“Indeed, in my youth, I was also quite daring and brave~”
The rabbitkin granny eagerly echoed Tyler’s sentiments, albeit her acting skills left much to be desired, her words delivering as if she were reading a script.
Fortunately, Avril, being pure and kind-hearted, was devoid of any guile. Hearing Tyler and the rabbitkin granny converse in such a harmonious fashion, her heart was filled with renewed courage.
— (Hey, Avril, although I’m not particularly fond of Banning, his suggestion is indeed commendable.)
— (If you could become an accomplished pharmacist, then you could assist me in combat.)
— (In that scenario… we could vanquish even more wicked men!! Ha ha ha ha!!)
In Avril’s mind, Elle too approved of this proposal, albeit her worldview was somewhat “wicked.”
Tyler, using his heart-reading technique, realized that the opportune moment had arrived.
He promptly pulled out a book titled “The Preparation and Formulation of Basic Antidotes” and handed it to her.
This book was of no use to Tyler as he had already mastered the methods of preparing basic antidotes.
“Avril, I have no use for this book, so I’m giving it to you.”
“Eh? This… this is a potion book. It’s very expensive.” To Avril, a potion book costing a few silver coins was a costly item, and she was hesitant to accept it.
Tyler knew that convincing Avril in this matter wouldn’t be easy, so he changed his approach and said, “Well then, consider it a loan. Remember to return it to me later.”
Hearing Tyler say this, Avril immediately agreed, making her feel that there was another connection between them.
Avril carefully accepted the book, curiously flipping through a few pages, when she inadvertently discovered a golden hair strand tucked within.
“Hmm? What’s this…?”
The moment she saw the golden hair strand, Tyler’s heart nearly stopped.
·
How could there be a strand of Emilia’s hair in the book?!
·
In the blink of an eye, Tyler thought of ninety-nine plausible excuses, then selected the most reasonable one.
After all, he was a man who had weathered many storms; this minor surprise was well within his control.
“Hmm? Hair?”, Tyler feigned surprise, glanced at it, thought for a moment, and explained, “It could belong to the previous owner. I bought this book at the market because I wanted to understand how to prepare potions.”
“Tyler, you also want to be a pharmacist?” Avril’s attention was quickly diverted.
“Not exactly, because I often encounter poisonous prey when hunting, and buying antidotes is a significant expense. So, I thought if I could make them myself, I could save some money.”
“Oh…” Avril nodded thoughtfully, already thinking that once she became a skilled pharmacist, she could partner with Tyler for hunting!
With this thought, Avril was even more motivated!
“Avril, how do you plan to become a pharmacist?” Towards the end of the conversation, Tyler threw out his final question.
While it seemed like an open-ended question, it actually delineated the path for Avril to become a pharmacist.
In psychology, there’s a technique called “the power of suggestion.” Through step-by-step guidance, Tyler let Avril speak her mind, making it appear as not his “demand,” but Avril’s own desire.
And people are always more inclined to comply with their own ideas, even if they’re not their actual desires.
“I think… I want to find a master, or… or maybe see if there’s a pharmacists’ association… or something?”
As for how to learn about being a pharmacist, Avril wasn’t very clear.
What she knew was merely bits and pieces she had heard from others.
“In that case, there’s a pharmacists’ association in a town not far from here, called Madison.”
As for information related to pharmacists, Tyler was well-prepared. He had seen the name Madison many times in potion books.
At this point, the rabbitkin granny also began to chime in.
“Madison, I’ve been there a long time ago, the pharmacists there are very friendly.”
.
Having heard their conversation, Avril was all but resolved to venture to Madison Town.
She cautiously inquired of the rabbitkin granny whether she would be willing to accompany her.
The rabbitkin granny was naturally delighted and agreed immediately, subtly winking at Tyler as if to say, “You should thank your rabbit granny.”
“Give it your best, Avril, and may you become a pharmacist soon,” Tyler said, casting an expectant gaze at her.
“Um… and… what about you, Banning? If you don’t mind, I… I’d also like to know about your future plans.”
“I’m currently preparing for a long hunting expedition. Now that it’s summer, I can venture further north. I should be back in about a month.” 𝒪𝗏𝒍xt.𝐜𝒐𝓶
Fabricating lies was second nature to Tyler, and it came to him with utmost ease.
Avril, upon hearing that Banning wouldn’t be able to accompany her to Madison Town, could not help but display a look of regret.
·
Afterward, the trio continued their conversation over breakfast before bidding each other farewell at the entrance of the stall. As he watched Avril’s retreating figure, Tyler looked forward to her progress. After learning to prepare potions, whether Avril’s current manufacturing occupation, “Tailor,” would be replaced was an excellent opportunity to understand the underlying rules of this world.
The next time he saw Avril, Tyler would know.
However, just as he was breathing a sigh of relief, a thought in Avril’s mind startled him.
— (Before leaving Sunny Town, I should visit Sister Emilia once more. I’m worried about her recovery… I wonder if she’s returned home today…)
Tyler’s internal red alert once again sounded off. He must prevent them from meeting again at all costs!
·
After about ten minutes, Tyler hurriedly arrived at the Quest Guild.
Thankfully, Emilia hadn’t gone home and was already working at the front desk. Tyler observed from outside for a while, and when there were no hunters receiving rewards at the front desk, he discreetly approached and spoke quietly to Emilia.
“Emilia, how’s your recovery coming along?”
At the sound of Banning’s voice, Emilia shivered as if struck by lightning.
When she raised her head and confirmed that it was indeed Banning, Emilia, who usually maintained a stoic expression during work, couldn’t help but blush and lower her head.
Everything of the previous night were still vivid in her mind.
— (Is he asking because he’s concerned that last night was too intense…?)
Emilia was shy and wondered why Banning would ask such a question during work hours. It took her a few seconds to realize that Banning wasn’t referring to the “events” at the inn, but was asking about her leg, which had been injured in an attack.
“It’s… it’s better now…” Emilia lowered her head even further, afraid to meet Banning’s gaze.
“That’s good. Did you eat anything this morning?”
“Um… um, thank you, I saw the breakfast you left.”
Banning’s concern touched Emilia deeply.
She had never thought that even a simple verbal expression of concern could make her heart flutter so.
Every word Banningspoke sounded to Emilia as if he was saying, “We spent last night together~”
This sweet, couple-like atmosphere gave Emilia a sense of shyness, as if they were a couple who had just tasted the forbidden fruit, even though she had merely licked the forbidden fruit and hadn’t truly tasted it.