After completing most of the rest of the introduction to mixing, some of the long term song paths actually do appeal to me: Alchemy, Compounding, and Repair.

  Alchemy songs involve magic, therefore its sparkly potential is clearly ideal. If I can make my own sparkling clouds, then I should do so. However, I’ve no idea how to get this prerequisite Mixing(Arcane) song specialty. The book mentions this being extremely dangerous and hides its details exactly as the introduction to magic does with its foundations.

  Compounding songs sound very similar to what I’ve already been doing. Drying plants, crushing them into powder, and then combining the results with water. Or more specifically, combining the Mixing(Powder) and Mixing(Water) specialty songs. Maybe I’ll eventually need to heat them as the little, big ones did too? Regardless, the road to compounding is through simple repetition of my current process. Everything necessary is already in my possession, so why not continue? Also, the other world roc– no. The potion bottles that I stole are obviously supreme treasures. If I make more of my concoctions, then I can preserve them in these rather than dumping and wasting them.

  Finally, the Repair song can apparently fix all the broken bits and snags on my packs and skins. It sounds as though even metals will eventually break too, so I must be careful. Protecting the treasure is critical! Can’t let my hard won spoils disappear so easily! This path needs the Mixing(Object), Mixing(Scrap), and Mixing(Material) specialty songs, which will unfortunately all be new. Although, they don’t seem too difficult to steal.

  Actually, one more worthy of mention is something called Flesh shaping, which depends on Mixing(Flesh). However, as with Mixing(Arcane), they don’t go into any detail about how to study this. Something about a history of controlling, obsessive beauty cults and shadowy assassins. Beautiful flesh sounds disgusting, but shadows might be interesting? Maybe it’s like a better cloak. Regardless, my real interest lies with it being the closest analog to Mixing(Mud) that I can find. However, the only valuable lesson in the text is that it’s incredibly dangerous. One more secret treasure. The greater the risk, the greater the value!

  In summary, the specialty songs that I can work on now are: powders, water, objects, scraps, and materials. For the first two, re-creating the same known sedative over and over will suffice. However, now I must actively mix them with the “intention” of combining the specific concepts being trained. So, in this case, powder and water rather than thoughtless combination. That’s the only difference.

  For the rest, the book suggests something it refers to as “arts and crafts” and mentions these “children” again. I’m not altogether certain how that works. It sounds like randomly combining whatever you have on hand to create simple, personal treasures. Very similar to when I sought the first level of the Mixing song. Only, this time I’ll actively do it with the intention of objects, scraps, and materials being combined into knick knacks and silly icons.

  My plans laid out, I buckle down for the rest of the journey focused solely on mixing during the breaks. My genius confirmed again, I’m generously rewarded!

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  My glorious music abounds down from the muddy heavens!

  Speaking of mud, one set back I’m encountering is the lack of mud to clean my mixing pot between every creation. Settling for dirt from the forest floor, it just doesn’t feel quite as clean. However, it does still somehow come out ok.

  I’ve carefully filled all the empty potion bottles using the manner described in the book. My pack has become far heavier as a result, but keeping them as trophies somehow feels like victory. Maybe I’ll trick some big ones into drinking them? I doubt it’ll kill them, but it should at least give them a pretty bad day. Maybe even make them easier to ambush? Worth the experiment.

  Eventually reaching the edge of the forest, it opens up into the open fields surrounding my target, Vastra. Scouting around, I locate an ideal tree hollow to leave behind and hide my large pack. However, first I dump the majority of the small pack’s contents inside it, except for a few potions. Must travel light. Especially if I find more treasure! Finally, I roll some large rocks over the hole to complete the disguise.

  This will be my new village routine. Hide the existing treasures. Scout the comings and goings for at least a day. Especially the wagons. No surprises this time! I’ll become a total expert before sneakily penetrating inside, on purpose this time, and ravaging all their stores.

  It’s somehow deeply peaceful while surveilling the village entrance while hidden out here. As though I’ve become one with the area outside the walls. I simply factually know that no one has a clue that I’m out here. Has completing the hiding, sneaking, and survival songs given me this confidence? It’s left this funny kind of openness for more too. Sadly, none of the new books contain anything related to sneakiness or enduring. I suppose they don’t teach their little, big ones that. Being at the top of the hierarchy must be nice. Don’t have to get your hands dirty with anything other than snatching helpless little goblins minding their own business outside the walls.

  After the full day’s wait, I’ve grown confident that I know the wagon schedule well enough to hitch a ride inside. Attaching myself inside the forest is too easy. Throw a rock across the path to distract them and then quickly sneak underneath. Now that it’s practiced, it’s so smooth. Is there a song for this too?

  Nothing out of the ordinary occurs as we enter. The noise and smells of the village dungeon returns, chaotically mixing every which way along their busy internal trails. Once we stop, I wait and listen as the riders step off, noisily chatting as they enter some nearby structure. As everything quiets down, I risk barely lowering my head to scan the surroundings. The coast confirmed clear, I drop down, shake the dust off my cloak as though everything is normal, and then resume a boring, measured gait away from my clueless benefactors.

  Nothing can stop my brilliant prowess!