Book of Kings

Chapter 36 - End of Volume 01

Everything aches.
I almost decided not to stand up.

For this little adventure, I got one of the necklaces that showed that I'm part of the guild now like Valentine had.
It was just a metal chain with a little identification tag on it, on one side was my name and some numbers, on the other was the guild's symbols.
A sword, a shield, and some coins.

Wearing it at first didn't feel right, I felt like a dog wearing a collar but slowly I got to appreciate it, with this I was officially a recognized Adventurer.

I shouldn't complain, if what Valentine said was true I should have been dead after all but still.

There wasn't much to think about why I was still alive, just one thing came to mind why I survived the spider's poison.

Fairies.

Next to changing the color of my hair and eyes, they must have also changed my body somehow.

I had a feeling that I changed over the last year, not just the extra maturing I still had in front of me but something like an extra improvement.

I still felt like myself, thought like myself so I guess it didn't change my mind, just my body.

That should be great, right?

As a young adventurer and monster hunter, this is perfect.
I'm not even fully grown yet, I could get stronger in the next few years.
I could not instantly die when I'm being stabbed or bitten by poisonous and non-poisonous monsters!

When I think back a year ago when a wolk bit me or not even a week ago when I landed on an arrow I healed from the wounds strangely quick, it didn't even take a few days.

I wonder, Walsh broke his arm and it doesn't look like he has even begun to heal from that.
How long would it take me?

I fell much further than him in the cave and yet I didn't break anything.
Was he just unlucky? Landed badly?
Could be.

Am I just crazy assuming that I am 'better' than other people?
Could be too.

As Valentine said, I could have amazing luck.

The time has come to test it out.

Power or luck.

I drew out Rudges sword, I always had it with me.

Would anyone who's sane cut himself?
Well, this is a special occasion, some would of course.

I guess I'll just cut my palm a bit.

Carefully I slit down, the purpose of this was to see if I heal quickly, not to give myself a lot of pain but I may have cut too deep.

Blood was flowing from the wound, at first I thought that was a good sign but it didn't stop.

I sat there for a while reflecting on my actions.

I'm a dumbass.

What did I expect?

I bandaged the wound then stood up did some chores for the guild, helping out with preparing the food and cleaning clothes, carrying equipment and whatever other smaller tasks I could do, all the while my hand hurt like hell but the pain lessened after a few hours.

Since my group was hurt during our last adventure all of us have been given some easier tasks do to until we heal, which in my case was almost immediately but not for Walsh or Eta.
He with his broken arm and Eta getting a big gash on her leg when she fell.

Every other trainee had to do their part too.
Lots of the rest of the other trainees train or learn even on their off-time when it's not officially part of training.

Helping out until evening I decided to go to an alchemist to go buy some healing remedies.

I wasn't one of the needy or rich who could just walk to the church and ask a healer to heal the wound for me, so I choose the second-best option.

As I opened the door to the alchemist's I called out, "what's the best things for wounds you can offer me? For a reasonable price of course."
"What kind of wound do you have?" The woman muffled under her scarf.
She was the same alchemist I sold plants and herbs to over a year ago.
"Accidental cuts," I said to her while undressing the bandage.
"Doesn't look too bad," she said while looking at my palm, "not a fresh wound? Looks like it already healed for a while."

I pulled my hand from her and looked my the wound, I hadn't since I cut it up.
It really did look like it had already healed for a while.

Joy was in my heart and triumphantly I yelled out and jumping around, "YEAH! That's what I have been waiting for!"

The old woman looked at me strangely like I was mad.

I cooled down and just to be sure I asked the alchemist, "tell me, how long does it usually take for deeper cuts to heal?"
"If they're deeper I guess..." she made a strange thinking noise, "one and a half weeks?"
"Then just give me an ointment then I'm off. Although-" I said thinking hard, "do you have any weak poisons to sell?"
"Poisons? What for?"
"Guild usage," I flashed one of the two necklaces with the guilds' symbol on it that I wore around my neck, "something that kills smaller to medium-sized animals with, just don't make it too expensive."
"Aye, if you got the coin I can get you what you want. Weak ones...?" She rummaged through one of her many shelves, "I got some snake venom."
"I don't want anything too deadly, but still you know."
"Poisons it is," she picked out one from the shelves, "here, amarum flos. Small amounts of poison are distilled from the flower's roots. Generally used to kill wolves, will kill a human in a few hours but not worry, just spit it out if you get it in your mouth."
"Perfect."

She handed me the ointment and a little brown glass with the poison in it and I handed her the coins.
"Just be careful not to get in in your blood or in that wound of yours or even your eyes," she warned me.
"I'll be as careful as I can," I assured her.

I headed back to the Guild's building and went to where my bed stood, in the room where every other trainee slept too.

Rubbing the ointment on my palm took a closer look at the small brown bottle then uncorked it.

Do poisons go bad like fruit or milk does?

I held the bottle close to my face, it only had a slight smell to it but it was bad,
very bitter and burned my nose.

Am I really going to drink this of my own free will?

...

Of course, I will.

I raised the little bottle as I were to give a toast.

"For peace of mind."

Bottoms up.