Chapter 3
PHARMACIST 03: LET’S MAKE A LOT OF POTIONS
Let’s Make a Lot of Potions
I took along a mortar and pestle, a large basket to put herbs in, a small knife, and 10 bottles from the general store, I arrived at the forest .
I actually intended to buy them, but the general store’s occhan said, “If I take money from Reiji-kun, my dear will smack me,” so I accepted them obediently .
Noela in wolf mode is giving a strange, “Ruu- ru- ru-,” cry as she wanders around within the vicinity .
By doing so, she’s investigating whether or not there are dangerous monsters or beasts nearby .
Although I don’t know if there’s a reason for calling out like that .
I’m harvesting herbs in order to make that good tasting potion once again .
I didn’t have the leisure to notice yesterday, but it seems like objects that could be ingredients for medicine I want to make appear in my vision more easily .
If I were to illustrate the sensation, it’s the feeling like that herb alone feels out of place in the scenery .
The stem of the plant called earo, next is the herb tourigisou, and last is the leaves of the herb called amane; I picked each of them and put them in the basket .
“This much would probably be enough . ”
When I said so as I looked into the basket that now held a lot in it, Noela returned .
With a glimmer, her body shone and she took girl form .
“Master, return?”
“No, I want you to guide me to a place with drinkable water, like a river or something . ”
“This way . ”
Walking along an animal trail, what I was led to was the banks of a small river, covered with rocks of all sizes .
The vantage point is also good, so we’ll likely be able to spot monsters and beasts immediately if they come out .
The river’s water is also clean, so it looks like it’s enough to be used for Drug Discovery, according to the Appraisal Skill .
“Noela, Master, will help . ”
“Thank you . Then, will you draw some water?”
Noela nodded in agreement, clutched the bottles to her chest, knelt on the riverbank, and began to scoop up the water .
The wolf tail from her rear is wagging, swish, swish .
I ground the ingredients I just collected with the mortar and pestle I just bought .
Lastly, I used my hand to squeeze it tightly, leaving behind the liquid .
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I took one of the bottles from Noela, who had returned, poured the proper amount into the bottle, and shook it .
When I did so, the same reaction as yesterday occurred .
The water glowed faintly and changed into a color similar to sports drinks .
[Potion (excellent)]
“Alright, it’s properly made . ”
“Good taste! Good taste-“
I kept the potion away from Noela’s outstretched hand .
“Wait, wait, don’t get all riled up . I’ll make Noela’s portion now, so . ”
“… Will wait . ”
“That’s good . ”
I made a slightly larger potion and handed it to Noela .
While her body swayed from her gently wagging tail, she began to drink the potion bit by bit .
“Ru- ru- ru-♪”
I continued working like that, made 10 bottles of potion, and returned to the city .
—
“Oi, is that the rumored Revolutionary…?”
“He’s got black hair and is accompanied by a beastkin, so it’s gotta be . ”
When I walked along the path with more pedestrian traffic, I heard whispered gossip .
Did I do something?
“Noela, not beastkin, different . Werewolf . ”
“… Sorry, Noela . I don’t really understand the difference … how are they different?”
“…”
Noela quickly averted her eyes from me .
She might not like the fact that, even though she’s called a werewolf, she’s being labeled as a beastkin with all the others .
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“Do you know about the Revolutionary? … He pretends to be a pharmacist, but isn’t his true identity a brilliant Master Alchemist from a foreign country? That’s what the rumors say . ”
The spread of the rumors isn’t being done half-heartedly .
Each and every one of them are thanks to the Drug Discovery and Appraisal Skills, but even if I talked about Status and such to the people here, they probably won’t get it .
If I live here for a while, they should be able to quickly figure out that I’m a normal person .
When I showed up at the general store, there was a poster saying, “The revolutionary potion is sold out,” at the front of the store .
“The name is revolutionary potion; can’t something be done about this…”
I smiled wryly, and called out to the general store’s occhyan, Alf-san .
“Ooh, Reiji-kun, what’s up? Did you forget something? You’re free to use whatever I have in the store . ”
Alf-san easily said that to me, who he’s only known just today and yesterday .
He’s really a nice person, or something .
“I didn’t forget anything, I finished making the potions so I brought them over . ”
“…Heh? …A bottle’s worth?”
Occhan’s eyes went completely round and he blinked .
“Rather than a bottle’s worth … I wonder how many bottles it is . There are 10 of the bottles I took from you . ”
“100 bottles’ wooooorth!? Eh, that many!? In this short of a time!?”
Aah, you can make 10 potion bottles’ worth of potions from one regular bottle?
“This short of a time, you say… I’ve been out since morning, and it’s already noon, you know?”
“That’s plenty fast-“
He gave a rebuttal with such force that it was like his eyes were about to fly out of his head .
Even if you say so … I don’t know the pace a normal person would make them at, after all .
“A,as expected, the brilliant Master Alchemist of another country sure is diff -, ah, no, the Revolutionary sure is different…”
“So you were the origin of that weird rumor . ”
Occhan and I entered the store, and the two of us changed the potions’ bottles .
Noela, who had drunk all of her own potion before we returned, is fidgeting as she stares heatedly at my hands .
“Reiji-kun, most potions are things that takes craftsmen a month to make 100 bottles . Slower people will make 60 bottles; have you not heard of it?”
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“Heeh, they take their time, don’t they . ”
“I wasn’t commenting on their dispositions . You have to do work like crushing herbs and drying them out, right? Those take time . Reiji-kun, you’d know more about me on those kinds of things, right?”
“… . – No, no, o,of course I know about it? W,well, right now? How much do you know, Alf-san? I,I’ll just t,test you on it . Um…”
“Aruji, sweat is dripping . ”
“Noela, keep quiet . ”
“Ruu . ”
Quick people will make 100 bottles a month .
If that’s true, then it would be better to think of the Drug Discovery Skill as a skill closer to magic .
Fumu . If that’s the case, then saying it’s alchemy might not be entirely off the mark .
If I think about the continuous consumption on the front lines of the war, then it doesn’t seem impossible for this rural town to be sold out .
I haven’t seen it yet, but if there’s magic, then there would surely be healing mages .
But in the situation where there aren’t any healers, you’ll have to rely on potions .
I’ve experienced it, so I understand . Although it was in a game .
We lined up the “Revolutionary Potion”s, peeled off the paper that was saying it was out of stock, and stuck up the “Revolutionary Potions are in stock,” paper .
“And so, Reiji-kun, have you had lunch yet? Come eat with us . ”
“Then I’ll take you up on that offer . Thank you very much . ”
Noela and I were fed lunch by his wife .
While the two of us were nomming on hot soup and very flavorful, firm bread, small children were sending Noela passionate gazes from the entrance to the dining room .
They’re Alf-san’s children .
“It’s a beast onee-chan . ”
“The tail is fluffy-“
‘Look, look, the ears! The ears are moving-“
“ “ “Cuuuute-“ ” “
Is she embarrassed? Noela’s making a troubled face .
“Master, Master . Noela, being stared at…”
“Un, they’re staring, na . ”
All together, the small, mischievous siblings came into the dining room and began to pat Noela all over .
“The tail’s soo fluffy!”
“Her hair’s so silky!”
“Ear -, ears, ears, I want to touch the ears-!”
Noela is so bewildered, her eyes are tearing up .
“Master, Master . Noela, being touched…”
“Un, they’re touching you, na . ”
Noela, being turned into the children’s toy, tearfully uttered, “Pulling, don’t…” but it seems they weren’t listening at all .
The wife, carrying the baby, smiled wryly .
“I’m sorry for our children . ”
“Oh no, you’ve fed us lunch, so this isn’t much . ”
“That, for Noela to say . For Master to say, not right . ”
I can hear the store becoming noisy .
I can also hear Alf-san saying, “One bottle per person- . ”
Seems like the general store is prospering today, too .
“Reiji-kun, really, thank you very much . ”
“Oh no, it’s really nothing much . I’m properly receiving money for this, and we should help each other when we’re in need . ”
So saying, I returned her smile .
“Master, Master . Hewp, help me…”
Noela, who was being freely played with by the children, tugged on my sleeve firmly .
“Being fluffed – is the inescapable fate of a beast girl . ”
Noela, life can be tough .
But she’s a little pitiful, so I’ll make her some potion again later .