Chapter 2:
Let’s Make Cheese!
ACCORDING TO DELICIOUS DINING WITH ALCHEMY, a substance could be extracted from certain plants that had similar properties to the coagulant found in the stomachs of baby goats and calves, so I decided to use that instead.
Figs were an option, but they weren’t in season yet as it was still spring. There was another suitable fruit that grew in the southern part of the kingdom, according to the plant encyclopedia I had, but they were rare and expensive.
Artichoke flowers… Artichokes were quite uncommon, plus I had no idea where to get their flowers.
Safflower seeds… That might work!
In our kingdom, safflowers were grown by the local farmers for dye and oil, which meant the seeds must be sold somewhere. I decided to try the commerce guild first, hoping they could point me in the right direction.
Leaf came with me, of course. I’d learned my lesson after Katya and I had nearly been kidnapped while looking at properties for the workshop, so this time, I asked Leaf to stick close by in his Fenrir form.
Word had spread through the commerce guild headquarters that I’d healed Katya’s petrified leg. Oliver, her father and the resident guildmaster, told everyone about it himself. Because of that the staff here took me seriously, even though I was still a child. I appreciated it, because that meant they were always quick to help when I needed something.
“Hello,” I said as I walked up to the counter and showed my guild card to the woman behind the desk.
“Good afternoon, Miss Daisy,” she said, smiling at me warmly. “What brings you in today?”
“I’m looking for safflower seeds, and I was hoping you knew where I could find them.”
“All right,” she replied. “Please wait a moment while I confirm with the appropriate staff member. Go ahead and have a seat on that sofa over there while you wait.”
She left on the elevator while I took a seat on the sofa, not quite sure what to do with myself.
I looked up at the ceiling, which had a colorful tiled mosaic depicting the god of commerce and the angels who served as his messengers. It was so beautiful, I couldn’t help but sigh in appreciation. This was the headquarters of the entire kingdom’s commerce guild, so it was only natural that the craftsmanship was incredible. The rich colors of the tiles made for a grand, fancy impression.
I passed the time waiting by studying the mosaic until the receptionist returned.
“Here you go, Miss Daisy,” she said as she handed me a small stack of papers. “I’ve marked down a few shops we recommend and included some simple maps for you.”
I took a quick glance at the papers. The list was written neatly, and the maps were easy to follow.
“Thank you so much for going to all this trouble,” I said with a grin, and she smiled back happily in return.
Following the map, I looked for their top recommendation, a shop marked with a star. Leaf, still in his Fenrir form, walked beside me as I made my way through the city streets until we reached a large, well-kept florist. They sold more than just flowers, it seemed. There were seeds and seedlings for farming, ornamental trees for gardens, and more. It was a big place, and I could see why the guild had recommended it.
“Leaf, you’ll need to shrink down,” I told him. “You can’t go in like that.”
I reached out to pat his head and he changed into his puppy-sized form with a poof! Together, we headed over to the seed section.
There was a tall cabinet with lots of little drawers, each one labeled with the name of a different plant.
“Let’s see, safflower…safflower…” I murmured. I couldn’t find it. Hmm.
I frowned, scanning drawer after drawer, when a shop worker wearing a thick apron suddenly approached me.
“Can I help you find something, young lady?” he asked.
I told him I was looking for safflower seeds.
“Oh, sorry about that,” he said. “We don’t stock those out front; we keep them in the back since our regular customers don’t typically ask for them. Want me to get you some?”
I nodded and he disappeared into the back room. He returned carrying a burlap sack about the size of my hand, filled to the brim with safflower seeds.
“This is the smallest quantity we offer, sold for farm use. Is that all right with you?”
“Sure, I don’t mind having extra,” I said. “By the way, I saw some tomato seedlings off to the side over there. Is now the right time of year to plant them?” I asked. I thought Miina would be thrilled if we started growing tomatoes.
“It sure is,” he said. “Plant them now and they’ll be full of big, ripe tomatoes come summertime. I highly recommend them.”
And so I ended up buying both the safflower seeds and one tomato seedling, then headed back to the workshop.
Miina’s whole face lit up when I showed her the tomato plant, and she rushed out to the garden to plant it right away.
“It’s a bit early, but I should do this just in case…” she said and tied together some sticks with string to make a support post. Then she gently wound the seedling around it so it could climb as it grew.
Early the next morning, I heard Marcus shouting from the back garden.
Miina and I raced from the third floor, where the girls’ quarters were located, and down to the garden. “What’s all the commotion, Marcus?”
Hm? Something was different. Some of the green fairies…seemed…larger?
“The fairies got bigger!” Marcus cried from his position on the ground, where he’d presumably fallen over from surprise. He pointed at one fairy who was clearly much larger than the rest. She had the same voice as the little girl fairy who always spoke to me, but she was much bigger now. She flew right toward me, beaming with happiness.