Medica Materia A Mob Psycho 100 Fantasy AU

Chapter 13

Rebuilding an entire village is not something that happens overnight. A month passed before Seasoning returned to a functioning economic state. Not only did buildings have to be repaired but fields left fallow had to be tilled and planted. The time for spring planting was over, so the farmers would have to rely on summer and fall crops for the year. Merchant caravans started again, guarded from attack by Resistance volunteers. Money flowed in and out of town, the way that it had always done.

With money came information, and spies from the Kingdom of Claw. The Resistance identified most of them but a few slipped through their fingers. They would discover this from their own emissaries sent out into the world with the merchant caravans. The bounty on Reigen and Mob still existed but now included Serizawa, whom King Suzuki could no longer ignore. What disturbed them was that the bounty could only be collected on living captures. Death would yield no coin.

Through it all, Reigen and Serizawa kept busy. Mob was eager to learn what Serizawa could teach him. They would frequently go into the woods or meadows to practice techniques. Serizawa found that Mob needed less instruction on what to do than on how. Mob's problem was focus and restraint, lessons that Serizawa felt more than qualified to teach.

Reigen spent his days tutoring Tome on basic botany and, more importantly, on how to read and write.

"Why is this important, Master Reigen?" Tome had asked on that first day.

"Because part of your studies," he had answered, "will be transcribing recipes from this book." He had shown her the cover of The Medica Materia but did not reveal the book's full significance. Someday he would tell her, but until then it was just another book. Once she was proficient enough, Reigen would dictate his techniques to her so she could have a copy for herself. He was determined that the information in the The Medica Materia would not stay isolated forever.

Nights were a different matter. Reigen would find himself frequently dragged into Resistance strategy meetings where they would demand his input despite his lack of military knowledge. Because of his duties as a Master and Apothecary he could usually worm his way out of them in an hour or so but he still found it draining.

Coming home to Serizawa, though, made everything worth it. Reigen had never had a relationship like this. His previous affairs had always been brief and inconsequential. He had been terrified of the Guardian of the Book killing him so nothing nor no one could be permanent. Settling in Seasoning had been unplanned. Serizawa had been unplanned.

Most of his life had been unplanned.

Now he had the possibility of a future, a prospect both thrilling and terrifying. Reigen could be more ambitious if he chose. The question was: did he want to be? Did he really want to be an Apothecary to a king or would Seasoning serve his needs? He could still travel if he wished, but at the moment the idea of staying put was very appealing. Still, as he lay in bed with Serizawa cuddled up behind him, he couldn't help but feel that he had to be on guard. King Suzuki lived; would he suffer to let Serizawa or Seasoning alone?

One day, a message came for him on the wing. A homing pigeon delivered a short letter straight to the village elder's home, who kept a coop of the birds. The missive came from Shinra who had a case in nearby Maltville. Once the elder realized that the note was for Reigen, it was taken to his shop.

"What is it?" Serizawa asked as Reigen read the letter.

"Shinra was called in for a case of possession, but it turned out to be a regular infection instead. The nearest doctor is leagues away, he'd never get there in time," Reigen said.