TMPAR 01

Chapter 01 …

This is a new serialization. Thank you for reading.

It was a night with no moonlight shining through.

Deep within a dark forest overgrown with thick grass, a girl lies face down on the ground.

Her hair is disheveled, and her face and body are torn in places in a cruel, brutal manner.

Her hemp clothes are shredded here and there, stained with blood so heavily that the fabric has changed color in places.

Overwhelmed by pain all over her body, the girl lets out a groan.

(…Ah… am I going to die here?)

It hurts. It hurts so much.

It’s painful enough to make her want to cry.

But she doesn’t even have enough water left in her body to shed tears.

The girl—クナ (Kuna)—slowly opens her eyes, barely.

What flows through her mind, like a life flashing before her eyes, is something that happened just a few days ago.

◇◇◇

A bell hanging on a wooden door rings with a kalan sound.

Leaning her elbows on the counter and dozing off, Kuna lifts her head at the noise.

Her straight black hair falls to about shoulder length.

Her narrow orange eyes give off a cold impression at first glance.

With a perpetually unfriendly expression, Kuna greets the customer.

“Welcome.”

“Hey. You got any potions?”

The one who entered the shop is a young man who lives three houses down. He is already used to Kuna’s blunt attitude as he speaks.

But then again, this is Aco Village—also known as the “Edge of the World.” It’s rare for unfamiliar faces to come all the way out here.

“Basic potion, then. How many?”

When he holds up one finger, Kuna nods.

“Oh, b-l-u-e one.”

“…Yeah, yeah.”

She already knows without being told.

Kuna reaches for a potion with a blue cap from the sparsely stocked shelf. While she does, the young man mutters complaints.

“My old man swung a hoe right into his toes, and his foot got all swollen. Honestly, I wish he’d stop overdoing it now that he’s getting on in years.”

“I see.”

From his tone, it doesn’t sound like a serious injury.

In that case, one of her brother’s potions should be enough. Unlike the potions Kuna makes, the potions made by Dorf are said to be incredibly effective.

Kuna’s status is a farmer. Her profession is an apothecary.

Dorf is also an apothecary, and the two siblings run the pharmacy they inherited from their grandmother.

Their teacher was also their grandmother, who passed away eight years ago—when Kuna was seven.

For Kuna, who was once a foundling, she was also a savior of life.

Their grandmother was an excellent apothecary. Wanting to catch up even slightly to her great teacher, Kuna trains every day without fail.

(Though in reality, none of my potions ever sell…)

If Dorf found out she had to throw them away again, he would probably sigh.

Kuna takes out a bottle of potion and returns to the young man. This is the last one they have—though it is one made by Dorf.

“Three hundred Neka.”

“…We’re regular customers. Can’t you give me a discount?”

Without saying a word, Kuna extends her right hand over the counter. Her family cannot afford to entertain price negotiations.

The young man shrugs and drops a dirty coin from his pocket into her hand.

“Thanks for your business.”

After receiving payment, Kuna hands him the bottle.

The young man mutters complaints under his breath as he leaves the shop in a hurry.

She is used to this, so she feels nothing about it.

Kuna is just about to sit back down on her worn-out chair when—

Kaan… kaan…

Carried by the wind, the sound of bells echoes through the air, stopping her movement instantly.

It is the evening bell. When it rings, the shop closes for the day.

She steps outside and flips the “Open” sign hanging on the door.

While she’s at it, she looks around the visible area.

(Still not back, huh… my brother.)

Dorf often uses “collecting medicinal herbs” as an excuse to go on dates with a woman he likes. It has become a daily routine.

Kuna cannot complain. She was taken in despite being a foundling, and most of the household income comes from the potions Dorf makes.

However, perhaps because he knows he supports the household, Dorf no longer helps with anything except potion-making.

From morning, Kuna tends the herb fields alone, manages and inspects the storage, and runs the shop without rest.

And of course, after closing, she never forgets to record the day’s sales in the ledger.

After finishing the bookkeeping, Kuna stretches as if trying to shake off the day’s fatigue and makes a decision.

“Guess I’ll practice making potions.”