Chapter 4

"Who made this potion?!"

A middle-aged man dressed in luxurious clothing burst into the Adventurer's Guild, raising his voice. It was the moment I was about to take my first bite of a meal after several hundred years. In his hand was the Healing Potion I had delivered.

From his appearance, it seemed he was here to file a complaint.

Well... even though I made it with the materials and equipment I had on hand, I made sure it was effective and of good quality.

Could it be that he wanted the Elixir of Life?

Hmm, for that, you need a proper laboratory and equipment.

I hesitated whether to respond and pretended not to hear, taking a bite of the food.

The sweet and savory stir-fried chicken, freshly baked bread, and steaming hearty soup.

As the warmth settled in my stomach, I felt a sense of being alive.

Immersed in such happiness, a support fairy whispered in my ear.

"Master, the person in question is coming this way."

"Hmm."

After swallowing the last of the soup and letting out a small breath, I turned around.

There stood the middle-aged man and Shirley.

"Is this Healing Potion the one you made?"

"Yes, that's the one I delivered. What's the problem?"

"It's the opposite! I was going to use it to stop bleeding, but the blown-off finger grew back! What's going on? I've never seen a Healing Potion like this!"

Well, a Healing Potion is supposed to do that.

It quickly heals cuts, bruises, and scrapes, but a somewhat experienced alchemist would naturally include the ability to regrow minor body parts as a service.

I am a skilled alchemist, good enough to be invited to the capital to open a laboratory.

In other words, I can do that sort of thing while whistling.

However, to say it's "too effective" or "never seen before"...

What's going on? It's not like it's a low-quality Healing Potion from a street vendor; this is standard.

"Um, would it have been better if the finger didn't grow back?"

"No. I came to thank you! Thanks to you, my companion didn't lose his job."

The middle-aged man, suddenly teary-eyed, grabbed my hand and bowed.

I had a lot of question marks floating in my head but thought, "If he's grateful, it's fine."

At least, my first job seemed to have served its purpose.

"Ah, sorry. ...I came to pay you additional money."

"I've already received the agreed payment, haven't I?"

I had taken the job, delivered the goods, and received the payment.

The job was already over.

I was unsure whether it was appropriate to accept additional money.

"Mr. Vaiken, it's fine to accept it."

"Really?"

"Additional payments are left to the client's discretion. Usually, there aren't any."

So, this situation is not normal.

I don't want to stand out on my first day in my new life. Well, I've already drawn attention from the surroundings.

"Please accept it. It's a fair payment."

"...Then, I won't refuse."

If I refused, it might draw even more attention from this stubborn man.

Besides, I need money to eat well in the future.

I also want to open a laboratory someday.

"I'll tell my companions about you. Thank you very much. I hope you continue to do good work."

"Yes, I'll do my best."

We shook hands, and I watched the man leave.

He handed me two coins that glowed gold. By their weight, they were probably gold.

Hmm. I don't really understand their value.

"Mr. Vaiken, you don't know the value of currency, do you?"

"Hehe, no way."

That's exactly the case.

I'll have to ask the support fairy about these common knowledge things later.

It's embarrassing to show my ignorance any further.

"Still, I'm surprised. I didn't know your potions were so good."

"In my hometown, it was normal. Regenerating lost limbs would be a bit more challenging, though."

"...Challenging? Do you mean you can do it?"

Oops. Did I say too much again?

No, wait. Can't they do it in this era?

Then, how do they fight monsters?

"Well, it's just a figure of speech. Hehe."

"Right. Even the church's miracles find it difficult."

"Indeed, that's the case."

...Is that so?

So, people with severe injuries just...?

Do they stop the monster invasion with a human wave tactic and sheer determination?

Are modern people barbarians!?

I definitely need to investigate this.

Ah, it's frustrating that the Sage Tower's archives aren't functioning.

But, fortunately, there's a living Sage Tower in this town.

I'll have to ask the artificial fairy to browse the history.

As a Sage Tower, it should automatically collect and record information in the surrounding area, regardless of the administrator's skills.

"But, it's good. You might get busier from now on."

"Really?"

"The man just now is Mr. Buckler, a well-known monster hunting team leader in this area."

"O-oh..."

He said something about telling his companions.

Could this become a problem?

"Anyway, good job on your first assignment. By the way, have you decided where to stay tonight?"

"...Ah."

How careless of me.

I had completely forgotten.

My laboratory was completely destroyed, and I had no way to return.

Even though I managed to get a meal, I had completely relaxed...

I had forgotten to secure a place to sleep.

"Can the Adventurer's Guild arrange accommodation for you?"

"Of course, I can do that. By the way, there's a suitable job. How about it?"

With a smile, Shirley handed me a job request.

Thank you for reading ('ω')

I'm writing hard, fueled by your support.

If you could change the ☆☆☆☆☆ to ★★★★★ as a show of support, the author will be motivated!

A campaign to support the author with eel on weekends is ongoing!

Your response will inspire the author!

【Glossary】

- Elixir of Life: A higher-grade version of the Healing Potion. It requires appropriate materials and skills to create, but its effects are immense, capable of regenerating and reviving fresh corpses.

- Low-quality Healing Potion from a street vendor: In this era, it is considered a standard quality potion. Vaiken is somewhat exaggerating.

- Monsters: The main difference from ordinary animals is the presence of a magic stone in their bodies. Most are hostile and a significant threat to life outside the town. They are called monsters, distinct from humans with magic stones, known as the magical race.