Chapter 23

In the bustling center of the town where food stalls lined up, as the sun set, I was led to the room I was renting, after being recommended a few of Mr. Fred's favorite shops. I had only used the address as an emergency contact when I registered, but this was my first time actually visiting.

Mr. Fred said, "The rent is cheap, it's quiet at night, and the area is safe," as he guided me to a room where the tower of the Moon Star Church could be seen from the window. He told me to wait a moment as the room was a bit messy, so I waited in the common corridor outside the room. After a while, I was invited in again.

"Excuse me for intruding."

Inside, there was a kitchen right next to the entrance. From the furniture in the room, it seemed to serve as both a dining and living room. The room at the back was probably a bedroom. There was a magic stove and a faucet in the kitchen, and it looked like a rental for a wealthy household. In fact, it could be said that his lifestyle was more modest than I would have imagined for a silver-ranked adventurer. I realized I had unconsciously looked around with a curious gaze and felt a bit embarrassed.

I thought it was a bit late to feel apologetic for imposing, but I should have considered his schedule more. I realized I was really bad at such things because I didn't have any friends. However, I felt it would be too much to keep inviting me to private dining places, even though I was involving him in my situation. If I paid, Mr. Fred would subtly avoid it. When I suggested inviting me to the inn where I was staying, he firmly declined, saying it would be "even more problematic."

It was a dilemma, but I gratefully accepted Mr. Fred's offer to use his room for our meeting.

He had said the room was messy, but it didn't look that way at all. He had probably been away for a long time and had only been back for a few days.

"Is water-diluted tea okay, Liana?"

"Yes, thank you."

After placing the food we had bought from the stalls on a small table, Mr. Fred returned with a water pitcher. I hadn't noticed before, but there was a small magic refrigerator, and when he opened it, I could see it was filled with alcohol. As I said a prayer before the meal, as was my habit, Mr. Fred joined in and recited the prayer with me. He asked if I had any problems and how my first mission went, and it made me feel warm to know he cared.

"Liana, do you have the receipt for today's mission? Can I see it?"

"Sure, here you go!"

I handed Mr. Fred the folded paper with confidence. I had kept it ready to show him that I had completed the mission successfully and received the reward.

This proud feeling reminded me of when I received my first graded assignment in school. I remembered the bitter memory of not getting a perfect score and not being praised, even though I was top of the class.

"What? The mission evaluation is... 'Pass'??"

"Yes! I completed it properly and received the reward!"

"No, that's not what I'm surprised about...!! I thought the quality would be so good that the evaluation would be 'Excellent' or something... Well, I'm glad it didn't turn out as I feared."

Mr. Fred seemed relieved, as he had been worried. An 'Excellent' evaluation for a mission was rare unless something extraordinary happened. For example, in a case like this, where the quality and condition of the delivered items exceeded the client's expectations. I had only done what was expected of me, which was to handle the herbs perfectly for alchemical use, so an 'Excellent' rating was impossible.

I had been so nervous that I might have damaged the items and failed the mission.

"I was worried at first, but it seems you blended in perfectly with the general adventurers, which was a relief. Of course, in a good way. If you had shown your full strength, you would have been seen as an 'excellent adventurer' right away."

For a moment, I thought he meant I had successfully pretended to be more capable than I was, but it seemed that wasn't the case. However, I was confused by his high praise. I wasn't arrogant, but if I didn't understand, I might have misunderstood his enthusiasm.

"But, if you can do this, I can take on missions with peace of mind."

It seemed the real conversation was about to begin.

"Tonos said he wants to commercialize the magic device you gave him. Do you remember me telling you that?"

"Yes."

The magic device I made for air conditioning could be repurposed for processing magic stones, which showed the professional merchant's keen eye.

"So, they want the basic magic circuit diagram for commercialization. They asked the Adventurer's Guild if I knew 'Rio's' contact information."

"I see..."

Of course, the "apprentice alchemist Rio" I claimed to be was a fictional character, so there was no alchemy workshop or name on any alchemist registry. But they must have tried hard to find a way to contact me, and that's how the information reached Mr. Fred. He was not only a trustworthy merchant but also a very honest person.

"Actually, they want you to participate from the design stage. What do you think?"

"No, I haven't studied mass production, so I don't think I can help."

"Ah, I see. That makes sense. Designing magic devices and drawing mass production circuit diagrams require different talents... So, would it be okay to sell the original magic circuit diagram?"

"Yes, please tell them I'm happy to do that."

For commercialization, the basic magic circuit diagram is indeed necessary. Without it, standardizing the magic circuits would be almost impossible. Magic cores are natural, so each one has different properties, even if they come from the same type of monster. So, even if I made another device with the same circuit diagram and a different magic core, it wouldn't work properly. The original circuit diagram alone is usually not enough; adjustments are needed to match the magic core and the circuit diagram.

For mass production, the design needs to be redone, the magic cores standardized, and the circuits redrawn. That's why the original magic circuit diagram is needed.

Some people can reverse-engineer the basic magic circuit diagram from a finished magic device, but I only know of Cornelia-san who can do that. I'm not good at the various modifications needed for mass production. Thinking about it makes my stomach tighten. I forced those memories out of my head and focused on the conversation with Mr. Fred.

"Then, I'll deliver it."

"Huh?"

I was genuinely confused. Why would Mr. Fred deliver it himself?

"Magic communication still has issues with confidentiality, and it can't be used for something like a product before its official release. Besides, the contract needs to be signed in person."

"That's true, but usually, adventurers or caravans heading in that direction would be asked to deliver it."

"Well, they said this will generate a lot of money, so they want to use a safe and reliable method."

I see. When my magic device was commercialized in the past, Cornelia-san and Germaine-san helped set up the mass production, so I don't remember the details about information security and rights. I could check the documents, but they are at my old home, so that's not an option.

From the contract, it seems the other party is insistent, but refusing won't put me in a bad position. I understand they want to start as soon as possible, so I don't intend to insist on a slower, cheaper method.

Mr. Fred will deliver the magic circuit diagram and the contract as part of a caravan, with the travel and accommodation expenses covered by the workshop. Although he was asked to do this on short notice, he will be away for a long time, which makes me feel a bit guilty. He must have noticed my thoughts and added, "It's a good job, so I'm happy about it."

I really can't argue with him.

The main workshop that will commercialize the device is in a neighboring country, and the contract is written in that country's language. They seem to think it will generate a lot of money, but I doubt it will spread across countries and catch the attention of my family. I think it will only fill a niche demand.

I trust Mr. Fred, but since it's a formal contract, I carefully read through all the terms before signing. Because I used a fake name, I ended up with a complicated identity as "Liana, registered as the alchemist Rio." I need to go to the Alchemist's Guild tomorrow and register as Rio. The process will be more complicated because the workshop is in a distant country, but it also means my true identity is less likely to be discovered. I only took this job because it was a one-time transaction.

While putting away my copy of the contract, I asked if the reward was too high, and he said, "If it's going to be commercialized, this is a reasonable buyout price." ...Is that true?

Of course, I dealt with larger amounts when I was at home, but this is a significant income for a new adventurer like me. I'll consider myself lucky for creating a device that could generate a lot of money.

"So... this time, you're going on a mission near Kronheim, right?"

"Yes... Ah, since you've been so kind, would you like me to make a potion as a thank you?"

"No, no! A high-quality potion is enough for emergencies! I'll be questioned about where I got it...! No, that's not what I meant. Since you're going near Kronheim, would you like to pick up a close friend of yours while you're there?"

I was taken aback by his words.

I had mentioned it before, when I was asked to think about what I wanted to do. When I thought about my goals, I realized I wanted to spend time with Anna again. I told Mr. Fred that I had a close friend who always praised me, even though my family didn't accept me. She was one of the few people I was close to, and I was worried about her treatment because she was in a position similar to my personal secretary. I realized he had been thinking about this for a while.

"How... how did you... remember all that?"

"Remember what?"

"Mr. Fred... thank you so much..."

"I'm just suggesting it because it's convenient for me. Ah, right. Since the potion you gave me was so high-quality, this is a way to make up for it."

I thought it was inefficient and unnatural for him to deliver it himself, but I realized he must have done it to have this conversation. He was going out of his way to help me, without expecting anything in return.

I was so grateful and happy that I found myself crying in front of him for the second time.

Next time, Liana will:

"Deal with a long-term absence of a person who knows her situation"

"Work hard to earn money for living together"

"Encounter trouble in the forest where she went to gather herbs"

Stay tuned!