Five days have passed and each petal has dried with no issue, I’m glad! All that is left for me to do is crush each petal into a fine powder before it’s turned into a liquefied cure. I take out my special marble pestle and mortar to use to grind each petal and set up nine vials to put the powder into.

The day before I got fresh and sanitized lake water from deep inside the Plame forest to use for the temporary cure. I let it boil in a glass container and let it condense to get a more purer lakewater. This step is not necessary, but it is a belief I have that the cure will have a greater effect if I do so.

By evening, I have gotten to grind the seventh petal and my arms and hands feel sore. I should have taken a break two hours ago, but my excitement did not let me rest for even a second. After this petal has been crushed and put in its vial, then I will rest and have my meal.

I take a small stroll through the forest with my packed meal. I had been holed up all day and decided some fresh air would do me well. The weather is still beautiful and I don’t have to see the red flower for a while, which is a relief because I was beginning to go mad.

After an hour of taking a break from my work, I go straight back to the alchemy room and check up on the lakewater, it is almost done. Only two more petals left!

I finish grinding up the remaining petals by noon and I get the purified lakewater and a few pipetts. I get the vials with the isrier flower powder and look at them with awe. Soon I will have the temporary cure in my hands and I will be able to live peacefully for the next nine months to come.

It’s early in the morning when I finish the cure. The nine vials with my life line which I worked hard to make. I pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming because it felt surreal. Only one more month was left of my life and now I could live another day… I could just cry with joy!

I have to wait a month before I can take the first vial and the coming month is going to be such agony! I would have difficulty performing certain tasks. Hopefully, the curse won’t affect my livelihood too much. The cure can only be consumed on the day of my birthday, not before or after, because the curse is at its worst around that time.

I put away the vial in a safe place, get back up to the living room, and prepare to sleep when I hear knocking from outside.

“Who could it be at this hour?“

I go to open the door and before me stands a man wearing a uniform and he has a letter in his hands. I take it and look for the seal. My heart drops. It’s from the Emperor. I thank the officer before me and I close the door.

Before I open the letter I make sure to sit down, and then I read the contents of the letter.

Mage,

You are being summoned by His Imperial Highness, Emperor Wei Yexirean. 

The matter is very urgent and His Imperial Highness requires you to meet at the earliest before afternoon and you are to bring your vials.

Sincerely,

Royal Advisor Angelo