You let them out of your sight for five minutes... [ Dorothea teases, patting Claude's arm companionably. ] But we'll know better next time.

[ And she makes sure to pick the shopkeep's brain just a bit about the best way to avoid this problem in the future. The answer, it turns out, is fairly straightforward. You have to drop a bag over the flower first. The thicker the better. It's easy to snip the stalk with a pair of shears after that, then let it rest for a few hours before using it for potionmaking.

After acquiring the witch hazel and a small packet of cotton pads, Dorothea leads Claude back out into the sunlight. ]

Now, let's sit down and get that treated, shall we?

[ It takes a few minutes for her to find a convenient place, but the city is full of beautiful natural elements, and she steers them to a small patch of green under a tree. Once seated, Dorothea busies herself with their purchases, pouring the astringent liquid onto the cotton pieces and placing them in Claude's hands. ]

Here you are, dear.