"
It's your third time here, mhm?" The witch said.
"
Ah, yeah, right."
"
I guess I can help you make your potion. You can remember this recipe, right?"
"
Really? Yes definitely! I absolutely won't forget it."
"
You're not willing to reconsider giving me your slime core?"
"
Sorry. I'd rather keep my slime core."
"
A pity then. It would have been fun to have you as my student."
"
Mhm."
"
Say, are you good at cooking?"
"
Not exactly?"
"
It's often said that the secret ingredient to make any recipe taste good is love."
"???"
"
Remember this, okay dear? If absolutely nothing else, remember it. You need to remember it."
+ + +
The slime person stood inside of the witch's cottage. It was surprisingly plain and undecorated, and also much smaller than Okarin expected. The cottage lacked a bed or any other essential amenities, and there weren't any other smaller rooms or doors. A variety of different bottles and jars lined the shelves, and the main feature in the room was a large cauldron.
The cauldron was pure black and enormous, bigger than any pot that Okarin had ever seen in their life.
Presumably, this was the cauldron that the witch used for brewing her craft.
"
Is there a flavor that you like?" The witch asked. "
Mint? Strawberry? Cherry? Lavender?"
"
What's the difference?" Okarin asked.
The witch shrugged. "
It doesn't really matter as long as you like it. Smells nice."
"
Then... um... lavender."
"
There's a garden outside. Go get yourself a bunch of lavender then."
Okarin stood up and went for the door.
"
Ah, wait." The witch interrupted them.
She held up a faint purple flower in her hands.
"
This is plant is called Saponaria officinalis. It's more commonly known as soapwort or soapweed."
Okarin stared at the purple flower. They recognized it.
"
It commonly grows by the side of the road, and many people consider it a weed."
"
I know that flower," Okarin said. "
Slimes avoid it."
"
Of course. It's the traditional way to make soap, after all. The plant is rich in saponins."
"
Right."
"
I need you to harvest a bunch. We'll need a lot. As much as one of those giant baskets. Make sure you include the roots."
"
I'll go get some gloves then—"
"
No."
The witch interrupted Okarin emphatically.
"
No gloves. I need you to harvest them with your bare hands. It will burn, since you are a slime."
Okarin paused for a moment at the door.
The witch stared straight at the slime person with an unwavering look in her eye.
"
Can you do it?"
"
What kind of healing potion is this supposed to be?" Okarin asked.
"
It's a healing potion, and a powerful one, but I never said it wouldn't be a painless affair for you to make it."
Okarin closed their eyes momentarily.
"
Will you do it? Or do you change your mind? There's no shame in—"
"
I'm not afraid of pain." Okarin spoke up suddenly.
They opened the door, grabbed an enormous basket, and stormed out of the cottage.
+ + +
Many hours later, Okarin returned with everything the witch asked for.
The slime person hid their disfigured hands behind their back.
The witch said nothing and took the basket.
"
This is ordinary firewood." She gestured at the pile of wood beneath the cauldron. "
The pot is filled with rainwater. And it must be rainwater — tears from the sky — not river water. This is extremely important."
"
We will burn the soapweed along with the wood. The cauldron must be brought to boil."
She tossed the basket's contents onto the pyre.
The witch then snapped her fingers and the wood ignited.
Okarin blinked a few times before... the smoke suddenly ballooned like a mushroom cloud, and Okarin coughed a few times.
"
Oh, I forgot to mention that you might be a bit uncomfortable. The burning soapweed might hurt your eyes and other stuff."
A little too late for the warning.
Okarin was already coughing, their throat burning up like it was on fire. Tears were welling in their eyes, and the slime person was struggling to breath amidst the smog of purple flowers. They wanted to open the window. The window! Fresh air!
"
A-Air..." They barely managed to choke out, with tears rolling down their cheek.
However, the witch blocked the way to the exit and the windows.
"
You must never take your eyes away from the cauldron." She said.
Okarin wanted to wipe their eyes with their hand, but... oh... their hands... they were already burnt...
The slime was thoroughly weeping now.
"
Patience," the witch said. "
The more you cry, the more effective it is. We will wait for the fire to burn down completely. Until then, we watch the cauldron and pay our respects to the fire."
It was difficult to see the reaction on Okarin's face.
"
Magic is so cruel..." they whispered.
+ + +
Hours later, the fire finally burned down to hot coals.
There were ashes and a simmering cauldron of hot water.
Okarin's relief was indescribable, yet at the same time it was hard for them to feel happy.
The witch silently stepped forward and scooped up a pile of ashes with a spade.
"
Wood ash, otherwise known as potash. Mixed with the ashes of soapweed." She spoke factually.
She dumped the shovel of dust into the cauldron and scooped a few more piles of ash.
"
Potash. Potassium hydroxide. Otherwise known as lye. It's quite a strong alkali."
She also tossed the sprigs of lavender into the pot at this point too.
The witch turned to face Okarin, expression totally grave.
"
It's your turn now."
"
What?"
"
You're the main ingredient in the potion. You're getting in the cauldron, right?"
"
Wait what?! I thought we were just going to use my healing jelly."
"
Mhm, and we are. But you need to get in the cauldron first."
"
...I'm not going to die, am I? The soap... alkali..."
"
That depends on you, doesn't it?"
Okarin froze for a few moments.
"
This is magic. If you believe in it, anything is possible."
They felt their voice catch in their throat.
"
That's... That's so reckless..." Okarin murmured.
"
Mhm, certainly. But will you do it?"
Okarin closed their eyes.
They felt tears rising to their eyes again.
They had cried so much... yet... it hadn't run dry yet.
In a few short moments, Okarin made a choice.
+ + +
Things were white.
Pure white.
Dazzling white.
It was...
...
+ + +
Okarin was wrapped in a blanket.
They were crying.
Huddled up against a wall in the cottage.
The slime person was a full 50% smaller in size than before, and they had shrunk substantially.
The witch walked over and tapped Okarin lightly on the head.
Okarin looked up.
She passed a glass flask of vibrant purple fluid to the slime person.
"
You missed the last part, but it was simply boiling the cauldron of liquid away until there was this little bit left in the bottom."
Okarin reached up and grabbed the bottle, hugging it into their arms.
"
It was a good potion," she said.
Okarin was crying.
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