One day when Father came home from work, he handed me a letter sealed in wax stamped with the royal crest.
“This is from His Majesty,” Father said. “Since the commerce guild operates under royal oversight in this kingdom, he’s making all the arrangements. He’s written you a letter of recommendation.”
Hmm, come to think of it, things were kind of awkward last time I saw the king.
I wanted to write him a thank-you letter, along with a little surprise to bring a smile to his face. With that thought in mind, I headed to the kitchen to find Miina.
“Hey, Miina. I was thinking of sending your new Danish recipe to the king as a gift. When do you think you could make some?”
Miina’s tail poofed up in surprise, growing large and bushy when she heard her Danish would be given to the king.
“Ack! To His Majesty?! If I can prioritize the Danishes over my other tasks, I could have them ready the morning after tomorrow at the earliest.” She glanced over at Bob, her boss.
Please, Bob! I’m counting on you!
“We can cover for her, Miss Daisy. We should be just fine,” Bob said, thumping his chest as if to say “Leave it to me!”
Maria nodded beside him in agreement.
“Thanks, everyone!” I said.
“How many should I prepare?” Miina asked.
I told her I’d like her to make enough for all four members of the royal family, so four or more—whatever quantity was easier for her to make.
The Danishes were ready right when Miina said they would be. She made eight in total, two for each member of the family. Just like last time, they were topped with custard cream and either cinnamon apples or glazed peaches. I wrote a letter of thanks and asked Father to deliver it with the treats when he went to work.
That evening when he came home, he told me the king had been delighted by the gift.
Yay! I’m so glad he liked it!
One weekday, not long after, Father took a day off so I could be introduced to the members of the commerce guild a little early. I wore my best dress and braided my hair, attaching the aquamarine and peridot ornament I’d received from Oliver, the merchant.
The commerce guild was located in a large, tall building on the city’s main street. Despite its size, the guild’s headquarters took up the entire thing. It made sense, though, if this was the organization that oversaw every shop operating in the kingdom. A lot of space was needed for that kind of work.
We went in through the main doors and headed for the reception desk inside.
“Welcome. How may I help you today?” the receptionist asked.
Father lifted me up so that the lady could see me over her desk. “I am Viscount Preslaria, and this is my daughter, Daisy. She’s planning on opening a shop in the city in the future, so we’ve come to introduce ourselves in advance.” He presented her with the sealed letter of recommendation from the king.
“Goodness, you’re opening a shop with the king’s personal recommendation?” she said. “I need to inform my superiors right away. Please have a seat on the sofa while you wait.” She returned the letter to Father, bowed, and excused herself.
We waited for a while until the receptionist returned. “Viscount Preslaria and Miss Daisy, the guildmaster will see you now. This way, please.” She led us to a door, but when it opened, it appeared to lead to an empty box that could only fit a few people.
“Are we supposed to wait inside that tiny room?” I asked, baffled.
“Oh, is this your first time using an elevator?” the receptionist asked with a kind smile. She must’ve been used to this kind of reaction. “Since our building is quite tall, we use a magical device called an ‘elevator’ to move between floors. It’s powered by mana stones.”
While she explained, she guided us inside and operated a device. I heard a quiet whirring noise, then we began to rise, and I felt a strange, light sensation in my feet.
“The meeting room is this way,” she said. Once we stepped out of the elevator, she led us to one of several doors, then knocked, opened it, and gestured us in.
Inside, a large, middle-aged man rose to greet us. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Viscount Preslaria and Miss Daisy. Thank you for—” Suddenly he paused, his eyes widening.
Wait a minute, he’s the merchant we rescued near Orkenia Plains! Father and I were both surprised to see a familiar face.
“You’re the ones who helped us on the plains! I am Oliver, master of the commerce guild. I’m so pleased to see you again! Please, take a seat!”
Father and I sat down in the chairs placed across from him.
“What a coincidence!” said Father. “I am Henry von Preslaria, and this is my daughter, Daisy. She wants to open an Alchemy workshop in two years when she’s old enough, and we came today to introduce ourselves in advance.” He handed Mr. Oliver the letter from the king.
“Pardon me.” Mr. Oliver politely took the letter, cut open the seal with a knife, and read it. He nodded thoughtfully when he finished. “I see. Miss Daisy here is already a skilled Alchemist with a proven record of selling potions to the kingdom, and now she wants to open a workshop in the city to make her products available to the public?” He looked up at me to confirm.
“Yes. I plan to sell mostly potions, but I’m also going to sell delicious soft, fluffy bread made using Alchemy.”
Mr. Oliver looked puzzled. “When I hear you say bread, I picture the flat, rather tasteless kind found in households. I’m surprised to hear that good bread can be made with Alchemy. It will certainly set your workshop apart from others if you’re going to sell baked goods as well; it adds a fresh, unique appeal.”
Then Mr. Oliver placed a book titled Regulations and a single sheet of paper labeled Preliminary Registration Application onto the desk.
“In your case, Miss Daisy, since you are not yet at the minimum age of ten, it is not possible to fully register at this time. However, you may still fill out the preliminary registration, which will give you prior approval from the guild for your future application. It costs a small fee to process, but once that is completed, you may move forward with your other preparations.”
I looked over at Father. It sounded like a good idea to pay the fee in advance so I could build a relationship with the commerce guild. If I were to put it in Father’s words, it would be “an investment in my future.” I tried to think like a grown-up for once, though I wasn’t sure I was using the word correctly.
I filled out the preliminary registration application with my name and address and the name of my guarantor (Father), then paid the required fee. With that, the paperwork was done.
Now that I had registered, Mr. Oliver leaned forward and brought up a new topic.
“By the way, the king’s letter of recommendation refers to Miss Daisy as a remarkable Alchemist. May I ask your advice on a certain personal matter?” He had a serious look in his eyes.
I once again looked to Father for his permission, and he nodded slightly. “What is it?” I asked.
“Well, it’s about my daughter’s leg.” Mr. Oliver explained that his daughter, Katya, had been bitten on her left ankle several years ago by a baby stone viper that was hiding in the grass. Everything below her ankle had been petrified ever since, and no treatment had worked. He had consulted many Alchemists and Physicians throughout the capital, but they had yet to find a way to reverse the petrification, and his daughter had just had to adapt to her condition.
“She wants to be a merchant, but because of her foot, she can’t move very easily,” Mr. Oliver said. “Also, she’s a young girl. Her condition could keep her from getting married. Lately she’s been so withdrawn, she stays cooped up inside all the time. I feel so sorry for her.” He buried his face in both hands.
“At this moment, I can’t promise that I’ll be able to cure her, but I’ll do my best to find something,” I said.
I wanted to figure out if it was even possible, at least. It felt cruel for a young girl to have to live with such a burden. If there was anything I could do to help, I wanted to try.
“Would three silver coins be enough payment for your research? If you think you can make a potion, we can discuss the cost of labor and materials then. Are those terms acceptable to you?”
I glanced at Father, and he didn’t seem to object.
“I accept,” I said, nodding.
“Thank you so much! From the bottom of my heart!” Mr. Oliver stood up and clasped my hands tightly in his. He then immediately apologized for being so familiar with a noble child.
I accepted the three silver coins and began my search for a cure for petrification.