Pride & Humility

VIII

Beta: TaintedLetter

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Spring 1911

"Hey, Ellie," chirped Selim, carrying a wagon filled with metal canisters into the greenhouse. "I got something for you."

Elizabeth set down her notes and looked up at her best friend from her seat at the table in the greenhouse. It was a decently sized white metal table that she used to work on her genetic equations, and to sometimes play with her lab rats.

The rats had been given to her by Selim when she first received the greenhouse, and they were the first to try out her new medicine.

Elizabeth had, admittedly, grown very fond of them and upgraded them to a large cage filled it with decorations, toys, and other fun things for them to play with. She chatted with them merrily while she worked, and they chirped and squeaked back at her sometimes.

She even gave them names, and moved them to the most beautiful and warmest part of her greenhouse: the cat walk.

"For me?" Elizabeth repeated, surprised. Selim's sweet smile drew her curiosity and she stood up from her seat. "What's in the wagon?"

"Human bone marrow," Selim said cheerfully.

Elizabeth gasped. "What? Bu-But how? Where did you get it? How did you get any volunteers?"

"I asked very nicely," Selim said with an wide smile. "Why don't you try transmuting this with your hybrids? It's only a very small part of a human, and not even alive or sentient, so you aren't breaking the law or committing a taboo."

Elizabeth rushed over to examine the canisters, her eyes wide with astonishment. "This is—this is amazing. Thank you so much, Selim."

"What are best friends for?" he asked, still smiling.

"This had to have been hard to get, though. I can't believe you went through so much trouble—"

"Really, it was no issue," Selim reassured her. "Barely a few hours' worth of work, really. It's all fresh, too, so you should probably try the experiments sooner rather than later."

"I—I will! I'll work up the equation and transmutation circle right now," Elizabeth gushed happily, rushing forward and tackling Selim into a tight hug. "Oh, thank you, Selim! This means so much to me."

Selim gave her back a few pats, his smile softening.

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

One month later...

After much debilitating, and debating with herself, Elizabeth Luxanna finally thought it was time to try for her State Alchemist Certificate.

She knew she was certainly not ready to be a soldier—although her new lessons provided by much kinder tutors were proving fruitful—but she was ready to continue her research into medicine. With research funds designated to each State Alchemist, Elizabeth would be able to build her own proper laboratory and conduct trials.

The only other way for her to do so would be to attend medical school for nearly ten years to get her necessary degrees and then use her family money.

Elizabeth was nowhere near patient enough to take that route, which left the State Alchemist exam.

So she swallowed her nerves, confessed to her new family she was ready to take the exam, and by the end of the week Mr. Bradley—er—Papa had scheduled her exam.