Witch's Blood

Chapter 1

Art By Mikan (Pixiv 603442) from Zerochan

"Here ya go, sir! You just need to put a single drop every morning with a cup of water! When the bottle runs out you'll be better! Hope to not see you again!"

"What do you mean by that last part?" My elderly patient griped.

"Well, if I saw you again that means there's something wrong with your health! I prefer to see a person for good and not bad reasons!"

"Ah, that makes sense! Well," he chuckled, "hope I do not see you again! I might though, I'm afraid I'm not getting any younger, and you're much kinder and fair than those retched scammers disguised as doctors..." The old man waved as he left. 

I waved back with a smile even though he couldn't see. It was just the polite thing to do. I sighed. I had so many people coming to see me and I kind of wanted a break...

That man came in for some never-ending coughing. His immune system was getting weaker so I gave him a mixture to help boost his immune system a bit.

I started picking up vials and beakers. The clinks they made were a nice low tone. My workstation was so messy. Having to constantly clean my workstation for the next sudden patient was a bit tiring. It would've been nice to have some help, but I had no way to repay them for their help. I hardly had anything to offer except some treatment. I had a lot of beakers and glasses that were often used and constantly needed to be cleaned and I cleaned them as soon as I had the chance because I didn't have many of them so I had to reuse them quickly.

Content with my cleaning I checked my supplies. I needed to go on another supply run again. I looked at the patient's desk and found a box with small birds carved out near the lock. I checked inside and I found a little ball cracked open with shimmering crystals. I smiled.

It was beautiful and calmed me down in an instant. I wasn't angry or anything; I was just tired. I scanned around my little home for anything I could rest the crystal ball on to display it. After looking around in every storage area inside, I found a small stand made of fine wood. I put it on one of my emptier shelves, which was also a gift from a previous patient of mine. He was a wood carpenter and when he noticed I hardly had any space for my herbs, he wanted to repay me by crafting more storage for my equipment.

Everyone in this small village is kind to me. Well, I guess it was a given since I've been giving them free medicine and treatment without payment. I also somehow helped cure them of seemingly incurable diseases.

I carefully removed the ball from the box and placed it on the small wooden display stand on the shelf. I smiled and stared at it. It looked like it belonged there. I wondered why I had the wooden stand, to begin with. It was an odd item to just have, but it ended up having a use so I don't mind.

I took a few more steps to the opposite side of my house to grab a vial, sitting beside my herbs, of red liquid. I needed many of the bottles refilled, but I could ask one of my previous patients for that so all is well. I can refill the one in my hand myself now actually though it is a long process.

With one hand, I searched around. I found my clay container with a needle connected to a wire. I put the wire inside the bottle and took a deep breath. Wincing, the needle was inserted into my forearm. The cool metal was unpleasant on my skin. My skin desperately tried to reject the foreign item, so I used more force against it. I used to hate doing this. As much as I wanted to look away I had to keep them open so I wouldn't miss the vein in my forearm. I aimed the needle up so the blood could drip along the wire and into the bottle. Some force brought the blood down the wire and into the bottle. I eventually got used to it and was able to think about dinner while having a needle inside my arm. Oftentimes, I never could get a break, so anytime to myself was precious.