The Scientific Alchemist

Elias felt a lot better in the sun than he previously did, but that was to be expected, after all, he felt a lot better now.

And a lot hungrier, but that too was a good sign.

The only problem though, was the fact that his predecessor had wasted all his savings on curing himself that Elias had not even a single penny for bread.

Elias clicked his tongue.

"Brilliant strategy. Spend your way into dying broke."

He sighed and kept walking.

There was only one place he could think of, and conveniently, the former Elias’ recalled that the baker was suffering from chronic fatigue and a persistent weakness that no standard tonic seemed able to fix.

Elias slowed his steps slightly.

"From my memory of him, it’s probably muscle degeneration symptoms... likely nutrient deficiency or long-term toxin exposure," he muttered under his breath, "either way, it’s fixable."

Convenient.

Too convenient.

He adjusted the bundle under his arm, what little he had managed to bring with him, and continued down the dirt path toward the village bakery.

He had knocked out the fox with a herb when he got back inside after recalling that he basically had nothing on him.

Elias didn’t want much attention on him this early, as even information of those creatures were pricey.

And given the situation the people of this place were in, any bit of gold would come in handy.

The smell hit him before he even saw the building.

Warm bread, slightly burnt crust and sweet grain.

Elias’ stomach tightened and let out a grumble before he placed a hand over it and muttered, "yeah, yeah, let’s just hope the old man trusts our product, else, no food."

He pushed the door open and a small bell immediately rang.

Inside, the bakery was modest, wooden shelves, sacks of flour stacked near the back, and a wide stone oven still glowing faintly from recent use.

Behind the counter stood a middle-aged man with tired eyes and slightly hunched shoulders.

The baker.

He looked up.

"You?"

His tone wasn’t hostile.

Just cautious, which was a given since he was basically a walking corpse.

Elias stepped towards him.

"I heard you’re unwell."

The baker blinked, frowned a bit, but he didn’t answer the question,

Instead, his gaze drifted over Elias again, taking in his thin frame, his worn appearance, the faint exhaustion that still lingered despite his improved condition.

"You look worse than me," he muttered.

Elias nodded once, "was pretty sureyou were dead."

"I got better," Elias answered with a blank expression.

The baker stared at him for a second, then let out a short laugh, "yeah? Good for you. Almost didn’t recognize you."

Elias shrugged slightly, "I don’t recognize myself either most days."

The baker leaned on the counter.

"So what is it this time? You didn’t come here just to exchange bad jokes."

Elias reached into his bundle and placed the herbs on the counter.

It was nothing flashy, Just clean, carefully picked leaves.

The baker didn’t touch them immediately.

"I’ll help cure you, in exchange for some food," Elias stated his offer,

"Let’s see if I recall correctly, " the baker said as he stood up straight.

"You’re the ’failed alchemist’ everyone laughs about," he said slowly, "the one who burned through his family’s money and got kicked out of the guild."

"Sounds about right," Elias nodded in response to the old man’s words.

The baker exhaled as he placed a finger on his forehead, feeling a headache coming, "and you think I’m going to let someone like that, treat me?"

"Now that you put it like that," he put a finger on his chin, seemingly thinking about the baker’s words.

"Know what," the baker let out a sigh as he moved away from the counter and towards some freshly baked bread, "I think I can spare a couple of bread today, but just this once."

He took, three freshly baked bread and put them in a packaging before putting it on the table and moving it towards Elias.

He looked down at the herbs still sitting on the counter.

"If you’re going to give me food anyway," he said, "you might as well try it."

The baker paused and asked, "try what?"

Elias gestured at the leaves.

"Those."

The baker frowned, "I just said I’m not letting you treat me."

"I’m not asking you to trust me," Elias replied. "Just try it once."

"Worst case, nothing happens."

The baker seemed to be contemplating, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"And best case?"

Elias shrugged, "you feel a little better."

Silence stretched between them.

The baker looked at the herbs again, then at Elias.

"You’re serious."

"Yes."

The baker then sighed and walked back over, grabbed a cup, and poured some hot water into it.

"If this makes me worse, I’m throwing you out myself."

"Fair."

Elias stepped closer and got to work.

This time, he didn’t rush.

He picked only a small amount, crushing it carefully, mixing it into the water until the color changed slightly.

He pushed the cup toward the baker.

"Drink."

The baker looked at it like it had personally offended him, "smells weird."

"It’ll be fine, just drink it."

With a bit more hesitation, the baker then drank the herb and lowered the cup slowly, "tastes terrible."

"Yeah," Elias said, "that tracks."

They stood like that for a while as he calmly looked at the old man’s face for a while.

For the first few minutes, nothing happened, but immediately after just when the baker set the cup down with a small thud, already looking ready to complain,

"...See? Nothing—" He stopped mid-sentence and his brows furrowed slightly.

"...Wait."

Elias didn’t say anything. He just watched as the baker shifted his weight, then again.

His hand went to his shoulder, rubbing it absentmindedly.

"That’s, strange."

"What is?" Elias asked.

The baker rolled his shoulder once more, slower this time, "It doesn’t hurt as much."

He straightened a just a little but enough that it was noticeable.

The constant slump in his posture eased.

"...What did you put in that?" he asked, looking at Elias now, properly this time.

Elias shrugged, "Nothing special. Just something to help your body recover a bit."

"That’s not ’a bit,’" the baker muttered, flexing his fingers. "I haven’t felt like this in... months."

"That’s good," Elias picked up the bread before adding, "I’ll come back with more and you should be completely fine."

Before he could reach the door, the baker called out ot him again.

"Kid."

Elias turned and looked at the old man who then asked, "what happened to you in those few days you were locked up?"

Because the Elias he knew, was definitely not one capable of making a cure in such little time, and the strangest part was, it worked.

"Let’s just say," he looked at the baker for a while before smile, "I got enlightened."

With that, he stepped out.