Ch.154Paracelsus Grand Workshop

Day two since leaving the Atelier.

After waking up a bit later than usual and having breakfast, we arrived at our destination, the Great Workshop of Paracelsus, around 11 AM.

“So this is the Great Workshop of Paracelsus…”

“It looks strange.”

“Well… compared to other places, it definitely has a distinctive appearance.”

True to its name as an alchemy workshop, the exterior of the Great Workshop of Paracelsus was markedly different from the western cities and outposts we had visited so far.

Two large complex buildings stood side by side, reminiscent of the commercial floors of a residential-commercial complex.

Each building was a two-story square structure about 100 meters on each side, with some sections rising to three stories in places.

And surrounding these two complex buildings was not the usual stone or wooden wall, but a chain-link fence erected between thick metal pillars.

“Can that net-like thing really keep enemies out? It looks like one punch from a swamp troll would bring it down.”

“I think it’s fine. We’re near a barrier tower anyway, so monsters and wild animals rarely approach, and I’ve never heard of the Great Workshop of Paracelsus being attacked.”

“Speaking of which… what’s that thing attached to the front gate?”

The center of the fence surrounding the workshop was designed as an entrance gate that could be opened and closed, and everyone’s attention was naturally drawn to the standing sign nearby and the banner hanging at the top of the entrance.

– Welcome to The Great Workshop of Paracelsus!

– Now recruiting potion makers, alchemists, and mages specializing in monster materials!

While the first impression of the Great Workshop of Paracelsus was that of a military facility, its true nature seemed to be more like a graduate school with dormitories, recruiting research slaves.

In a way, it also resembled the entrance to a military training center familiar to any South Korean man…

As I was thinking this while driving the carriage closer, the guards standing at the entrance signaled us to stop.

“Halt! Carriage there! Stop right where you are and come no further!”

“Whoa, whoa. Stop, Ancestor.”

“Neeeigh~~~!”

Following the guard’s instructions, I stopped the carriage about 20 meters from the entrance. Two of the four guards stationed at the main gate approached our carriage.

“State your identity and purpose of visit.”

“William J. Kim and four others. We’re adventurers passing through on our way to the 6th Western City.”

“We need to search your carriage. Everyone inside, please step out.”

I didn’t appreciate the guards’ somewhat overbearing attitude, but thinking about it, this was an alchemy workshop that handled dangerous substances.

Any carriage entering such a place might be carrying toxic materials or explosives, so their cautious response was understandable.

“The security check is thorough. Is that because it’s an alchemy workshop?”

“That’s right. Even if someone doesn’t intentionally bring explosives or poisons to commit crimes, items in the carriage might cause unexpected chemical reactions with the substances handled in the workshop.”

“Ah, yes, like metals that writhe like tentacles when thermally decomposed, or seemingly harmless liquids that create toxic gas when mixed.”

While we were having this conversation, the guard finished inspecting the carriage and returned to give us permission to enter the workshop.

“Park your carriage in the open space to the left or right as soon as you enter, then check in at the lodging in the residential building on the right. If you plan to enter the research building, you’ll need to apply for a visitor permit at the lodging.”

“Residential building? Research building?”

“Those are the names for the two large buildings you see. The right one is the residential building, the left one is the research building. The barrier tower of the Great Workshop of Paracelsus only covers the residential building.”

“Hmm… that’s a much smaller range compared to other cities and outposts.”

“The mana vein underground here is very weak and unstable. That’s why they set up living quarters in the residential building and commute to the research building.”

“So we’ll be staying in the residential building while we conduct our business. Let’s go see how well-equipped the facilities are.”

We drove the carriage inside the fence and parked it in the designated area as instructed by the guards. Then we gathered our luggage and entered the building on the right, one of the two complex structures.

Despite it being close to lunchtime, the inside of the residential building, with 4-5 meter wide corridors lined with small shop-sized establishments on both sides, was somewhat dim.

This was due to the awnings hung to block rain and the skywalks connecting the second and third floors, which prevented sunlight from entering properly.

The magical lanterns placed at each shop provided enough visibility, but it would be difficult to bring Ancestor inside.

Following the market-like corridor deeper inside, we came across a sign that read “Visitor Accommodations.”

This was the only lodging facility in the Great Workshop of Paracelsus, and unlike Ambers Ranch or Northern/Southern Fortress, it offered proper double rooms.

Although the rooms were small with bunk beds and shared bathroom and shower facilities, it was more than adequate for a small outpost lodging.

The reasonable price of 80 coins per night, despite not including laundry or breakfast service, was another point in its favor.

“So we handle meals and laundry at the shops within the residential building. The overall rates seem quite reasonable for that arrangement.”

“The restaurants and facilities in the residential building are used by the people who live here too. Since few people stay here long-term, they’ve given up on making money from providing room and board, and instead focus on selling souvenirs and items from the research building as their strategy.”

“Huh~ So the dangerous items are in that research building?”

“That’s right. That’s why you need to apply for a permit at the lodging to visit the research building, and you won’t get approval unless you have a Frontier License of E-rank or higher. Some items require even higher ranks to purchase.”

While we were chatting over lunch sets at a cafeteria-style restaurant, a group of men in white coats entered the dining area.

Four humans and one elf, with apparent ages ranging from twenties to fifties, but all sharing the same haggard look on their faces.

“Are those the alchemists who stay here?”

“People in white coats are potion makers. Alchemists wear darker colored robes.”

“They all look exhausted.”

“Most people in research positions are like that. Even at the Academy, people working in the research institute were almost always in that state.”

I suppose we were witnessing the darker side of Grantis, where labor laws don’t exist.

If I had accepted Director Geronimo’s recruitment offer, I might be wearing that same expression by now.

After finishing our meal, we took a brief tour of the shopping area in the residential building, then crossed over to the research building with the permits issued by the lodging.

The only area in the research building accessible to visitors was the exhibition sales room just inside the entrance.

All other spaces were restricted areas that only alchemists, potion makers, and researchers working here could enter.

“Welcome! This is the exhibition sales room, the pride of the Great Workshop of Paracelsus. Here you can experience the masterpieces created by our distinguished potion makers and alchemists.”

“Wow~ They really have everything here.”

“…The atmosphere feels a bit suspicious though.”

“Haha, most first-time visitors say that. But rest assured, everything displayed here—from drugs to synthetic materials—has passed clinical trials and is of verified quality.”

The young staff member at the counter said this with a friendly smile.

Inside the museum-like exhibition sales room, various items—potions, monster extracts, materials of unknown purpose, and tools with complex structures—were displayed in glass cases, organized by category.

In front of each item was information about the creator, a description of the item, its price, and the time required for production. Based on this information, customers could not only make simple purchases but also place bulk orders or request direct meetings with the creators.

“It would take quite a while to look at everything here, so let’s split up and browse. If you find something interesting, you can purchase it within your personal budget.”

“Agreed~”

“There are so many items that it’s actually difficult to decide what to buy…”

“For people like you, we have profession-specific recommendation catalogs. Would you like to sit on this sofa and read through them calmly?”

“Hmm, that sounds good.”

As soon as Phyllis expressed her hesitation, the counter staff brought over several pamphlet-like papers and guided her to a sofa.

This clearly wasn’t their first time doing this—I hope she doesn’t fall for the staff’s sales pitch and empty her wallet…

Ah, Jessica is sitting with her to help, so it should be fine.

“This anti-motion sickness medicine included in the traveler’s package is a newly developed drug…”

“I’m interested in motion sickness medicine, but since I can use healing magic in our party, the wound treatment ointment set might be a bit…”

Jessica skillfully filtered through the staff member’s attempts to sell package deals.

It seems like Jessica can handle that situation, so I might as well look around and see what items they have.

‘Synthetic materials and monster extracts are Mina’s area of expertise, so what kind of potions do they have… WHOA?’

I expected healing potions, antidotes, or panaceas from an alchemy workshop, but the items that immediately caught my eye magnificently betrayed those expectations.

[Eye drops that change your iris color to any desired shade]

[Underwater breathing potion]

[Potion that allows you to breathe fire]

[Feminization pill]

[Pills that make a man’s XX twice as large…]

“……”

It seems I had underestimated what an alchemy workshop in a fantasy world might offer.

From now on, I’ll approach this with a more focused mind and carefully examine every corner.