Ed stepped out of the castle and was greeted by a warm breeze, the scent of fresh grass was very pleasant. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "Mmm! It smells like summer."
Slowly opening my eyes, I saw a few white clouds in the azure sky, making the already clean sky appear even more pristine.
The village in the distance is exceptionally beautiful, with vast fields of golden wheat soon to be harvested, and houses scattered about in a charmingly haphazard way, like something out of a fairy tale.
The chirping of cicadas on a summer afternoon came from all directions, sometimes high-pitched, sometimes low, weaving together a symphony unique to summer. Ed took a deep breath of the summer-scented air and walked along the path outside the castle.
Along the path, unnamed wildflowers swayed gently in the breeze, and butterflies danced among them. Adelaide, not far away, stood out brilliantly against the verdant backdrop. Her skirt swayed gently with her steps, occasionally pausing only to admire the vibrant blooms.
Ed continued on his way. On the other side of the road, a slow-moving oxcart was piled high with hay, and several children were playing and laughing on it. Their laughter was crisp and joyful. The driver smiled and glanced back before continuing to drive the oxcart forward.
In the distance, under the shadows of the trees, groups of villagers leaned against the trunks, resting. Patches of sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting golden light upon them. Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept through, causing the entire grove to sway and rustle.
The wind is picking up...
Watching Adelaide and Sofia playing around ahead, Ed knew they probably wouldn't be banging each other's heads anymore; beautiful scenery could bring joy. The past was the past.
stables
"Master, is it this white thing? There are so many here!" Adelaide pointed to a spot in the stable and called out to Ed.
"My lord, there are some over here too." Sophia noticed them on the other side as well.
"Yes, you two find something to collect them and take them all back," Ed said to the two without moving.
"What's the use of this stuff? We need to collect this white stuff quickly, this place smells awful!" Adelaide would take a breath and then come back to collect it, repeating this process repeatedly, which wasn't very efficient.
Sofia, on the other hand, was much smarter! She pinched her nose with her hand, figuring she couldn't smell anything by breathing through her mouth anyway. Typical of a doctor, quite clever indeed.
She watched Adelaide running in and out: "What an idiot!"
Of course, Ed was also collecting these saltpeter stones; he wanted to take as many as he could find, since summer would continue for some time.
"Master, it's all gone here. Should we still go looking?" Adelaide stood up and looked around at the now bare surroundings.
"No, let's go back."
In the castle
"Adelaide, go find a larger piece of linen."
Ed didn't actually intend to go through all this trouble, but this thing is mainly for medicinal use right now, and he wants Sophia to know how to make it.
"Sophia, put all these things in this jar with water. After Adelaide brings the cloth, you can see what I do."
"Alright, but my lord, what are we going to do with this?" Sophia was very curious about what the good stuff they found in the stinking stable was for.
"Oh, you'll find out soon enough." Ed glanced at the bump on her forehead.
Adelaide returned not long after.
Ed looked at them.
"Now comes the moment to witness a miracle."