Timeline: Spring of Year 19, three days after exams...

Fuze had the entire guild keep quiet about Donna for now as she is very ill after her fight.

He wants to know what she thinks, after obtaining A-Rank status from Jiggis for managing to survive 'his mess' as he puts it that Jiggis eschewed Demon Summoning in exams forever.

'Looks like your sister will be off for a few more days.' Fuze remarked. 'What were your plans after signing up?'

'We're supposed to be B-Rank Foragers because we planned on opening a medicine shop in this guild.' said Melvin. 'We'll do our own foraging to supply ourselves so that way we'd actually earn something and send money home. But as winter just ended, it's impossible to sign up for foraging exams but we really needed to be adventurer's soon so we signed up for Subjugation as switching careers is easy...we just didn't see this coming.'

'Yeah, we didn't see that coming too.' said Fuze, face-palming. 'You guys just wanted a license to open a shop inside this guild?'

'Yeah, much easier for us in the long run, given the rules.' said Melvin. 'Sister has her own ways.'

'Well, you youngsters will have to put that one in writing soon.' said Fuze.

'Yeah, we have that ready in our bags...this is the draft of our business plans.' Melvin reached for his bag and took out wads of paper held in place by paper clips. 'We'd want to open up shop in Blumund as it's closer to home, we live in Maybelle. With magic, we could go home any time we want disregarding distance. I'm the Swordsman, sister is the Mage in our team.'

Fuze looked at the files.

The siblings really intended to open a shop in the guild. A medicine shop while they're their own suppliers. Donna could make medicine.

While medicine is welcome in Blumund, he wondered HOW will Donna pull this off.

The neighboring Falmuth Kingdom stopped allowing goods to come from the Armed Nation of Dwargon to prevent any goods that could be used by the military to reach there. And since high-quality potions no longer arrive from the Dwarf Kingdom, they had no choice but to sell the inferior goods made by the local pharmacists. Besides, since they are making things by boiling medical herbs found in forests and caves, the medicine they produce is naturally inferior.

Yet in these files, Donna can get Potions somehow?

'How can this be possible?' Fuze asked Melvin grimly.

'Sister can pull this off, with a condition.' said Melvin. 'Sister will confirm when she wakes. She does NOT want unwanted attention on herself. Please put a gag order on her true rank. Make her a B-Class instead for her own safety, in exchange for something heavy that you can't help but agree with us for her safety.' he said seriously.

This got Fuze worried now.

'Will you tell me?'

'If that incident gets out, unwanted attention will be on Donna, especially from the West.' said Melvin, thinking of one person they were wary of. 'She has three Unique Skills.' Fuze choked as his eyes popped. 'She will be in danger by being roped against her will as a human weapon by countries. A-Rank Champions are just a step away from that disaster.' he said. 'In exchange for supplies of Full-Potions, you will do as we ask, for her safety.'

'Alright.' Fuze agreed. 'As you know, Falmuth, that smarmy country, denied everyone else Dwargon's products. If we are to get some, we have to pay an unholy tariff in and out. And Blumund doesn't have that kinda money.' he said.

Blumund is a VERY SMALL COUNTRY.

This country is so small that all the nobles are feudal lords of villages. It is merely a country that comprises its royal capital of Rondo. The capital is the only large city, and in the castle town lies the Blumund's Freedom Association Branch. The Blumund Kingdom is a kingdom of information, where Intel is up for sale. It's because it's such a small country, it would be immediately destroyed if it didn't regulate such information.

A small country that didn't have much national power as nobody'd volunteer because of lack of medicine.

Their counter-measures against monsters are insufficient. They somehow cooperated with the Freedom Association. In this country, adventurers are at the front lines, and there's a demand for the potions thus not even they can go out much. Work progress is slow as a result that Blumund Branch is the second-poorest. The poorest is Falmuth Branch as the country looks down on Adventurers and the guild doesn't have much support there.

'This means you're implying that Donna can actually get us Full-Potions with her skill?'

'Yeah. Safety is all we ask.' said Melvin. 'So a Gag Order?'

'I'll get to it.' Fuze reassured him with determination. He gathered all Blumund Adventurers regarding Donna's exams.

He had issued a Gag Order for her safety that her true rank will be known only to them, in exchange for a supply of Full-Potions as well as High-Potions that they can finally be a more active branch.

When Donna woke up, she delivered...and much to the disbelief of the guild and the royal family, they received crates of Full Potions from her.

They paid up of course.

'Falmuth's shackling monopoly towards us weaker countries is over.' said King Bulud in relief when the siblings are in the castle's conference room. 'Blumund managed to survive this long as our trade relies on information. By trading information, this gave us protection. But the problem is, no one wants to sign up in the military due to medicine issues back then...as well as medical services and goods. No soldier would want to fight without support thus we are sitting ducks.'

'But still...why choose to work in Blumund? You could be anywhere...'

'Safety is our issue while balancing livelihood as well.' said Donna. 'Melvin and I are Falmuth Citizens.' the court gasped. 'My family originated from Northdale in Sunrise Valley...Baron Arden's territory.' she said with a grimace. 'We are slowly dying year by year. Worked to death yet our salary sucks so bad bread is all we could eat. We're malnourished several years ago we're nothing more than bones with skins on. Like people only existed to fill the wallets of the monarchy and aristocracy.' she said.

'My whole family were farmers and uneducated at that.' Donna continued. 'Until one day, I felt so bad...my body is failing me that I wanted medicine, even if we know we can't afford it. If only I knew how to make it, I thought...until I heard a voice.'

'A voice?'

''Acquisition of Unique Skill: Pharmacist, successful'.' Donna repeated. Melvin knew that their fib is on play here, and information must be traded for the whole thing to work. 'I was invaded with knowledge of medicinal herbs, poison, and how to make medicine as well as a few skills related to the Unique Skill.' several jaws dropped. 'My body felt a bit stronger but seven-years-old me was still hanging on by a thin thread. I had little time left. I had to make myself a Full-Potion to save my life, as well as that of my malnourished family's.'

'But to make a Full-Potion, you'd need a large amount of Hipokute!' the queen gasped out. 'Either you know location or how to raise them?'

'The latter.' the conference room got shocked again. That elusive herb can actually be cultivated?! 'Hipokute come to exist by exposing grass or weeds to potent magicules. Which is reason they are said to appear only in magicule-rich places.' she said. 'I'd like a potted weed. Any will do to demonstrate.'

Upon getting a random pot, Donna exposed the pot to a potent ball of magicules and the small weed mutated into Hipokute, astonishing the court.

'With this...we're finally alright!' Bulud choked out. 'Our country finally has medicine!'

'But we'll have to keep the flow of medicine secret as young Miss Donna wants anonymity so that means we can't let anyone know we now have the ability to cultivate Hipokute to produce our own stash of Potions.' said the Queen. 'I bet our lives that Dwargon knows this method which is why they've had the monopoly of Potion Production which Falmuth denies us smaller nations while squeezing money out of wealthier nations who can afford their nasty tarriffs.' she said with a scowl. 'If Falmuth knows we have potions somehow, they will investigate for sure, leading them to this young lady. And as she is a citizen of Falmuth to begin with...they have full rights to take her back by force and exploit her while still denying people who need medicine. Medicine for gold or your life!'

The court pursed their lips with dark looks at her words.

Donna was their hope.

And she wants protection and she clearly has no loyalty to Falmuth after she saw how Edmalis treats his citizens.

'Young lady, how do you see your country?' Bulud asked Donna.

'Its a lotus pond.' said Donna. 'That people only see the flowers on the surface, never seeing the muck it feeds on.' she told them as the adults exchanged looks. 'That muck, represents us people who live in squalor all our lives that never knew how to have it better. We lived in the dark as we couldn't afford education. That what we know is what we're allowed to know to keep working to feed the fat wallets of the landlords. The murky water of the pond represents how little people outside know our situation...and the flower represents what Falmuth wants naive outsiders to see, never knowing what's going on.' she said softly.

What an analogy, they thought.

'There's no way in hell will my family die forever feeding those hedonists.' Donna swore. 'As you know, all families must have five sons by royal mandate. My family has six children, I'm the only girl. Four to be conscripted, the youngest will pop out more sons upon marriage. Our brothers are in the military now and they would send us letters and told us what it was like in the military academy.'

'They have to humble themselves and avoid shining to survive on my advice and I told them to wait and see what happens to commoners who tried in hopes of a better life...that poor soul was bullied to death, by the way, that our siblings really held back while still more people died in the military academy. Our brothers graduated with average grades and plain reputation to survive while concealing their true skill as the academy is vicious grounds.'

'But their true skill is anything like yours, no doubt.' said Fuze. 'How did you get such skill?'

'Hinata Sakaguchi.' that name shocked the court. 'Back when I was eleven, she ended up in Northdale. She was a stray otherworlder who just left her teacher, Shizue Izawa, years before she became the famous one she is today.'

Another notable name, they thought. Shizue was famous until her retirement that after twenty years of adventuring, she was said to travel around, help people, and teach Stray Otherworlders to help them get used to their new realities.

'She was tired and hungry so I led her home. She stayed with us for a year and I managed to ask her to teach us language and math, and swordplay...and I got her help to help me come out to my family about my Pharmacy so I can openly help them.'

'She left after a year of stay and Andre, our third brother managed to tell our two older brothers how to train Hinata's way. And we younger siblings continued training but we never fought against a fellow warrior, we honed our bodies for years...and as of last year, Hinata began asking me for Full-Potions with compensation, which is how we could ditch Northdale and live in Maybelle after our brothers did research for our sakes...and afford our adventurer gear.'

The siblings indeed did their research.

Maybelle is within Marquis Muller's territory and he's a relative of the Blumund Royalty. They know him well and how he manages his territories. It's also on the northern border of Blumund, its no wonder they settled there.

'So you kids are trained, but zilch experience.'

'Yeah...that Greater Demon was my first real fight ever and the aggressors we trained on don't count as they're stupid, while blondie is a seasoned veteran who just made me see my limits.' Donna groaned miserably. 'Thank god for Hinata's training menu or I'm dead!'

'Jiggis said he was attracted to your strong soul...humans with Unique Skills have strong souls.' Fuze informed her. 'And you have three. What are the other two?'

'...Tome of Magic and Survivor.' said Donna. 'I know all spells and rituals, and who invented what from the beginning of time to present date. Survivor is basically how to survive in the woods in comfort if you're lost and alone and easily make a living.'

Many jaws dropped.

Those skills, are doggone valuable. ESPECIALLY for soldiers dammit.

'Yeah, we're keeping those a secret.' Fuze choked. 'Your soul is ridiculously powerful, no wonder you attracted that guy! Three Unique Skills!' he choked out. 'But you'll mostly use Pharmacy no doubt?'

'Yes, that was the original plan...in order to make full use of my skill.' said Donna. 'We were supposed to live like normal, but that exam ruined our anonymity...'

'Don't worry. Because Blumund takes information seriously, so are Gag Orders.' Fuze reassured her. 'We'll have to plan the flow of medicine in secret for your sake. Leave the hard parts to us since we will owe you big for saving us. Leave the politics to us.'

'We'd be thankful.' Donna smiled. 'Oh yeah, Hinata will drop by annually. She knows where we set shop by now should my letter reach her.'

xxx

Blumund never dreamed that magic will be more valuable to them even more now, to make a living.

Donna was given tasks before she can open her shop.

1. Train their magicians.

2. Cultivate Hipokute using every weed in the kingdom.

3. Create the goods.

The needed skill here, is Control Magic.

Donna taught mages the Skill on the sly by training them hard in it, until they heard the 'voice' that said 'Acquisition of Extra Skill: Control Magic, successful' freaked them out and the mental discipline needed to pull off magic easier and stronger. Because Magic projects an idea into reality using a medium. Usually...magicules and spiritrons. And to use magic, you need mental strength. The stronger the spell the stronger your mental strength and willpower must be. This will also make them less susceptible to Mental Magic.

For humans, this is rough on them. But for majin, they draw from their inner magical energy instead, which makes for less stress, higher efficiency and stronger power output at that. They only resort to 'human method' if they ran out of power.

But for Donna, she taught her brother another method...that would have turned him into a majin if she didn't trick him.

She told him to absorb magicules to accumulate magical energy in the body, just enough to 'fill a house' which is safe for most human mages who reach level 100 as humans, therefore making them Hazard-Class. This is IF they have rare-grade goods. By having an inner magical pool, they would adapt easier to manipulating magicules using their magical energy and move them to their will.

For humans with up to special-grade equipment, they would still need mental strength to utlize magicule manipulation. A special-grade weapon just makes it 'a little easier'. About the equivalent of a toddler getting used to standing up for longer and walk across their bedroom in comparison.

Because trying beyond that, will make you either a majin if you're lucky...or die from magicule poisoning.

Donna was among the rare few exceptions thanks to her skills that made her soul powerful enough to become a Majin safely if she bothered to try.

Well, to survive a world like this, especially if her secrets leak out...she must pursue power.

By mastering Control Magic, the mages can create magicule-rich water...which will be used to create Potions by mixing Hipokute Essence with it.

For fighters, they were to be trained...'Hinata-Style'. Reaching the peak of physical conditioning aside, they have to reach peak combat skill and form and learning what Arts they could, and all adventurers assigned to Freedom Guild: Blumund Branch are cursed to keep Blumund's Secrets to their graves.

The secrets being Donna and everything related to her. Donna had to write books about medicine, asking for large amounts of paper, ink and bookbinding goods. This is for Blumund Kingdom's brilliant minds to master pharmacy. The smartest people are gathered, bound to secrecy, and studied the books to improve Blumund's medical abilities for the sake of citizens. There are those assigned to Hygiene and Cosmetic Products, Medicine for Minor, Moderate and Major Illnesses, and Poisons from Mild to Worst. And Adventurers and soldiers are learning her survival skills.

But the ones producing the Healing Potions, will be the monarchy themselves through Donna herself.

And now, Blumund is gaining developments, until a month since exam day...

Donna was doing inventory of potions she has on sale.

She sells Low and High Potions, while Full Potions are sold on special cases only, such as high-ranking missions or if someone got maimed.

Jiggis was quick to buy a Full Potion from Donna to have his leg back, and he went retraining.

And so, spring fully came to Blumund, after wacky weather.

Any place living near Jura Forest is accustomed to unpredictable weather due to the magicules within the vast forest.

'Looks like we can forage for real now.' Melvin mused as snow's over. Until then they spent their closed days training as potions are rare, considering they couldn't go out to forage.

'Yeah, let's go and open our shop for real.' said Donna. They filed for Foraging Leave to supply their shop.

xxx

We're now official Adventurers and part time Potion salesmen in Blumund.
We passed the exams, but an unprecedented event happened when my turn
came. During Subjugation Exam where we had to fight monsters, a Greater
Demon came out for me because he sensed how strong my soul was. And
have I mentioned how thankful I am for your killer menu that I survived
AND impressed this guy even though I lost? I later learned from Blumund
Guildmaster Fuze that humans with Unique Skills are attractive to Demons.
Yeeeah, that doesn't help me sleep at night...and Jiggis was so horrified he
forever swore off Demon Summoning in his exams before Fuze reamed his
ear off. Because what if next time, an Archdemon came out because they
smelled ME?

The Blumund Royal Court knows my abilities in exchange for keeping me
secret. It's in their best interest anyway, as with me around, they can finally
strengthen their military. Up until now, Adventurers ARE their military, nobody
was willing to sign up due to lack of potions no thanks to Falmuth's chokehold
on resources from Dwargon by charging highway robbery. That only the rich
can afford Dwargon's goods at unfair rates sold by Falmuth. I wonder if the
Dwarf King knew?

However, I got wind from my brothers that not even Dwargon can create
Full Potions as the potions Falmuth Military gets is always High Potion. Only
I have that skill now. Lucky you and Blumund huh? Joke's on Edmalis now.
Well, while it's still wacky weather here, I'm also assisting in training the
mages here as I'm a walking magic academy by myself. They know pathetically
weak spells due to financial issues that they can't afford training in Headquarters,
and due to the restriction that they need rare-grade equipment. The money issue
I understand, but requirement of rare-grade equipment was utter nonsense!
Special Grade Equipment can handle up to C-Class spells! The only justification
for rare-grade restriction is Class-B and A spells!

Needless to say the Blumund Branch got annoyed, and I convinced them to keep
mum as I highly value my anonymity. They vindictively agreed to spite the snotty
Headquarters Employees, and are enjoying Class-C magic now, from fields of their
preferred choice. Mel and I will further hone ourselves as we got traumatized by
my crazy physical exam. There might be another crazy accident and I want to win
next time as winning = LIVING.

-Donna

Hinata promptly paid Donna a visit to 'baptize' her with Holy Magic to keep 'pests' off her as she wasn't too happy and baptized the exam room when they got back.

'That's that.' Hinata dusted her hands off after 'cleansing' the exam room.

'Ehehe, thanks Hinata.' said Donna weakly. 'If only I can use Holy Magic, but I'm not religious given my past...I can teach, but unable to use it.' she sighed. There ARE some religious bunch among her mages that she taught them Holy Magic through formal lecture and teaching them how Hinata could cast it.

She came to learn that by teaching them COMPLETE Holy Magic, they qualify as freaking Bishops as last they checked, being able to use the Miracle Version is a requirement to advance to Bishop all the way to Cardinal, as there can only be ONE Pope. And using the Miracle is more powerful than Faith level, equivalent to using Nuclear Magic enough to nuke a house.

'There's a way.' said Hinata. 'Go to Galut City in Ulgrassia. Pray at the Altar in the city for a Spirit to come to you to become a Spirit Magic User.' she advised. 'Spirits are strong against Demons.'

'I'll give it a shot.' Donna nodded.

'But remember, while the relationship is spirits are strong against demons, they are weak to angels but luckily they're not here.' said Hinata. 'If you actually succeed, train hard with your partner.'

With that advice, the siblings traveled south, using a broom Donna enchanted for her use...and soared in the air using magicules in the atmosphere.

Upon arrival, she gave it a shot. Anyone can go to the altar, but not everyone outside Ulgrassia gets lucky.

When Donna prayed for a Spirit to come to her, an Earth Spirit came, a Hamadryad. She has vines for hair, greenish-white skin and clad in a 'gown' of moss, ferns and waist-down of roots. Beautiful she may be but her large hands look like wooden claws peeking from her leafy sleeves! It was a Greater Earth Spirit who chose her that made bystanders applaud her for her prestige as its rare to be liked by a Greater Spirit.

Needless to say, Hamadryad was used to help ripen crops instantly, and help Donna spawn herbs she needed for her work.

Blumund's food also saw to improvements, as Donna knew British Cuisine by heart through force. Courtesy of Petunia. The rest were her own learning as when Harry followed Petunia's way, she SUCKED, and figured on his own how to make recipes delicious. But out of spite, he never cooked it for the Dursleys. In fact, he made it 'stronger', greasier and oilier out of spite, so heavy that even the three Dursley Pigs can't finish a meal, incase Marge visits.

The technique of creating better bread, dairy products, various curry dishes, cobblers, stews, pasties, other british dishes she can recreate, as well as indian and chinese by learning from house elves as she got them into it which was reason Hogwarts Meals started seeing indian and chinese food they can recreate with local resources and desserts. And that was because Harry back then, wanted something different yet unable to even go to a restaurant due to how restricted he was and managed to convince the elves who were interested in new fare.

Contrary to what Hermione believed, Harry CAN be studious...when it came to what interested him. And he doesn't have to study in public like she does, just to make it clear to people how hard she works. He was subtler as in his case, attention brings him TROUBLE. And there's a reason he got Survivor as a Unique Skill when he died and reincarnated.

After the elves mastered it, it appeared on the tables. He grew to like his newfound cunning regarding food. But sadly, cannot expand as the elves can only cook food using purchases put in their pantries for them. Too bad. But at least, Hogwarts' menu changed before he died and could taste them as well as learn how to make it.

Not only that, she knows how to make alcoholic drinks, but only read it by book out of curiosity.

By selling cookbooks, it became a hit in Blumund Households.

That, and with inclusion of spices and herbs, they all got healthier.

Alcohol will have to wait a bit. She's still...experimenting.

'You serious?!' Fuze was HIGHLY INTERESTED. Ingrassia's beer is lukewarm and disgusting! If you can pull this off...!'

'What kind of a chemist will I be if I can't even make Beer of all things?!'

She started with Ale...and with magic, sped up the fermentation process for reaching the ideal taste. Even in Earth, back in medieval times, Ale was preferable to drinking water and even KIDS drink it.

There were two types: Small Ale that made it possible for even kids to like it, and Ale for adults.

She created many types to appeal to different people, while Small Ale is pretty much...universally-liked.

Tested...and the royals immediately had her mass-making it for taverns and bars. And their own stock of course.

As for beer?

It'll have to wait a bit...because Donna had to let the land around the capital rest that she has to get her herbal wares elsewhere. That, and farmers want a break, too!

In spring, grain was planted and harvested THREE TIMES. That included the plowing and winnowing work. And so was fruits.

This was because grain isn't just for bread and porridge any more.

People doesn't know where grain is going...except for employees hired to help Donna make Ale, Fruit Mead as honey is FATALLY-IMPOSSIBLE TO GET for humans according to her spirit, two of which are easy for her to create while yeah, finding ideal flavor of beer will be tricky...

'OK, so we're gonna go to Jura Forest to obtain Hipokute for our use as we exhausted Blumund Farms so Hamadryad will take care of the land for the time being after we go back.' Melvin mused as the siblings went into the forest.

'Yup.' said Donna. 'The Adventurers need more stocks. Really now, using potions like water.' Donna did an eyeroll. 'Diluting my Full Potions into low-grades is still just as tough as making beer you know! Its not easy making magicule-rich water! But anyway...this forest feels so light all of a sudden huh?'

'Yeah. This forest usually has a thick magicule atmosphere to the point its damn near toxic, but safe for humans for at least a month of exposure, if they're not mages.' said Melvin. 'Soooo where to we get our herbs?'

'Anywhere will do, really!' Let's go straight so we won't get lost!'

That, was how they found a budding town of monsters...