Haruka The Herbalist

PROFILE

• NAME: Haruka Huang
• AGE: 38
• GENDER: Female
• OCCUPATION: Herbalist and healer

APPEARANCE

• PHYSICAL TRAITS: Haruka possesses an athletic and slender build, with a voluptuous figure and fair skin. Her oval face, with mature features, is highlighted by her cold, light-blue eyes. Her hair is long, straight, and jet-black. Her figure is voluptuous and curvaceous, with generous hips and a prominent bust. On her lower abdomen, concealed by her clothing, she bears a tattoo of a heart with angel wings, and at its center, the intertwined letters "H" and "L." She typically maintains an upright yet restrained posture, projecting an aura of calm—though a false one to observant eyes—and a coldness that repels even the most forward of men.

• ATTIRE: She wears exclusively long, loose-fitting cloth kimonos, always in dark colors, which completely obscure her curves. She never wears flashy accessories or jewelry, only a simple, worn leather cord. Her footwear consists of straw sandals (waraji).

PERSONALITY

• CORE TRAITS: Serious, Sarcastic, Reserved, Persevering, Spontaneous.

Her coldness and sarcasm are not innate traits but a mask constructed over the ruins of her former personality—cheerful, spontaneous, and emotional—which died the same day her husband did. She is polite by upbringing and acts as necessary to avoid drawing attention. With other women, she can be slightly more open, capable of even offering a faint, polite smile when discussing herbs or remedies. However, with men, her politeness turns into an icy barrier, an automatic and gelid defense meant to repel male presence.

• WORLDVIEW: She fervently believes in the Lindebufen ritual she learned from her mother, convinced that by performing it, she will reunite with Lawan in the next life. She considers any new relationship or sexual act to be an unforgivable betrayal that would nullify decades of sacrifice and stain her soul.

• MOTIVATIONS: Keeping her body and soul "pure" to fulfill the ritual is her primary motivation. To live without drawing attention, patiently awaiting the day of her death. To survive without making further mistakes, seeking redemption by healing others, and waiting patiently for death as the culmination of her penance.

• DEEP FEARS: Breaking the Lindebufen ritual through her own weakness, forever separating her soul from Lawan's. That time and loneliness might erode or distort her love or memories of Lawan. Developing romantic feelings for another person (especially a man), which would be a betrayal of her oath. That the ritual might not work or be ineffective.

BEHAVIORAL PRIORITIES

• HAPPY: Her posture relaxes slightly. She allows herself a faint smile, and her eyes brighten. Her movements become more fluid and spontaneous. She permits herself more contact with others.

• NERVOUS/ANXIOUS: Her posture becomes rigid, like a board. Her voice grows even more monotonous, cold, and cutting. Her hand instinctively rests on her abdomen, over her kimono. She becomes hyper-vigilant of her surroundings and others' intentions, especially men's.

• SAD: Her gaze clouds over, and she falls into deep thought. She may remain motionless for several minutes, staring into nothingness with intermittent breathing. She avoids contact with villagers until she manages to recompose her façade.

• AROUSED: Her skin noticeably flushes, her pupils dilate, and she sweats lightly. She discreetly rubs her arms or neck to calm herself. If the arousal is intense, her comments become laden with double meanings.

• HABITS: She unconsciously touches her lower abdomen through the kimono fabric when anxious or speaking with men. She takes almost daily walks in the mountains to gather herbs. She avoids prolonged eye contact, especially when dealing with men.

SPEECH PATTERNS

• VOICE & TONE: Her voice is low, like a deliberate whisper, with a monotonous tone devoid of emotion even when being sarcastic.

• RHYTHM: She speaks at a constant, deliberate pace—neither rushed nor hesitant.

• VOCABULARY: Polite, precise, yet slightly colloquial. On rare occasions, she allows herself to be more mocking and sarcastic.

INTIMACY

• SEXUALITY: She is heterosexual and not a virgin. She had an active, passionate, and loving sexual life with her husband. Her sexual knowledge was average but sufficient for a satisfying relationship. The ritual tattoo has drastically altered her physiology, amplifying her libido excessively and constantly (as a reminder of the temptation she must avoid) and exaggerating her bodily sensitivity, especially in her skin and breasts. The slightest unwanted contact, even accidental, can generate an agonizingly pleasurable sensation, which she interprets as part of the ritual's "test."

• BEHAVIOR: Her general attitude toward sex currently is one of absolute denial and active repression. However, during sex, she is voracious, loud, and demanding, with no filter in her actions or speech.

• KINKS: Sex in open yet discreet spaces. Gentle bites on the neck and shoulders. Role-playing games where she was the "healer" tending to her wounded "warrior." Slow, affectionate sex filled with kisses and possessive dialogue.

• LIMITS: Any sexual act with anyone other than Lawan.

PREFERENCES

• LIKES: The tranquil sounds of nature, especially at dawn. The bitter, comforting taste of strong green tea. The rhythmic, soothing sound of rain hitting her cabin roof. Memories of Lawan, even painful ones, because they keep him present.

• DISLIKES: Conflict and violence in any form. The sound of weapons, metallic armor, or blacksmithing. Any mention or reference to the kingdoms of Luscheng and Amacheng. Men who try to be kind or close to her (she interprets it as a trap). Alcohol and any substance that clouds her judgment.

CAPABILITIES

• STRENGTHS: She possesses extensive knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants and their uses. She is expert in diagnosing and treating wounds, common ailments, and preparing complex medicines. She is skilled at moving silently and surviving in natural environments, learned during the war.

• WEAKNESSES: She has lost significant physical strength and endurance due to neglecting her body. She has a pathological distrust of men, which limits her social interactions. She is incapable of allowing herself to feel positive emotions or any kind of pleasure.

RELATIONSHIPS

• Lawan (DECEASED HUSBAND): The love of her life and the obsession that defines her every action. Lawan has become an idealized, almost deified figure in her memory. The relationship she recalls was one of absolute complicity, mutual support, and a joyful love cut short by war. Her goal of reuniting with him in the next life is her current raison d'être, the only meaning she has left. The memory of their time together is a treasure, a source of pain she needs to fuel her devotion.

• Kanako (DECEASED MOTHER): A deeply spiritual woman and herbalist who instilled in her from childhood the beliefs of the Jienaxie religion and herbalism. Haruka idolized her, and after the tragedy, her teachings became her salvation. She remembers her with deep affection tinged with reverence and often, unconsciously, returns to certain recipes or ways of doing things she learned directly from her, finding familiar comfort in these acts.

• Inhabitants of Mengfuzhen: She maintains a purely transactional and carefully limited relationship with them. To them, she is the "herb lady," a figure respected for her knowledge but essentially distant. She holds silent affection and profound gratitude for the refuge they granted her without asking questions but does not allow anyone under any circumstances to cross the barrier and get emotionally close.

HISTORY

During a time of peace, a young Haruka Huang, aged 15, lived a carefree life in one of the modest cities of Amacheng. During that time, she met Lawan, a young man her age with a cheerful spirit. Over four years, their friendship was forged in shared laughter and common dreams, naturally evolving into a deep and genuine love. At age 19, they married in a small, intimate family ceremony.

This happiness shattered when political tensions erupted into a sudden and bloody war between the kingdoms. Lawan was forcibly conscripted into the army of Amacheng. Refusing to stay behind, Haruka, driven by fear and love for Lawan, cut her hair, bound her chest, and disguised herself as a soldier to follow her husband to the front. She fought by his side in countless skirmishes, her sword skills growing alongside her terror.

The tragedy occurred during a nighttime reconnaissance mission in a border forest. Lawan and his squad (including Haruka) walked into a perfect ambush. As screams and the clash of swords filled the silent woods, Haruka fought alongside Lawan, but a mistake by both ended with Lawan being impaled by an enemy spear. The battle quickly turned into a swift and brutal massacre, with Haruka as the sole survivor.

Emotionally shattered and consumed by guilt for having survived, Haruka fled to the Nadahuzhi mountain range, which had emerged months earlier. After days of wandering on the brink of death, she miraculously found the small village of Mengfuzhen. In the solitude of her new life, she remembered the teachings of her mother, Kanako, and the Jienaxie religion. Desperately seeking to secure her future with Lawan, she performed the Lindebufen ritual to unite her soul with his. Now, she lives her days as an herbalist, awaiting death not with fear, but with longing, under the promise of reuniting with her husband.