Episode 12.8-9
The morning after, Lecan went to the rented house.
The front gate is open.
As he went inside, he almost mistook the house for someone else's; there was a neatly put together little garden.
"Ah, Lecan. Good morning."
"Umu."
"Lecan, your room will be in the farthest back, okay?"
"Got it."
"I still haven't finished cleaning some rooms. I'm gonna work on it whenever I can."
"You, are you really Eda."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Hmm. The face, voice and presence are all indeed Eda's."
"I've always thought that you're really a weird one, aren't you Lecan."
Lecan felt an indescribable sense of loneliness.
He didn't dislike that energetic try-hard-to-sound-like-a-boy speech of her.
"Want to grab a bite for breakfast?"
"Yea."
"Okay then, I'll whip up one quick for you, hold on."
"Yea. And this."
"What's this?"
"Money for the shopping."
"This is too much for me."
"Just hold on to it for now and spend them whenever you need something."
"Okay, I'll do just that. Thanks."
Lecan waited for Eda's cooking while sipping on the tea Eda prepared.
Then he told her about going to Norma's house and that he was shown the location of her house yesterday.
"Oh, okay then, I'll go get changed once I'm done with breakfast."
Lecan had no idea why would she even need to change when they're just going to Norma's house, but neither is he bothered to ask why.
"Can you even move well in that getup? And where's your bow?"
"Are you planning to go on battle or help a medic?"
Eda left her camping tools and stuff in the house though she was carrying the <Box (Luuf)> with the <Bow of Isya> in. Now that Lecan thinks about it, that's just how it is in this world.
Once Eda shut the front door, Lecan bolted it shut using <Move>.
"Hey wait a minute. What did you do just now?"
"I bolted it shut."
"With that heavy bolt? From outside the door?"
"Yea."
"How am I supposed to get in then?"
"I'll open it."
"What if when you're not around?"
"Jump over it."
"Like I can! No wait, it's not like I can't, but don't you think it's sad how I've got to do all that just to get in my own home?"
"That small lock alone is insecure."
"Remove the bolt, please."
In the end, the bolt would only be used whenever they're going out of town.
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
"You must be Lecan. Wow, you really are big. Haven't meet someone I had to look up to for quite sometime. And you're Eda then. Nice to meet you."
Norma was a tall woman wearing mostly white attires. She's got a slender build and androgynously beautiful. Bearing an excellent posture, and a sturdy frame. Her brisk, straight to the point mannerisms give off an impression of a swordswoman. It's very obvious at a glance that she's not well versed in martial arts however, she's probably got a low fighting prowess.
"Norma-sama. Would they be our guests?"
"Ah, Jinga. The two <Recovery> users Shira-san referred to us are here. They will be helping this medical clinic for a month starting today. I will be teaching you guys on the ways of treating diseases and wounds, you don't need to pay tuition fees in exchange for no wages. Lecan, Eda. This elderly man is Jinga. He's in charge of supporting everything going on behind the scene in this medical clinic."
"Please call me Jinga. I look forward to working with you."
"Yea."
"This man here is Lecan. And I'm Eda. We will be in your care."
This Jinga person is either a former high-ranking soldier or an ex-knight. He's on the thin side, but there is no opening in the way he walks and his muscles have traces of tenacity on them. He's purposely breaking his postures, but Lecan can tell the old man is used to moving sharply.
Probably a swordsman.
Lecan could only felt little amount of mana on him. But the mana leaking out doesn't feel like that of a mere martial artist, but more peculiar, like that of someone who has overcome numerous harsh battles over the years.
"Okay so, I've heard that Lecan studied in pharmacology for a bit. Could I trouble you two to get to the garden please."
It was a magnificent inner garden.
The vast garden located inside the house is filled to the brim with medicinal plants.
On that point, though old this house is quite grand itself with many rooms. The rooms used for treating patients were probably former parlor and waiting room.
"Lecan."
"Yea."
"Please tell me the names and effects of plants growing in this garden. I'd like to know just how deep your knowledge is."
"Got it."
Lecan said out loud names and effects of plants he knew to Norma as he walked around in the garden.
Afterward, the three went back to the medical room and sipped tea Jinga prepared.
"That's impressive, Lecan. You know around two thirds of all plants growing in our garden. There's supposed to be lots of rare plants in there, some you won't ever see in the wild even. And I can't believe you even knew about Speck Grass, Dragon's Breath and Hell Pair."
"Shira got those three plants in her house's garden."
"Eh? That's dangerous."
"The plants growing in Shira house's garden are mostly poisonous, so those without any resistance can't even go in. Medicinal herbs and poisonous plants are all mixed up in this garden though."
That was when Lecan noticed a certain fact.
Jericho is resistant to poison. Undoubtedly.
(Just what is that ape?)
"Hahaha. It's because only Jinga or me are allowed to get in. But I see, it looks like I can count on you to care and gather these herbs then. Your knowledge in this subject is really impressive. How long have you been studying under Shira-san again?"
"Started in the first 10 days of this year's second month, so it would be two months and a half."
"Hee? And you've learned that much already in that span of time? It must have been quite a strenuous study."
Lecan was knowledgeable about medicinal plants in his former world. Hence, he had a basic understanding on effects and combinations of herbs already. Though now that he's actually learning under a real apothecary, he understood the number of herbs he knew before was truly few.
"Well then, today is a house call day. I will be visiting around my patients' houses. Have you two got your own lunchboxes?"
"I carry my food with me. Eda. I've got your shares too."
"Thank you."
"Very well. Then first thing first, wash your hands well. There's cleansing powder next to the well, make sure to thoroughly wash your hand with it. Not just your fingers, but everything down the elbows. Also, do you have a clean towel with you?"