Chapter 11: Kirio Reiji's Studying Meds

Chapter 11:
Kirio Reiji's Studying Meds

 

AROUND LUNCHTIME, Mina remembered something she’d meant to bring up. “Is it just me, or has Paula stopped coming by?”

“Hunh. You’re right.”

It had actually been ten days since we last saw the tool shop owner. It usually wouldn’t have been a big deal for a customer not to visit for a week or two. However, Paula had constantly dropped in to eat or hang out. She’d shown up at Kirio Drugs at least every other day—no exaggeration.

I turned to Noela, who was gulping down her lunch. “Noela, do you know why?” She only raised her head to shake it, then went back to pigging out.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but Paula lives alone at the tool shop, doesn’t she?” Mina asked.

“That’s right.”

“I’m worried.”

Paula’s ten-day absence really was concerning, since she was a young woman living alone. It would’ve been weird if we were unconcerned about whether she was injured or sick.

“I’ll swing by her place after lunch,” I assured Mina.

“Please do. I hope everything’s fine.”

Same here.

I headed to the tool shop right after we’d eaten. Things outside looked okay. The store itself seemed to be operating; the “open” sign was up.

“You in, Paula?” I called, entering. Paula was at the counter, but rather than sleeping as usual, she was writing with a fountain pen. “You are here. Man, can’t you answer a guy?”

“What’s the big deal, Rei Rei? Unlike you, I’m pretty busy.”

Wow. Just because she has stuff to take care of, she’s treating me like a lazy bum? The tables were usually turned, so I couldn’t help feeling annoyed. “Sorry. I’m just here to check on you.”

Paula didn’t even look at me. She glanced at a folder to her right, then jotted more notes on the paper in front of her.

What’s she doing? “Don’t tell me you’re studying,” I said skeptically. Paula, of all people?

“Then I guess I won’t tell you!”

“What’re you studying for, exactly?”

“My license renewal exam comes up every two years.”

I wondered what “license” she meant. Before I could ask, Paula pointed at a large parchment sheet on the wall behind her; it seemed to be a formal document. Paula’s name was on it, and it apparently confirmed that she had the right to appraise objects.

I don’t remember seeing this certificate. I must never have noticed it.

“Any tool or equipment shop with this license is a formally recognized appraiser,” Paula informed me. “That basically means they’re not ripping customers off or buying stuff cheap.”

“That explains the studying.” She was making sure her license renewal went smoothly.

“There are idiots who buy and sell licenses,” Paula added, “but their stores typically fail in no time. Trust’s the most important thing in this business. Especially to me.”

She pushed up her glasses. Since she was studying, she came off as oddly intellectual for once.

“Argh! I’m so done with all this!” Paula exclaimed. She turned to me. “Whoa—you’re here, Rei Rei? Why didn’t you say something?”

“Was our entire conversation just a hallucination?”

She leaned over the counter, grabbing my arm. “Can you do me a little favor?” she practically purred at me. “Make a treatment that’ll keep me from slipping on my test!”

I doubted she meant “slipping” in the physical sense—but now wasn’t the time to match wits.

“If I fail, I’ll have to close down,” she added. “People trust licensed stores so much, a license is vital for tool shop owners!”

“Remember, formulating new treatments takes a while,” I said. “I can’t guarantee I’ll finish one by the time you need it. When’s your exam?”

“Tomorrow. Tee hee!”

I gaped.

“This is bad, Rei Rei!” Paula wailed. “I have to score at least 85 percent, or I’m doomed! And I just scored 20 on the practice test! Sorry, I lied—I scored ten!”

“Doesn’t make much difference. What the hell have you been doing up until now?”

“Studying. Duh.”

“With those scores?”

Paula pouted. “You’re a meanie, Rei Rei!”

“Where’s the exam held?”

“In the next town over, so I’ve gotta leave early in the morning to make it. I’m doing my best, but the test covers so much!”

Am I supposed to prescribe a product to keep her from failing?

“Wait. I might be able to make you something!” My medicine-making skill was reacting, after all. “You’ll still have to study, though.”

“Whoa! You thought up a prescription?”

“Listen, Paula. This’ll be a race against time, so I’ll go make your treatment and come back.”

“I love you, Rei Rei!”

“Stop messing around. Just stay here and study.” I dashed out of the tool shop and headed home breathlessly.

Noela was keeping an eye on the drugstore. “Why hurry?” she asked.

“Just some work! I need your help in the lab, Noela.”

“Got it!”

She came back to the lab with me. By this point, Noela was practically the perfect medicine-making assistant; thanks to that, I finished the product much earlier than I expected.

I decided it’d be quickest to send the lightning-fast Noela to deliver Paula’s prescription to the tool shop. In her little backpack, I put ten energy potions, plus the new medicine I’d just made. I also included a piece of paper with directions and a warning.

“All ready!” Noela cried.

“Noela, launch!”

“Arrrooooo!”

Noela sprinted out of the lab at top speed, and I followed. She adopted her wolf form as she exited the house on all fours, kicking up a dust trail behind her. Some bystanders let out surprised cries, but since this was an emergency, all I could do was hope they forgave her this once. Anyway, she’ll come home in her normal form.

I’d now done everything I could; all that was left was for Paula to give the licensing test all she had. The treatment I’d made would support her studying.

After some time passed, Noela—in her humanoid form—trotted back into the drugstore. The backpack she wore made her look like a schoolkid coming home from a field trip.

“How’s Paula?” I asked.

“Serious. Say thanks to Master.”

I felt it was a wee bit early for gratitude. But, hey, I’ll take it anyhow.

 

***

 

The next day, I was too worried to get anything done. Had Paula slept okay? Woken up on time? Made it to the exam venue? Yikes—what if she forgot her registration form? Wait…I don’t even know whether this world has those. At any rate, I was distracted for the entire day.

 

***

 

Three days later, Paula finally popped into the drugstore.

“Look at this!” she shrieked as she saw me, showing me her brand-new license.

“Whoa, awesome! Congrats. Glad things worked out.”

“It was all thanks to your prescription, Rei Rei,” Paula declared. “That stuff was seriously crazy! I’ll count on you next time!”

“You’re the one who made the effort. You read the instructions, right?”

“Ah…maybe you’re right! I guess I tried pretty hard. Tee hee!”

“Don’t get a big head.” I flicked Paula’s forehead, and she giggled.

Paula’s request for a treatment to keep her from failing had been vague, but basically, she’d needed something to help her study.

Why do people memorize stuff over and over when they’re studying? I’d thought. Because they forget. If you eliminated the “forgetting” part of hitting the books, you’d learn way more effectively. You’d see the light at the end of the tunnel after minimal studying.

With that in mind, I’d formulated Paula’s prescription.

 

Aced-T: Locks in short-term memory.

 

Personally, I thought the aced-T was kind of amazing. Still, it was ultimately a support item, since it required you to memorize whatever you were studying. Thus, Paula’s exam score came down to how much information she could stuff into her head.

“I seriously didn’t sleep at all,” she laughed. “Major cramming.”

That got a smirk out of me; I could totally picture her studying all night.

Tip tap! Tip tap! Paula skipped up to me.

“You seriously saved me this time,” she said, kissing my cheek.

“Thanks again!” she giggled, waving before she left.

She totally just kissed me, right? I touched my cheek absentmindedly but soon felt a gaze coming at me from behind. I turned around.

Mina looked…unhappy. “I suppose you’re going without dinner today!”

“Wait! Why?!”

“That’s how the cookie crumbles!” She turned and left.

“What the heck did I do?” I sighed. How will I get her out of that bad mood? I’ll have to splurge on some pricey sweets.

I spent some time mulling over how to make up with Mina.