Arcane Innovator

I made my way into the woods early in the morning the next day to test out my newly created traps and to once again look for umbrifila.

The crisp air of the Forest filled my lungs, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of liberation. This is something that I haven't been able to enjoy for a long time. I was no longer reliant on Old Sven, and I had proven to myself that I'm capable of hunting on my own.

Now that I know more about the difference between real herbs and regular herbs from Isadora, I am even more eager to gather as many as I can. For the rest of the spring and the beginning of summer, I scouted the Forest relentlessly while also testing my new traps.

I was quite surprised that I managed to catch a whopping five rabbits on my own during this time. I also gathered 48 umbrifila and 31 regular herbs.

I was getting a little bit concerned about being able to locate less and less umbrifila every year. It seems like they can't repopulate as fast as I was gathering them, but I'm hopeful it will stabilize soon and not decrease any further.

Lost in my own world, I completely forgot about helping Myra with her studies. I already mastered both writing and reading during the winter and was confident in my abilities, so I didn't need to learn them anymore.

It wasn't until she showed up at our doorstep one morning with a pouting face that I realized my grave mistake.

"Darian! I heard you're helping your father now, but you never came to see me even once!" Myra exclaimed in anger.

I widened my eyes as I realized my mistake. "I'm so sorry, Myra. I was so engrossed in learning so many new things that I completely forgot about our study sessions," I quickly apologized.

"You're terrible! I waited and waited, and you never showed up!" She scolded me.

Feeling slightly guilty that I ignored her despite my promise, I quickly offered to show her my latest creation—animal traps I had crafted on my own—and suggested we play in our garden by the stream.

"Hmm, fine, but you must promise me that you will never forget our playtime ever again!" she demanded.

"Of course, I promise." "Now, come with me," I said, trying to ease her anger.

In the garden, we were soon joined by Helga, who had come to investigate the commotion.

"Oh, you are the Vogt's daughter." Helga tried to sound polite as soon as she spotted Myra.

I introduced the two girls, surprised that they had never spoken before despite being of similar age.

Helga was now eight years old, and Myra was a little over seven.

Although Helga initially kept her distance like the other children, when she saw me acting informally around Myra, she quickly warmed up to her and started playing with us.

Helga was getting older and spending most of her time helping our mother with cooking and household chores. However, she was becoming more proficient at them, which gave her more free time.

As the summer progressed, Myra started coming over to our house more frequently, and we spent our time playing in the garden. It wasn't long before Myra and Helga had become good friends, and I was happy to see them enjoying each other's company.

I didn't mind spending my time with them since I had already finished my business in the Forest. I was waiting with expectations for the autumn market when I went back to the city. I didn't visit the city in the summer since I was still busy gathering the herbs, so I was even more excited about the market.

But luckily, I won't have to wait much longer because the summer is coming to an end and the harvest season is once again upon us.

***

As the harvest season approached, life in the village took on a frenzied pace. My playtime with Myra and Helga in the garden was relegated to the background as everyone focused on the harvest.

The sun beat down on the village mercilessly, but the villagers had no respite. The crops needed tending, and everyone was expected to make sure we had enough food to last us through the long winter ahead.

My father's work as a blacksmith was in high demand during this season. His work was primarily for the Vogt, who placed many orders regularly, mainly for horseshoes and repairs for his wagons, and my father worked tirelessly to fulfill them.

In exchange for his work, the Vogt provided him with all the iron he needed, which he then used to take orders from the rest of the village. Most of the villagers were poor, so they paid him in the form of crops rather than money.

As a result, even though we did not have to work in the fields, we still had to process and preserve the produce we received from others. We then had to sell any excess goods at the market in the city so that we had some money to buy other things.

I was getting older now, and it was time for me to join in too. I helped out with various tasks around the house and in the smithy, assisting my father and my older brother Rolf. It was tedious work, but it made me feel useful like I was doing my part for our family.

As the days passed, we worked long into the night, driven by the urgency of the season. I too continued to work each day, eagerly anticipating the end of the season and the respite that would follow.

When the last crops were finaly harvested, the entire village gathered on the village square for the annual harvest feast, a time of revelry and joy after months of hard work.

And so it was with great pleasure that I put down my tools and joined the rest of my family in the celebrations. We had been invited to dine with the Vogt and his family at their table, which was an honor for us and one that filled me with pride.

As we sat together, the priest gave a sermon about the gods and their benevolent hand in the harvest. He blessed the gathered crops, praying that they would last the whole winter, free from rot or decay. I listened intently, wondering if these blessings held any true power or if they were simply a custom passed down through the generations.

Despite my doubts, I could not help but be swept up in the fervor of the moment. The villagers around me were rapt with devotion, their faces shining with faith and joy. And so I decided to leave my judgment open, content to believe in the blessings for the time being.

With the formalities over, we feasted on the bounty of the land, filling our bellies to the brim. The tables were laden with roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and crusty loaves of bread, all prepared by the skilled hands of village women.

As we ate, we chatted long into the night. Our conversations ranged from the hardships during the harvest to the latest gossip and news from the city. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Hearing all the different rumors from the other villagers, I was restlessly anticipating the journey to the city for the autumn market.

It was a rare opportunity to escape the confines of our small village and experience the sights and sounds of the outside world, and I couldn't wait to see what had changed within the city in the last year.

This time, it would be just my father and me making the journey. Rolf had opted to stay behind, preferring the quiet solitude of our home. So we prepared our cart and our goods for sale.

And we set off early in the morning, joining the group of villagers making their way to the market, eager to blend in with the crowd. Since there was safety in numbers.

The journey was long and arduous, with the wheels of our cart creaking and groaning beneath us as we made our way along the winding road. But despite the fatigue and the sweat, I felt a thrill of excitement building within me and a growing anticipation for the adventures to come.

As we finally arrived in the city, I gazed around at the towering buildings and bustling streets. But it will be just a short visit this time, so I won't get an opportunity to explore.

We walked directly to the market, and I helped Father with the purchases since I can do math much better than him. After that, I told him I still needed to sell my rabbit hides at the tannery. Because I already knew my way around the city, my father let me walk alone and continued ahead with our cart to my uncle's house.

The overpowering stench of the place made me feel sick to my stomach, and I hurried through my transaction as quickly as possible. But there was no time to rest. I still had herbs to sell.

As I walked through the lively streets of the city, the scent of spices and fragrant herbs filled my senses. The sun beat down on me, casting shadows across the winding streets. My heart raced with anticipation as I made my way toward Isadora's shop.

Today I only visited there to sell my herbs. I needed to get back to my uncle's house before dinner so as not to arouse any suspicions about my whereabouts. Therefore, I didn't have time to ask any questions about the herbs. But I think Isadora has started to become fond of me, which is an excellent sign because I need all the help I can get.

Getting such a prestigious apprenticeship without being related or without a recommendation is unheard of. If I were to tell my parents I wanted to be an herbalist, they would never believe that I had any semblance of a chance to get it. But I think I have a chance here. All I need to do is continue to be persistent and show Isadora I can be a hard worker.

I managed to obtain a little over 3 marks of silver today. This means that if I put all my savings together, I'm probably already the third richest person in our village after the Vogt and the priest. Even my father wouldn't dream of making that kind of money I had stashed under my bed.

I wondered why he decided to settle in such a small frontier village. Given that he originally came from the city—another mystery waiting to be unraveled. However, I don't dare to ask him about it directly because he never talks about his past.