Chapter 272- The Alchemist Guild of Frost City

The Alchemist Guild of Frost City

The Alchemist Guild occupied a relatively large portion of land adjacent to the Military headquarters. Situated in the northwestern quadrant of the city, it served as a major distribution node. Potions, antidotes, salves, and ointments used by soldiers, adventurers, and commoners walked across the large doors daily.

The Guild Hall and warehouses occupied the perimeter while internal lanes and alleys connected concocting halls and living quarters. From morning till late at night, the roads around the Guild remained packed with merchants and herbalists selling their bundled ingredients.

Clacking footsteps sounded under a high arched passageway as Sue followed the elderly Alchemist. Next to her, another bearded old man trudged while behind his bent back, a few younger, old men maintained a respectful distance. The old man raised his mottle hand which had been blotched over the years from concocting potions and pills.

"This hallway connects the amphitheater with the concocting rooms. Each Alchemist has their own room and can dabble in any recipe of their choosing. They return the payment to the Guild by concocting a quota of potions or pills for the month. They also earn fame by taking work from merchants and adventurers to create unusual pills and potions. Hey, why are you strutting in front as if this is your Guild Hall?"

Grandmaster Earns explained before pausing to ask a question in a gruff voice. The old man leading the party stopped while turning around to stroke his beard.

"Don't tell me you have a problem Earns? I was just walking in the front so you could explain your layout."

"More like running you mean. I know you're trying to rush this tour but I have a few things to discuss with Grandmaster Sue."

"Sure, sure. For an old coot who didn't recognize Grandmaster Sue as a young lady, I am sure you have much to apologize for."

The response initiated a fit of coughing from old Earns. This Grandmaster Bing was too narrowminded in making sure he didn't poach the young lady into his halls. They continued their discussions while walking until halting at a pair of lofty, decorated doors.

"This is the amphitheater. We hold discussions on creating and introducing new pills and potions, and on displaying new means of potion concoctions."

One of the young men following them stepped forward and pushed the door open. The head of the Frost City Alchemists waved his bony hand for Sue to enter while he continued.

"When Bing sent the letter on the cauldron modification and its uses, I admit I grew skeptical. Lady Sue must know that cauldrons have not been tampered with since ancient times. The point of attachment of the binary strip as you named it to gauge the temperature, however, did not interfere with spiritual injections by an alchemist. Lady Sue is truly a Grandmaster Alchemist in modifying a cauldron for both spiritual and common pill concoctions."

"Save your flattery, old goat. Lady Sue has no intention of residing and working in your guild. Hurry and let's inspect this modified cauldron of yours to see if it's up to standards. I have to escort Grandmaster Sue to the Tower Mage's compound. They want to discuss the recipe for a Hound pill."

Grandmaster Bing huffed. His words initiated flickers of surprise and envy from the accompanying younger alchemists. Unlike the Tower which used pills and incense to have their mages focus as a collective, the Alchemist Guild operated with more open freedom.

Bickering, grouses, and spying frequently occurred between older alchemist who sought the title of being number one under the sun. Bullying, bribings, and even fighting were considered normal among the thousands of apprentices. Nobles, Clans, and Houses used their positions and wealth to gain the favor of recognized alchemists to push talented offsprings as disciples. When one ascended and claimed the title of Grandmaster Alchemist, he truly deserved respect.

Since her time in Limerock, Sue understood the difference between the Guild structure and the Tower. In fact, Grandmaster Bing had been the first to voice out displeasure during her lecture at the Academy. Only when she convinced him by actions and knowledge, did this old man treat her like a recognized alchemist. Because of the demonstrations in his Guild when he invited her over, the other older alchemists treated her with respect.

Even though she had never participated in the different tiers of exams for alchemists, her pill concoctions, modifications, and introductions of different methods earned her the unofficial title of Specialist Grandmaster. When Grandmaster Bing and Elder Shi from the Academy called her Grandmaster, no one publicly disputed or interjected.

The party walked down the steps to the wide semicircular stage. The table, hearth, and cauldron layout spread in a similar fashion to what she had grown accustomed to.

"The bimetallic strip is welded on at the correct point. Grandmaster Earns did a fine job in modifying it using the correct metals."

"Yes, Grandmaster Bing included in his letter the size and types of metals."

"The weights and scales are balanced. It is very important, however, that the weights must be the same as the ones used in the Limerock Guild. Also, the wooden cups for measuring potions must conform and be properly marked."

"Yes, a consensus between the Guilds and Tower has been reached. All measuring devices will be produced and distributed from the Alchemist Guild of Limerock City. This way we will create a standard across the Empire. Grandmaster Bing has also shown me a new product called Ming Glass. I can't wait for it to become distributed."

Sue twitched her lips on hearing the name. Holding back from bursting out in laughter, she continued her inspection. Grandmaster Earns invited her today to view and provide her nod of approval to her modifications now sweeping across the Alchemist world. The impact of her inventions alone catapulted her status among experienced alchemists. Unknown to her, every guild leader who received letters from Limerock considered this unknown lady a genius.

Grandmaster Bing didn't dispatch two Sersens to accompany her while walking the streets of Limerock on his own. It was because he was forced to.  Should this girl get robbed or kidnapped, then the Alchemist community would have lost a precious treasure. Female or not, one had to bow to an individual who enlightened the alchemist world. Envious individuals could only bottle their jealousy and wait for her to fall.

Here in Frost City where potions and pills changed hands by the thousands every day, and also where skirmishes and crime on the streets became unpredictable, Grandmaster Earns took no chances either.

Whenever Sue took one step out from the gates of the Forgotten Palace, two Sersens always waited with a servant. Rumors had already began to spread from the guards at the palace gates that this girl held a high status among the Alchemist Guild.

"Ah, Grandmaster Earn, didn't Grandmaster Bing inform you of the modification of the cauldron lid? By making a few adjustments on the lip of the cauldron and the lid, you can increase the pressure inside. This can help in creating difficult spiritual recipes where bonding the ingredients requires extensive spiritual power. It is ideal for seniors who have mastered the skill of visualizing the ingredients within their minds."

Her words generated a cough from nearby.

"Ahem, lady Sue, remember you informed us of this later on. I did not have the time to send out the results of my experiments by letters. I made this trip so as to share this information with Grandmaster Earns here. Once he sees it's a viable solution I will send out recommendations to the other Guilds."

"Old coot, so you have been holding out on me? Don't tell me you have used this method to concoct a few rare pills?"

"So what if I have? Limerock City is the training center for aspiring alchemists. It's only normal that we also stand at the forefront in creating difficult pills."

"Damn you, you old bat! You never had any intentions of sharing this, did you? Wait until I write to old Quinn on how you've been holding out."

"Pshh! What can he say from the Capital? Didn't he boast last year about creating a better healing potion? Hehe... wait until he hears about my success, he will rip his drying whiskers out in envy."

While the two old men shed their status and began quarreling, Sue walked over to another table nearby. This one contained scattered ingredients and seemed to have been recently used. Charred remnants generated a smoky smell from the bottom of the cauldron.

"What recipe was this?"

"This is Master Shaw's workstation. He uses it to demonstrate the concoction of the Stamina Pill. The pill not only requires spirituality but needs a constant, steady low-heat supply. Changing coals or tossing wood in the middle of the process leads to failure."

One of the Master Alchemists who accompanied them explained. Like the others of similar standing in the entourage, he harbored doubts in linking this young girl to the revolutionary methods which flowed out from Limerock. Seeing the skeptical and sharp Grandmaster Bing fawning over her, however, dispelled any thoughts of treating her with even an ounce of disrespect.

Grandmasters in the field of Alchemy were not ones to cross. Especially the well known, famed Grandmaster Bing. Half of the Masters in the Empire passed through his hands in the Limerock Guild.

"How long is the concoction process, Senior?"

Sue asked while looking at the spent coals below. Her respectful nature and innocent brown eyes disarmed most elders she interacted within the Guild.

"Lady Sue, according to the clock, we have recorded the process to take over three hours. The pill requires a small but steady flow of spiritual power, so even apprentices should barely be sufficient in producing it. The problem lies with the constant heat. Because of this, even Master Alchemist have a one in ten chance of success."

"Lady Sue may not know but Stamina Pills are sought by both Military and Adventurers. The demand is staggering since the pill can allow a man to march for nearly half a day without tiring. The ingredients are common and relatively inexpensive but the concocting waste time, ingredients, and effort."

Another Master chimed in. If it wasn't for the problems associated with the pill, the Guild would have a first-class product.

Sue brushed a strand of brown hair behind her freckled face while nodding. With an expression as if recalling something, she then turned to the two elders.

"If possible, may I ask Seniors a favor?"

Her gentle words increased her standing in the eyes of the two Masters. Before they could agree, a pair of clammy hands clutched their shoulders from behind and pushed them aside. The hunched figure of Grandmaster Earns rubbed his hand while facing her with his waist-length beard.

"Grandmaster Sue needs not to ask favors from simple Masters when this old man still draws breath. Lady Sue will find that we are not lacking when compared to Limerock City."

"Thank you, Grandmaster. If I can have a private concoction room for my experiments it would be sufficient."

Sue tapped her chin with a finger while remembering her conversation with Mr. Thomas before leaving the palace. She then blinked her round eyes at the elder.

"Also, I would like some assistance in gathering ingredients and while concocting. Will Grandmaster show me around the apprentice halls? I would like to choose someone who fits my standard..."

***

Sakura rummaged through another ledger of sewn parchments before scribbling down numbers on parchment of her own. Raising her head while sighing, she looked out the nearby window to the glittering lake in the distance. Amanda had taken the two little girls down to the lake on an invitation from the princess. Work had to continue, however.

"Sue should be touring the Guild by now. Hopefully, she might find something interesting to help her."

Mr. Thomas emptied his mug and then filled it up with the pitcher of water.

"When I went out again yesterday evening, Doug sent a message. She should find him there. The old man is half-blind otherwise he would have recognized her for sure. I am counting on you and Sue to weather any storms until the brat arrives in summer..."