I had heard that the farther you traveled from the capital, the more likely people were to be unaware of healers or to have only heard of them vaguely. It seemed Larian was one of those people.

“I’ve been to several doctors for my back pain, but there’s been no improvement. How is a healer different?”

Thinking it was truly fortunate that I had found the child, I explained as simply as I could.

“Healers are individuals who share their life force with others. There isn’t a disease they can’t cure. Oh, but there’s no need to worry. Healers are born with an exceptionally long lifespan, so they live longer than most people. Plus, they never get sick and remain healthy all their lives!”

Seeing her face contort in shock at the explanation of how healing works, I quickly added more information. Although she looked at me with suspicion, she eventually nodded in understanding. I swiftly changed the subject.

“So, how does your back hurt? If you tell me, I’ll take a look.”

“Well, if it’s not too much trouble… I’d appreciate it.”

Larian slowly rose from her seat and gestured for me to follow her. Rose also jumped off her chair and followed her grandmother.

On the opposite side of the kitchen, just like at Alisa’s place, there was a small fireplace and a sofa. The only difference was that there was just one long sofa.

She sat on the sofa and naturally turned her back to me.

“Are you going to heal Grandma?”

The child’s eyes sparkled brightly with intelligence.

“Yes. Watch closely, Rose.”

I placed my fingertips on her curved back. Her hunched posture made her already small frame seem even smaller. Often, patients would start talking about their symptoms without being prompted, and Larian was no exception as she began to recount her condition.

“It’s been hurting for quite a while. The pain is especially bad in the morning when I wake up. I haven’t had any major injuries to my back; it just gradually got worse.”

“I see. You might feel a bit of a cool sensation now, but it’s just me checking your condition, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Alright.”

Despite her words, her tone was tense, indicating she was quite nervous. Remembering my initial intimidating impression of her felt strangely new.

I carefully examined her spine and even checked inside her organs. As expected, it was a type of ailment due to aging, but it was very different from what I had seen in elderly women in the capital.

“How do you spend your days?”

“I farm. This area is famous for its large potato fields. In D’Agnon, everyone has their own field.”

“You live with just Rose, and you have your own field? Does that mean you farm by yourself?”

Surprised, my eyes widened, but Larian spoke as if it were no big deal.

“It’s not difficult, just strenuous. Still, I have to do it to feed my child well. There’s no other choice.”

She lightly pinched Rose’s cheek. The child, who had been watching my hands intently, was startled and clung to her grandmother, pretending to whine.

“It hurts, Grandma!”

“You little rascal. Grandma’s back hurts more.”

Larian laughed heartily and patted the child who snuggled into her arms.

“Rose, it’s time for you to go up now. You can get ready for bed by yourself, right?”

The child hesitated, reluctant to leave, but when her grandmother maintained a stern expression, she finally gave a polite bow and went upstairs.

While the scene was heartwarming, I was worried because her condition was worse than I had thought, so I spoke with concern.

“The illness has accumulated over a long time, so it will take time to treat. But we can completely eliminate the pain, so let’s take our time and work on it together. For now, I’ll temporarily block the pain signals reaching your nerves.”

Even though I had indirectly said I couldn’t heal her immediately, her usually stern face brightened. It was a natural reaction, as she would feel the pain truly disappear the moment I channeled my power.

Larian adjusted her posture and clasped my hands.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this clear-headed. Thank you.”

“As I mentioned, the treatment isn’t complete yet. You’ll need to continue taking the medicine. I need to investigate whether there are any herbs nearby that can be used for this purpose.”

“Up north, it’s all potato fields, and near the village, it’s just open fields. Do you think there might be something?”

She asked with concern.

“That’s why I’m considering going to the mountains.”

“The mountains?”

“Yes. In very deep mountains or forests untouched by humans, you can find herbs with strong medicinal properties. It’s the power of the wild. In a farming area, there might not be any herbalists, so we might unexpectedly find good materials.”

As I spoke with anticipation, Larian’s face darkened a little.

“I guess Alisa hasn’t told you yet… Do you really have to go to the mountains?”

“Pardon?”

Not understanding the question’s meaning, I asked again. Perhaps wanting to dissuade me, Larian tightened her grip on my hands.

“As I mentioned earlier… They said bandits have come down.”

In Fojetta, it was pirates causing chaos, and here, it seemed to be bandits. Suddenly, I felt a headache coming on. Naturally, I couldn’t risk my life.

“Are there still bandits now?”

She slowly shook her head.

“I don’t know about the other villages at the foot of the mountain, but there are definitely none in the mountains near D’Agnon. That’s because our village has Stefan, who used to be a mercenary. He’s an expert with explosives.”

“Explosives?”

I understood the concept, but it was a word I had never actually heard before. Unable to grasp the flow of the conversation, I waited with curiosity for her to continue.

“I had never seen anything like it either, but they say if you mix various minerals and bury them, they explode the moment someone steps on them, tearing the body apart beyond recognition.”

“My goodness…”

The destructive power was terrifying enough that even mentioning it was frightening. Such injuries, leaving no original form, were something a healer could never mend.

“Anyway, a few years ago, because of a massive raid, many villagers lost family members. So, with Stefan’s help, we set up a lot of explosives in the mountains. Thanks to that, bandits don’t dare come near here.”

“Then I must not go to the mountains at all. There’s no choice. I’ll have to find another way…”

Most potion ingredients were common, though the process of making them was complex and difficult. If I set my mind to it, I could probably find them anywhere.

However, as I trailed off in thought, she added another explanation with an ambiguous expression.

“Well… it’s not entirely impossible. We’ve marked specific signs that only our villagers can recognize. So, the village men often go to the mountains to gather wood.”

Larian clicked her tongue, seemingly displeased with the overall situation. I could understand her concern, as a moment of carelessness could lead to danger.

“So, what I’m saying is, if you plan to go to the mountains, you must take someone from the village with you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It probably didn’t ease her worries much, but I nodded as reassuringly as I could.

***

The map of the village that Alisa had drawn for me was incredibly useful. While she was out at the study room, I could explore various parts of the village on my own. Before I started collecting ingredients in earnest, I decided to visit Uncle John’s grocery store.

Following the stream that ran through D’Agnon to the center of the village, there was a small bridge just wide enough for two people to cross. The store was located immediately to the left after crossing the bridge.

The grocery store looked similar to other houses, but the entrance was somewhat set up like a shop. Vegetables and fruits were displayed in small quantities on an inclined outdoor stand, and in the shaded area, there were several jars of jam and bottles of wine.

I slowly browsed and stepped into the dim interior. The first thing that caught my eye was the chunks of meat hanging from the ceiling. Below them were several hard-crusted loaves of bread and bottles of milk labeled as freshly made today.

On one side, items that could be considered household goods filled the wall. There were baskets of various sizes, cups, plates, brooms, and even dusters.

“Oh, a customer!”

Someone came in, wiping their hands with a towel from the open door behind the counter. It was undoubtedly Uncle John. His mountain-like build and beard covering his neck were impressive.

“Hello. I’d like to buy some things.”

“Yes, yes, feel free to look around!”

He responded with a friendly smile, typical of a merchant. I carefully recalled what I needed and asked cautiously.

“I didn’t see them while looking around, but do you have a mortar, a sieve, glass bottles about half the size of those milk bottles over there, and any tools for digging up root plants?”

Uncle John listened to my list of items and, unable to hide his surprise, replied.

“You’re the healer who recently settled in our village, right? It seems like you need them for work, but we don’t have any of those things.”

“Then, do you happen to have a magnifying glass or cloth bags… or anything like that?”

He wiped the sweat off his forehead and answered with a troubled expression.

“We don’t have any of those either. You might have to go to Soltanir’s estate.”

His gentle face showed more and more of an apologetic look. I also felt a bit helpless and pondered. It seemed I would have to discuss with Alisa and make do with the dishes at home for the time being.

“When do you plan to go shopping for supplies? I can write you a list.”

“I’m going in four days.”

It was going to take longer than I thought. Just making the potions, aside from gathering ingredients, would take at least another week. I sighed a little. Reading my expression, Uncle John added a word.

“But there should be a hoe at Alisa’s house. Have you checked?”

“No. Do you think there might be one at home?”

“Of course! This is a village that lives off potato farming.”

Suddenly realizing it, I laughed at my own oversight. Uncle John chuckled along with me and offered another suggestion.

“Try asking Stefan for the rest. He was a mercenary for a long time, so his house seems to have everything. I’ve even seen snake skin paper there.”

The name I had heard from Larian came up again.