A Cruel Beast’s Leash

okay if I do that?”

Emma ran her fingers through Irvan’s hair, spoke to him again, but he was fast asleep.
Her eyes, too, slowly closed after she caressed his head one more time.
Then, just like that, they fell into a deep, sweet slumber.
Since it wasn’t that urgent, she thought that she could just get permission from him later on.

***

The next day, Emma was accompanied by Laute to the pharmacy.
Layna looked busy when they arrived.
She was trimming a purplish-black fruit with gloves on and a pair of protective goggles.
The fruit, the size of a fingernail, hung from a dry flower stem.

“It’s Cabelladonna,” Emma noted.

“How do you know that from first glance?” Layna laughed incredulously,  lifting her head and welcoming her in.

“A pharmacy is a dangerous environment for a child to play around in.
Under my father’s authority, the poisonous weeds had to be cooked…” then she added, “I’m worried I disturbed you because of my arrival.”

“No, it’s fine.
I was just about to take a break,” Layna shook her head.
“Anyway, your father taught you well.
It isn’t easy to distinguish Cabelladonna so quickly; that’s some talent you have there.
Even seasoned pharmacists can’t tell what it is if they don’t have years of experience.”

After taking her gloves off, Layna boiled some homemade tea for Emma and Laute.
“How is it? This?”

Emma lowered her gaze when she heard Layna’s question, which seemed to be a test.
Then, she smiled looking down at the steaming teacup on the table.
A sweet scent came from the purple tea.
When she analyzed the faintly rising steam, she found that it smelled of wild, red panmint.
Red panmint was a type of wild herb.
It had many benefits, but among them, red panmint was especially good for the respiratory system, so it was useful during the seasonal changes.
However, it was a very expensive one due to strict growth conditions.

“That’s red panmint,” Emma said.

“You got it right,” Layna nodded with a small, proud smile on her face.
“The air inside this pharmacy is thick, that’s why I drink it.
By the way, you’re really wasting your talent.
You’ve never thought about enrolling in the academy? I think you have the skills for it.”

“I’m not sure, actually, since it hasn’t been that long since Father passed away… His death still troubles me.”

“Oh my! It must be hard now, but you’ll eventually get used to it after some time passes… And you’re young, so there will be plenty of time to think about your career.
Consider that for yourself.”

Layna uplifted Emma with kind words.