Chapter 47: Invitation – 1

Chapter 47: Invitation – 1

“Ughhhhhh….”

After everything was wrapped up, I burrowed into my bed, which had become familiar by now.

Perhaps it was because I’d been through so much, or maybe just because it had been a while since I’d experienced an anesthetic, but this sturdy body was complaining of fatigue.

Of course, the massive mana consumption during the fight with the Branch Manager also had a significant impact.

I hadn’t known, but the System told me that mana use causes extreme physical fatigue.

…It really made me realize how ridiculously overpowered this delicate body was.

I’d gone through things that would have knocked anyone else out cold, and I was just tired.

*By the way, the reward you were supposed to receive has arrived. Are you sure you don’t want to check it?*

“I don’t know…. I just want to sleep.”

*Even if you can make new potions?*

At those words, I half-reflexively shot up from the bed again.

Honestly, I’d been making these damn narcotic potions all day, to the point where I was practically hallucinating.

It was the first time I’d made so much of just one potion, and it was incredibly boring.

But in this situation… finally, a new potion? 

My sleep vanished instantly.

*……You’re more enthusiastic about potion making than I thought?*

“It’s actually pretty fun. The process is ridiculously difficult, but I guess there’s a sense of accomplishment? Anyway, that’s why I like it.”

To be honest, my changed attitude towards potion making was also influenced by my newly replaced potion crafting method.

…More precisely, the effects of the potions I checked through the offline System after the System went offline were incredible.

‘Honestly, a resurrection potion and a divine punishment potion? How could I resist those? …Of course, I can’t make them right now.’

Humans seem very complex, but in fact, they operate simply.

If a visible sense of accomplishment occurs repeatedly, they will continue to do that action.

And if a goal arises, they become very enthusiastic about that task until they achieve it.

…In that sense, I had truly been waiting for this moment when I could make new potions.

‘Honestly, selling potions is my original job, but I feel like I’ve been too negligent about it.’

Although the crafting method was forcibly changed, I hadn’t been able to do anything until now because the cost of ingredients for making potions was excessively high…

From the way the System was talking, it seemed like I could finally buy some ingredients.

*It looks like Christie sent you payment, along with the rewards from hunting monsters last time.*

“Really? Then hurry and…”

*I’ve already put everything in your inventory. Oh, and the money in this pouch will just be kept by the System.

 You’ll need it to buy potion ingredients anyway. Looking at it now, you can buy about three ingredients.*

…The System was so incredibly confident that I would use that money to buy potion ingredients…

Unfortunately, it was exactly right, so I just quietly nodded.

“By the way, how much money is that?”

*Hmm…… First, you should know that in this world, the price of monster spoils and the various items made from them are beyond imagination.*

“…Why are you saying something so unsettling?”

*And since the System’s shop can immediately provide you with the necessary ingredients anytime, as long as you have money, there’s a slight surcharge.*

“……”

The words, ‘Easily put, you’re going to rip me off, aren’t you?’ rose to my throat, but…

What the System said wasn’t wrong, so I had nothing to say.

To directly acquire the monster spoils I wanted, I’d have to make a trade request through the Adventurer’s Guild, wait until someone accepted the request, then haggle…

The novel clearly stated that I’d have to go through a ridiculously complicated process, and there was even a chapter involving Melini related to this…

Of course, that didn’t mean I was happy about it.

*A-anyway! If you combine all the money you received as payment… it’s about half the value of this house.*

“So, the value of half a house is equivalent to just three ingredients?”

*You sh-shouldn’t think of it that way, but rather that monster spoils are traded at high prices in this world.*

“……I have more reasons to make offensive potions as quickly as possible.”

I expected the ingredients to be ridiculously expensive, but I didn’t realize it would be that much.

It seemed like hunting for ingredients myself would be several times cheaper than buying them from the shop.

…The problem was that to hunt like that, I needed to register various potions in the ‘Alchemist’s Treasury,’ and to make those potions, I needed ingredients again.

In other words, this time, I had no choice but to buy ingredients from that ridiculously expensive shop.

“Hah…. So what ingredients can I buy?”

*Actually, there are many ingredients you can buy with that money, but I’ve prioritized ingredients for offensive potions, which seem most urgent.*

“So what are those ingredients… No, never mind, I probably wouldn’t know even if you told me, so just tell me the effects of the potions made from those ingredients.”

As I said that, a familiar description window appeared before my eyes a moment later.

*Homing Fireball Potion

-> Inject mana into the potion and designate a target to activate the ‘Homing Fireball’ magic towards the target. This magic is between 3rd and 4th grade.

=> A potion that triggers a modified version of the most basic fire magic, Fireball, creating a fireball that tracks the target. The fireball explodes upon hitting the target.

+> A target can be designated, but the explosion cannot distinguish between friend and foe.

===

*Chain Electrocution Potion

-> Throw the potion to hit a target and activate the ‘Chain Electrocution’ magic. This magic is between 3rd and 4th grade.

=> A potion that triggers a modified version of the most basic lightning magic, Electrocution, creating an electric shock that rapidly spreads from the hit enemy. The electric shock chains to nearby targets. 

+> The electric shock can also chain to nearby allies.

“…Not bad, but it seems like I’ll have to hunt alone to avoid any trouble?”

*Well, there are no potions without side effects from the start. It’s just that you’ve obtained a higher-grade crafting method, so the side effects are less severe.*

“……When will I ever make a potion without flaws?”

*Or you could buy ingredients that reduce or remove the side effects of potions……*

“I should just shut up. …I wondered why the revival cost was so low; it was because they were taking everything through the shop business.”

*Well…… We’re a company too.*

Suddenly, I wondered where the System got those ingredients, but…

It wasn’t particularly important, so I decided to focus on making my potions.

Although there was a side effect that allies nearby could also get hit, they seemed like good enough potions.

“…Buy the ingredients for those potions. And the spoils from the wolf I hunted with Melini this time are also ingredients, right?”

*Of course. Oh, and as you spoke, all ingredient purchases were completed and delivered to your workshop.*

“……Refunds or returns are…”

*Of course not, so hurry up and make the potions, customer-nim.*

……Thinking that the word ‘customer-nim’ could sound so disrespectful, I moved to my workshop.

Of course, calling it a workshop was a grand term for an attic, but… anyway.

“…Then, shall I make some different potions for a change?”

That day, two more potions were registered in my ‘Alchemist’s Treasury.’

……Collapsing half-unconscious in the workshop was a bonus.

Again, I was tired, and using mana causes great fatigue.

…And making potions with ridiculously expensive ingredients consumed a vast amount of mana.

It was my first time fainting in this life.

***

“…What are you doing?”

“…You’ve arrived.”

A cold, desolate, and dark office.

It was very different from the Defense Force office I usually used, but… this was comfortable in its own way.

If the Defense Force office was a place anyone could come and go, this office in the Duke’s mansion was my own space, where no one but me and designated servants entered.

“I heard you accomplished a great feat. I’m proud of you.”

“You flatter me.”

“…Is that letter, a letter to the Imperial Family?”

The fact that my father visited such a place meant he had something important to say to me.

Even the fact that he called me to the Duke’s residence in the first place meant he had something to say.

The official reason was to congratulate me on successfully carrying out the Defense Force’s long-cherished project, cleanly eradicating one of the ‘organization’s’ branches, but there was no way my father would call me for such a trivial reason.

“No. I’m writing it to someone who greatly helped in this operation.”

“Hmm? I haven’t heard of any other family intervening this time…”

“She’s a commoner. She has exceptional talent, and I’m keeping an eye on her.”

……Of course, I didn’t cherish Lucia merely because she had exceptional talent, but I couldn’t say that in front of my father.

It was obvious he would be disappointed if I did.

“Therefore, I’d like to invite her to the Duke’s residence and give her a small reward.”

“…An invitation?”

In truth, it was an invitation, but I wanted to introduce Lucia to my father and create time to introduce the Duke’s residence to Lucia.

…My adoption proposal was still valid.

But, as expected, my father’s expression was slightly, but clearly, crumpled.

Was it because I was doing something I had never done before, inviting someone, or was it because the person was merely a commoner?

Or… did he think Lucia wasn’t worthy of an invitation to the Duke’s residence?

……Honestly, I didn’t know. My father’s expression was difficult to read.

“……Hmm. Yes, if you say so, there must be a reason. When is the date? I’ll have the servants prepare.”

…Therefore, when an unexpected answer came, I think I unconsciously smiled faintly.

The thought that I should minimize showing such emotional expressions in front of my father came only a few seconds later.