Luca stirred slowly. The mixture shimmered and started to emit a subtle humming sound.
"Slower. It's a soap, not a stew," Isabella instructed, watching the viscosity carefully. "There we go... now add the Crushed Glowroot Gel. Scrape it all out. Don't waste a single drop, that thing takes days to bleed gel."
Luca did as instructed, the bright teal substance sinking into the mixture like a dancing ghost. The scent shifted in the air—minty and warm.
"Now... the Essence of Skydew Lotus," Isabella said, uncorking a tightly sealed horn vial.
She leaned over the cauldron, her movements precise, and let six careful drops fall into the mixture—one after the other. Each drop hissed faintly on contact, spreading a pale shimmer through the blend.
Normally, two or three drops would've been enough for a small batch. But Isabella was making enough to supply the entire village, and anything less wouldn't hold the scent or cleansing properties. Still, she refused to add even a drop more.
