Mango Gilena


 * "What's it matter to you?"
 * ''— To Ain Bell Fior when asked what he was doing.

Mango Gilena (マンゴー・ギレナ) is a dark elf from the Elf Country.

Appearance
Mango Gilena was a slightly plump male dark elf, most either due to lack of exercise. He had a square jawline and blond hair with bangs hanging on either side of his face. His clothing was composed of a apron over a green tunic.

Personality
Mango Gilena was said to be a person that dislike getting involved in village politics as he found it bothersome. The Chief Pharmacist tended lose himself in his work, ignoring the happenings outside of his home and could be reproachful when disturbed. He was a passionate man to his work and only liked to talk about topics pertaining to medicines. He took pride in his work as a pharmacist and the knowledge he possessed. The idea of such things being sold for gain was displeasing to him.

Gilena's teaching methods did not allow for written notes, but relied on oral transmission of information and training the body so that mixing certain solutions and herbs was second nature.

Background
At one point Gilena rose to become one of the six pillars of authority in his village. During the internal struggle between the Council of Elders and Youth Faction, Gilena was neutral in the conflict. Due to Gilena's skills, he, along with three others, was deeply respected by the Youth Faction, so much so that the youths refused to initiate total conflict with the elders.

The Half Elf God-kin Arc
and The Half Elf God-kin II Arc When Blueberry Egnia detected strange activity of an Ankyloursus in the forest, Master of the Hunt Apple ordered Plum Ganen to inform the Chief Pharmacist to prepare making poison that could affect an ursus.

After Ain Fior Bell, the uncle of Aura Bella Fiora the village savior settled into the village, the Chief Pharmacist was sought but by the traveling dark elf. The Chief Pharmacist was visited by Ain at his home, but the dark elf was uninterested in speaking with the traveler and more focused on finishing his work. It was only after Ain asked him about whether he was making Kiine Peel or Kandiane Root did he stop to consider the words of his visitor. Gilena explained to Ain that he was preparing Kandiane Root and demonstrated how to prevent the herb from losing efficacy by adding the secretions of a Nere Tree.

Now curious about his visitor, he made a note that Ain was not a pharmacist due to the lack of the scent of alchemical solutions and stains on his hands. He was disappointed to learn that Ain was not a fellow pharmacist like him, causing him to quickly lose interest but it soon returned after the visitor showed him a Purple Potion from his homeland. The Chief Pharmacist appraised the potion and tested it out on himself, noting his inability to determine the ingredients and that the healing effects were quicker than expected.

He asked Ain if this kind of potion was common place, but learned that it was not, as the Blue Potion s were in circulation and that the sample which he was given was being spread by an undead king. Gilena asked Ain if he was willing to allow him to keep the potion, which opened negotiations for a fair exchange. The arcane magic caster offered to let the pharmacist keep the item for the price of information on knowledge of the herbs and special potions from the Great Sea of Trees.

The request was odd to Gilena, as Ain was an arcane magic caster so such knowledge about herbs would be useless. Ain admitted that he had no talent in alchemy as his master had said so, but still saw the value of learning the field as knowledge was power. When he learned that Ain wanted to use the knowledge for profit, he was angry, though he still considered Ain's offer. The deal would not be too bad for him either, as Ain pointed out he did not have to teach him his secrets, but asked the Chief Pharmacist if he had anything of equivalent value to the potion? If he accepted then beside the potion Gilena would gain a debt of gratitude from the visitor.

This in mind, Gilena stated what kind of guarantee did Ain have that he will receive something of equal value, as he could just give the visitor some trivial mixes or plants as payment or even reign on ever having a debt of gratitude? He was shocked when he heard that Ain would not care. The way Ain figured, there is no way that the Chief Pharmacist would lie to himself as the guilt would likely linger from such a dishonorable exchange. Plus if Ain felt that he was cheated, he would spread the scrupulous act to the outside cities bringing shame to Gilena and his village. However Ain mentioned that some people might even praise Gilena's act of getting a bargain deal which caused the pharmacist to laugh at the joke.

Understanding Ain's argument, Gilena agreed to teach Ain his secret medicines and that they would start right away as Ain's stay in the village would be only seven days. Gilena dictated that he would teach him by word only and would not allow a record being made. Though this difficult for Ain to agree on, but managed to convince his 'master' to let him take notes after learning Ain's former master permitted it. Gilena was willing to compromise, but asked that once Ain knew the potions and medicines by memory to burn the record which Ain promised.

During his lessons with Ain, he tried to instill the recipes of his mixtures into his student by hand and taste, despite the latter believing that exact measurements were needed due to various races of different size existing in his nation such as giants and dwarves. Still they maintained a healthy dialogue of competing on who could prepare the mixtures faster.

There lessons though were halted after news of a messenger from the capital of the Elf Country came. It delivered news that the elves requested the dark elf villages to send reinforcements to defend the capital that was being attacked by a nation from the north. After confirming that the nation was the Slane Theocracy and not the one where his apprentice hailed from, Gilena and Ain attended the gathering at the plaza where the Council of Elders addressed the village on their course of action.

On the issue the Chief Pharmacist voiced his opinion that they should be hesitant to get involved in the conflict as it was still unknown if the elves at the capital provoked the Theocracy. If they did he believed that they should let their kinsmen reap what they sowed. He agreed with Ain's suggestion that they should recommend to the other villages to only send a small number of reinforcements, to fulfill their obligation to the elves but to also ensure their communities safety if the humans turned their eyes toward the dark elves.

Later after Ain and his family were making preparations to leave the village, Gilena hurried over to their dwelling to give a final gift to his apprentice, a warning that some of the women would try to go with him and his niece and nephew. He recommended that if Ain did not want to get entangled in such attachments he leave quickly as possible. The family thanked the pharmacist for the warning and quickly slipped out of the village.

Abilities and Powers
Besides having authority with his village, Mango is a skilled pharmacist capable of making potent poison as well as improving their efficacy. Additionally he seems well experienced as a pharmacist, able to known the tell signs of those who practice alchemy from visual clues and smell.

Gilena was well versed in dark elven secret medicines which were unique and split into three categories.


 * Medicines that could be made through difficult mixing procedures.
 * Medicines made utilizing extremely rare medicinal herbs.
 * Dangerous drugs that had an excessively potent efficacy.

Main Equipment

 * Yagaen Mortar & Pestle: A tool which is used for crushing herbs.

Ain Fior Bell
On their first meeting, Gilena understood that Ain was an important guest to the village. While respectful of the outsider's traditions, he did not take an interest in Ain until after the latter displayed some knowledge in herbology despite being an arcane magic caster. His interest in Ain was only maintained so long as the magic caster had some value, such as the rare potion he showed him. Even so when he learned that Ain was only interested in the information, he was a bit disappointed. After talking to Ain, he found him to be a smooth and sly talker especially at the negotiating table. The Chief Pharmacist somewhat admired Ain's humbleness and for admitting his failures, something that he did not expect from a cityfolk. He was willing to take him on as an impromptu student, and teach him his secret medicines involving rare ingredients, though for felt a year would be necessary rather than just seven days so he could drill the information orally to him.

Trivia

 * A mango is a tropical stone fruit with a fleshy orange outer section about the size of a grapefruit.
 * Besides the potion, part of the reason for teaching Ain was to spread the word of the rare reagents used by the dark elves, hoping that it would potentially cause others from the city to come to the forest for the precious commodities and do business with the dark elves.

Quotes

 * (To Ain): "You really are a smooth-taker, aren't you? You sure run your mouth a lot."
 * (On the war between the elves and humans): “…If that’s what happened, then you reap what you sow.”
 * (His practical wisdom): “No, it’s nothing of the sort. Cutting off one part to save the others—it is a method that we often use in the vegetable gardens and other places.”