kscans

Chapter 2 - A Survival Plan Begins from the Hideout

The hideout that the alchemist Ariel had prepared for her wasn’t exactly a house. It was a tower.

When she touched the door, the wood creaked with a giii. It looked like an ordinary wooden door, but it was imbued with Ariel’s magic and reinforced with alchemy. It was supposed to be harder than iron.

For now, it seemed it would protect her from attacks by humans or beasts.

Climbing to the top floor of the tower and looking out the window, she saw they were deep in a forest, but the town was surprisingly close. She could even see the clock tower in the distance. She thought she’d be outside the country... but being this close was nerve-wracking in its own way.

"Master, why is it so close to town!?" she voiced her thoughts aloud. She would have preferred a safer place.

But there was no electricity or running water here. She could only rely on natural magic.

Honestly, she never knew a place like this existed. There might be a barrier at the forest entrance.

"Master, I wish you’d at least taught me some survival skills... and it’s pitch black inside the tower, I can’t see a thing!"

First, she had to find something to eat. Alchemy was the art of borrowing nature’s power, so she should be able to manage something in this forest environment.

From a broken box, she took out potato seed tubers and bean seeds, and set up a Growth Acceleration Kit. She drew water from a clear lake and poured it.

She let the water soak into her battered body and took a breath.

She could feel the magic seeping into the soil. As expected of her master’s hideout. They should grow well.

There was no time to till a field, so she would have to wait and see for a few days.

Suddenly, she thought of her master.

The woman who had saved her life, who was a parent to her.

When she was little, growing up in a poor farming village, she was about to be sold to a brothel. Her master spent her entire fortune to buy her freedom.

"Even without money, we can grow vegetables with alchemy and get by."

That was how her master had smiled as she built up the shop.

Mireille looked around the tower. It was old and seemed ready to collapse, but it was made of stone and would likely keep out beasts and the wind.

It was a shame that the dense ivy covering it blocked out the sunlight.

The roof was damaged in places, but it didn't look like it would leak. She wanted to fix it if she had time.

The alchemy books were all there, but she couldn't find a note from her master.

It was terribly dusty, she needed to air it out.

She had hoped that once she arrived at the teleportation destination, her master might have left some message, but there was nothing.

She was alone.

What should she do now?

She had no money, and her alchemy skills were a far cry from her master’s.

Why did she elope without saying anything?

Mireille had never opposed her romance, so why hadn't she consulted her?

The tower was equipped with alchemy tools. If she disguised them, she might be able to sell them in town.

But that came with the risk of being traced.

Unsure of what to do, she watched the sun set and gazed into the night forest.

"I have to find a way to earn money... without the town finding out."

She whispered in a trembling voice, and felt the resolve deep in her heart harden just a little.