Bai Shi forcibly dragged Alexander toward Hilbert's workshop.
"I'm taking you to see a friend. She might have a way to help you."
Alexander was overjoyed to hear this.
"Oh!? Really? That would be wonderful."
"To be honest, being cracked like this is quite a problem for me."
Alexander was actually at a complete loss about how to deal with his damage.
Although Living Jars were a form of life, their unique structure made it extremely difficult for them to recover from injuries.
If ordinary healing incantations could restore him to his original state, he wouldn't have to worry about it.
The jar body had flesh-like properties and could grow with age and the nourishment of its contents.
But this process was extremely slow, and the same was true for healing.If he were to rely on healing slowly by himself, it would probably take several years, or even longer.
The contents he had previously lost were one thing.
Countless heroes had fallen in the combat festival, and they were undoubtedly excellent contents.
Alexander would collect them, carry their wills, and continue to fight.
He had even collected some of the residual flesh and blood from the parts of Radahn that had been cut off during the battle.
These superior contents would push Alexander's strength to a much higher level.
But having contents alone was useless.
Alexander's jar body was now only barely managing not to leak.
It was a long way from being battle-ready.
If anything hit him now, he would crack on the spot.
For a Warrior Jar, such an injury basically meant retirement.
Alexander had originally planned to return to his homeland for one last look, then travel the Lands Between in search of a way to recover.
But it was unknown how long that would take, and the hope was slim.
If Bai Shi's friend could really help repair him, it would be for the best.
Alexander still wanted to keep fighting.
To make a warrior wait for several years was simply too cruel.
Bai Shi pushed open the door to Hilbert's workshop.
Hilbert was currently studying a flower bud collected from the Scarlet Rot, her hands stained with it.
A Crucible Knight had flown to pick it for her, and it held great research value.
Recently, her research on ordinary Scarlet Rot had hit a bottleneck; further study wasn't yielding anything new, so she needed to get more samples to open up new avenues of thought.
This Scarlet Rot flower bud was an excellent subject for research.
Because Alexander's movements were so loud, Hilbert looked over this time without needing Bai Shi's prompt.
"Bai Shi, hey, is that a Living Jar behind you?"
Seeing Alexander, Hilbert was a little surprised.
Bai Shi nodded at Hilbert.
"Yes, this is my friend, Warrior Jar 'Iron Fist' Alexander."
"He was seriously injured in the recent combat festival, so I thought I'd come and ask if you have any way to repair him."
Bai Shi turned back and introduced Hilbert to Alexander:
"This is Hilbert, an item crafter."
"She can make good use of all sorts of materials."
"She can basically make any kind of item, but she specializes in perfumes."
Hilbert casually wiped the Scarlet Rot juices onto a piece of cloth she had nearby.
"Haha, of course. I'm a professional perfumer, after all."
Alexander proactively extended his hand to shake Hilbert's.
"Haha, hello, Hilbert."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Alexander."
Hilbert looked at Alexander's crack-covered body, a little startled.
"Wow, you're really badly hurt."
"You're covered in cracks."
"Especially here on the side, it's particularly severe. This must be where you were hit."
"You were just a hair's breadth from shattering completely. But it's okay, it's not entirely hopeless."
Hilbert turned and took a jar down from a shelf behind her.
At the same time, she didn't forget to explain to the two of them:
"A Jar-wright needs a pair of exceptionally smooth and soft hands."
"But because I've been in contact with all kinds of poisons for years, my hands aren't actually suited for mending jars."
"But repairing a jar doesn't necessarily require the skills of a Jar-wright."
Hilbert brought the jar over and opened it in front of them.
Inside the jar was a blood-red, viscous, gel-like substance.
"This is an adhesive I accidentally created a while ago."
"Compared to the adhesives used for buildings like city walls, it's more suitable for biological use."
"However, because it doesn't have many normal applications and has various drawbacks, I only kept a small sample."
"But for a jar's body, those drawbacks are almost non-existent."
Bai Shi nodded. Something like a biological glue?
Then again, it really didn't have many uses in the Lands Between.
Although the Lands Between did have its share of biological "black tech":
Grafting, heavily modified Royal Revenants, Albinaurics...
But things like surgery had barely been developed at all.
In a fantasy world like this, healing incantations or blessings were far more convenient.
After all, if a limb was severed, you couldn't just glue it back on.
For some sword wounds, it might be usable in a pinch.
So the applications for this adhesive were quite narrow. Only someone with a jar for a body like Alexander could really use it.
It wasn't as if there was nothing like cement in the Lands Between.
For example, when building city walls or castles, the stone blocks needed to be held together with an adhesive.
Bai Shi recalled that in the real Middle Ages, they seemed to use molten lead to help bind things together.
But in the Lands Between, they used something else, basically made from root resin.
You could gather this material in many places across the Lands Between, and there was an abundant supply near the Minor Erdtrees.
With a little processing, it could be turned into a wax-like substance.
As for the specific formula, Bai Shi hadn't studied it. In any case, there were specialists to produce it during the repairs of Stormveil.
The one Hilbert had just taken out... seemed like its main ingredient was also root resin?
"Using this to seal the cracks on your body should help you hold up for a long time."
"After it's applied, just heat it with some fire, and it should bond completely."
"During that time, even with a jar's slow self-healing, you should be able to recover to a near-uninjured state."
Alexander looked at the gel-like substance in the jar, pleasantly surprised.
He hadn't expected the friend Bai Shi brought him to would actually have a solution.
"Oh! That's just wonderful, thank you so much!"
Hilbert waved her hand.
"It's nothing."
"I's working under Bai Shi now, and receiving his funding."
"Since you're his friend, I should certainly do what I can to help."
Hilbert moved all the surrounding tables and chairs aside to give Alexander a spacious place to sit.
Then she put away the Scarlet Rot bud and went to another pile of containers to get various raw materials.
"Just a moment."
"Because your body is so large, you'll need quite a lot of this adhesive."
"The sample I kept isn't nearly enough. I need to make a new batch."
Alexander crossed his arms.
"Yes, not a problem at all."
"Compared to the time it would take to heal on my own, this bit of waiting is nothing."
Curious, Bai Shi went over to glance at the materials Hilbert had taken out.
There was quite a variety of materials.
Besides plant-based ingredients like root resin, mushrooms, and altus blooms, there also seemed to be things like beast blood.
Most of the materials required separate processing: heating, juicing, chopping...
But after all the different treatments, the final step was still to mix them all together, heat them over a fire, and spend time and effort stirring them into a single mass.
The blood-colored liquid bubbled in the pot, looking somewhat like the scene of a witch brewing a potion.
Seeing that it was hard work, Bai Shi simply took the iron stirring rod from Hilbert.
Alexander knew nothing about crafting and couldn't understand what Hilbert was doing, so he could only sit patiently on the ground and wait.
Suddenly, Alexander noticed the little jar under a nearby table.
The little jar Hilbert had rescued was hiding under the table, wanting to come out but not daring to.
But the table legs couldn't hide his round body.
Alexander extended his right hand and beckoned to him.
The small jar hesitated for a moment before running out from under the table and coming to Alexander's side.
Alexander lifted the small jar onto his palm.
"Oh, I didn't expect to see a kinsman here."
"What's your name, little one?"
The small jar seemed a bit scared being lifted into the air.
Hearing Alexander ask his name, he finally spoke hesitantly:
"Ptolemy..."
Bai Shi found it strange. This was the first time he had heard the little jar speak.
The little jar had always seemed rather shy.
Even with Hilbert around, he wouldn't talk to others.
Perhaps he felt more relaxed around his own kind.
Alexander turned to look at Hilbert.
"Did you take him in?" Hilbert glanced over while continuing to add ingredients to the boiling adhesive.
"Yes, I did."
"I passed by a jar village that had been visited by poachers. The jars inside had already been taken."
"Only he wasn't found. I saw he was the only one left, so I brought him back with me."
Alexander poked the little jar, Ptolemy, with his finger.
"Oh, I see. What a poor child."
"I am Warrior Jar 'Iron Fist' Alexander."
"You can call me Uncle Alexander, hahaha."
Ptolemy waved at Alexander.
"Uncle Alexander, are you a Warrior Jar?"
"I want to be a Warrior Jar, too!"
"Can you tell me how to become a Warrior Jar?"
Alexander looked at the small jar before him, feeling a sense of nostalgia.
It was a scene just like this back in his homeland.
That was back when he hadn't yet officially become a Warrior Jar.
In the jar village, there were all kinds of jars, and naturally, there were small jars who wanted to become all kinds of jars.
There was one small jar he was very fond of, a little jar named Antico.
At the time, Alexander hadn't left the village to begin his journey yet. He was still in the village, training hard and building up his strength.
When he trained, Antico would always be by his side, training with him, hoping to become a Warrior Jar one day as well.
Later, Alexander left his homeland, and he had no idea what had become of the village.
Homeland...
Alexander quickly pulled himself out of his memories.
Since he could still fight, he shouldn't dwell on thoughts of his home.
His homeland was so beautiful and peaceful, a stark contrast to the blood-and-fire-filled Lands Between.
Remembering his homeland in a cruel place like the Lands Between, one couldn't help but get lost in that warmth.
One day, those gentle memories would affect him, and he would stop in his tracks.
A warrior must press forward relentlessly, must have unwavering resolve.
Alexander began to think about how to answer Ptolemy's question.
The jars of the Lands Between each had their own way of life.
Even among Warrior Jars, there were significant differences.
The vast majority of Warrior Jars existed as vessels to help warriors return to the Erdtree with their bodies.
They would gather the corpses of warriors from all over into their bodies, then be buried with them near a Minor Erdtree to help them return to the tree.
That was the original purpose of a Warrior Jar.
But then, the Shattering began, and the system of returning to the Erdtree became useless.
So, the Warrior Jars began to fight to protect their kin.
Ordinary Warrior Jars often took on roles similar to bodyguards and protectors.
And among the many Warrior Jars, there was one anomaly:
one with soaring fighting spirit, who longed for battle, longed to become a hero as a jar.
He would carry the last wishes of the warriors within him and throw himself into all kinds of battles.
That strange jar was none other than he, Alexander.
Alexander was well aware that he was different from other Warrior Jars.
So, he only told Ptolemy what to do, without interfering with his choice.
"Hmm, so you want to be a Warrior Jar."
"Well then, first and foremost, the most important thing is training."
"And then, it's about your contents."
"In the Lands Between, countless warriors strive to reach the pinnacle. They take up arms, fight, are defeated, and die."
"You must understand and respect those warriors, and then inherit their remains."
"Become one with them, fight together with them."
"However, physical strength is not the key to becoming a Warrior Jar."
"Without the heart of a warrior, you can never become one."
Seeing Ptolemy's half-comprehending look, Alexander burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha, you'll definitely understand one day."
Watching the heartwarming interaction between Alexander and the little jar, Bai Shi also smiled.
Oh, speaking of little jars, the matter of Jarburg hadn't been resolved yet.
Bai Shi began to ask Alexander about his homeland:
"By the way, Alexander."
"I was near Liurnia before, on the eastern side of the lake, and I saw a jar village from afar."
"That village is on the edge of a cliff. Do you know of it?"
Alexander thought for a moment.
Hmm, the description sounded very familiar... Wasn't that his home village?
"Ah, what a coincidence. You couldn't have found my homeland, could you?"
"I'm very familiar with that place. Is something wrong there?"
Bai Shi nodded. It really was Alexander's homeland. That made things simple.
"Your homeland is fine."
"It's just that the Living Jars' situation isn't great. After all, there are poachers."
"Those villages without the protection of Warrior Jars are rather dangerous."
"I was thinking of asking their opinion, to see if they would be willing to move to Stormveil."
"But I was afraid the jars would be fearful of outsiders."
"Since it's your homeland, why don't you help make the introduction? See if they'd be willing to live in Stormveil."
Alexander suddenly understood. This was indeed a good thing.
Although jar villages were usually built in very hidden locations, they still couldn't withstand poachers who would dig three feet deep to find them.
Other villages might be alright, but his homeland's only Warrior Jar—himself—had left long ago.
That made things quite dangerous indeed.
"Yes, that's a good thing. Thank you."
"Then later, when you're ready to go there, just call me."
For a reason like this, making a trip back home was no problem.
If he could settle his kinsmen from his homeland, he would be able to fight with more peace of mind in the future.
Hilbert had finished preparing the new batch of adhesive and brought over a large basin of it.
"Alright, we're going to start repairing the wound now. It might hurt a little."
Alexander laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, I am a Warrior Jar."
"What's a little pain like this? Bring it on!"
Hilbert grabbed handfuls of the adhesive and slathered it onto Alexander's cracks.
The moment the adhesive touched him, Alexander almost cried out in pain.
But seeing Ptolemy nearby, he forced himself to endure it to maintain the image of a Warrior Jar in the little one's heart.
After a long while, Hilbert finally sealed all the cracks on Alexander's body.
Now there were no more leaks on Alexander's body; he was much better than before.
"Alright, now we just need to find a fire pit or some other hot place to bake this adhesive dry."
"I think with this adhesive, your body should be able to heal itself quickly."
Alexander stood up and moved around a bit.
He felt much more comfortable. He no longer had to live on edge, worrying he might shatter for some random reason.
"Oh! This is great! I feel like I've been reborn!"
"Thank you so much!"
Hilbert smiled, wiping the adhesive from her hands.
"It's nothing, don't mention it."
"If you have the chance in the future, it would be good for you to teach this child."
Alexander agreed:
"Yes, leave it to me."
"It just so happens I'll be staying at Redmane Castle for a while."
His contents were not yet full. Now that his body was repaired, it was time to go to the Wailing Dunes and recover the bodies of the warriors.
Bai Shi looked at the still-wet adhesive on Alexander's body and held out his hand.
A ball of warm sunlight shone on Alexander's body.
Then Bai Shi raised the temperature just a little, quickly drying all the adhesive on Alexander.
Alexander touched his body, greatly surprised.
"Wow, Bai Shi, what did you do?"
"There was no flame, but you managed to dry the adhesive."
"Now I feel like I'm more than halfway recovered, hahaha."
Seeing it was effective, Bai Shi nodded in satisfaction.
"It's nothing, as long as it helped you."
Alexander was a little embarrassed.
"Ah, I've really troubled you both today."
"Otherwise, this useless jar of mine probably wouldn't even be able to fight anymore."
Bai Shi waved his hand.
"As long as you can fight again, there's no need to say more."
Alexander gave Bai Shi a hug.
"Haha, thank you..."