Chapter 16: Hypnosis and Herbs (1/2)

[TL: Asuka]

[PR: Ash]

As the first ray of light pierced through the darkness which was spread across the horizon, dawn broke through the sky.

“Mmh…” Roy stretched his arms and opened his eyes. Every cell in his body felt relaxed, as if he’d just soaked in a hot spring. It was the first time he’d had a good night’s sleep since he crossed over two months ago. The dawn breeze kissed him, and it took away his lethargy, making Roy feel refreshed.

“Oh, right, why’d I… Axii. Dammit. Why’d he use Axii on me?” The color drained from Roy’s face, and he quickly checked himself. I’m fine. My clothes are intact, and I don’t feel weird anywhere. He heaved a sigh of relief. “Good thing baldy isn’t gay.”

“You’re awake, brat.” As Letho said good morning in his iconic deadpan voice, some thigh meat grilled to golden brown flew across the air in an arc.

“Ow, ow, hot, hot!” Roy tossed the meat around clumsily before finally catching it. He blew on it and asked, “What did you do to me last night?”

“Look at your wound.”

“Oh, it’s all healed.”

Roy’s thigh had been covered in blood since hours of horseback riding had gnawed his skin. It would have taken five days to heal, but the wound had formed scabs overnight. They were hideous, a dull reddish-brown hue, and were hard to the touch. But it didn’t hurt.

“I hypnotized you with Axii last night and fed you some herbs.”

“That’s not a good idea, Letho. Shouldn’t you tell me before you do that? Didn’t think Axii helped with sleep, though. Wait, you couldn’t have fed potions to me, could you?”

Potions for witchers could harm normal humans greatly, and Roy didn’t want to hurt himself when he was still in his growing phase. He checked his character sheet, but everything seemed fine to him. His Strength even grew by 0.1 point, making it 4.3. Whoa. I got stronger in a night than I could in a month. What kind of magic meds did he feed me?

“Won’t be as effective if you have your guard up,” Letho explained. “Still a long way from the Trial of the Grasses. Potions will kill you if you take them before the trial. Relax. You had special herbs made for humans. It can even make you stronger if you take them regularly.”

Roy’s eyes shone at the mention of the effect. That kind of herb exists? He stopped complaining and gobbled up the remainder of the thigh. “Nice cooking.” He clicked his tongue in praise. “Meat’s tender enough, and smells great. What’s this made out of, Letho?”

Letho’s eyelid twitched, and he took a deep breath. “Wolf. The same beast that tried to kill us last night.”

***

Letho didn’t ask Roy to ride on horseback with him. Instead, he took the horse and sauntered in the wilderness. It was a land filled with strange plants and muddy ground that squelched under their feet, but the air was sweet, tangy, and humid. From time to time, roe deers, honey badgers, and deers would stick their heads out of the bushes, just to turn tail and run in fright at the sight of them both.

“Where are we going?”

Letho was already used to Roy’s incessant questioning, and he shrugged before giving a cryptic answer. “Think closely, and you’ll find the answer.”

Roy squinted skeptically, and a moment later, one long, strange message appeared in his mind.

‘Marigold: Biennial plant. Has glandular trichomes. Its leaves are alternate and circular in shape. Its flowers can be yellow or orange. Prefers cooler climates. It can survive the cold, but dies quickly in higher heat. Can help with digestion and healing of wounds.

‘Buckthorn: Annual plant. Stem grows upright and has trichomes. Its leaves grow in a whorled arrangement. Prefers warmer climates and places with sufficient light as well as air circulation. Can survive hot environments, but dies if there’s too much water. Can act as an antidote for poison and a medicine for plagues.

‘Nettle… Belladonna… Comfrey… Myrtle… Chrysanthemum… Berbercane fruit…’

The images, details, and medicinal value for more than thirty herbs appeared within his mind, and Roy memorized them without difficulty. He was sure he could recognize every single one of them if they were to appear before him.

“You were almost healed when we left Kaer. Time for you to learn new things.” Letho still held the horse by the leash. “So I used a sign last night to make you memorize the common herbs. They can do anything from stopping minor bleedings to neutralizing toxins. Remember them well. You’ll have to use them eventually,” he explained slowly.

Roy had his question answered. Over the course of one night, Letho had bestowed multiple surprises upon him. Roy became stronger, and he had a compendium of herbs in his mind. He hadn’t seen most of them before, and he was sure they never appeared in the game. That’s normal though. This is the real world. It’s not as limited as the game. Course I don’t know a lot of things. However, he had a giant head start with a witcher mentoring him.

***