Chapter 21: Immediate outbreak, Part 1

The capital is still bustling with people.

The festival was canceled because of Yerin, but since she’s not on a random killing spree, there are no other major problems.

I’d love to leave this city and live in the countryside, but Allen has no connections there.

No relatives, no acquaintances. And even though he was in the hero’s party, he doesn’t have enough money to be independent.

Well, what can I do?

I wasn’t expecting him to have anything prepared.

I’ll just have to figure things out myself. Dwelling on it will only give me a headache.

I should just be grateful that Allen was such a good person that his acquaintances are all welcoming.

If not, this would be a much harder game to play.

“…Is this it…?”

I stop in front of a shop with a worn-out sign that reads “Deva’s Workshop.”

Creak…

I enter the shop.

“Excuse me… Is Master Deva here…?”

I look around, but there’s no answer. No sound at all.

Is he out?

If so, he should have at least put up a sign…

“What are you doing, Allen?”

“Whoa?!”

Someone approaches me from behind, carrying a basket filled with what looks like potion ingredients.

“…Oh, Master Deva.”

“It’s been a while. How many years has it been? You’ve grown into a fine young man. You used to be just a little chick.”

Deva, an alchemist who looks like he’s seen many years.

The shop’s appearance suggests he’s not very famous. And indeed, Deva isn’t the kind of alchemist who makes potions to satisfy people’s immediate needs.

No, to be precise, he makes potions that far exceed people’s needs or convenience.

He’s the one who taught Allen how to make teleportation potions and the like.

But he’s a sensible person, so he knows such powerful potions shouldn’t be readily available. He only teaches the recipes to a select few disciples, under the condition that they never reveal their existence.

“…That troublemaker isn’t here, I see.”

“Oh, you mean Noel…”

“Was that her name? She didn’t come to the workshop while you were away with the hero’s party.”

Noel is also his disciple… well, sort of. She mostly followed Allen’s lead in potion making. But she was terrible at it, always failing, which exasperated Deva.

That’s all the novel described. I don’t know anything else.

But one thing is clear from this conversation: he’s so indifferent to Noel that he can’t even remember her name.

A troublemaker whose name he’d rather forget?

“So, what brings you here? I don’t have much left to teach you. If you try to learn more, your innocence might lead you to cause trouble.”

“Oh, that’s not why I’m here. We might need to talk about that later, but I’m here for a different reason.”

“…Well, are you here to make potions?”

“That’s part of it, but there’s a bigger reason.”

“What is it?”

“Do you… have any spare rooms in this workshop…?”

“What?”

The reason I came to this shop.

“If you do, could you let me stay here for a while?”

Calling in a favor from an acquaintance.

Allen doesn’t know any other inns besides the one near the forest, and others wouldn’t be as accommodating.

Given my current situation, that would be problematic.

If this doesn’t work out, it’ll be much harder to find a place to stay…

“…Alright. I don’t see why not.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Of course, Allen. It’s your request. The room you used to use is still empty, so it’s not a big deal.”

Isn’t asking to stay here for free a pretty big deal…?

“But you’ll have to clean your own room, do your own laundry, and prepare your own meals. Other than that, I trust you’ll behave. And of course, you can use the workshop.”

“Th-Thank you, Master!”

“If you’re grateful, take this basket to the workshop. It’ll be nice to have some company around here.”

It’s a shame he’s so lonely, this bachelor Deva. He’s not bad-looking, apart from a few wrinkles. Why has he never been in a relationship?

“Are those potions in your bag?”

“Yes. I’ve stored all the potions I’ve made so far.”

“…Do you have that potion?”

“That potion…?”

“…Never mind. Don’t worry about it. It’s up to you whether you use it or not.”

“What potion is it, Master?”

“…The attraction potion. Honestly, it’s one of the things I regret teaching you. Well, you probably wouldn’t use it, Allen, but I have a bad feeling…”

“Attraction potion?!”

“Hmm…? What, you didn’t make it? That’s a relief. Try not to make that potion, if you can.”

No… it’s not that. I’ve never even heard of an attraction potion.

Some of the contents of this potion stash weren’t described in the novel, so I don’t know what they are.

Is there an attraction potion among them?

If so, I can finally enjoy some pure love!

…No, wait. He might not have made it yet. Don’t get your hopes up…

“What… what happens if you use the attraction potion?”

“Don’t ask. All I’ll say is, it’s called a potion, but each drop is far more potent than any aphrodisiac.”

…More potent than an aphrodisiac?

If I use that on my future wife… she’ll be completely smitten!

‘Jackpot!’

“I-I’ll go to my room now…! Thank you so much for the room!”

“Alright. You seem excited, but again, try not to make it.”

Creak… Thud… Rummage rummage

Attraction potion…

Bzzzt… Click.

Is it here? Or not?

“This is sleeping… this is special mana… Huh? I don’t recognize this one.”

The label on the flask…

[Attraction Potion]

Yes! Even the innocent, celibate Allen was man enough to make something like this…!

Is there a recipe too?

I search the room for a recipe book.

“This is the basic potion recipe book… Ah, special potion recipe book. Volume 2.”

If the attraction potion recipe is in this second volume, I can have a mindless harem with the hero party b*tches…

…It’s not here.

“Argh…! Is this all I can use…?!”

Just this small flask, enough for a single sip. Why did he make so little…?

Can I only enjoy it with my future wife a few times…?!

“…Wait. Instead of using this on a heroine…”

What if I use it like this?

……

Hmm. This might actually be a better use for it.

Just as I was despairing over the limited quantity of the attraction potion, a brilliant idea struck me.

A brilliant idea for dealing with those who might try to control me in the future.

“…Oh! S-Sorry…!”

“…Hmm?”

“I… You seem nice, Miss… but… my parents and Allen told me not to follow strangers…!”

“Oh, you’re a good girl, listening to your parents and friends. If you’re uncomfortable going somewhere else, we can talk here, on this bench near the palace garden.”

“Wh-What are we going to talk about…?”

“About your friend Allen, of course.”

“Allen?! Are we going to talk about my Allen?”

‘…My Allen, she says…’

“Y-Yes…! Let’s talk. Shall we sit down?”

“So, you were with Allen until just now, right? Where is he now?”

“I don’t know! He sent me away with a teleportation potion, and then he went somewhere!”

“…Did Allen… say anything about the hero’s party…?”

“No!”

“R-Really…?”

“Yes! I wasn’t with Allen for very long today, so we didn’t talk much!”

“You… really didn’t talk about anything?”

“No! We mostly just talked about me!”

“Haa… this is useless…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Oh, nothing! So, why did you suddenly come here with a teleportation potion?”

“I don’t know! It seemed like something urgent, but I don’t know the details!”

“You don’t know anything? Then what do you know… Oh, I’m sorry, Noel…”

“It’s okay! So, are we done talking about Allen now?”

“Oh, no! Could you… tell me everything you know about Allen?”

“Allen? Allen is kind, cool, gentle, dependable, takes good care of me, pure, sometimes annoying, but I like him in the end!”

‘That’s not what I meant…’

“…Where does Allen usually go?”

“He usually goes to an inn run by a friendly uncle, which is a long walk from here in the capital, or to Master Deva’s shop!”

“An inn? A shop? Can you tell me the exact locations?”

“Master Deva’s shop is around… and the inn is outside the capital, you have to go straight to the right.”

“Hmm… So, between those two, where do you think Allen would be?”

“He was at the inn until just now, so he probably went to Master Deva’s shop!”

“I see. Do you know any other places Allen frequents?”

“There’s Allen’s house, and the guild!”

“Where is Allen’s house?”

“That… I can’t tell you…!”

“Why not?”

“Because Allen might be in danger…”

“Why would Allen be in danger? Do you think… I would do something to him?”

“N-No, but… there was a scary person banging on the inn door today… looking for Allen…”

“…Huh? Who was that person?”

“I don’t know! It was a woman… and her voice was scary! Uncle said it was someone from the newspaper…”

“Someone from the newspaper…!”

“Wh-Why are you asking…?”

“Noel. Did you see that person’s face?”

“N-No, I didn’t!”

“…I see. Well then…”

“W-Wait! Now it’s my turn to ask questions!”

“…What are you curious about?”

“Miss Angeline, why do you keep asking about Allen?”

“…Huh?”

“Do you… like Allen, Miss Angeline?”