Episode 98
Chapter 17 – Alchemy Fire
The midterm evaluation comes.
A competency assessment conducted twice a year for all students enrolled in the academy.
To be honest, the test!
“It’s a test… … . I hate it.”
Perhaps because of this, students are already starting to come and go to the library and other facilities where they can study.
Foolish… … . dear ones.
You have to come to the library again during the exam period, that’s a defeat flag!
Cramming is not for everyone.
“So Xian doesn’t study?”
“What are you talking about? Other things are more important than studying.”
“… … so?”
You cannot overcome this crisis by studying diligently.
As a student, with very bad bullsh*t, that’s where I’m headed.
“This is the alchemist’s shop.”
The workshop of Mr. Carrot, an alchemist.
This is where I went to earn pocket money by selling potions.
“Is it somehow easy?”
“That’s because there was no reason to earn pocket money these days.”
Still, I went to make deliveries from time to time. To maintain a minimum human relationship.
It’s too heartless to cut off a relationship right away just because you’ve got some money.
“Well, starting today, I’m going to stop selling homemade potions.”
It is third-rate to always do the same thing and settle down.
If you are a solid human being, you should always come with a new case.
In particular, there is one thing to do at this time before the exam.
“Mr. Carrot? Are you there?”
I knocked lightly on the shop door. Also no answer
Secretly, this alchemist sister ate a glass.
Well, flies are flying in the store, so he must be dozing off.
“I’m going in.”
The shop is open.
As soon as I came in, I was greeted by a landscape that I couldn’t even see as a guest.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen another customer in this store. … … Aren’t you going to ruin here?”
“It’s not at all unlikely.”
I’ve never seen a customer, but the potions I deliver are always out of stock.
It probably means that there are customers who purchase through a separate route.
Well, the store owner Carrot seems to care, so it’s better not to say such things in front of him.
“No, normally, if I talk about this, I’ll get annoyed and show my face.”
did you really go out As I looked around in puzzlement, Emily pointed to the inside of the store.
“Sian, I can feel the presence over there.”
“Is he really sleeping since daytime, this guy… … .”
Then wake me up and tell me my business.
“Hey, Mr. Carrot? No matter how much flies fly, if someone comes, come out and see… … .”
In the direction Emily pointed, I went into the store on my own and looked for the store owner.
If you go straight through the passage behind the counter, you will go straight to the workshop where you can work.
“Are you working?”
It didn’t seem like he wasn’t answering simply because he was lazy.
“… … Heat.”
The heat felt from the aisle.
It could be said as proof that there was a fire in the workshop.
As I entered on my own, the scene of the workshop, which could be called an alchemist’s workshop, came into view at a glance.
Alchemy equipment occupying the workshop and a brazier with fire.
And a woman working hard in front of him.
Alchemist Kerot Cherente.
Perhaps because of the heat, she was immersed in her work with only thin clothes on.
What can be seen in the terrifying heat where even sweat evaporates is the body trained as an alchemist.
There is a saying that the body of a decent blacksmith and alchemist is comparable to that of a tolerable warrior.
If you want to use materials that are not easy to handle in the heat, your weak body will not be able to withstand it.
“… … sh*t.”
She cursed to see if something wasn’t working and tossed the bottle of the liquid she was working on into the waste bin.
It was only after that that he noticed my presence, and when he looked this way, he frowned.
“what? I thought I heard a thief again, but was it you, kid?”
“Because there is no answer. Were you working?”
“Ah, I was just about to catch my breath. It’s getting hot, so let’s go out and talk, kid.”
* * *
“You seem to be empty-handed today, but did you finally come to buy something?”
“hahahaha, it can’t be. Even if I die and wake up, what can I buy at Mr. Carrot’s workshop… … . Wait! Don’t throw an empty bottle?”
If hit, it hurts.
“So what are you here to show me?”
“I’m here to tell you that we should do something that could make some money together.”
I’m here to tell you something nice.
Normally, I would be kicked out for saying such a thing, but perhaps thanks to our exchanges, Mr. Carrot doesn’t kick me out, even if he frowns.
“Is it something that will make money?”
“I’m just going to make something with me and sell it to the kids to get a share.”
“Hey, hey, how suspicious.”
“are you okay. It’s actually a very healthy business.”
I wanted to do a one-time business.
But I alone do not have enough hands to produce the necessary things.
then?
can’t do business
“Are you free?”
“Study or something. What kind of student is only trying to make money.”
“It’s okay. No matter how you look at it, there are few people who are better than me.”
“The academy is over, too.”
“Anyway, it won’t be any harm to Mr. Carrot. especially money… … You need it?”
I know the finances of her store better than anyone else.
There is no way he would refuse if he asked for the number of cases that would make him a trade.
“… … .”
“Mr. Carrot?”
“I’m sorry, kid. Is that now or not?”
“For now, I’m planning to get a share during the exam period… … .”
“Then go somewhere else and find out. I have a job.”
He refuses saying that there is a separate prior agreement.
“Do you have a request? To Mr. Carrot’s shop?”
“What is that expression! There are quite a few guys who do the work… … . Well, this one is a bit annoying.”
Come to think of it, she was stuck in the workshop at this time and was making something.
It was a feeling that didn’t work out.
‘oh! At this time… … . Could it be that quest?’
Maybe what I was thinking is right.
“Does it have anything to do with the previous work?”
“… … What are you doing?”
“You seem to be having a hard time. Now, maybe I can give you some helpful hints.”
“hey… … . No matter how you do it, you can’t talk about the request arbitrarily.”
“yes? Is it between us?”
What is it?
“You’re a cheeky kid who never bought anything, right?”
At least, call me a cute kid.
Well, I thought it wouldn’t be easy to talk like this. Shall I ask in a different way?
Maybe it’s better to get involved.
It was the time when I was determined to show the mischievousness of the scolded uncle.
creak.
I heard the rusty door open.
who came
It was a middle-aged man in a butler’s uniform.
“hand… … You’re?!”
“Hey, kid. Really?”
Mr. Carrot’s complexion hardens as he sighs, waves his hand to keep out of the way, and looks at the new guest.
“… … you.”
“Oh, did you have any passengers? Would it be better to come back?”
“it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about this kid.”
“Are you a disciple? Hmm… … .”
Are you dissatisfied? Well, I’m not a disciple, so I have nothing to say.
“Think whatever you want. Do you want to say something more than that?”
that’s too much
From noble mtl dot com
I didn’t want to intervene at first, so I quietly withdrew.
“If this little boy is bothered by what he hears, just tell him to get out of the way.”
“No, thanks. Because I just came to ask about the progress of the requested product.”
“Progress… … is it.”
“Are there any problems with its delivery?”
Apparently, it seems that Mr. Carrot has been asked to do something.
He’s probably asking about progress on something.
However, Mr. Carrot’s attitude is a bit questionable.
“Ahh… … . Progress.”
“It’s difficult if you don’t tell me clearly.”
“Um, it will be… … . well, somehow.”
“If you don’t keep your promise, you’re in trouble. This is a legitimate request. … … Even more so, even if it was given to you by your teacher.”
“Tch, I know.”
A stuffy atmosphere pervades.
It was a rare sight to see that violent alchemist who couldn’t scream.
The butler, who calmly warned her, returns soon.
“If you can’t complete the request… … At that time, we will just return the request money legitimately.”
“I know! I’ll give it right! go back!”
Mr. Carrot responds hurriedly, and the man who looks like a butler looks at me blankly at the scene.
“Please keep the contract.”
“I know!”
It is truly a rare sight to see her unable to open her prayers and secretly gnashing her teeth.
It wasn’t until after the butler’s uncle passed away that I calmly looked at her face for a while, as if I was checking the atmosphere.
“Whew… … . It’s so annoying. Like that damn old man.”
“Did you borrow any money? It almost feels like a debtor.”
“… … That’s not entirely wrong.”
I can’t say anything else because I hit the point.
“Did you see it anyway? I can’t afford to help you, kid.”
“From the looks of it, that butler seems to be from the Count Helic family.”
“Hey, how else… … .”
“I can tell by looking at the pattern engraved on the carriage the butler rode in.”
He made an excuse saying he saw it by chance.
Carrot lies!
“Speaking of Count Helic, it’s not that difficult to guess what they need, right?”
Thanks to that, the opportunity to wander came.
“Could the request the butler mentioned be medicine?”
“… … One notice is filthy fast. Is it normal to find out that far? What the hell is going on in your head?”
Of course, it’s not like guessing.
It’s simply what you know as a quest in the game.
“It’s not a leakage of the request, is it? I just found out on my own. Besides, the butler also treated me as an assistant, so it shouldn’t matter.”
“You speak well. A snout mage, not a warlock.”
“So?”
“It is as you say. little boy I’m having a hard time making that damn drug.”
Mr. Carrot meekly talked about his current situation.
“If we can’t make that, we have to close this store.”
Ruined, said to be ruined
It looks really messed up.
“You are suffering a lot.”
“Don’t comfort me with a smile. Because it gets hotter.”
* * *
“Actually, this store was inherited from my master.”
It is said to be a shop with a surprisingly long history.
A shop that has been passed down since Mr. Carrot’s days as a teacher.
A restaurant in the alchemy world.
“Well, it came with other things besides the humble store.”
“It must have something to do with what the butler said earlier, right?”
The butler of Count Helic’s family.
It was actually not that difficult to find out what the request he was talking about was.
Mr. Carrot does not speak. You can’t leak the client’s information.
So let me tell you first.
“I heard rumors that there is something like a curse passed down from generation to generation in Count Helik’s family.”
“… … Do you even know that?”
“Those who like rumors are light-hearted. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to hear that much information.”
Even in games, you can figure it out with a little effort.
So, knowing that, there was nothing strange about it.
“Perhaps in order to cure that curse, Count Helic is said to acquire a thing called the blue medicine that heals it at regular intervals.”
“… … It seems that my previous trading partner was my teacher.”
“But why did Mr. Carrot do that?”
“Originally, the master said he decided to pass it on by two bottles.”
“They say it’s a difficult drug to make.”
“hahahaha, he was a damn teacher, but he had skills. … … First of all, it seems that one bottle was passed.”
“A bottle?”
“The ingredients aren’t common, so they decided to give the other bottle a few years later.”
It is better not to ask further questions about the master. I already know that I am not from this world.
In short, the second disease is the problem.
“You didn’t know?”
“… … well In the past, I was also a very unattractive kid.”
Do you think you heard it and forgot it? Looks like there’s a corner to hide.
For that reason, the butler of Count Helic’s family came a while ago and handed out a request.
“How likely is it fake?”
“It’s not something I haven’t considered. First of all, the handwriting was that of the damn teacher… … . Well, that’s why I can’t say anything else.”
But there was no feeling of resentment.
Perhaps Mr. Carrot obediently wanted to complete the request.
“Why don’t you look around and cancel?”
Did you know that there is a fantastic word in the world called eating and running?
When I suggested it with a smirk, Mr. Carrot lightly feeds me chestnuts.