Ascendance of a Bookworm

“Princess, since we have compounding in the afternoon, let’s postpone the discussion and hurry to lunch,”

Richarda urged me, so we decided to talk about the Drevannel countermeasures after dinner. The practical session in the afternoon was compounding, so I had to change into my mixing uniform.

Just as I changed into the riding uniform when mounting my Mount because I couldn’t ride in a skirt, I had to change into the mixing uniform during compounding work so that the sleeves wouldn’t get in the way. At the temple, I had always compounded while wearing my usual priestly robes, so putting on the mixing uniform was a first for me. The mixing uniform was somewhat similar to the civil official apprentice’s outfit. The sleeves weren’t too flowy, and decorations like lace and frills that might get in the way were avoided as much as possible. The most distinctive feature was that the mixing uniform did not include a cloak. Instead, a scarf-like cloth of the same color was fastened with a brooch.

Richarda helped me change, and after checking that I hadn’t forgotten anything, I called out to Filine, who was also attending the compounding lecture.

“Filine, are you ready?”

“Yes, Lady Rosemine.”

Filine pinched the skirt of her mixing uniform slightly and smiled softly. Her mixing uniform was a hand-me-down found somewhere by Richarda and Otilier. But it was mended and embroidered so skillfully that it didn’t look like a hand-me-down.

“I’m glad to have a pretty mixing uniform too. Everyone taught me how to mend it. I think my sewing skills have improved a little.”

“Filine always puts so much effort into everything.”

“Princess, you should try a bit harder on embroidery like Filine.”

“Well, when the threads of the goddess of time dreffangua intertwine, surely…”

I brushed off Richarda’s words about having a chance to try harder and headed down the stairs. Embroidery wasn’t as important as transcription, and transcription wasn’t as important as reading.

“Thank you for waiting. Let’s head to the small hall.”

Although this was my first official compounding lecture, I had already made many healing potions, so it wasn’t new to me at all. Seeing Wilfried excitedly say, “It’s my first time compounding. I’m so excited,” was endearing.

Making healing potions at the temple was simply about preparing the ingredients as ordered by the high priest, measuring, cutting, tossing them into the pot, and kneading with mana. Since I was still not allowed to make my own healing potions, it was just practice, and the finished products were sold to Eckhardt Brother and Angelica. It was purely work and not something I enjoyed.

“I’m being taught by Lord Ferdinand, so it’s neither fun nor anything special. I wish I could make something other than healing potions.”

My close aides knew I was being taught by the high priest, so they just agreed quietly, but Roderich widened his eyes in surprise.

“Lady Rosemine, you’re already compounding!?”

“I was told by Lord Ferdinand, ‘How can you not make your own healing potion?’ and he taught me. So far, I can make four kinds of healing potions.”

At that moment, the knight apprentices all looked at me sharply.

“Wait a moment, Lady Rosemine. There are four types of healing potions!?”

Apparently, at the noble academy, they only learn two types: basic healing potions for lower to intermediate users and high-quality ones using better materials for advanced users. Unless someone’s a research fanatic like the high priest, they only learn to make two types. No wonder Angelica and Eckhardt Brother want to escort and buy out the potions when making the slightly more difficult ones.

“The ones I can make are: a potion that recovers a little mana and stamina, one that recovers a bit more mana and stamina, one that hardly recovers stamina but greatly restores mana, and one that hardly restores mana but greatly recovers stamina.”

…In addition, there were the extremely bitter medicines that recovered both greatly but sacrificed taste, a slightly improved version with kindness mixed in, and the perfect potion with greatly improved taste but the same effect made with Brenlius fruit received in Haldenzel. The high priest could make seven types in total.