasn't a good sign.
Miss Rebbeca smiled and moved closer to him, folding her sleeves. There were markings on her right forearm, three pale brown spirals aligned in a straight line and two golden curved lines capturing them in; these started from her wrists to all the way up to her forearm.
My eyes darted towards the man, seeing how he had narrowed his eyes after seeing the markings, even Connor looked a bit in thought. 'I don't know why she had these markings, and whenever I asked her she said she didn't know it herself.'
Slowly, she lifted his arms slightly and sat a container down. Then, she began pouring the warm yarrow water washing the wound with the warm liquid. The container caught the water and the blood that was washed away with it.
I looked at how carefully she worked, and…why the hell this guy kept looking at her? Why did he have such a placid expression on his face? It irked me ever so slightly as my eyes twitched in annoyance.
"Gray…the powder." I snapped out of my thoughts as I heard her voice. "Oh, right…" Immediately, I took the mortar and handed it to her. Then, she gently closed the wound by putting the powder on it.
"Dressings…" she asked. I moved to the other end of the counter and pulled out a pack of untouched dressing and handed it to her.
She covered one side of the dressing with yarrow powder and laid a thin dressing of powdered yarrow on the wound, then wrapped it gently with clean linen bindings.
"There, all done, sir." She said softly to the man sitting in front of her. He looked down at his patched arm, a subtle smile seemed to appear on his stoic face. It was almost shocking to me but I tried not to show it that much. Connor, on the other hand, had a knowing smile as I glanced back at him and then at Zordus.
"It feels a lot better now. Thank you, Miss…?" He spoke, and without showing it he asked for her name. My annoyance only seemed to grow for some reason but I didn't intervene. Miss Rebbeca smiled and then nodded. "It's Rebbeca, sir."
"Rebbeca…" he said, as if seeing how her name sounded coming from him. "Thank you, Miss Rebecca." His gaze rose from his arm to her face.
She nodded, starting to pick up the things scattered on the counter. "Of course, sir." As she moved closer to pick the container, he grabbed her wrist. Miss Rebbeca gasped. "Wait…these markings…"
The sight made me go completely still, making me remember something that I had buried deep under my memories all these years. Suddenly, something snapped inside me. Fury surged up, my eyes narrowing in something dangerously close to lament, and in one swift motion I grabbed the scissors in front of me, moving with the swiftness of a falcon.
Before I knew it, the scissors inched from his eyes, I tried to move forward but I found myself restrained. I heard Miss Rebbeca call my name in panic but I didn't pay much attention. I looked back and saw that Connor had slid his forearms under my shoulders and crossed behind my neck, trapping me in a tight hold from behind.
'Since when was right behind me? Wasn't he sitting there just now?' It caught me by surprise but I didn't pay much attention to it anyway. I had other task at hand.
"There, there, young man…no need to get all violent now. He's not going to hurt her."
I looked at Miss Rebbeca, seeing her worried and panicked face, clearly overwrought…I was furious. But, I couldn't do anything, I was powerless. I thought I would be able to protect her, but this…
I clenched my jaw and looked at the man holding her wrist. He didn't even flinch, the scissors were still held right in front of his eyes, just inches away. I then glanced back at the man holding me and murmured, "Let go…"
"Gray…" I heard her weak whisper that only made me feel even more revolted.
"I will if you let go of those scissors first." said the man behind me with a calm expression.
It irritated me. Instead of dropping the weapon, I gripped it and stated in a resolute tone, "Tell him to let go of her and maintain a good distance, I'll let go of the scissors."
Connor sighed and looked back at Zordus, as he opened his mouth to speak, Zordus had already pulled his hand back and got up; maintaining some distance between him and Miss Rebbeca.
"Well…?" Connor insisted.
"Tch…Damned aristocrats…" I muttered under my breath and clicked my tongue, dropping the scissors on the floor. Seeing that, Connor smiled and withdrew his arms, setting me free.
"Do you know what those markings on her arm are?" I locked eyes with Zordus, my brows furrowed in annoyance and irritation.
"No, I don't. And I would be damned to know it from—"
"Those marks appear when a person's mana core is on the verge of self-destruction." He cut me mid sentence and continued anyway.
"If not taken care of at the right time…It might result in an agonizing death. When a mana core self-destructs, no matter how weak or fragile it may be, the pain that comes with it is unbearable that most people either lose their sanity or kill themselves. Seeing it as a way to free themselves from that agonizing pain." Zordus stated, oddly calm while telling something like that.
It was an apprehensive no, terrifying information that made me petrified. The thought of losing Miss Rebbeca…it was horrifying. I had only her and her alone. I had never known who my parents were or what they looked like or even what their names were.
As far as I can remember the past memories, she had been the only one who took care of me despite everything that others had said. Despite every hardship that she had to go through just to raise me. She wasn't even blood related to me, but she was my only parent, and I'd do anything, give up anything just to keep her safe.
My lips parted every so slightly and my mouth felt dry, my throat felt heavy and I could not make any movement.
"But, since it's just the starting point, she can be saved." I came back to reality as Zordus assured me. I glanced back at Miss Rebbeca her: she stood still, grief-stricken, unable to breathe.
Why did she look like that? Why did she look like she was the one who was losing someone and not me? The sight stirred up some emotions that I dared not to show at the moment.
I gritted my teeth and looked back at Zordus, my voice lost even to me. "What…" I started, trying to find my voice, it quivered as it came out and my hands trembled slightly. "What…how can…she be saved?"
"By sharing the mana of a transcender in her body. It will help her crumbling mana core heal itself from that mana." Connor replied.
Transcender…they were mages who had refined their mana core to a certain extent to become a transcender. 'But how can I find a transcender?'
I opened my mouth to say something but then closed again, finding the right words. "But…how do we even find a transcender? And of what tribulation?"
"Even tribulation 10 transcender would do. Her mana core isn't that strong, it's delicate, fragile." Zordus replied, looking at me with a calm expression.
I didn't want to do this, but I don't know anyone who is transcender — someone who might save her…my big sister.
Slowly, I lowered myself and knelt down before him and kowtowed. My hands trembled and eyes shut tightly. Pathetic. I felt utterly humiliated and incapable, but I didn't have any choice. For her, I would do anything. Begging to these aristocrats was nothing much, I could endure it.
Ironic, how I was ready to kill him just a moment ago and now…
"Gray, what are you doing…?" Miss Rebbeca whispered, her voice shaking and heavy with raw emotion.
I wanted to look at her, to see her expression but I focused on what I was doing. Slowly, I raised my voice ever so slightly and murmured. "Please…I beg you…save her. You're a transcender of tribulation 4 yourself, aren't you?" My voice trembled as I spoke, holding back my emotions.
For a moment there was no reply, then, Zordus spoke. "That's what I was going to do before you pointed those scissors at me." His voice was calm, steady, but softer than before.
"Please…I beg you…"
"Oh, and why should I? Perhaps you should try finding someone else, kid. I don't want to help anymore." This was why I actually resented these 'so called nobles.' I gritted my teeth and replied.
"I…I don't know anyone who is a transcender. And even if I did…I don't know if they would have helped. I…apologize for my earlier actions, just save her…please."
"Sigh. Stand up." Without questioning, I slowly glanced towards Miss Rebbeca's direction first and then got up on my feet. My eyes locked with Zordus, and I felt like the most embarrassed person in the entire world. No, it was okay. If it's for her…it's fine.
"I'll give you one piece of advice, kid. No matter what happens, don't ever kneel before anyone no matter how desperate the situation is. Of course, unless you really know that there is no other choice."
'Huh? Why are you saying that to me out of nowhere?'
But, I just simply nodded, clenching my fists at my sides. He then took a few steps towards Miss Rebbeca and I tried not to just tell him to stop. I held myself this time.
"May I take a look at it?" He asked the herbalist in front of him. She glanced towards me and I couldn't help but soften my expression. Then, I smiled at her and gave her a subtle nod, which she did the same in response.
She eyed her forearm for a moment before lifting her arm in front of him. "Y…yes."
Zordus nodded and took her wrist in a firm hold it seemed. He closed his eyes and focused on something that I didn't know what it was. Because I did not know what he was doing. Slowly, a soft white light gleamed across the mark which made Miss Rebbeca wince. I tried my best to hold myself together, to not just go there and stop him.
I closed my eyes in a way to escape the sight. But a voice soon pulled me back to reality. "It's his mana that is entering her body and trying to stabilise her mana core, it's gonna hurt a little at first."
I opened my eyes and looked up at the man standing beside me, hands around his back, a dauntless aura radiating from him. "Don't worry, she's gonna be alright. Yeah?" His smile was reassuring as much as his words.
"...Thank you…for helping…" I
Letting out a shaky breath I lifted my hand and ran my fingers through my hair, which, it seemed, piqued his interest towards something else.
"Gray, right?"
I glanced up at him, a bit confused. "Um…yes…?"
"Can you show me your right arm? Just pull your sleeve up a little." He asked.
I felt a bit uneasy but nodded nonetheless and pulled my sleeve. My eyes fell on the mark on my forearm and it seemed to have grown more visible now.
Slowly, my gaze rose up, and I couldn't help but stand still after seeing Connor look at the mark with wide eyes, as if in disbelief and pure shock. It was…quite a sight to behold.
"So…it was you after all." His words were a mumbled whisper and I couldn't really hear what he said. I looked at him nervously and asked.
"Is…something the matter?" Slowly, he let out a sigh and shook his head standing straight once again. "No, I just got curious when I caught a glimpse of that mark."
I gulped down hard and nodded, not wanting to continue this conversation. I glanced back at Miss Rebbeca and Zordus. He had let go of her, but…she was breathless and holding onto the edge of the counter as an anchor, sweat trailing down her face, eyes half closed.
Seeing that, I rushed towards her and helped her stand on her feet, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Even though I was a little shorter than her, I was able to help her lean on me.
"How are you feeling, Miss Rebbeca?" I asked nervously. She breathed out a shaky breath and nodded, leaning heavily against my side.
"I…feel a bit heavy for some reason…but my internals are feeling so much better. The stomachache is gone…and the dizziness, too." I let out a sigh of relief and nodded, glancing down at her mark. It had faded a little, not as dark as before but it was still there.
I gazed back up at Zordus who was now standing beside Connor who was whispering something in his ear. Zordus's eyes widened ever so slightly before relaxing.
He stole a glance towards us before stating, "Her mana core will stabilize itself on its own now that my mana has entered her body. She's back in the safe zone now, so don't worry."