"Haa!"
Inside of a deep forest.
A shout accompanies the downward swing of a sword as a single young girl fires herself up, her crimson like hair flows down to her waist.
Her face carries a gallantly beautiful expression as her sword easily slices through the throat of a goblin, ending its life.
"Laffy, good work. Are you hurt?"
"Just a few scratches, there's no problem."
Calling to Laffy was a single boy. Unlike Laffy who was armed, he did not carry a weapon of any sort.
Rather than that, he had a large satchel hanging from his shoulder.
"It's dangerous to leave it untreated. It will get much worse if bacteria manages to enter the wound."
So the boy said, taking a small bottle from his satchel before swiftly pulling out the cork and pouring the contents on Laffy's wounds.
And then, in an instant Laffy's wounds healed.
"W, wait! I said it didn't matter"
"So? It's just an elixir is it not?"
To the boy asking what the issue was, Laffy was left dumbfounded.
An elixir was supposed to be the most effective potion at healing wounds. Trying to obtain such a thing would require paying a considerable sum of money.
"I'm grateful for your concern, but please refrain from using such an expensive article on minor abrasions!"
The boy, in receiving very proper words from Laffy had a smile form on his face.
"It's fine. Something like an elixir, I'll just make it again."
"That isn't the issue here…"
Laffie presses on her temples and took a deep breath.
Only the most amazing alchemists could make an elixir. And even then, none of them could make an elixir so easily.
It's at the level where they would only be able to make a single vile after several years.
And yet in front of Laffy's eyes was an alchemist happily treating an elixir as if it were an energy drink or something.
Even to Laffy, who was an S rank adventurer, it was weird.
Someone, please teach this alchemist the about restraint!
With the cries of her heart reaching no one, Laffy thought to her meeting with the alchemist.
Inside of a famous merchants store in the kingdom, characterized by her flaming crimson hair, a lone girl was raising her voice.
"I beg you, I give you as much money as you want! So…!"
"Even if you say that… right now we only have a single elixir. Even then an individual from royalty has already purchased it, so it's already too late."
"But at this rate, my sister’s life…"
"…That's tough, young lass. I have my business as well, forgive me."
Whatever the case may be, there are no elixirs available right now. Facing this fact, the S rank adventurer Laffy fell into despair.
The reason Laffy was asking for an elixir was in order to save her sister's life, who was bedridden by a mysterious life-threatening illness. No matter which famous doctor she showed her sister to, they did not know how to save her. There was nothing left other than all-purpose medicine left to rely on.
But I already know that such medicine is impossible to obtain
What kind of face would she show her younger sister, who was getting weaker by the day? Was there really no way to save her?
Such thoughts swirled around her head as she left the store, her feet carrying her back to the home at which her sister waits.
"…Even though I'm her older sister I'm totally useless. I have to get it together and find a way to help her."
In order to drive away the negative thoughts, she took a deep breath. She came to a stop and looked up towards the clear sunny sky.
"Alright!"
Having recovered her spirit, Laffy tried to move forward once again but stopped at the sudden sight of a collapsed figure in an ally.
"Huh?"
Laffy unintentionally let out a strange voice at the sight of a collapsed person in front of her eyes. He was a boy who appeared to be about 18 years of age, with rare black hair and was holding a large satchel. He also didn't appear to have any noticeable trauma on his body.
She quickly looked over the surrounding, but since she was away from the main street there was nary a soul around.
"You, are you alright…?"
Unable to ignore him, Laffy timidly poked the boy’s shoulder. Upon doing so, a loud growling noise reverberated from his stomach.
"So, hungry…"
Muttered the boy with a voice that sounded to be on the cusp of death. Laffy was stiff for a few seconds, but after thinking a bit, extended her hand towards the boy.
"I have some bread for you if you want some?"
"Really!?"
The boy shot up and drew closer to Laffy with his eyes sparkling to the max. To that energy, Laffy let out involuntarily laughed.
"Yeah, I just finished my shopping."
"Thank you, I'm very lucky to meet such a kind person as yourself in this city"
Just how hungry was he? After receiving the bread from Laffy, he ate the whole thing in the blink of an eye. Laffy was taken aback at seeing such an eating manner.
"Oh yeah, what's your name by the way?"
Laffy came to her senses at the boy’s question.
"I'm Laffy. An adventurer."
"Is that so. Laffy huh? I'm Leyce, an alchemist. For now, I just make various things, so if you want anything just let me know. As thanks for the bread."
"An alchemist, huh…"
An alchemist is someone who make things like potions, or accessories with magic effects. They also make elixirs.
"Then, I would like an elixir…… though, I already know it's impossible."
With no expectations whatsoever, she said those words as a joke. Laffy understood very well herself the scarce nature of elixirs.
There's no way an ordinary alchemist would just be carrying one around.
Laffy made a bitter smile at her completely unreasonable request and opened her mouth to correct her words.
"Oh, good thing"
"……Huh?"
At the unexpected response, Laffy unintentionally stared at Leyce. The person himself paying no mind to his words was fishing around inside his satchel. Then, after a bit of searching, his hand came out holding a small bottle with a blue liquid poured inside of it.
"Here, an elixir."
"Wh, wai, wait a minute… that's an elixir!?"
"Yeah"
"Yeah wait…… where did you get such an expensive thing!?"
"I made it."
"You made it!?"
The alchemist in front of her could only be seen as the same age as her, if not slightly below. The fact that such a young alchemist had made an elixir was simply unbelievable.
However, both the colour of the liquid in the bottle, as well as the feeling of the magic power coming from it were both exactly the same as the elixir she had seen earlier. It was probably the real deal.
If I have this, then I might still be able to save my sister.
"Leyce, I'll pay you however much you want! That elixir, could you please give it to me!?"
This might be the last chance she would get to save her sister. At that thought, money no longer a worry.
"No, it's as thanks so I don't need any money."
Saying so, Leyce made a cheerful laugh.
"No, even with that it's still…!"
To repay bread with an elixir would be completely unbalanced. Leyce did not seem to care for some reason, but if he wouldn't accept Laffy's money, then perhaps he was hoping for different forms of compensation for it.
"Well then… how about showing me around the city?"
"Is it okay with that?"
"Well, It's my first time in this kingdom after all."
Really showing him around the city was a cheap price to pay, but it would be weird for Laffy to say anything else at this point.
"…… I understand. If you are fine with it Leyce."
"Well then, I'll be counting on you."
At this point and time, to Laffy Leyce was still regarded as an excellent alchemist. But the time for her evaluation to change to 'Abnormal' alchemist was not too far off.
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