Chapter 4: Learning and Conflict

A New Day

The morning sun filtered through the old church's worn windows, casting warm golden light over Bell as he stirred awake. The exhaustion from his reckless dungeon run had faded, leaving only a renewed determination in its place. Today was important—he was finally going to start training properly with Naaza.

After quickly getting dressed and grabbing a light meal, Bell glanced over at Hestia, who was still curled up and snoring softly, drooling onto her pillow. Smiling fondly, he whispered, "I'll be back, Hestia," before quietly slipping out of the church. She mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep and flopped onto her other side, causing the blanket to tangle around her. Bell chuckled to himself before heading out.

His destination was set—the Blue Pharmacy. Today, he was finally going to begin training under Naaza.

A Start To Training

Upon arriving at the Miach Familia home, Bell found Naaza in the courtyard, already deep into her morning routine. She looked as lovely as ever. Her brown hair, slightly tousled from the morning breeze, her sharp purple eyes were locked onto her targets with unwavering focus. She wore her usual light tan scarf, light blue and yellow asymmetrical shirt—with the short left sleeve and the long right sleeve; enough to cover her entire arm. A brown glove on her right hand, a long dark blue skirt, and brown boots to complete the look. She shifted slightly as her tail flicked behind her, an unconscious movement of concentration.

She barely spared him a glance. "You're late." She said losing two arrows at the same time with calculated precision, striking two different bullseyes effortlessly, her expression unchanged.

Bell rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry, Naaza. Hestia was still asleep, and I didn't want to wake her."

Naaza lowered her bow, ears twitching slightly. "Well, at least you're here. Let's get started."

Bell followed her inside, where she had already set up various herbs, vials, and potion-making tools.

Miach, ever the gentle presence, emerged from the back room and greeted him with a kind smile. "Good morning Bell, nice to see you looking well. Ready to learn?"

Bell nodded eagerly. "Yes! I want to make sure I'm not a burden in the dungeon. Naaza is just going to teach me how to make potions, right?"

Naaza crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "Not just potions. We're also going to work on your general survival skills. You need to know how to handle wounds, exhaustion, and poisons. You can't always rely on potions when you're down there."

Bell grinned. "Alright, I'll do my best!"

They got right to training. "Healing is just as important as combat," she explained, measuring ingredients with practiced ease. "Adventurers who rely solely on brute strength don't last long. And from what I've seen… You need to learn how to take care of yourself."

Bell swallowed hard, knowing she wasn't wrong. He watched attentively as she demonstrated how to crush herbs properly, how to identify potent ingredients, and how to mix a basic health potion. Though Naaza tried to act indifferent, Bell could sense that she enjoyed teaching, especially when she caught him making mistakes and had the chance to correct him.

Miach eventually joined them, overseeing their progress with a warm smile. "It's good to see you two working together," he commented, watching as Bell fumbled with a mortar and pestle. "Just don't let him burn down the shop, Naaza."

Naaza smirked. "No promises."

A Visit to Another Familia

Later that afternoon, after hours of training, Naaza proposed something that caught Bell off guard. "We're heading to the Dian Cecht Familia."

Bell blinked. "Wait,Dian Cecht? Don't they sell the most expensive potions in Orario?"

Naaza huffed. "Yes. Dian might be money-hungry, but his familia knows their craft. If you want to understand medicine, you need to see what real professionals do. There you can meet Airmid, their best healer, she is incredibly skilled."

Miach, overhearing the conversation, chuckled. "Try not to pick a fight this time with Dian Cecht, Naaza."

Naaza scoffed. "Dian's an arrogant pain, but Airmid knows a lot. It wouldn't hurt for you to see her doing what she does best."

Bell hesitated. "Are you sure they won't mind?"

Naaza huffed. "We'll see if they mind. Ready to head out, Bell?"

As they walked through the streets of Orario toward the Dian Cecht Familia's estate, Bell glanced at Naaza curiously. "So… why are we going there, really? I mean, from how you talk about them, you don't seem to like them very much."

Naaza sighed, keeping her eyes forward. "Because I want you to understand how important healing is. If you get injured and you don't know how to handle it, you're as good as dead. Dian Cecht may be an ass, but it would be good for your training."

Bell nodded, taking her words to heart. "I get it. I'll pay attention."

Naaza glanced at him, her expression softening just slightly. "Good."

Bell wasn't sure what that meant until they arrived at the Dian Cecht Familia home. Almost immediately, they were greeted by Airmid , who welcomed them with practiced grace. "Naaza, it's been a while. What brings you here?"

"Hey Airmid, I'm training Bell here on healing and I figured this would be a good place for him to visit and learn."
"Well, hello Bell, I'm Airmid Teansanare, lead healer here in the Dian Cecht familia."

Before Bell could say anything, a deep, arrogant voice cut through the air. "Well, well. Look who decided to show her face."

Dian Cecht strode into the room, his expression one of barely restrained smugness. "How's that prosthetic of yours holding up? Since your familia's still paying it off."

Naaza's tail stiffened, her hands closed into fists. Bell frowned, stepping slightly closer to her in quiet support.

"It's holding up just fine," Naaza replied coldly. "Unlike your sense of decency."

Bell glanced between them, sensing a long history of bitterness. The tension was thick, and while Airmid looked down and away, doing her best not to intervene.

Dian Cecht let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Still as sharp-tongued as ever. What do you want?"

"Information," Naaza said flatly. "I'm training Bell in potion-making. I figured it would be good for him to see the kind of overpriced potions you sell."

Bell tensed, half-expecting Dian Cecht to explode, but instead, the deity grinned. "Oh? So you've decided to teach this boy yourself? I wonder if that means Miach has finally given up on trying to compete with us."

Bell clenched his fists, about to speak up, but Naaza held up a hand to stop him. "Spare me your nonsense. We'll be looking around now."

Airmid, sensing an opportunity to keep the peace, decided it was a great time to break up the argument and change the subject. "Let me show you around, Bell. There's plenty to learn here."

Bell shot a glance at Naaza and she nodded. He followed Airmid, eager to learn what he could, though the encounter left a sour taste in his mouth.

As they moved deeper into the facility, Airmid led Bell through rows of neatly organized shelves filled with potions, rare herbs, and medical tools. "This is where our best potions are crafted and stored," she explained. "Dian might be insufferable at times, but our work saves lives."

Bell's eyes widened as he spotted rows of shimmering elixirs. "I've never seen so many potions in one place before… This is amazing."

Airmid gave him a patient smile. "You'll learn that alchemy is more than just mixing ingredients. It's an art, one that can be the difference between life and death."

Naaza, having kept her distance, finally spoke up. "Don't let them fool you. They charge an arm and a leg for every drop."

Airmid chuckled softly. "That might be true, but quality comes at a cost."

Bell turned to Naaza. "Do you think I could ever make potions this good?"

Naaza crossed her arms, studying him. "Maybe, if you stop being so reckless and actually use that head of yours."

Airmid nodded approvingly. "With the right guidance, I believe you could, Bell. You have a certain… sincerity about you."

The compliment left Bell slightly flustered, but before he could respond, Naaza let out an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, enough of this. We've seen what we came for. Let's go before I start choking on all this self-importance in the air."

Bell followed Naaza out, glancing back once at Airmid, who gave him an encouraging nod. As they exited, Bell could feel the tension still lingering from their earlier encounter with Dian Cecht.

A Change of Pace

They walked in silence for a while after leaving the estate with Dian's words lingering. Eventually, Bell decided to break the tension. "Hey, are you hungry? How would you like to grab something to eat?"

Naaza glanced at him, then sighed. "Yeah, fine.I could use a drink too."

Naaza led Bell to a small, cozy tavern nearby. The scent of grilled meat and ale filling the air. They settled at a small table in the front corner of the building. Bell, still rattled from the encounter, watched as Naaza took a long sip of her drink.

"I take it you and Dian Cecht have never gotten along?" He finally asked.

Naaza sighed, setting her mug down. "That's a bit of an understatement."

She hesitated before continuing. "He's a brilliant doctor, but he cares more about wealth than people. When I lost my arm, Miach paid a large price to get me that prosthetic from them. And Dian Cecht never let me forget it." Naaza exhaled, removing her glove and flexing her silver prosthetic under the dim tavern light. The polished metal gleamed, the embedded gems catching the glow of the lanterns. She stared at it for a moment, as if lost in thought.

Bell frowned. "That's awful, but it shows Miach really cares about you."

Naaza's ears flicked slightly, and she looked away. "He does. Too much, sometimes. He's like a father to me, teaching me all that he can and caring for me more than I deserve..."

A brief silence passed between them before Bell decided to change the subject. "Still, I think today went well. Even with the… awkward parts."

Naaza raised an eyebrow. "You consider getting talked down to by that pompous god 'going well'?"

Bell laughed nervously. "I mean, aside from that. I actually learned a lot from you."

Naaza blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then, she looked down at her drink, swirling it slightly in her hand. "Hmph. I appreciate you saying that... Just don't expect me to go easy on you next time."

Despite her tone, Bell could see a faint smile on her lips.

Returning to the Blue Pharmacy

By the time they had left the tavern and reached the Miach Familia home, the streets had darkened, and the magic stone lamps lining the pathways cast a golden glow. Bell had walked alongside Naaza in comfortable silence.

As they neared the door, Bell finally spoke up. "Hey, Naaza?"

She turned slightly, glancing at him. "What?"

Bell hesitated for a second before smiling. "I had a great time today."

Naaza stared at him. "You… what?"

"I mean it!" Bell continued, rubbing the back of his head. "I learned a lot. And even though things got tense with Dian Cecht, I still enjoyed today. It was fun!"

Naaza scoffed lightly, but there was no real bite to it. "You're weird, you know that?"

Bell just grinned. "Hehe, maybe. But I'll see you for training again tomorrow?"

She rolled her eyes but nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't be late."

As Bell turned to leave, Naaza hesitated for a brief moment before speaking again. "And… take care of yourself, alright? You push yourself too hard sometimes."

Bell paused, glancing back at her in surprise. Her ears twitched slightly, and she quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the door handle.

A small, warm smile formed on Bell's lips. "I will. Thanks, Naaza."

With that, he gave her a grateful nod before heading back toward the church. Naaza watched him go for a few moments, her tail flicking idly. Then, with a sigh, she shook her head and stepped inside. He really was something else.