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Ding... Ding...

The small bronze bell hanging above the old wooden door chimed as the door creaked open.

A female knight stepped inside the dusty apothecary, her long scarlet hair flowing behind her. The loose floorboards creaked beneath her boots, sending dust into the air as she made her way toward the counter with a small burlap sack in her right hand.

Behind the counter, a young woman crushed dried herbs with a mortar and pestle on a wooden prep table. She wore a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, tucked into a long black skirt, while her light-blue hair was tied into a ponytail that swayed with each movement.

“This place is as peaceful as always,” Lina (22) commented, setting the sack on the counter. “I brought you some more herbs, Skayla.”

“Thanks as always, Lina,” Skayla (23) replied, coming over to the counter. “And welcome home!”

“It’s good to be back,” Lina replied with a warm smile.

Skayla untied the sack and took out the bundles of herbs harvested that morning.

“I appreciate you gathering herbs for me, but aren’t you busy dealing with Order stuff?” she asked. “You don’t need to take time out of your day to forage for them.”

At fifteen, Lina founded the Order of Scarlet after displaying exceptional leadership during a monster stampede. Despite having fewer than one hundred knights, many of whom were former bandits, it ranked as the second most powerful of the five Orders protecting Eldoria.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lina said, waving her right hand. “It’s part of their daily survival training: identifying edible and medicinal plants in the wild. After all, you never know when a mission might force them to survive off the land in unfamiliar territory.”

“As always, you’re relentless when it comes to training,” Skayla said with a chuckle. “I wonder if you get that from your Master.”

Skayla took a pair of scissors from beneath the counter and began trimming the damaged parts of the herbs.

“Don’t you dare compare my training to my Master’s!” Lina exclaimed. “My Master’s training put me on death’s door more times than I care to remember!”

“Are you saying your knights aren’t in the same boat?” Skayla asked, looking into Lina’s amber eyes. “Last I recall, someone bought a large stock of salve because her knights were heavily bruised after a sparring lesson.”

“Whatever,” Lina said, resting her left cheek in her palm. “How’s business?”

Skayla stopped trimming the herbs.

“It’s been... decent,” Skayla answered as her left eyebrow twitched.

“You know I can tell when you’re lying to me, right?” Lina said. “We promised each other we wouldn’t suffer alone, so tell me how business really is.”

“Business has been slow,” Skayla answered. “A lot of my regular customers have started visiting that new clinic on the main road for their medication.”

“You mean that overly shiny clinic with a lavish golden exterior?” Lina asked, recalling how it had blinded her on the way there. “Why would anyone go to such a sketchy-looking place for medicine?”

“The clinic has an apothecary inside, and people feel safer going there than coming down this alley near the Slum District,” Skayla said. “They also sell tablets and sweet syrup, while I can only offer powders and bitter potions.”

“The Slums, huh?” Lina muttered. “They didn’t even exist near here when we were growing up. They formed after several Kingdom-funded projects failed, leaving unemployed migrant workers stuck here.”

“Didn’t those projects fail because that crooked noble you arrested was embezzling the funds?” Skayla asked. “What happened to him?”

“Stop trying to change the subject,” Lina said. “What are you planning to do? Will you start making tablets like they do, or move out of this place?”

Skayla gripped the sack tightly, unable to answer.

“Skayla, I know this shop belonged to your adoptive parents,” Lina said. “But Master Al left to gather herbs four years ago, and Mother Ofilia has been missing for seven. Isn’t it time you started living a little for yourself?”

Lina knew Skayla couldn’t keep hiding in this alley, where sunlight barely reached the shop each day.

“If you need money to move or reopen somewhere else, I can help,” she offered. “Just say the word.”

Skayla shook her head.

“Lina, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing fine,” Skayla said with a forced smile, glancing at the herbs on the counter. “What you bring each week keeps my costs low, and Master Al always said there’s room for improvement, so I’ll keep studying until I reach his level. When that day comes, the customers will return.”

The door burst open so violently that the bronze bell tore free from its rusted hinge and crashed onto the floor.

A round-bodied blond man in an ornate white uniform and golden mantle stepped inside with a lit cigar in his mouth, then slammed the door behind him.

“I truly doubt that,” he said, his sharp, mocking voice echoing through the shop. “Outdated little shops like this should have closed ages ago.”

“I KNOW READING WORDS IS HARD FOR YOU, BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST UNDERSTAND PICTURES, RIGHT, PRINCE EDGAR?!” Lina shouted, pointing at the illustrated sign in the shop window. “THIS IS A NO-SMOKING ESTABLISHMENT, SO PUT IT OUT NOW!”

“I’ve noticed that you’ve been greeting me with such fierce passion lately,” Edgar said, taking the cigar from his mouth and leaning close to Lina’s right ear. “Why don’t you retire and become my wife? If you do, I’ll make sure this shop remains open forever.”

“YOU BASTARD!” Lina shouted, stepping forward with her left foot and pulling her right arm back.

“LINA, CALM DOWN!” Skayla shouted, catching Lina’s arm. “Please... just calm down.”

Lina met Skayla’s ash-grey eyes and slowly lowered her arm.

“Your Highness, the sign clearly says this is a smoke-free establishment. Please put out your cigar,” Skayla said firmly. “As a prince and an Order captain charged with keeping the peace, you’re expected to follow the Kingdom’s laws.”

TSK! “Fine!” Edgar said, holding the cigar in his left hand as he rummaged through his uniform. “Found it!”

At that moment, a large piece of burning ash fell from the cigar and landed on his left hand.

“HOT!” Edgar shouted, flinging the cigar through the air.

The cigar landed among the dried herbs Skayla had been preparing. They ignited instantly, and flames spread across the wooden table.

“WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!” Lina shouted as she jumped over the counter and extended both hands. “Create Water!”

A blue magic circle appeared before her, releasing a powerful burst of water over the spreading flames.

As Lina struggled to contain the fire, a gust of wind swept embers onto another pile of dried herbs, igniting it.

“Create Water!” Skayla chanted, trying to put out the second fire.

The two tried to contain the fire with their beginner-level water magic, but flames spread across the shelves and climbed the tall stacks of books as thick smoke filled the shop.

“COME HELP US, YOU USELESS PRINCE!” Lina shouted, but no one answered.

She looked toward the entrance and found the front door wide open. Edgar had fled, and fresh air poured inside, feeding the flames. “That cowardly bastard!”

As Lina turned back, the fire reached a bottle of alcohol used to sterilize tools, sending flames surging toward her face.

“WE NEED TO GO RIGHT NOW!” Lina shouted, grabbing Skayla’s left hand and pulling her toward the entrance.

Skayla tripped as they rounded the burning counter and fell.

“OH, COME ON!” Lina shouted, hauling her back to her feet.

The two rushed outside and collapsed onto the street, coughing as they watched flames engulf the apothecary and all the childhood memories it held.

By sunset, the fire was out, leaving the smell of burned herbs and wet ash among the ruins.

“IT’S ALL GONE!” Skayla wailed, staring at the rubble. “EVERYTHING MASTER AL AND MOTHER OFILIA BUILT IS GONE! I COULDN’T PROTECT ANYTHING IN THE END!”

“I’m so sorry,” Lina whispered, embracing Skayla from behind and struggling to hold back her own tears.

Skayla clung to Lina’s arms, her cries echoing through the dark alley.

Once Skayla had calmed down, Lina said, “Why don’t you stay at my Order’s headquarters tonight? I’ll file a formal complaint with the Royal Family first thing tomorrow morning.”

Skayla nodded and wiped away her tears as the two walked from the ruins toward the busy main road, holding hands.

The next morning, heavy footsteps and frantic voices woke Skayla.

She dressed in the clean clothes Lina had lent her and stopped a passing knight outside the guest room.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

The knight looked at the floor. “Captain Lina has been arrested for treason against the Royal Family.”

“Huh?” Skayla stared at him, trying to process the words. “HOW?!”