Chapter 2

"This is surprising."

In several ways.

First, the Sage Tower of the 'Salvan Emerging City Cluster' is located in the center of town, and the place where we landed after our leap was on the roof of that Sage Tower.

The coordinates were accurate, but the height was completely off.

However, taking advantage of this, I looked around the town and couldn't help but frown.

While the streets had changed, they hadn't developed at all since five hundred years ago.

As an alchemist who brews the future, I had expected more development.

"Zosimos, what about the surroundings?"

"I have obtained some information from the archives of the Sage Tower where we are standing. This place is now called 'Ancient City Salvan' and is one of the cities in the medium-sized country of Eurea."

According to Zosimos,

Eurea has a history of about 150 years since its founding and is a typical monarchy.

The king in the capital roughly governs, and the ennobled nobles rule various regions, a typical setup.

This, too, hasn't changed at all from five hundred years ago. No, it might even have regressed.

Back then, sages and some alchemists had a say in governance and held meetings several times a year.

"Well, what does this mean...?"

"Master, what's concerning is not the information—rather, the lack of information."

"What do you mean?"

"There is almost no information about alchemists."

I tilted my head at Zosimos's words.

No information about alchemists?

That's strange. Alchemy is a technology for efficiently solving various problems, and alchemists, who specialize in it, were respected figures.

Conversely, there were several problems that only alchemists could solve, and some of these had fatal implications for the country and people.

How did they overcome these without alchemists?

"The information from the archives has its limits, doesn't it?"

"More than that, it seems to be managed by quite incompetent sages, as the information is woefully inadequate. I am dissatisfied."

The [Support Artificial Fairy] also serves as a compendium to accumulate knowledge and information for me to fully utilize alchemy.

Therefore, it is very particular about the accumulation of new information.

"We have no choice but to collect information on the ground. Now, how do we get down?"

"It has shrunk considerably. Please be careful."

You really treat it like it's none of your business, Zosimos.

Well, for an artificial fairy existing in a magical virtual space, it is indeed none of your business.

If I were to die carelessly, you would also effectively shut down.

"Here we go."

I jumped from one sloping roof to another, carefully descending the Sage Tower.

I didn't want to draw too much attention, so I moved to another roof halfway and chose a safer route... finally, I reached the cobblestone street.

There were a few precarious moments, but the body of a teenager in his early teens is indeed agile.

If my former self had done this, I might have stumbled and fallen somewhere.

"From here on, I will only use voice."

"Understood. Let's go to a restaurant for now."

"Be careful. The central currency is no longer usable."

I stopped in my tracks at Zosimos's warning about the currency.

Indeed, the value of currency would have changed over five hundred years.

Especially five hundred years ago, when alchemists were prominent, the value of gold was steadily declining.

A competent alchemist could even turn bricks into gold.

I wandered down the main street, casually peeking into stalls and shops.

The currency being used is different from my time, but it seems to be coin-based.

I was thinking of looking for an antique dealer to obtain the current currency... when I noticed one of the stalls.

The stall was lined with colorful test tubes, each with a price tag.

As I approached, a young man who seemed to be the owner smiled quietly and said, "Welcome."

"Are these magic potions?"

"Yes, they are. Is this your first time seeing them?"

I see.

I currently look like a young boy.

He probably thinks I'm a tourist who has come to see something rare.

"Did you make them?"

"Yes, I did. Despite appearances, I am an alchemist. This town has many adventurers, so potions like the [Antidote] and [Healing Potion] sell from time to time."

'Adventurer' is an unfamiliar term.

In meaning, it refers to those who take risks, but it seems to be a common noun in this era.

"How much is this [Healing Potion]?"

"That's two silver coins. The one next to it is three. It's a popular item."

According to the support fairy, the quality of the potion I pointed to is significantly poor.

It would only provide a slight comfort if used.

If I had synthesized such a thing in my laboratory, I would have been sent to the lecture room and made to synthesize a hundred times.

However, it seems that this is sold as a product in this time and place.

"I have a request. Can you buy magic potions?"

"Sorry, I don't buy them."

"I see..."

I thought I might be able to get some cash here, but it didn't work out.

The stall itself doesn't seem to be very profitable, so it's understandable.

"If you're having trouble eating, go straight down this street to the end, and you'll find the Adventurer's Guild. They can help you find work."

"Adventurer...? Guild...?"

I couldn't help but tilt my head. These are unfamiliar terms from my time.

If I interpret them literally, they refer to people who take risks, and the guild is an organization that oversees them.

"You don't know about adventurers? Where are you from?"

"Oh, no. The name is just a bit different in my hometown. Thank you."

"Sure, if you become an adventurer, come see me."

I nodded to the owner, who raised his hand lightly, and walked down the main street in the direction he indicated.

The owner mentioned that if I was having trouble eating, I should go to the 'Adventurer's Guild.'

If that's the case, going there should help me resolve my current situation.

In other words, I'm hungry.

Teenage bodies are terrifying. They get hungry very quickly.

"Zosimos, what about adventurers and the Adventurer's Guild?"

"According to the archives, they are closest to alchemists in our time. They are specialized professions that solve various problems."

"I see, alchemists."

I chuckled to myself, but my steps became a bit lighter.

Being an alchemist isn't just about stirring pots in a laboratory.

Sometimes, we go out into the field to solve local problems or obtain alchemical materials.

Thanks to this, we were sometimes called 'handymen' five hundred years ago.

We alchemists used to laugh it off, saying, "That's right. We can do anything."

Even if the times have changed, the work hasn't.

If that's the case, perhaps these 'adventurers' are my future colleagues.

With that thought in mind, I finally headed towards the 'Salvan Adventurer's Guild Headquarters.'

How was it? ('ω')

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[Term Explanation]

- Magical Virtual Space... A temporary reality created in the Aether space. Alchemists sometimes conceptually distort this to use it as a material storage.