A few years after the events of Atelier Rorona, Rorona decides to travel the country in search of people to help, and perhaps some willing students to learn alchemy from her. During her search, Totori, a girl from the small country town Alanya, is the first (and only) one that gets it, and becomes her student. After Rorona heads off once again, Totori continues to study, and habitually continues to both learn and explode the atelier set up in her house.
Source: N4G PC Atelier Totori: ~The Adventurer of Arland~ DX review – ChristCenteredGamer