Chapter 44

It was time to create a potion.

However, this time, I intended to create a higher-quality one, just like yesterday.

Further quality improvement.

But first, I needed to conduct an experiment.

I prepared the alchemy making list on a separate virtual window.

I often used the shortcut reproduction, but I hadn't used other making skills.

However, there were some I could use at this point.

I just hadn't tried them yet.

Today, I wanted to try them out, even if it was just a little.

Well then.

I needed to review the potion-making procedure.

1. Crush the Wound Seal Grass in a mortar.

2. Dissolve it in water and extract the essence.

3. Filter out the solid matter with filter paper.

4. Boil the extract for about five minutes.

5. Cool it to room temperature.

6. Pour the liquid into the guild-designated bottle.

First, I needed to determine a baseline to see if the quality improvement methods worked.

I made 10 potions using 5 Wound Seal Grass.

The quality was mostly C, with one C+ mixed in.

Next, I would try using the alchemy making skill.

Crushing.

The first step was to crush the Wound Seal Grass in the mortar.

I would use the Crushing skill to turn it into powder.

I placed my hand over the mortar containing the Wound Seal Grass and used the Crushing skill.

It consumed a little MP, and the 5 Wound Seal Grass turned into powder.

Alright, next.

I dissolved the powder directly in water to extract the essence.

Next, Filtration.

I placed my hand from the side and used the Filtration skill.

Solid powder accumulated under my palm.

Oh.

I should collect this later.

The subsequent steps were the same.

Well, how did it turn out?

The quality was mostly C+, with one B-.

Wow, this is really good.

Feeling confident, I decided to make 10 more.

This time, I would use the Physical Enchantment Aqua while making them.

If there was a synergistic effect, that would be great.

Nope.

Thinking about it, it made sense that the most dexterity-dependent steps were being replaced by alchemy.

I'm an idiot.

In the end, I had already prepared all the potions needed for tomorrow.

I'm really stupid.

I also made some Recovery Pills.

【Recovery Item】Recovery Pill Continuous Recovery [Minor] Quality B+ Rarity 3 Weight 0+

A pill that gradually restores HP when consumed. The duration is approximately 10 minutes.

It has the same effect as the Regenerate spell.

* Cannot be used consecutively. The cooldown is approximately 20 minutes.

One of them turned out to be of surprisingly high quality.

What does this mean?

Quality B+?

Even with the boost from Physical Enchantment Aqua, isn't this too high?

Hmm.

I need to verify this a bit more.

Well then.

The matter of the player killer.

It was already late, but I would send a subtle warning to Feina, Adel, and Irena.

I would send a simple message with a screenshot attached.

Well, the one who died and respawned would probably change their appearance again.

Next, I searched the entire bulletin board.

I found a thread called "PK Encounter Reports."

For some reason, only this thread was treated as anonymous.

Hmm?

Ah, I see.

Is this a measure to reduce the possibility of retaliation?

Well, in my case, I've already taken revenge, and my base is exposed.

Besides, there doesn't seem to be much activity in the thread.

There are few reports of clear PK encounters.

But since there are some, I'll follow their format.

I organized my belongings in the workshop and prepared for the next day, then rolled into the bedroom of the house on the ground floor.

I returned the wolves and took off my equipment before slipping into bed.

Tomorrow, I would go to Remto.

I need to spend some time with the Crescent Moon and Helix.

I logged out with that thought in mind.

When I logged in, it was still dark around the house.

No, something was off.

It was raining.

It was raining.

Rain on the day of my planned travel.

I sent a message to Adel and Irena first.

I would also inform Feina and Saki that I was heading to Remto today.

Well then.

When I went downstairs, Metal Skin was cleaning.

I bowed out of politeness, and he returned the bow politely.

And perfectly.

Had he studied etiquette?

I was a bit intimidated.

If I had to move in the rain, I couldn't do without the Crescent Moon.

And Helix too.

For the third simultaneous summon, I hesitated but summoned the owl, Obsidian.

The reason was simple; I hadn't used it in the dungeon.

Well then.

I put on my coat and mounted the Crescent Moon.

I felt a fluffy sensation on both sides of my coat.

Helix and Obsidian were trying hard to avoid the rain.

It seemed they couldn't fly well in this rain.

I arrived at the village of Legias.

It was a terrible journey.

Even the usual road was difficult to pass due to puddles.

The rain was that heavy.

I encountered monsters, but they were all passive.

I even saw the stray horse, but it was passive too.

I ignored it.

If I raced in this heavy mud, the Crescent Moon might collapse.

I felt like I had come back to life when I reached the back of Yuka's stall.

There was a tent to avoid the rain, after all.

The sound of rain hitting the ground never stopped.

"Good morning. What a unfortunate day, isn't it?"

"Good morning. I'm grateful."

I greeted Yuka.

Rick and Fudou seemed to be changing the layout of the stall for the rain.

Or maybe they were planning to withdraw the stall.

"Am I in the way?"

"Not really. We'll be done soon."

"Is the stall okay?"

"There won't be any grilled dishes today. Mainly stews."

Then, the dish was handed to me.

Ratatouille?

I hadn't seen it before, even though olive oil is used a lot in this world.

It was strange that I hadn't seen it before.

I ate it with two lightly toasted slices of bread.

Hmm.

It was really delicious.

After finishing, I realized I had forgotten to use [Appraisal].

Well, it was delicious, so it's fine.

It seemed the stall was being withdrawn.

Rick and Fudou had finished loading the goods onto the cart and were having breakfast.

While chatting, three objects in coats jumped into the tent behind the stall.

It was Adel, Irena, and Ren-Ren.

"Good morning."

They were more concerned about their rain-soaked bodies than greeting.

I confirmed the plan while they were having breakfast.

"We're going to Remto as planned."

"Ah."

"Rain?"

Their faces suddenly turned gloomy.

I thought it would be more depressing if the rain reduced the number of customers.

Well, adventurers would go hunting regardless of the rain.

"Mr. Keith, about the PK encounter."

"Uh-huh."

"I saw your post. It's not surprising since they were around in the beta, but it feels like it's finally happening."

"How was it in the beta?"

"I encountered them three times in the beta and ran away twice. Once, I was completely defeated."

"What kind of damage did you take?"

"Oh, you didn't know? Feina said to tell you."

"That's a relief."

Oops.

I was outmaneuvered.

From there, I ended up being lectured by everyone.

Surprisingly, Adel and Irena also knew, so I wasn't sure who the senior summoner was.

The points I grasped in a short time were as follows:

1. If a PK character successfully PKs, they randomly take items or money from the player.

2. The amount taken increases as the PK character's job level goes up.

3. According to rumors, in the final stages of the beta, there was a skill to target specific items for theft.

4. Players have a [Protection] skill that can prevent item theft with a certain probability.

5. In the beta, the [Protection] skill was automatically obtained if the character respawned due to PK.

6. If a PK attempt fails, the PK character randomly loses items or money.

7. The penalty for a failed PK is harsher. It's best to kill the PK character thoroughly, though they can be pardoned.

8. There was a chaotic period in the beta due to revenge attacks. The operation team generally did not intervene in PK behavior.

9. PK in towns or villages is a crime and may result in being targeted by NPCs.

Phew.

It's a brutal world.

"What did you write on the bulletin board?"

"I saw it. It's fine. I knew it was you because I had the information beforehand."

"Will there be retaliation?"

"They might persistently target you. But the risk of encountering PK is there for everyone."

"You can't worry too much about it."

"Forming a party to reduce the risk is important."

Adel's tone was serious.

Right.

Summoners are often solo players.

It must be worrying.

But from my experience, some summoned monsters have a keen sense of danger.

It depends on how you use them.

I paid for the breakfast and left the stall.

In the rain, Adel and Irena would summon one monster each.

Adel would summon the horse, Ma-chan, and Irena would summon the snake, Toguro.

It was fine since we were just moving.

While handing over the saddle and waiting for them to put it on, Adel kept looking up at the sky.

I understood how she felt.

But it wasn't all bad.

Monsters probably wouldn't attack on the road.

In a way, as an adventurer, it was disappointing not to gain experience.

It's all about perspective.

As expected, no monsters attacked in the heavy rain.

We reached the town of Remto without a single battle from the village of Legias.

We encountered fewer parties on the road than usual.

Well, it was raining.

The town of Remto was also less crowded.

The gloomy atmosphere was probably due to the weather.

Still, I would look for Feina's stall.

Surprisingly, the stall was crowded.

Most were NPCs, but a few players were there too.

The NPCs were buying chicken and mutton.

The players were mainly buying arrows.

It seemed they were trying to sell anything and everything.

Mio's stall was also busy.

Even in the rain.

Well, it seemed the players were buying dishes made with striped rabbit meat.

The skewers I had seen before.

They had a support effect.

No wonder the players were buying them.

They were storing them for later, not eating them immediately.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Adel and Irena's greetings were becoming more like Mio's.

Better than becoming like Reina, though.

"Did you have breakfast?"

"We ate at Yuka's."

"Ugh."

Well, they're all part of the same Player's Guild, so it's fine.

It seemed Reina wanted to show off her cooking.

"Oh, I was waiting for you."

"Here to pick them up."

Saki had boots and a saddle on the table.

【Equipment Item: Saddle】Wild Horse Saddle Quality C+ Rarity 3

Weight 3 Durability 120

A saddle made from the skin of a wild horse. The leather is soft and comfortable to ride. The padding can be replaced and is easy to maintain.

* +1 to [Riding] skill, slight increase in positive riding action judgments, slight reduction in negative riding action judgments

I used [Appraisal] on the saddle, but it seemed to have the same performance as the one I had made before.

The boots also looked as good as the ones I had seen in the message.

I immediately equipped the saddle on the Crescent Moon.

The feel would be a treat later.

Adel and Irena also tried on the boots to check the fit.

"How is it?"

"It feels good."

"Wow."

Adel was jumping around and making strange noises.

Well, she was just excited.

"The leather armor will take a bit longer. Maybe another day?"

"Looking forward to it!"

"Thanks."

"The leather helmet too."

"Really?"

"You're small, so it's not that much work."

"Oh, right."

"You had your head size measured, didn't you?"

Wow.

What a service, Saki.

"Right, I'll bring these out too."

I remembered.

I took out all the Ginkei eggs and lined them up on the table.

"Not bad."

"Hmm."

"I'm listening. You brought back a lot from deep in the forest, didn't you?"

"Well, in moderation."

"But you're definitely at the forefront of the exploration."

"I think it's just a coincidence."

"And to encounter a PK and take revenge?"

"That's a coincidence too."

I didn't do it on purpose.

I just acted on instinct.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Feina came over, leaving Reina to handle the customers.

She seemed happy about something.

"Everyone managed to clear the human soul event last night."

"Congratulations."

"But the event monsters we fought were different."

"Really?"

"The titles we earned were similar. Feina and I were 'Seekers of Order.'"

"I was 'Seeker of Moderation.'"

"Reina and Saki were 'Desirers of Order.'"

"Sounds like there's a lot going on."

"Yes. 'Desirers of Freedom' and 'Seekers of Freedom' are also common."

"Interesting."

"I haven't heard of 'Moderation.'"

Maybe.

A weathervane.

A bat.

Beings that don't lean either way are disliked in a way, but I find it relaxing.

They get criticized from both sides, though.

"By the way, I have some information about the dangerous-looking mushrooms, though it's unconfirmed."

"Unconfirmed?"

"From a pharmacist. It seems they can be used to make MP recovery items."

Hmm.

Now that I think about it, Mana Potions are sold at a very high price.

And only at the Adventurer's Guild.

Staying at an inn was much cheaper, so I never bothered with them.

"So they can be used to make Mana Potions?"

"That's if you can cultivate them."

"Wouldn't that be illegal?"

"It might be a bit risky."

"By the way, how did they secure the materials before?"

"They only said they got them irregularly from a port town."

Oh.

It smells suspicious.

The smell of crime?

"Pharmacists have several in their group, so I think they can verify it."

"Are Magic Mushrooms in the pharmacist's domain?"

"Definitely."

"But it's a troublesome item to circulate."

"Yes. Rumor has it that poisons are also used in items made by alchemists and pharmacists."

"That's another thing."

It might be true.

Poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin.

I didn't see much dangerous stuff at my master's place.

Well.

There was the Agony Grass.

And the Wound Seal Grass could be considered poisonous in part.

It all depends on the intent behind the use.

"We'll be moving to the village of Legias the day after tomorrow. We need to be careful of PK and move in groups."

"Well, we've been on guard since the first day."

"Feina, I'm fine, but Reina might want to go earlier, don't you think?"

"Saki's leather armor will be incomplete, and I have to wait for the trading group from the port town."

"The rain is a problem, though it's unconfirmed."

"The supplies might not arrive today."

"Well, the main focus is on production, so there's no rush."

And Reina.

"I'm done with the customers! Time to switch!"

"Feina, I'll take over."

Reina came over as Saki left.

"Taking down a PK, what a flashy performance!"

"Flashy?"

"Well, you're really enjoying the game!"

Is that so?

"Well, you're safe, so that's good. But still..."

Feina's eyes were different from usual.

They had a hint of madness.

"If it were me, I'd make them never want to PK again."

"Feina, that would make you evil!"

"Just kidding."

"It doesn't sound like a joke!"

Hmm.

It didn't sound like a joke to me either.

"I think the PK-related requests were probably made in the beta."

"I'm curious if there have been any system changes!"

"So far, it doesn't seem like there have been any changes."

"PK behavior isn't rampant in the first place."

"Mio, don't let your guard down."

Feina is scary again.

Mio looks genuinely scared.

"Let's end this conversation here. It's not a pleasant topic."

"Y-Yes!"

"Then, Keith, let's settle up."

Saki and Reina switched places.

Then,

Adel and Reina started talking.

This kind of conversation is hard to follow.

Irena doesn't participate much, but she interjects at the perfect moments.

What's going on?

"Thanks as always. Saki's level is also improving, which is great."

"Likewise."

I tried to stand up after settling the bill, but Adel and Reina were still talking.

I managed to leave the area with a nod to Irena.

"Mr. Keith, do you have business at the Adventurer's Guild?"

"Sort of."

I deflected Irena's question and tied the Crescent Moon to a post.

There was a rain shelter, but some rain still got through.

Sorry, but bear with it.

I entered the guild building with Adel and Irena, but it felt quite empty.

Is business slow because of the rain?

The usual middle-aged male clerk was at the counter, so I asked him to inform the guild leader.

"Right now? There's a visitor."

"Then, I'll come back a bit later?"

"No, it's a good opportunity. Let's go to the guild leader's room. I was about to wrap up anyway."

"Ah."

I didn't understand, but the clerk's expression was serious.

The clerk led us to the guild leader's room.

He knocked on the door