Ingrid, herbologist part 2 - tribute to Danklaw

This is the second part of the tribute to Danklaw and his character Ingrid. Danklaw’s work, though also fictional, carries a strong historical foundation. My own work, and this humble homage, belongs instead to the realm of fantasy. I wholeheartedly recommend reading Danklaw’s work. To learn more about it: https://pixai.art/artwork/1924007772213695613?utm_source=copy_web This is only a modest tribute, imagining how the character might appear if she were to exist within a work of fantasy. The field of herbology has always seemed deeply fascinating to me. Even so, ever since my father first taught me of our family’s legacy, I have carried both the concern and the desire to live up to the expectations placed upon me. According to his words, no one is born inherently suited to this task. Not even our family has the path to success assured. It was he who taught me that learning, study, and practice are inescapable parts of achieving mastery. From the first moment I heard them, I have always kept my father’s words close: "This legacy does not belong to our family alone—it belongs to the kings, to be wielded for the benefit of their subjects. It is not only our responsibility to investigate this field, but also our duty to share the knowledge we acquire with others. Always remember these words: we do not do this for honor or status, for those are but consequences of serving the common good through virtuous deeds. Though we are noble by birth, each generation must reaffirm this ethical and moral commitment." Thus, when I speak of living up to expectations, I do not mean preserving my family’s honor or status, but rather the greater task of safeguarding the welfare of the realm. In the Kingdom of Celeas, the study of herbology and apothecary arts was divided into three branches, each connected to the other. The first branch was the study of the physical and magical properties of plants. This, in turn, was divided into two parts: The study of each herb or plant as a complete unit, classifying them in detail according to their properties and uses. The study of the emergence of new properties when extracts of different herbs were combined. Even advancing within the first branch of herbology is a titanic task. To master it entirely lies far beyond the reach of mortal men and women of flesh and blood. Progress in this field is always the fruit of accumulated human knowledge, of what has been inherited, revised, and refined through time. At times, it becomes necessary to retrace the steps of our forebears, to correct their errors or imprecisions. Yet this must always be done with our true goal in sight: to bring forth the common good through our actions.