Chapter 2:
The Healer's Burden
My first day of healer training had begun and I was standing outside the healer's house. I was excited and curious to see what lay ahead. How do healers in this world approach medicine and care? It certainly wouldn't be easier than in my previous world. In my previous life, technology had simplified everything, but that didn't exist in this world. I knocked on the door, feeling slightly nervous.
(Knock, knock)
"Come in!"
I opened the door. The healer was standing at a table in the middle of the room, apparently working. I entered and closed the door behind me. The room was large. It was probably the largest room in the building — at least, that's what it looked like from the outside. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it consisted mainly of the table in the middle and another one directly opposite by the window. The room was full of cupboards and shelves. On the left, there were two chairs and a fireplace behind them. Above that, some plants were hanging from strings. To the right were more shelves with a kettle and what looked like an old stove into which someone threw wood at the bottom to heat it. To the right, there was a door that probably led to his private chambers. I approached the table and watched the healer. He seemed to be grinding herbs with a mortar.
“Will this become a medicine?”
“Yes, but there is still a lot to do before it can be used as a medicine.”
The healer poured some water, then went to the old stove.
“Could you open the window, please?”
“Yes, sir.”
I opened the window and returned to the healer, who gave me a cloth that appeared to be damp. I took it as I watched him tie a similar one around his face, as if to prevent him from inhaling smoke.
“This is for the toxins that remain during the procedure.”
“So they disappear after a while?”
"Yes, as long as you do it right"
"It's important to get a feel for the right heat and duration. If it's too cold or too short, the toxins won't disappear. If it's too hot or too long, the medication will be ineffective.” “Remember this well; after all, you’ll be doing this over the next few days, so you’ll get a good feel for it right from the start.”
"And how do you know that? Oh! I'm allowed to call you by your first name, right?"
'"ust call me Arthur. What's your name?"
"My name is Prosper"
My name was Akira in my previous life, but that's beside the point. It took me a while to get used to my new name.
"I assume you can tell when the medicine is ready, but how should I know when it's ready?"
"There are different plants, so there are different identifying characteristics. Some can be identified by their color, while others can be identified by changes in their consistency. Some reveal almost nothing, so you have to go by feel or use something like that..."
He pulled a small object from his coat and handed it to me. It was a pocket sundial. I wasn't sure how to use it, so I hoped he could teach me. It took a while for the medicine to be ready.
Meanwhile, Arthur gave me a book about plants. I read it while sitting in the chair in front of the fireplace, while Arthur took care of other things. He told me that if I didn't understand something, I could ask him, which seemed pretty obvious to me. I had the feeling that he was busy helping other people, but that he didn't have any friends. I tried to memorise the information as well as I could. After all, I would have to rely on it later. There was just one thing I didn't quite understand. The book said something about the genes of each plant. Why was this so important?
"It's finished!"
I stood up, placed the book on the chair I had been sitting on and approached Arthur. The medicine had actually changed color; the liquid, which had previously been purple, had turned neon green. Arthur filled several small test tubes with the liquid and packed them. I removed the cloth from my face and Arthur handed me a bag containing the wrapped tubes and a piece of paper. The note lists the names of the people and how much medicine they will receive.
"You should get some new jars for me to fill, as well as some utensils for yourself. Here's the money."
Arthur seemed to trust me already, even though it was only my first day. I took the items and left the house. Although there weren't many people there, some were interested in the medicine they were given. They were given at least seven glasses each. Did they have to take the medicine every day? Probably fewer if they only received seven. While I was handing out the glasses, I also received the things I needed for my training. However, what surprised me most was that I was supposed to use the money to buy my own bag. I could have brought one from home. But who doesn't enjoy receiving a gift? A large bag that you can carry over your shoulder would probably be the best option. First I bought the bag I liked, and then I bought the other things to store in it. There wasn't anything special that I needed to buy for myself, just a small sickle, gloves and writing utensils.
When I got back to Arthur's house, he offered me my own place on one of the shelves.
“Did you find everything you needed?”
“Yes, everything that was on the note.”
“Okay, let’s move on then.”
Arthur explained what plant genes were all about and asked me about my prior knowledge, which I had gathered from the book I was reading. In this world, advanced technology had been replaced by a kind of magic. Healers could manipulate the genes of individual plants with their magic, although this required a certain amount of knowledge. Those who were not sufficiently knowledgeable and manipulated the plants' genes carelessly could, in the worst case, achieve the opposite effect. However, manipulation was subject to rules, meaning not every desired effect could be achieved with every plant. Thus, the effect of each individual plant was unique.
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