Chapter 76: Potion and Saintess – 1

Chapter 76: Potion and Saintess – 1

“…I bought it, but I wonder how effective this is.”

I entered a shop after seeing a familiar face for the first time in a long time.

…I didn’t have anything else to do anyway, so I just went in without thinking, but still.

I feel like I’ve inadvertently gotten something quite amazing.

Considering the performance I saw at the Adventurers’ Guild building last time, it’s obviously not a crappy item.

“She’s still a kid, you know. I wonder if she’s ignorant of the ways of the world, or if she knows and still acts that way…”

And the fact that such an item costs only 15 silver coins is an even bigger problem.

I can already clearly imagine the priests stirring up trouble at that shop, calling it heresy.

Fortunately, it seems I’m the first customer.

Thinking this and that, I entered the Adventurers’ Guild as usual.

…And as usual, there was a commotion.

“Quick, get the hemostatic agent!! Do you want to see him die?!”

“Yes, yes!”

“The rest of you, if you’re not helping, go about your business! Don’t block the way!!”

Judging by the Guild Master’s sharp voice and the content, it seemed another worm had tried to take on a quest beyond their level and was now on the verge of death.

It wasn’t a rare occurrence, so I didn’t feel any particular emotion.

…Someday I might be in that situation, but not now.

“Busy again today, Guild Master-nim?”

“…If you’re going to use honorifics, do it properly. And I’m busy, so off you go.”

“Hehe, why are you so prickly today? I brought something good, you know.”

So, normally I wouldn’t interfere… but this time, I decided to make an exception.

I had a reliable healing agent in my hand.

‘Now that I think about it, didn’t she say she was going to open a business near the Adventurers’ Guild before?’

Whether things went well or not, seeing that she opened a separate shop altogether, it seemed they did.

…Of course, it was quite amusing that even after opening it so well, she priced things strangely and was clearly going to lose money.

‘I felt it before, but she’s thorough, yet strangely has holes in important places.’

“So what’s so good that you’re acting like this? If you don’t move quickly, I don’t think I’ll ever have a chance to give it to you.”

“Ah, alright. Make him drink this.”

“……Ah, I remember. It’s that potion sold by that audacious girl who said she’d sell potions here before.”

The Guild Master-nim quickly took the potion from my hand and poured it down the dying man’s throat.

…Looking at his attire, he seemed to be a low-level adventurer, at best rank 7 or 8.

In other words, he was a precious newcomer in this guild, which was already losing people, and he was also someone who was unskilled in basic first aid and emergency preparations.

‘No wonder the Guild Master-nim is trying so hard.’

It was a guild where every single person was precious.

Even more so because the truly strong ones quickly left this guild and moved to the one in the Imperial Capital.

Meanwhile, the newcomers just got ground down.

That’s why even the Guild Master-nim himself was out doing this kind of emergency treatment.

“…Insane. What on earth did she do to create such a potion?”

“Did she make it? She made it, no, she did.”

“……If bulk purchase is possible, the guild would want to buy it.”

“I think there’s enough supply, but I wonder if she’ll sell it to one person, you know.”

“…Just drop the honorifics. It makes me uncomfortable to hear.”

The Guild Master-nim said that and looked at the adventurer who had been bleeding profusely and on the verge of death just moments ago.

…Hmm, even I found it amazing how quickly his wounds were healing.

Honestly, it seemed even more effective than the priests who just rip people off.

“The problem is the price. There’s no way such an item would be cheap…”

“The price is indeed a problem.”

“…If even you say that, it must be really expensive…”

“…It’s too cheap, which is a serious problem.”

At that, the Guild Master-nim gave me a look that said, ‘What the hell are you talking about?’, but it was the truth.

She might have hastily raised the price, but it was still cheap.

Even more so considering that priests’ healing starts at 1 gold coin.

“The price might have changed by now, but I bought it for silver coins.”

“…Silver coins, not gold coins?”

“It’s quite a different price from the priests who demand gold coins just for saying you’re an adventurer, and even if it’s an emergency, they won’t treat you unless you go to the cathedral.”

Adventurers and priests were sworn enemies.

It started with adventurers complaining that priests’ healing was a rip-off.

The peak was when priests not only ripped people off, but also refused to come if an adventurer called, no matter how urgent the patient’s condition.

If you offered several times the price, they would ‘specially’ come to the guild building, but otherwise, you had to carry the dying patient to the cathedral.

And in that process, not just one or two adventurers died, leading to a vicious cycle where adventurers’ hatred for priests deepened even further.

“…Considering a regular supply contract…? These bastards!”

“You can buy a potion with that kind of effect for silver coins?”

“Hehe, let’s go quickly before the guild takes it all!”

And, naturally, the other adventurers who had been listening to my conversation with the Guild Master-nim all rushed out of the guild, and the Guild Master-nim clutched the back of her neck.

…The adventurers’ determination to secure the items themselves before the guild could snatch them all was quite impressive.

‘…I was trying to help her business, but it seems I overdid it.’

Well, isn’t this a much better situation than worrying about having no customers?

***

“Line up! Line up! Don’t you know order?!”

“Damn it! Get out of the way! I was first!”

“You greedy son of a bitch?”

…Adventurers suddenly barging in, and loud shouts going back and forth.

……These weren’t the customers I wanted, and somehow it had turned into a complete mess.

‘What the hell did you do… Melini!’

Whether she had boasted about the potions at the Adventurers’ Guild or something, the adventurers’ enthusiasm was immense.

The problem was that while the enthusiasm was immense, the order was immense in a different way.

With the continuously increasing number of adventurers and the commotion, I finally made a decision.

“Everyone! Shut up!!!”

The greatsword strapped to my back struck the floor, creating a thunderous roar.

…So much so that even I was surprised and almost fell over.

……I had asked the system to modify the floor for threatening unruly customers, but the sound was excessively loud.

No, not just the sound, but the vibration was also so intense that some adventurers completely collapsed on the spot.

Of course, the effect was certainly there.

“From now on, I won’t sell to anyone who can’t stand in line properly, and it’s one per person, so be aware of that.”

“”……””

“For your information, if you try any funny business, you’re going straight to the Defense Force jail, okay? I have connections with the Defense Force, so don’t try anything stupid.”

“”……””

My appearance, threatening adventurers several times my size with a greatsword, felt truly out of place…

But it was effective.

Perhaps because adventurers respect the strong, the roar and shockwave created by slamming the greatsword onto the floor seemed quite impressive.

Indeed, even I would probably flinch a bit if a shop owner slammed a weapon onto the floor, creating a roar and shockwave.

‘The shop owner who’s pissed off and holding a weapon is always the strongest, right?’

*Besides that, when you intentionally lower your voice, it gives off a very dangerous feeling, you know.*

‘…Really?’

*How should I put it? It’s a voice that conveys you’re truly pissed off, making people flinch? It’s not intimidation, but more like a voice that tells you not to mess with them?*

*It’s quite a skill to make people flinch with a voice that conveys pure anger so well, without any dignity or fear.*

……Someday, I really need to look into a potion that can re-materialize Ria.

Hmm, if she really materializes, I’ll punch her first and then slowly heal her with an all-nighter potion.

Anyway, that was a matter for the future, so for now, I decided to finish what I was doing.

“So, your answer.”

“”Yes!!””

“Good. Now, line up one by one. While you’re at it, learn the virtue of yielding a bit, and if someone tries to go first, let them.

And for your information, it’s 40 silver coins per potion, so prepare it in advance.”

Referring to Melini’s and Ria’s advice, I had raised the price to a little less than three times the original.

…Looking at the adventurers’ reactions, it seems I could have raised it by 4 or 5 times and it would have been fine.

They were showing enthusiastic reactions, and at the same time, they were even watching me nervously, in case I said I wouldn’t sell to them because they hadn’t lined up properly.

They were even yielding to each other, telling the others to go first, which was truly a sight to behold.

‘Anyway, I’m profiting from this. They’re happy it’s cheap. Suckers.’

Well, I’m happy, so it’s not my business.

…Somehow, it feels like everyone involved with me from the Adventurers’ Guild, starting with Melini, is getting ripped off…?

‘For the main character, forced potion sales, and for the supporting characters, overpriced potions. …Hmm, I feel like I’ve become some kind of amazing trash.’

Of course, even amidst all that, my hands were quickly receiving silver coins and handing over potions.

……Why, what, why? If I’m not going to sell it like a charity for 15 silver coins anyway, I need to make money too!