AK - The Alchemy Kingdom

Chapter 146: Ministry of Health

Year 4, Fall, Third Month, First Week.

Mary sipped the hot tea and close her eyes for a moment to enjoy the mellow taste and the warmth spreading through her body. Tea was definitely the best way of dealing with the approaching Winter. Although the citys heating system would adjust the temperature and prevent snow, it couldnt neutralize the cold wind that barged from outside. She had always been particularly sensitive to the cold, but recently, she discovered something that would help keep the cold away longer, tea.

In the old Caiset, they werent strangers to herbal tea, in fact, Mary knew of a dozen medicinal teas that could help with ailments. However, they never explored the recreational or nutritional value of consuming tea regularly, probably because the medicinal teas didnt taste great.

When a food stall that focus on selling tea opened, it created quite a stir amongst the citizens. Although most were criticizing it as an awful idea, the stall became famous nonetheless. Then, a completely different rumor started to spread even faster, people were talking about how good the tea tasted.

As a food lover, Mary couldnt resist the temptation of trying the new sensation. At first, the teas taste was kind of exquisite, it wouldnt be what she normally called delicious, but she strangely longed for it. After her third time buying from the shop, she became a loyal customer and an avid advocate for tea. As a healer, she could already distinguish some health benefits of consuming the drink regularly, she even started to recommend it for her patients and friends.

Unfortunately, the available teas flavors were decreasing by the day. The first time she visited the stall, they had four different flavors, but now they only have one. Mary, who usually preferred to be low-key, could resist throwing the weight of her position to get an explanation from the shop owner. Sadly, she discovered that the other flavors came from wild herbs and flowers sold by Johanns hunting team. Actually, the Mage was the true owner of the shop and had just found someone to manage it.

The manager told Mary that the Mage was missing the tea from Kingdom and ended up finding some herbs he recognized on an expedition. When his friends started to ask for more tea, he realized the potential and found the manager to set up the stall. However, they didnt anticipate the tea would become such a sensation and their stock was now empty. The only available flavor came from a herb that was common and they could gather it close to the city. Mary would have to wait for their next expedition to taste the other flavors again.

The numbers of poisoned dropped by ten percent, but the wounded grew by more than half

Mary sighed as she listened to her secretarys report, the decision of encouraging the formation of independent hunting parties was causing an increase in the wounded, and even in deaths. She already passed a report to the Ministry of Governance about the situation, but their solution only decreased the numbers slightly. They figured that the cause was the hunters' carelessness and lack of training, so they offered free training and started to require a permit to participate in the huntings, which was only issued after a fighting test.

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But Mary had her own ideas to smooth the situation.

What about our elixir production?

Were underway to approve the first two concoctions until the end of the week, and tests on the third should start tomorrow.

Mary pondered about something before asking:

Whats the report on the volunteers?

The secretary flipped the book pages until she found the record.

For the wound healing ointment, all the volunteers wounds closed on visible speed. The pain of healing was described as bearable. The potion was also mildly effective against infection and poison. Weve been monitoring them for three weeks, so far, they didnt experience any difficulty or abnormal conditions.

The Minister nodded, clearly satisfied, and urged the secretary to continue the report.

For the detoxifying potion, all volunteers experienced a reduction on the magic poisoning symptoums. We tested three different concentrations with four schedules of consumption, daily, every two days, every four days, and weekly. For preventing the symptoms, using the middle concentration every four days had the best cost-effective result. While for treatment, only the highest concentration had any efficiency We found six volunteers for the vitality potion if nothing goes wrong and we should start the tests tomorrow.

Good work Remind me of going to the research building later. Whats on schedule now?

You have a meeting with the Alchemy Ministrys representative to test the vitality inspector in ten minutes at the research building. Then, you only have to check on your patients before noon.

Mary finished her tea and quickly left for the meeting, she was very excited to see how the tool worked. The research building was located in the Health section, next to the health care center. For now, the section only had three finished buildings and another one under construction. The biggest one was the health care center, where the sick and wounded would be treated. Next to it is the research building, which was constructed to train the healers and health keepers, and where studies to improve their healing techniques were being carried.

The Ministry of Healths administrative building was constructed on the other side of the research building. Last, a new building was under construction beside the administrative building to create a production of potions and ointments.

When she arrived at the research building, Wein was already waiting for her at the reception room. Mary greeted the Alchemist and they moved into one of the rooms, where a health keeper and a patient waited. She explained that the man was feeling continuous nausea and strong headaches but they couldnt identify his problem. The Alchemist took out a wooden slate and pressed it against his own hand while saying:

The tool is measuring the vitality of the object in contact and indicating it through the drawing glow Look at the response Now, lets try on him

The drawing emitted a bright glow when touching Weins hand but once he put it on the mans hand, the bright diminished considerably. To show the difference, he also tried on Mary and the health keeper. Although the levels were different amongst the three healthy people, the change of brightness for the man was on another level. Then, the Alchemist explained that the tool should also show differences when touching the unhealthier parts of the body. When they tested it on a cut, for example, the tool presented a big difference in the glow.

Mary asked the mans permission and carefully started to use the tool in some specific regions. First, she confirmed a lower bright on his head, but the region with the highest difference was his stomach. The tool wouldnt solve the problem, or even point it out with details, but it could help the healers find the origin of a symptom.

Wein also explained that according to his Master, the particular behavior of the vitality on the area had a big probability to point out a specific problem. He theorized that all open wounds, for example, would have a similar vitality signature, while an infected wound would present a slightly change. Unfortunately, this could only be verified through extensive use of the tool, so they asked the Ministry of Health to keep a comparison of results and use the tool as much as possible, even when they already knew the ailment.

The Minister agreed to their request and invited Wein to accompany her while she checked on the elixir studies. Soon, they were entering another room where two researchers talked excitedly while preparing a concoction. They wanted to stop to greet her, but Mary asked them to proceed.

Two Arrays were drawn directly on the wooden table. A bigger one with a stove and a bowl in its center and a smaller one at the side. The researchers carefully added some crushed herbs to a clay pot over the stove, which started to shine while being boiled. Wein was amazed by the Arrays power. He knew how the design worked but seeing it being fully used was incredible.

The design of the elixir concocting tool was divided into two steps. First, identifying specific healing properties in the ingredients, then enhancing these same properties during preparation. The tool used their only elixir crystal, which they got from Keller to both enhance the properties and improve its absorption through the liquid.

The properties of the elixir element felt a little unreal to Wein, but he understood the basic concept. Life provided vitality and healing, while the elixir element only facilitated and gave some flexibility to the process. Although the process was simple, identification followed by a combination of stimulation and concentration of the properties, the specific levels of everything had to be carefully tested by the researchers.

To allow the research to run freely without the need for an Alchemist to assist every time they wanted to experiment with changing the stimulus or concentration levels, Karl personally drew five different options for the two effects and taught them how to exchange the removable parts. Even so, the research teams took weeks to find the right amount of ingredients, combinations and methods.

Wein left the building with a renewed fascination for the changes Alchemy and magic could bring to their lives. He couldnt wait to discuss his countless ideas with his peers and his Master.