Chapter 39

The figure that appeared in front of Lia with a rustling sound was none other than a middle-aged woman dressed in a shabby robe.  

The robe looked so old and worn that it was doubtful when it was even purchased. She had slightly tangled orange curls and freckles scattered across her face, which left a strong impression. She appeared to be in her forties.  

‘She looks more like a wanderer than a mage.’  

Judging that the woman didn’t seem dangerous, Lia carefully put down the stone she had been holding.  

“Oh my, I didn’t realize someone was here!”  

The mage, who noticed Lia later than she was noticed, expressed her surprise belatedly.  

“Well, this isn’t a place many people visit. Did you lose your way?”  

Lia asked the mage standing on the opposite side.  

“I didn’t lose my way. Are you a local here?”  

“Yes. But you didn’t lose your way, you say?”  

An outsider finding the Dewflower grove, which even required specific directions to reach within Lorem Mountain, seemed unlikely.  

“Is this the place where the Dewflowers bloom?”  

“…You came here looking for Dewflowers?”  

Hearing that an outsider—and a mage, no less—had come all the way here for Dewflowers, Lia’s gaze grew slightly wary.  

She was concerned that the mage might be affiliated with a Mage Tower and would harvest the Dewflowers in bulk.  

“I’m not a bad mage. I might look a bit odd, though.”  

Perhaps noticing Lia’s concern, the mage raised her arms slightly in a gesture of reassurance.  

“I just heard there was a unique flower in this part of Lorem Mountain and came to take a look.”  

Was Lia supposed to believe that the mage was merely here to observe something interesting?  

‘Aren’t mages creatures who live and die for their curiosity?’  

The mage tiptoed toward Lia, careful not to step on the flowers.  

“…Of course, I might take a small sample for research purposes, but I’m a wanderer, so I don’t really have a place to store much.”  

It was as if the mage could read Lia’s mind, speaking as though she knew exactly what Lia was worried about.  

“Is that true?”  

Lia asked in a softened tone.  

“Of course. I despise mages who claim to research but end up destroying ecosystems!”  

The mage clenched her fists as if genuinely indignant.  

“I completely understand your concerns. If it really bothers you, I’ll just look at the flowers and won’t take anything.”  

“…That won’t be necessary.”  

The mage’s polite attitude made Lia feel a bit guilty for being overly cautious.  

“If it’s not too much to ask, may I know what kind of mage you are?”  

Lia asked cautiously as the mage approached her.  

“Oh my, I’ve been talking all this time without introducing myself!”  

“Well, I’m guilty of the same.”  

“But you’re a local here, so it’s only natural for me, the outsider, to introduce myself first.”  

The mage removed the hat from her head.  

“My name is Dorothea. I’m a purification mage.”  

“I’m Lia. If you’re a mage, you must have graduated from the Imperial Academy.”  

In the Valerius Empire, those with a “surname” after their name were all nobles. Conversely, those without a “surname” were commoners.  

“Yes, I’m a commoner, but I was fortunate enough to be born with mana and graduated from the Imperial Academy.”  

Dorothea spoke modestly, lowering herself.  

Lia didn’t know much about the Imperial Academy since her grandmother hadn’t spoken about it in detail. However, she could infer that it wasn’t a place commoners could easily enter, simply because it bore the title “Imperial.”  

“My grandmother also graduated from the Imperial Academy.”  

“Really? Your grandmother must have been an incredible person.”  

“If my grandmother was amazing, so are you, Dorothea.”  

“Haha, that’s quite embarrassing.”  

When Lia praised her, Dorothea rubbed her nose awkwardly.  

“I’m a purification mage, but due to my former master’s influence, I also have an interest in healing and magic potions. So, I travel across the empire conducting research.”  

Was that why her robe looked so tattered from wandering all over the empire?  

“I heard there’s a flower here that becomes plump when it rains, so I rushed over.”  

Dorothea said she had traveled non-stop from a faraway city just to see the flower.  

“Although I heard it blooms year-round, leaving my curiosity unresolved is too cruel for a mage.”  

Recalling her grandmother, who always pursued her curiosity to the end, Lia nodded.  

She, too, had often stayed up all night trying to satisfy her curiosity, just like her grandmother.  

“Do you live in Lorem Mountain, Miss?”  

“Yes, but I’m not a ‘Miss.’”  

“Oh my, you’re married? You look so young that I didn’t think so.”  

“I even have a daughter.”  

“A daughter? You’re older than I thought!”  

Dorothea widened her eyes in surprise.  

“Yes, haha.”  

“Are you here for the Dewflowers as well?”  

“Yes, I came to check on them before harvesting.”  

“May I ask what you plan to do with the Dewflowers?”  

“I’m going to make a magic potion.”  

“You’re a mage as well?”  

“No, I just learned a bit from my grandmother.”  

“You can make magic potions without attending the Academy?”  

“My grandmother taught me how to make them.”  

“Your grandmother taught you? That’s incredible. Teaching magic potions is several times harder than learning them!”  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes, absolutely! By the way, what’s your grandmother’s name?”  

“Ellen. Her name is Ellen.”  

“If she taught you enough to make potions on your own, she must have been famous at the Academy….”  

Dorothea tilted her head, saying it was a name she hadn’t heard before.  

“I’m only capable of making basic potions.”  

“I’ve never heard of a potion made from that rare flower, though.”  

Dorothea leaned closer to Lia and said,  

“Could it be that the potion you’re making is something you researched and developed yourself?”  

“Yes, that’s correct.”  

“Then your grandmother must have been renowned during her Academy days, and you would’ve been just as outstanding if you had enrolled.”  

Dorothea confidently praised Lia.  

Lia blushed at the compliments, feeling unworthy of such high praise.  

“Would it be alright if I watched you make the potion with the Dewflowers?”  

“Yes, you can watch, but….”  

The potion was to be made in the eastern annex of the Blumhart Ducal Estate, where the exclusive mages resided.  

The Duchess Dowager had offered the space to Lia, knowing she needed a proper workspace.  

“Since the patient who needs the potion is in the Capital, I’ll be making it there.”  

“Oh….”  

Dorothea sighed at the mention of the Capital and fell silent.  

Given her curious nature, Lia thought Dorothea might ask to accompany her to the Capital.  

‘Does she have bad memories associated with the Capital?’  

“…I have my reasons for not being able to go to the Capital. Could I at least watch the harvesting process?”  

“Yes, of course. As long as it’s not for taking them in bulk to a Mage Tower for strange experiments, you’re welcome to join.”  

“Really? I promise I won’t take them to a Mage Tower. Thank you!”  

Lia told Dorothea they should meet again when it rained.  

The Dewflower’s petals were at their plumpest during rain and would return to normal once the rain stopped.  

However, if the flower was carefully uprooted during the rain, it would remain plump.  

It was a mysterious flower that only grew in Lorem Mountain.  

“Dorothea, let’s meet again when it rains.”  

“Alright, see you then.”  

Waving at Lia, Dorothea tiptoed out of the grove and disappeared in the direction she had come from.  

Lia also turned back toward her cabin.  

***

Dorothea waved at Lia and tiptoed out of the Dewflower grove, disappearing in the direction she had come from.

Lia also turned around and headed back to her cabin.  

Lying on her bed to rest her tired body, she was forced to get up when her stomach growled. With nothing to eat but the bread she had bought earlier and Alma’s wild strawberries, she made do with them as her meal.  

Since she would soon leave the house again, buying ingredients for cooking felt like a hassle.  

‘It’d be a problem if I used them and left leftovers.’  

After a simple dinner, Lia sat at the table and took out her notebook containing magic potion recipes.  

‘The most important ingredient is the Dewflower, and next is finely ground healing mana stone….’  

She examined the list of required ingredients and reviewed the recipe she had written down several times.  

She hadn’t succeeded in making it on the first try back then, only completing it after several attempts, which made her a bit anxious.  

‘I need to make this as quickly as possible for Lady Penelope.’  

She repeatedly went over the critical points she had marked in the recipe, mentally rehearsing them countless times to minimize mistakes.  

She became so engrossed in her review that she lost track of time and fell asleep just as dawn broke.  

Even as the clock neared 11 a.m., Lia was still trapped in her dreams.  

In her dream, she was struggling to create a potion using Dewflowers. 

Just as she was getting frustrated with the repeated failures…  

Knock, knock, knock.  

The sound of reality pulled her out of her dream.  

“Ugh… I’m so tired….”  

She groaned as she barely managed to open her eyes.  

Knock, knock, knock.  

The sound of knocking at the door came again.  

“…Who could it be? Alma?”  

Stretching, Lia got out of bed and made her way to the door.  

“………Is no one there?”  

It sounded like someone was muttering outside.  

‘…I’m here, I’m here.’  

Assuming it was Alma, Lia opened the door in her disheveled state.  

“Alma, what brings you here so early in the morning….”  

She rubbed her eyes and looked up.  

“……Ah!”  

Seeing the person in front of her, she was so startled that she quickly shut the door again.  

“Hey, what’s the big idea slamming the door in someone’s face like that?”  

Outside stood a completely unexpected figure.