The sound of stone grinding against stone fills her room as she crushes the void metal chunks into an even finer powder.
Rosa's hand aches from the intense work.
Sweat beads around her temple.
The heat of the room makes it worse.
Her red tunic clings to her skin from the wetness.
She puts down the mortar and pestle before chugging from a waterskin, wiping her forehead with her arm.
After the chugs, she feels even more sweat forming.
She looks beside her.
A copper container is suspended within a metal frame.
Below it, heat glyphs arranged in a circle—the very reason for her hot room.
The liquid inside the chamber bubbles. More than a minute ago.
"Hitzesaich"
Warmth from her mana flows to her eyes as the chamber glows in blues, greens, oranges, and reds.
Mostly oranges and reds.
On top of the heated chamber is a copper pipe attached to another copper chamber, now glowing blue in her vision.
The glowing blue chamber is etched with cooling glyphs all around it.
On its bottom is the end of the copper pipe.
The same metal frame suspends the chamber.
Liquid drips slowly from the pipe rim to the glass container below.
She returns her gaze to the first chamber. Red enough.
She grabs another glass container to replace the first one, then corks the replaced container.
Drip Drip
Sssst
Rosa's eyes twitch.
In her years of distilling alcohol and potions, she has never heard a sound this ominous.
She bites her lip and prays nothing bad will happen.
The sounds started two runs ago. Both resulted in the usual yield.
Yet the sounds have been eating at her.
The old copper still is the only distiller she has.
Buying another one would—
She takes a long breath, not finishing the thought.
Her eyes go to the glass jar, copper still, then the jar again.
Drip Drip
The heart is dripping normally.
All works as it should. Nothing else besides the sounds.
The distilled alcohol continues to drip.
She grabs the pestle and resumes her grind.
Sshsst Sshssst
Srrrk srrrk
She continues to grind, pressing the stones with more force than necessary.
The friction between the surfaces masks the unpleasant sound from the still beside her.
She looks at the glass container.
The dripping has stopped while she can still hear the bubbling.
SSSSSSSST
POP
PSSSSST
A sharp sting on her left hand.
She shoots up from the chair and stumbles backward, knocking it over.
The mortar and pestle fall to the wooden floor, spilling their contents.
Her gaze snaps to the heating chamber.
BANG
Another sound violently shakes her eardrums.
Then something hits her left side, right beside her belly—impact and scalding wetness all at once.
The spray soaks through her tunic before she can even register the pain.
Steam rises from the copper chamber, the metal curved outward.
Then from the floor. The spilled powder mixes with the wetness.
The liquid touches her feet. Hot.
She quickly steps backward yet again.
She finally gazes down—a piece of bent metal lying near where she had been standing.
"Nngh!"
Her hand finds her left side, now aching with the same burning sting.
The fabric sticks to her skin even more firmly.
When her eyes land on her left hand, that's when she realizes.
She has been scalded.
"Hitzesaich!"
She quickly scans the room, making sure there's no red glow shaping like flame and spreading.
The still. Floor. Table. Areas around it. Clear.
Breath she didn't know she was holding escapes from her lungs.
Heating glyphs produce no flame in the first place, but in an event like this, she can never be too careful.
Sting.
The scalded skin demands more attention.
She rests her right palm above the scalded skin on her other hand.
The orange and red glow dims from her view as she prepares the next spell.
"Kuhlien"
A cold yet soothing sensation eases the pain. Even just a little.
Her eyes keep glancing at the copper still, yet she forces herself away.
She walks to the mirror at the opposite corner of the room.
Her hands tug the hem of her tunic, lifting it up.
The fair skin of her belly exposed to the mirror.
Her gaze widens as she sees the red uneven patches on her burnt skin.
And a slight purplish bruise underneath it.
Her lips tremble and she averts her gaze before she fully captures the state of her eyes.
All while still feeling the warmth building behind her skull.
"Kuh…lien…"
Her breath hitches as she casts the spell on her stomach.
Another slight relief from all of this catastrophe.
A lump creeps to her throat while she tends herself in silence.
"The still…"
Her body feels heavier. Yet she forces herself to stay upright.
She walks towards the steaming metal and pulls the mana stones out.
The glyphs lose their glow. The air around them loses the waviness.
Her eyes linger. She is not ready to bring them further up.
A list of quests forms in her mind. She needs to check what's available at the guild.
A thousand. Two thousand. Somewhat enough to patch the leak.
All while her hand and stomach beg for more attention.
With a heavy breath, she brings her gaze up.
The copper curves outward, forming ugly bends with jagged edges and a hole at its center.
Alcohol mix still drips from it. Steaming.
Her stomach drops as she takes in what she sees.
Strength drains from her legs.
Slow and steady, she slumps to the floor.
Hands cover her face as the warmth finally spreads from her eyes.
Sweat mixes with the alcohol residue, then with the warmth now leaking onto her hands.
Her shoulders shake. Her breath hitches. She grits her teeth. Swallowing noises threatening to come out.
She bites her trembling lips.
Inhales. Exhales.
Longer inhales. Even longer exhales.
She sits with the lump pushing upward against her airway while her skin screams at her in pain.
Another in. Another longer out.
Her shoulders start to settle. Her trembling fades away.
She can feel the pain on her lips.
Then.
Gulp.
She swallows all of it.
The painful lump, the throbbing in her eyes, the trembling on her lips, the warmth that blocks her nose.
All gone.
She takes another breath.
Wallowing and spiraling won't fix anything.
Helgen might be able to fix it. He is a master blacksmith, after all.
He will know things Rosa doesn't. He will get things fixed.
Just like in Eisenvalt. She needs to believe everything would be okay.
She grabs the towel nearby and starts wiping the floor.
All would be okay.
The still would be fixable somehow.
Her blisters wince, as if reminding her.
The wound would heal.
Everything would be normal.
She cleans the last patch of liquid and puts the cloth in a closed container.
What she can do now is get proper rest. She will have a long day tomorrow.
…
Rosa sits down in front of a makeup table beside the bed.
Gazing into a mirror in front of her, which is part of the table.
On the table itself, several makeup items. Necessary, yet not excessive.
She leans forward, making sure no dark patch or circle lingers under her eyes.
Cold water compress helped with the eye bags and swelling.
As soon as she finds herself presentable, she puts on the hat.
Her eyes soften as she traces the brim.
An old simple black conical hat, wrapped by a red ribbon.
She always feels both melancholic and nostalgic when she puts it on.
Either way, her preparation is now complete.
She heads to the shop room where the old still is waiting on the counter.
Schedule: Helgen to assess the damages, then guild to take on quests.
Her hands wrap around the still, one supporting it from below.
Then, she heads for the door.
After three steps, she freezes as soon as she sees the silhouette on the red stained glass.
It's not clear enough to see the other side.
But it's clear enough for Rosa to see the shape of her.
Knock knock knock
Three knocks, in a perfect rhythm.
One of her hands instinctively shoots forward, palm towards the door.
The still immediately falls to the wooden floor.
Making quite a sound. Probably enough for the person outside to hear.
"Spheiren!"
A green symbol appears on the door handle.
Click
"Rosa? Are you okay? Did something happen?"
Knock knock knock
Her voice is gentle, too gentle for the undeserving.
All she wants out of her own voice: maturity, warmth, and a tone that draws respect.
It's all there.
Rosa clenches her teeth. She doesn't answer. She never answers.
She quickly steps to the familiar corner just beside the door.
Then she crouches, pressing her knees to her chest.
To truly listen for the footsteps. To know when she is truly gone.
Yet her hands are already wrapped around her ears.
"Rosa?"
Knock knock knock
Her body flinches. Pressing her ears harder.
"I bought us some sweets. Strawberry jam puff pastry… The same one from ol' Albert."
Rosa shuts her eyes. The lump returns to her throat. Pushing even stronger.
A sharp, heavy, hitched breath bursts through her lips.
Her teeth already grind against each other.
She can already taste the copper as she grounds herself in the pain on her trembling lips.
"Rosa!? Rosa!"
Knock knock knock
The rhythm stays perfect even when paced up in panic.
"Please… just for a moment… let me see you… I know you're in there…"
The voice stays perfect, even when it wavers.
"Please… I just need to know that you're okay…"
Rosa can't let her see. Not like this. Especially not now.
She can't accept the kindness, the pastry… Especially not now.
She hasn't done anything. She hasn't accomplished anything.
Not then and especially not now.
"Rosa… I heard you survived Eisenvalt… I know you're strong… My little sister always has been…"
Another sob.
Yet this time, it comes from the other side of the door.
"But please… let me see you. Just for this once…."
Rosa presses her face to her knees, warmth spreading from her eyes.
She grabs the brim of her hat and pulls it down as hard as she can.
Strong? No. If it wasn't for Lilia, she wouldn't have survived.
If it wasn't for Frieda, Lennard, and Eihard, the centipede would've killed both of them.
She isn't strong. She knows that deep down.
"Please… at least tell me what I did wrong… I promise I'll do better…"
The perfect voice cracks… and it's her fault.
Another lump hits Rosa's throat.
She bites harder.
Stop.
"I don't understand… I don't understand what makes you hate me so much…"
Please stop.
She presses her head firmer.
The pressure on her head now pains.
"I won't stay… I just want to look at you… Or hear you…"
The voice cracks further.
"Rosa… Please… Say something…"
She brings her gaze up. Now looking at the wooden floor.
Blurry. Heavy.
Streams start to form on her cheeks.
The ache on her blisters screams even more.
Another evidence to the pile.
She doesn't hate her. She never hates her. She would never hate her.
Yet letting her in would prove everything.
That she was never enough to begin with.
Rosa continues to sit. Time seems to slow down.
She knocks. Begs. Bargains.
Her composure breaks further and further.
And silence. Then breathing.
From the other side.
Long inhale, even longer exhale.
Silence.
Then another plea. Another bargain.
It goes on and on.
Rosa breathes whenever she is able to.
Otherwise, this would've shattered her a long time ago.
Another silence.
"….I'll be back when I have the time… I'll always make the time… Especially for my beloved sister…"
Another sob escapes from Rosa's throat.
"I'll always love you."
She hugs herself tighter.
"Even if you… even if you…"
Another breath from the other side.
"Even if you despise me…"
Her fists clench.
"I'll leave it on the door. As always. Puff pastry from ol' Albert. Your favorite."
A flutter. Pushed down as quickly as it surfaces.
"I love you, Rosa…"
Her chest tightens.
Soft and weak footsteps follow.
Each step aches her heart.
Her sister is leaving.
Rosa doesn't move. Can't.
Makeup probably in ruin.
She has to redo it.
The still fell down. She probably added more dents.
Another repair cost.
Her wound aches more. Doesn't get better.
Another treatment. Another cost.
The pastry probably tastes amazing.
Crunch on the outside. Soft, warm, and sweet strawberry on the inside.
Her mind wanders to the time when everything was simpler.
Now… she can't eat it. No matter how hungry she is.
Even now.
…
Sharp and to the point.
If anything describes Helgen, that would fit him the most.
Even the signpost says everything about the man.
Helgen's Workshop
As soon as Rosa finishes catching her breath, she picks up the still.
She tried to wear leather gloves, but the pain is too distracting.
Her left hand supports the still from below.
No wounds visible.
Hoping her best friend won't see any of them.
She takes a step forward.
Climbing the small staircase towards the open door.
"Welcome. What brings you here this early?"
She immediately places the still on the counter.
Her gaze goes up to meet Helgen's.
"The still… I'd like to know my options."
She can feel his gaze on her hand, which she quickly hides behind her back.
"What happened?"
"The boiling chamber… it exploded. It started to make weird noises two runs before."
"Let me see…"
He grabs the still and examines the bent copper.
Placing his finger on the rupture. Tilting the still.
Not only that, he also examines the other chamber, checking the piping to the coil.
Then he sets the still down and shakes his head.
"The still is gone."
Rosa's heart sinks. She bites her lips, preventing them from trembling.
He picks it up and presents the ruptured copper.
"This here? The seam has been weak for a long time. That happens from years of usage. Can no longer handle the pressure and the metal ruptures from there."
He gently places the still down.
"You better buy a new one."
"Is… is there no repair option? I can pay… I have the money…"
"Then save it for the new one. I can hammer these back in place, sure. But…"
He brings up a finger and taps it with another.
"It won't be the same even if I hammer it perfectly. Heat distribution would probably suffer. Uneven. Hotspots. As an alchemist, I'm sure you know what those mean better than I do."
He brings up another finger and taps it.
"The copper is old. Very old. Even if I managed to fix one spot, another is waiting. Next time, it could be more violent."
She tucks her hand further back, feeling the glance.
"So to answer your question. Yes, there are repair options. But there is a better one."
She brings her gaze down. Her hands slump beside her. No longer hiding the wound.
This is truly her worst day ever.