Our destination was Persam Grove, a forest south of Gildenburg known for its towering oaks and beech trees, teeming with diverse flora and fauna. I chose it precisely for that reason. Its rich moisture environment supported the growth of rare herbs I needed.

  The carriage arrived ahead of us. Elias and Sebastian were already seated with the coachman, both dressed in the green and gold uniform of House Goldhain.

  "My lady, to Persam Grove it is?" Elias asked with a warm nod.

  I returned the gesture, stepping into the carriage.

  I could have easily hired someone to gather ingredients on my behalf, but that wasn’t sustainable. What I wanted was the firsthand experience. I want to assess each plant and train my Skills to better understand the craft on my own terms.

  As the carriage began its slow roll forward, Lina turned to me, her voice tinged with excitement. “My lady, is it true that you’re about to make your first potion?”

  “Yes,” I said, pride blooming quietly in my chest.

  She leaned in, eyes sparkling with curiosity, asking more questions about the brewing process. The admiration in her voice was unmistakable. Yet the more she praised me, the heavier I felt.

  Maybe she thought I was about to create something revolutionary.

  “Lina, don’t get your hopes too high,” I said gently. “I’m just making a Basic Healing Potion. I’m not crafting some magical new formula.”

  She covered her mouth with her hand and nodded. “A Basic Healing Potion is one of the most sought-after potions, my lady. The fact that you’re brewing it yourself is something we should celebrate.”

  We passed through the waking city. The Golden Tower, rising from its center, reflected the early morning light across its gleaming surface, bathing the buildings below in warm gold.

  Soon, we reached the Southern Gate. The stationed guards saluted us upon recognition. The captain there, assigned two more knights to accompany us into the forest.

  At last, the Persam Grove appeared before us. The oak trees at the forest’s edge loomed like ancient sentinels. The carriage slowed to a halt. Elias stepped down and helped me out.

  A cold, damp wind greeted us. I was thankful I’d chosen a cloak for this trip; I had half-expected the forest to be chilly. From deeper within, birdsong echoed in rapid unpredictable notes.

  Behind us, Gildenburg unfolded like a map. Its pale stone walls shimmered in the morning sun. Wisps of smoke curled from chimneys, drifting in lazy spirals. And in the city's heart, the Golden Spire pierced the skyline like a solitary needle.

  “Where should we go first, my lady?” Elias asked.

  “I’ll start with the Aetherleaf. I prepared a list,” I replied, reaching into my pouch.

  “Would you like our help?” Lina offered.

  “I’ll gather it myself… but I need you all to watch over me.”

  The thought of receiving help was tempting, even endearing. But it also felt like cheating. One day, when I left to travel the world and become a true Brewmaster, I wouldn’t have loyal aides at my side. I needed to do this alone.

  “It would be our honor to watch over you,” Elias said with a slight bow. Lina and Sebastian followed suit.

  I smiled, touched by their warm.

  We began our walk into the woods. As we moved deeper into the forest, I realized I was thinking about something I never would have dared consider back when I was still Empress, the idea of leaving.

  I had loved my position and clung to duty far more than I ever admitted, even to myself. And that sense of obligation had shackled me.

  A quiet smile crept across my lips. It felt good to think freely, to choose something for myself, even something as small as a destination.

  A cacophony of forest sounds surrounded us. The branches creaked, the leaves rustled, and the unseen animals scattered as we passed. Squirrels darted between the underbrush, vanishing at the crunch of twigs underfoot. The wind carried the scent of moss, earth, and rain-soaked lichen clinging to the trees.

  I reached for the book stored in the Everpouch slung across my shoulder. It was a magical bag, unique in its design. To retrieve something from it, I had to visualize the item clearly. Its true strength lay in its weightless capacity. I could carry as much as I wanted without burden. But that convenience came with a cost, I had to remember exactly what each item looked like. Forgetting would make retrieving it impossible.

  A small disaster, if I wasn’t careful.

  I flipped through the book until I found a folded slip of paper that contained my notes. I didn’t want to write directly on the book’s pages.

  Aetherleaf. A delicate plant with long, slender, slightly oval-shaped leaves. The leaves shimmered with a translucent quality, almost like ice. When struck by moonlight, they glowed faintly, giving off a ghostly beauty that had once led people to mistake them for spirits.

  The flowers were just as stunning. Small, bell-shaped with soft violet petals. They bloomed in tight clusters, cradled by the translucent leaves. At the center of each flower was a golden core, surrounded by tiny stamen-like tendrils that glowed faintly at night. When in bloom, the plant released a sweet, calming fragrance said to soothe the mind and promote healing.

  I was after both the leaves and the flowers. While the book mentioned that the leaves alone would suffice, I wanted to use both. Perhaps it would enhance the potion’s effectiveness. Perfection might not be attainable on the first try, but I was determined to exceed my master’s expectations.

  The first cluster of Aetherleaf we found was growing near a bush heavy with blueberries. Elias spotted it while helping himself to the fruit.

  “Aren’t those poisonous?” Sebastian asked, sniffing a berry with suspicion.

  Elias gasped in mock outrage. “Someone of your humble upbringing should know these are perfectly edible!”

  Sebastian frowned at what Elias said but put the berries in his mouth. Lina did the same, humming to herself. Perhaps the berries were truly sweet, just as Elias claimed.

  "Do you want some, Lady Morgana?" Elias asked.

  "Just save some for me."

  I crouched beside a low-growing plant, inspecting it closely. Just like the book described, its leaves were translucent. The flowers hadn’t fully bloomed yet, but I could see their stamens peeking from within, glowing faintly in the dark.

  I cupped my hands around the plant and leaned closer. Golden tips glimmered from within, softly illuminating the petals. Aetherleaf.

  I drew out my floral shears and clipped twenty flowers and several leaves. That should be enough. With this, I could brew at least sixteen bottles of potion. I needed five pieces of each ingredient to produce one batch of potions, each batch of potion has four bottles.

  “All right. I’m done with Aetherleaf,” I announced, tucking the harvest into my Everpouch.

  “Congratulations, my lady,” Elias said, holding out a palmful of berries. “A reward for your hard work.”

  I plucked five from the pile, eyeing them as suspiciously as Sebastian had. Elias stared back at me with expectant eyes, blinking slowly as though urging me to trust him.

  I sighed and popped the berries into my mouth.

  A rush of sweetness, bright and sharp, spread across my tongue. Then came a hint of sourness, enough to make my mouth water, but not enough to sting.

  “It’s better than I expected.”

  “See? Even my lady likes it,” Elias said proudly. “We should give some to Head Maid Isolde. I bet she could turn these into a pie.”

  I wondered how Elias had even found these berries. As far as I knew, he came from a noble family. And he seemed not the kind that foraged in groves like this.

  We pressed deeper into Persam Grove. Next on my list was Elvenroot, a pale root crop often found near streams or riverbanks. Its name came from its skin. It was said to resemble that of an elf.

  As I pictured its appearance, I found myself thinking about Master Orindal’s skin. He was an elf, of course, but after spending over a week studying with him, I felt confident saying my complexion was paler. His skin had a warmer undertone, a soft beige shade that set him apart from the icy hue of mine.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Soon, we discovered a small stream, winding through the woods like a silver ribbon. We followed its path until it connected to a larger, livelier current.

  The stream shimmered in the scattered sunlight that filtered through the canopy above. Its waters were clear, rippling gently over stones of green, red, and gray. Tiny fish darted through the shallows, moving against the current. The banks were teeming with reeds and shrubs, and the air smelled of moss and river grass.

  Then came the sound of rustling brush and soft hoofbeats. We turned to see a young deer peeking through the undergrowth, its ears flicking as it blinked at us.

  “A deer.” Lina whispered, pointing.

  The knights turned just in time to see it vanish, leaping away and disappearing into the trees.

  “You startled it,” Sebastian said with a sigh.

  Lina cleared her throat. “My lady, this might be a good fishing spot. I wonder if the water’s safe to drink?”

  “As much as I want to try it myself, I strongly advise against drinking from any water source near a city like Gildenspire.”

  “Lady Morgana is right,” Sebastian added. “There might be bacteria living there that could cause diarrhea or worse, dysentery.”

  We continued walking along the streambank in search of Elvenroot. My Skill, Basic Ingredient Mastery, pulsed faintly in my mind as if telling that this was the right place.

  It still felt strange how my instincts bent to the will of my Skills. Like when Olivia and I crafted the smoke bombs, the knowledge had already been there, just waiting to be recalled. I’d never been here before, yet I knew what signs to look for, what clues hinted at the presence of certain herbs. It was as though my body remembered something I hadn’t personally learned.

  Elvenroot had no flowers, only curling leaves like tangled hair. When unripe, the leaves bore white spots. But once the root matured, the leaves turned a rich, dark violet. Those were the ones I needed. A fully grown Elvenroot had higher potency and were far less bitter.

  “There! that’s what I’m looking for.” I pointed at a cluster of curled, violet-streaked reeds. Even from this side of streambank, I could see the color of the leaves.

  It had taken us nearly twenty minutes to find the plant, but of course, the challenge didn’t end there. It was on the opposite side of the stream.

  “My lady, it’s across the water…” Elias said, hesitant.

  I glanced down at my clothes. I’d come prepared for this trip, wearing my hunting clothes so I could move freely and deal with things like this.

  “How deep is it?” I asked.

  Sebastian stepped forward, removing his sword before wading in.

  “Above the knee,” he reported, “but the depth increases further in. It might reach our waists.”

  “Can we cross safely?”

  He tested the current with his hand, studying the far bank. “It’s slow-moving. I think we can manage.”

  “Or,” Elias offered, “we could backtrack. There were shallow parts we passed earlier.”

  I considered the time we’d lose if we turned back. It would take another ten minutes just to find the right spot, longer if we got turned around. Besides, we’d already seen the Elvenroot from here.

  Crossing the stream directly was the faster option.

  “No,” I said. “Let’s just cross here.”

  "My lady, I still think it would be wiser to just walk around. Or better yet, why not let Sir Elias or Sir Sebastian fetch the herb for you? You really don’t need to go yourself."

  I shook my head. "You're wrong, Lina. I do need to gather it myself."

  She opened her mouth to protest, but I’d already turned toward Elias and Sebastian. "I’ll need your help crossing the stream."

  The two exchanged a glance.

  “We’ll ensure your safety, my lady,” Elias said with a small bow.

  Even though I had only asked them to watch over me, I ended up needing their help more than I thought. I sighed.

  I removed my cloak and handed it to Lina. The breeze prickled my skin, and the moment I stepped into the stream, cold water rushed around my ankles. I shivered. Elias stepped in after me and offered his hand. I took it, grateful for his steady grip.

  We pushed forward, the current pulling gently at my legs, the water rising higher with every step. I hadn’t considered just how tall Sebastian was when he said it might reach the waist. His waist. On me, it rose to my chest.

  A gasp escaped me as the chill soaked through my clothes.

  “We’re close,” Sebastian said, glancing back.

  Little by little, the water began to recede. By the time we stepped onto the far bank, I was shivering like a drenched cat. I tried to keep my posture composed, mindful of the eyes on me, but my hands wouldn’t stop trembling.

  I moved toward the patch of Elvenroot, its green leaves clustered neatly together. My fingers shook as I retrieved my book from the Everpouch.

  There was a note I’d written about how best to harvest this particular plant.

  When gathering Elvenroot, one must avoid damaging the root system. Pouring water on the base helps soften the soil for careful extraction.

  I filled a small flask and began drizzling water over the base of the plant, gently pressing the soil with my fingertips to test its softness. Once it yielded slightly, I dug with slow, deliberate movements, trickling water as I went.

  Soon, a pale-white root revealed itself, smooth and round, firm, but not tough.

  “It looks like a radish,” Elias remarked.

  “Are you sure it’s not?” Sebastian added, peering over my shoulder.

  I laughed. “It’s Elvenroot. A root crop used in Healing Potions.”

  The two shared a look.

  “My lady, if I may ask, please don’t take offense. But are the rumors true? Are you really pursuing the Golden Runes to become a Brewmaster?"

  “Yes,” I said, surprised they didn’t already know. “I thought it was common knowledge in the manor.”

  Sebastian shook his head. “There were whispers, but we didn’t dare ask. The servants kept pressing us after our last outing. I didn’t tell them anything.”

  “That’s because you never talk,” Elias said, grinning. “No one bothers asking you questions.”

  Sebastian glared at him. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “To confirm it, yes. I’m chasing after my Class in the Golden Runes. What about you? I’ve heard that most knights also have access to them.”

  Elias cleared his throat. “That’s true. Ours are called Sword Runes, granted to the followers of Zevarien, the Eldar of Warfare. I’m a Swordsman, and Sebastian here is a Spellblade.”

  Sebastian lifted his chin with pride.

  “A Spellblade?” I asked, intrigued.

  “One of the Advanced Classes evolved from the Swordsman Class,” Elias explained. “I hope to earn my advancement by year’s end.”

  “Be sure to let me know when that happens,” I said with a smile. “I’d like to prepare something special to celebrate.”

  Feeling satisfied with our progress, I promised to bake cookies for them tomorrow and share some of the potions I planned to make using the ingredients we’d gathered.

  “But only if their efficacy level reaches 80% or higher,” I added with mock sternness.

  After collecting twenty pieces of Elvenroot, we made our way back across the stream. Lina was waiting anxiously and immediately wrapped my cloak around me.

  “That was reckless,” she muttered. “If His Grace finds out, he’ll be furious.”

  She wasn’t wrong. I had told him I was heading into the forest. But I never said anything about crossing a stream.

  We sat by the bank and shared the snacks I’d packed. As we ate, we let the sun dry our damp clothes, the warmth slowly easing the chill from my bones.

  I flipped through my book again, scanning for the page on Mender’s Bloom, the final ingredient I needed for the Basic Healing Potion.

  The plant characterized by having blood-red petals, a black center, and long reddish stamens like a cat’s whiskers. The flower thrived in medium-dry soil, often found in clusters.

  “We’re down to the last plant,” I told them once we finished eating.

  Unlike Elvenroot, it didn’t take long to find. We spotted the Mender’s Bloom in a clearing beyond a low hill. The area overflowed with vibrant vegetation. Flowers in blazing reds, yellows, and oranges dotted the glade. At the edge of the field, we found them: a patch of Mender’s Bloom, the flowers swaying gently in the breeze.

  They looked like crimson poppies, striking and delicate.

  For this one, I only needed the flowers. I brought out my shears and gently cut each bloom close to the stem, careful not to damage the petals. For a batch of four potions, I needed at least five Mender’s Bloom flowers. I ended up gathering more than twenty and placed them carefully into the Everpouch, ensuring their shape remained intact.

  As I secured the last flower, golden lights shimmered around me, like a swarm of tiny fireflies blinking in and out of existence. A message from the Golden Runes appeared.

  “That’s all the ingredients I need for now. Thank you both for your help.”

  Elias bowed slightly, and Sebastian followed his lead.

  “We're glad to be of service, my lady,” Elias replied with genuine warmth.

  We retraced the path back through the woods, eventually emerging at the spot where our carriage waited. The knights assigned by the Southern Gate captain were chatting with our coachmen, seemingly relaxed. A breeze passed through, cool but not biting, and I realized that my damp clothes had mostly dried, though not enough to be comfortable. I sat in the carriage, silently enduring the clammy sensation all the way home.

  We crossed the Southern Gate without delay and reached the manor just in time for Father’s midday meal.

  “Thank you again, Elias. Thank you, Sebastian,” I said, offering them a quick smile before Lina and I hurried toward my chambers.

  “Your accessories!” she gasped, rushing toward the jewelry box. She plucked out a pair of emerald-studded earrings and handed them to me.

  We changed quickly. Lina helped me into a green dress with delicate gold embroidery. By the time we reached the dining hall, I realized Thaddeus and I were the only ones yet to arrive. I entered just ahead of him.

  “Greetings, Father, Mother, Everard,” I said, offering a polite nod. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

  I took my seat beside Everard. He leaned toward me slightly, whispering a question about my time in Persam Grove. I answered in hushed tones, sharing the highlights while the others engaged in their own quiet conversations. Thaddeus arrived moments later, bowing briefly before joining the table.

  As we ate, Mother looked up from her meal. “Relatives from both sides of the family will begin arriving tomorrow,” she announced in a voice that brokered no protest.

  I exhaled slowly, hiding my frustration behind a sip of water.

  In my past life, I learned that relatives often had more interest in subtle insults than genuine connection. They were experts at smiling while delivering cuts to your reputation. They didn’t come to bond. They came to judge.

  “And you are to help me welcome them,” Mother added, her eyes meeting mine.

  My eyes widened for a heartbeat. But I schooled my expression and smiled. “Of course, Mother. I promise to greet them with you.”

  She said nothing more, merely nodding in acknowledgment. I excused myself from the table as soon as I finished eating.

  When I arrived at the Mage Tavern, Master Orindal was already seated, surrounded by tools and ingredients from yesterday’s lesson. He looked up as I approached.

  “Did you gather everything I asked for?” he asked, blue eyes scanning me.

  “Yes. All three ingredients,” I replied.

  “Then let us begin. Today, I shall guide you through the process of preparing your first potion,” he said, his lips curling into a small, satisfied smile.