Chapter 4

The other day, to investigate the items necessary for potion production that caught my attention, I am now browsing the Another World wiki on my PC.

It has only been two weeks since the beta test of Another World began, and there is still a lot of unknown information, so the wiki updates are quite active.

It must be the world's first VRMMORPG, so it's getting a lot of attention.

I don't really like relying on such strategy wikis, but gathering information about production in such a vast world without any information is too much.

I should just look at the bare minimum.

The wiki already has several entries on item production information.

Among them, the recipes for potions, from the lowest to the highest level, including HP recovery potions, MP recovery mana potions, and even the elixirs that recover both, have been published.

The information on the materials, including where they can be obtained and the monsters, is detailed.

I should memorize it right away.

I thought it would take a lot of time, but apparently the progress of other players is much faster than I imagined.

There must be players who are so dedicated that they are called "waste people" and are cutting back on sleep and meals to play.

I'm not that far gone to abandon reality.

As a student, I don't have any club activities, so I can play for about 2-3 hours on weekdays and almost all day on weekends.

...I might be spending quite a lot of time. Well, thanks to them, the information is rich, which is a good thing.

It seems that the lowest and lower-level potions can be made with Sahira grass alone.

It's surprisingly easy, even though other potions require more than two materials.

Well, Sahira grass itself is easy to get, but I only got enough high-quality Sahira grass for the quests.

It seems that the higher the potion, the more difficult it is to obtain the materials.

I don't need to rush to make potions, but I have been hit head-on by a Killer Bee before, and there is a risk of being ambushed again.

Fortunately, my HP is low, and one lowest-level potion is enough to fully recover.

(On the other hand, I'm a bit concerned that one MP potion is no longer enough, but unlike HP, it can recover over time.)

I have three lowest-level potions left.

Actually, I used two of them when I was attacked by the Killer Bee.

I should have at least ten lowest-level potions made just in case.

I logged into Another World and entered the item shop.

The first impression of the item shop is that it might be closer to a general store that deals with daily necessities.

The items on display are ropes and lanterns that are used on journeys and in dungeons, among other things.

Potions were also available, but only the lowest and lower-level potions were in stock.

...Why only the lowest and lower-level ones? Do I have to request the production of the others?

Well, it's fine. I'll just have the potions made for now.

"I would like to request the production of potions."

"Sure, how many would you like?"

The person who responded was a child around elementary school age.

It's hard to tell from his appearance or voice, but he is probably a boy wearing pants.

I took 10 bundles of Sahira grass from my item inventory and handed them over.

"I have 10 bundles of materials, so I would like 10 potions made."

"Understood. The handling fee is 15 copper coins per potion, so it will be 1 silver coin and 50 copper coins in total."

The potions sold in the shop cost 30 copper coins. Since Sahira grass costs 10 copper coins, it seems cheaper to bring the materials.

Satisfied with the result, I handed over the money immediately.

"I'll start the preparation right away. Could you please wait a moment?"

The boy skillfully chopped and ground the Sahira grass.

The potion-making process is quite realistic.

"Is this your first time watching the making of a potion?"

"Yeah, I know the materials for other potions, but this is my first time watching."

"You know the materials? I'm envious. I'm still an apprentice, so I only know how to make this potion..."

"...Is it because you don't know how to make other potions that only two types are sold here?"

The boy was momentarily stunned but then laughed, though his laugh was somewhat bitter.

"No, that's not it. The materials for other potions are hard to gather because the monsters are strong. We've asked the Adventurer's Guild, but it's quite difficult."

So, potions can't be supplied unless quests are completed. That's a hassle.

This might hinder my future activities if I don't take on quests.

I checked the event window, but there don't seem to be any new quests.

I should ask the Adventurer's Guild.

"Customer, if you know the materials for potions, could you tell me the materials for other potions? I'm an apprentice, so I want to study in advance."

The boy asked timidly, looking up at me. He's cute... No, stop it, I'm not interested.

Still, the NPC AI is quite well done. The conversation is very free.

Even someone with poor communication skills like me can naturally engage in conversation.

I would normally want to tell him to search the internet, but it feels like a real conversation, so I can't help but answer seriously.

The setting of a diligent apprentice is quite refreshing.

It's a common setting, but when a boy acts so realistically, it makes you want to support him.

I'm not that petty to give a cold response. Since the information is already public, it's fine to tell him.

It might even be a key to a new event.

...It's not because his upturned eyes are cute and girlish.

"Alright, I'll tell you."

The boy's face lit up, and he said thank you, which made me naturally smile as well.

"Thank you, Chaos. Please come again!"

The boy, whose name is Pippin, saw me off as I left the shop.

I got carried away with his enthusiastic listening and ended up telling him the names, locations, and monsters for the materials of potions, mana potions, and elixirs.

(Especially for the elixir, he asked a lot of questions. He must have really wanted to make it.)

I felt a bit guilty for giving away so much information, but I left the shop anyway.

The shopkeeper of Maildia's item shop was doing inventory while working as usual.

The shopkeeper, with his pale green hair and chestnut eyes, had a gentle face and looked like a girl if you didn't look at his clothes.

His name is Pippin, an 11-year-old shopkeeper and alchemy apprentice.

Recently, he has been spending less time on his apprenticeship and more time as a shopkeeper.

Most of his time is spent as a shopkeeper, restocking the potions that have been sold.

The reason is that his father, his master, is busy with the collection of materials.

His father, an adventurer and alchemist, is busy with the collection of materials for potions, both by requesting the Adventurer's Guild and by collecting them himself.

Originally, his father was an adventurer and an alchemist.

Although he retired from adventuring because he was not suited for it, he can handle the monsters around the area where the materials for potions are collected, such as Killer Bees.

However, for the materials of mid-level and higher potions, it is a bit too much for him.

Since the activity of monsters has increased, the supply of mid-level and higher potions has gradually decreased.

The Adventurer's Guild is trying to collect the materials, but the locations are in the territory dominated by the orc, a large monster with a pig-like face, and since orcs have a strong reproductive ability, the amount that can be collected is limited.

Occasionally, potions are sent from the capital or other cities, but the quality often deteriorates by the time they arrive.

As a result, mid-level and higher potions have disappeared from this city.

But if this continues, it will be impossible to fight the monsters.

Therefore, the city regularly sends skilled adventurer parties to collect the materials for potions.

They do not leave it entirely to the adventurers to ensure that as many high-quality materials as possible are collected.

However, even with this effort, mid-level and higher potions are sold out within two days.

Thus, the collection is done quite frequently.

His father was concerned about what to do with the shop during the collection, but it was decided that his son, Pippin, would take care of the shop.

Although Pippin was at an age where he wanted to play, he understood the situation well and took the initiative to help with the shop, and he was already capable of running it on his own.

His mother had already passed away, and his only family was his father.

But his father was risking his life to collect the materials for the city.

Pippin was proud of his father and wanted to support him.

However, the loneliness of not having his father around could not be suppressed, even though he understood it intellectually.

He spent his days working to distract himself.

Today, he was serving a customer.

The customer was a young man, about five years older than Pippin, with black hair and black eyes.

The customer requested the production of the lowest-level potion.

Pippin, who had been taught the preparation by his father, responded as usual.

Even though the lowest-level potion only requires grinding, the preparation takes time.

Therefore, most customers either look around the shop or leave to do other things while waiting.

However, this customer was watching him closely.

Is the preparation that rare?

He felt a bit embarrassed, and the loneliness of not having his father around made him want to talk to the customer.

The customer said he knew the materials for potions but had never seen the preparation before.

Pippin, on the other hand, knew how to make the lowest and lower-level potions but did not know the materials for the others.

Why didn't his master, his father, teach him?

There are reasons, such as not wanting to let an inexperienced person handle delicate items, but more importantly, the materials are not available.

The issue is the possibility of stepping into the orc-dominated territory to collect the materials.

Of course, Pippin was not told this and thought he was not taught because he was not skilled enough.

The customer asked why only two types of potions were available in the shop.

Is this person unaware of the current situation? He felt a bit gloomy but then realized the customer was probably new to the city.

He thought about it and explained the current difficulty in collecting materials due to the monsters.

The customer seemed to be deep in thought.

It seems he is considering the problems caused by the lack of potion supply.

Pippin also had his concerns, but there was nothing he could do about the current situation.

He decided to change the topic and asked about the materials for potions, which had piqued his curiosity.

His father was busy, and he had not learned much about potions.

He wanted to study in advance to surprise and impress his father.

The customer said he knew the materials for potions but had never seen the preparation before.

Pippin, on the other hand, knew how to make the lowest and lower-level potions but did not know the materials for the others.

The customer asked why only two types of potions were available in the shop.

Is this person unaware of the current situation? He felt a bit gloomy but then realized the customer was probably new to the city.

He thought about it and explained the current difficulty in collecting materials due to the monsters.

The customer seemed to be deep in thought.

Pippin's father, Nash, returned home when the sun had set.

Pippin had just finished closing the shop and preparing a late dinner.

"Father, welcome home."

"Thanks, did everything go well today?"

Nash gently patted his son's head.

Pippin closed his eyes in pleasure.

"Today, a customer named Chaos came."

"Chaos? I don't know him. Is he a resident of this city?"

"No, I think he's new. He taught me about the materials for potions, including the locations and the monsters."

Chaos, you bastard, what did you teach him! — Nash cursed in his heart.

But he did not show it on his face, probably to avoid dampening his adorable son's enthusiasm.

"Good to hear you're studying, Pippin. But remember, the monsters are dangerous, so don't go out to collect the materials alone."

Nash tried to warn him gently.

"That's not all! Chaos is very knowledgeable and taught me about the materials for mana potions and elixirs too."

Nash tilted his head.

He understood the mana potion, which restores the magical power of spellcasters.

It is not made in this area simply because the materials do not exist nearby.

But he had never heard of an elixir.

"Pippin, what is this elixir?"

"It has the effects of both a potion and a mana potion."

Isn't that amazing? Pippin said with a smile.

There's no such magical drug, and I bet Chaos was just fooling the innocent Pippin — Nash's opinion of Chaos, whom he had never met, plummeted.

Nash gently tried to warn him that he might be being deceived.

But his beloved son firmly denied it.

Then, why not check if what he was taught is correct? — Nash asked Pippin to repeat what he had learned.

— And almost all of it was correct, including the names of the materials and the locations where they could be obtained.

Furthermore, Chaos had even taught him the materials and locations for the highest-level potions, which were supposed to have been lost in ancient times!

Nash was speechless.

What to make of this — Nash was struggling to decide.

The information about the materials for potions and mana potions, except for the highest level, was correct.

If the information about the highest level and the elixir is also correct, it cannot be dismissed as a lie.

Pippin strongly insisted that he was not lying.

If this is true, it would change everything.

First, the locations for the materials of the elixir.

These are located to the west of Maildia, different from the northern part of the orc-dominated territory.

The west has fewer threatening monsters, making it easier to collect the materials.

The highest-level potion is also a subject of research in other countries, not just the Castor Kingdom.

If the preparation is successful, it could give the kingdom a significant political advantage.

Even if the preparation methods are unknown, they can be researched over time.

...And both could potentially bring in a lot of wealth.

I can't make a judgment on my own.

In this case, I should seek the judgment of someone higher up.

With this in mind, Nash retired to his room to write a letter.

By the way, if the items are stored in the item inventory, they do not deteriorate.