≪How to Make Nektar≫

• Golden Fruit: 3 pieces
• Heal Grass: 5 leaves
• Water: 1 cup

“Ermine, what are Golden Fruits? Can we get them easily?”
“Those are the golden fruits growing in the garden~.”
“Great! Then we have all the ingredients. This should be easy to make!”

Hearing Ermine’s words, Mei clenched her small fists in excitement.

“Golden Fruits… they only appear in myths, right? How is this easy for Mei…?”

Listening to Ermine and Mei’s conversation, Cloud chuckled weakly.

He knew Mei was the successor of the Dimension-Walking Witch and special in many ways, but seeing her casually use mythical items made him wonder what all his struggles had been for until now.

Even with something as basic as potions, he had worked hard to create ones with a pleasant taste, but the potions Mei made were far tastier.

Zeke lightly patted his shoulder in consolation.

“Cloud, you’re a skilled apothecary, and we always rely on you. You can’t compare yourself to such an anomaly.”
“Yeah, I know that, but… I can’t help feeling a bit discouraged.”

Cloud looked down, and Zeke furrowed his brows.

“You don’t have to do the same things as Mei. Besides, as long as you know the method, you’ll be able to make it eventually. You’ve already managed to make potions, haven’t you?”

In this world, potions were bitter. The main ingredient, Heal Grass, was inherently extremely bitter.

Through trial and error, Cloud became an apothecary while researching ways to make it more palatable.

The potion he made by boiling finely chopped Heal Grass, filtering it, and boiling it again was still bitter but somewhat drinkable.

When he discovered Mei’s sweet potions, he was shocked. Following Ermine’s advice, he learned to soak Heal Grass in water overnight, then simmer it gently without boiling until it matched the color of the grass itself. This method allowed him to create a somewhat sweet potion, though not as sweet as Mei’s.

“Making medicine isn’t the only thing you do, Cloud. As our healer, you keep us alive. Without you, our party wouldn’t last.”

Alex placed a hand on Cloud’s other shoulder, opposite Zeke’s. Then he flicked Cloud’s forehead as he lowered his gaze.

“That’s right. The three of us make up one party. We’re counting on you.”
“Yeah, I’ll do my best.”

Sandwiched between Zeke and Alex, Cloud forced a small, awkward smile.

Watching this, Mei was moved by the sight of their friendship.

In this world, Mei had no friends.

Ermine and Koko felt more like family than friends.

But she had found people who might become her friends—the three sisters of Soup Curry Kamru.

Mei decided to visit them over lunch.

“Can you help me look for Yggdrasil?”
“I don’t mind helping, but I can’t promise we’ll find it.”
“If we can’t find it, I’ll just give up on the renovation.”
“Renovation?”

Zeke and the others tilted their heads, confused about the connection between Yggdrasil and renovation.

Even Victor, the seasoned Guild Master of the Merchant’s Guild, who had grown accustomed to Mei’s unpredictability, blinked behind his silver-framed glasses, unable to follow the conversation.

“My house is a one-room space, isn’t it?”
“One-room?”

Apparently, the term didn’t exist in this world. Mei hastily rephrased her explanation.

“Uh, it’s a single room with the kitchen and sleeping area all in one.”
“Ah, yes, that’s true. You do only have one room.”
“So, I’d like to at least have a separate bedroom.”
“Ah, so that’s why you want to renovate? Don’t tell me you’re planning to use Yggdrasil wood for the renovation?”

Startled, Zeke’s expression stiffened, but Mei waved her hands in front of her face in denial.

“Of course not. I just want to borrow a few branches… about five of them.”
“A single branch of Yggdrasil can buy an entire country…”

Victor muttered in astonishment.

“Wait, is it really that valuable?”
“Yggdrasil is classified as a mythical beast. Just encountering it is considered a miracle.”
“Wow… I wonder if we can find it.”

Mei glanced at Ermine, who was sipping tea beside her, whiskers twitching.

The white, fluffy fur always looked shiny and soft to the touch. Mei often dreamed of petting it one day.

“Waah?”

For now, though, she satisfied her desire for fluffiness by stroking the slightly larger Robo.