She Is Not a Witch

After the Anemis mistress and maid left, “Lake Light Shield” became noticeably quieter. Some customers, intrigued by the alchemist apprentice’s explanation, began inquiring about prices and negotiating, resulting in several transactions.

As the shop cleared out near lunchtime, Loranhil remained, calmly observing the structure, alchemical techniques, and design concepts of these new weapons. She waited for the crowd to thin before engaging the staff in conversation.

Silver-grade weapons held little value for her; the pure crimson magic power she could condense into weapons rivaled gold-grade, though temporary. These were convenient in battle, requiring no effort to carry and even allowing for extravagant explosive throws.

However, war was never determined solely by one person’s strength. Victory might be easy, but maintaining order, suppressing dissent, and organizing production in occupied territories required a group of disciplined, excellent warriors.

Initially, the apprentice dismissed Loranhil as a naive, inexperienced customer. But as their conversation deepened, his expression grew serious.

While Loranhil’s knowledge of contemporary advanced technology was limited, many alchemical principles were universal. Her comprehensive inheritance from the Mercury Dynasty gave her a superior perspective, often pinpointing core aspects of alchemy that left the apprentice struggling to respond. Having only studied alchemy for five years, he knew many things without understanding their foundations, and gradually found himself unable to answer her questions.

It was much like students learning various physics and chemistry concepts in middle school. They might grasp the textbook knowledge but wouldn’t understand why the curriculum was structured as it was, why certain content was prioritized, which methods were chosen over others, or what historical failures accompanied the successful cases presented.

Students didn’t need to understand these aspects due to their limited time and energy. But as they grew and aspired to mastery, this broader understanding became essential. It allowed them to comprehend how technology evolved to its current state and why certain paths were chosen over others throughout history.

“That’s enough, Lavoisier. Go attend to your duties. I’ll answer this lady’s questions,” a middle-aged man with black hair entered the shop. He wore a plain black robe without any decorations, his appearance meticulously groomed. Overhearing Loranhil’s conversation with the apprentice, he approached with interest, patting the apprentice’s shoulder before addressing the hooded customer.

“Master Snape, you’re back,” the apprentice greeted his mentor before returning somewhat sheepishly to the cashier’s position.

“My lady, although I’m not sure which school you belong to, I can tell you have a deep understanding of alchemical knowledge. Shall we sit upstairs for a while? I’m quite curious about techniques from outside Ruluna.”

Loranhil, having been engrossed in the alchemical discussion, only now noticed the shop owner’s return.

“Yes, that would be fine,” she replied, briefly assessing the alchemist. He seemed to possess Sequence 6 strength and didn’t appear particularly dangerous.

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After settling in the second-floor study, the apprentice brought up two cups of red tea.

Snape sat by the tea table, examining his mysterious guest. She wore a predominantly black robe with gray edges and lines, her face hidden beneath a hood. Gray laced boots outlined her lower legs, suggesting a rather slender build.

“Are you a local of Vegar, miss?” he inquired.

“No, I’ve only recently come to Vegar. Before, I lived in seclusion with my teacher in the forest.”

“Seclusion… It seems your teacher must be quite erudite.”

“Yes, my teacher has always been someone I greatly respect.” This was indeed the young woman’s true sentiment. She admired the great witch Trina, both for her frank and firm beliefs and her serious attitude toward knowledge.

They continued to exchange views on alchemy, enjoying the conversation. Although Snape’s abilities were limited and he faced controversy and ostracism from colleagues, he had truly achieved mastery in alchemy. His visit to Vegar was, in fact, a form of refuge, seeking a freer and fresher environment.

“It seems, Miss Loranhil, that your teacher must be a classical school alchemy master.”

“Classical… school?” The young woman tilted her head, somewhat confused.

“Yes, the school prevalent in the early days of Oz, or rather, during the Second Era. The classical school excelled at using naturally occurring supernatural materials for alchemy, such as trunks, fruits, and juices of supernatural plants, or scales, cores, blood, and bones of supernatural magical beasts. These natural materials were convenient to work with and often imbued creations with magical effects, which was quite popular in that era.”

“And now?”

“Now, the classical school is rarely seen. As humans rose to prominence, many dangerous supernatural magical beasts were hunted to extinction, and supernatural plants grow too slowly for humans, who lack the lifespan of elves to cultivate them. So, current alchemical creations mostly use metals, gems, and man-made materials.”

“Although the effects may not match the classical school, the materials are easier to find,” Snape explained.

“If you’re interested in current alchemy, you could study at Ruluna’s academies. While not on par with Emenas, as long as you’re willing to pay, someone will teach you,” Snape added with a self-deprecating smile.

“Even in the country of alchemy and mages, the knowledge transmission isn’t as good as Emenas?” the young woman asked curiously.

“Indeed. Other Ruluna mages might not admit it, but I know because I was once a student at Emenas. Unfortunately, it’s not something to be proud of. Due to personal reasons, I dropped out midway, never completing my studies.”

“If I had actually graduated from there, you probably wouldn’t see me sitting here now. I would likely be one of Ruluna’s leaders by now.” Snape picked up his teacup and took a sip.

“But that’s not how it turned out. Because of my shameful withdrawal, I’m now just a marginal figure in Ruluna.” He slowly set down his cup, his eyes filled with nostalgia and regret.