Chapter 59

Otō seemed to have decided to give a special item.

"Wow, that's amazing..."

Yūri couldn't help but exclaim in amazement. It was no wonder, as in front of him stood an enormous alchemical cauldron. To give an idea of its size, Yūri could easily fit inside it. Putting materials in or taking them out would likely require the use of a ladder attached to it.

However, what surprised Yūri wasn't just the cauldron. Standing next to the massive cauldron was a man. He was short but muscular, with a beard, dark skin, and a hairy body that clearly indicated he wasn't human. His face, etched with wrinkles, suggested he was of a certain age.

"...A dwarf?"

Yūri muttered, but both Arī, who was beside him, and the man in front of him tilted their heads. To Yūri, the man looked like a dwarf, but the term used in this world was different.

"Yūri, this old man is a mountain folk alchemist-blacksmith, and his name is Gurugaru."

"You're today's guest, huh? Hmph, what were you thinking, Arī, bringing such a greenhorn?"

"Stop calling me 'boy,' old man."

"Um, I'm Yūri. Nice to meet you."

Despite the sharp, scrutinizing gaze, Yūri bowed politely. He was more composed than he appeared. Gurugaru, intrigued by Yūri's calm demeanor, narrowed his already narrow eyes even further.

Gurugaru belonged to the mountain folk, a race known for living in mountains, mining, and excelling in metalworking. Despite their small stature, they were incredibly strong, and their bodies, hardened by forging, were tougher than those of ordinary warriors. Both men and women were powerful and excelled in handling precious metals. In the field of blacksmithing, they were considered on par with halflings.

Halflings were known for their intricate craftsmanship and artistic sense, creating works with dexterous hands. In contrast, the mountain folk were skilled in metalworking and were unmatched in crafting weapons. To put it simply, the mountain folk were good at making things, while halflings were good at intricate work. However, both races were proficient in both areas.

Gurugaru, a member of the mountain folk, was, as Arī mentioned, an alchemist-blacksmith. As the name suggests, alchemist-blacksmiths were experts in both alchemy and blacksmithing. Their most significant feature was their ability to create alchemical cauldrons.

The first alchemical cauldron was an artificial artifact excavated from ancient ruins, and it was as large as the one in front of Yūri. In the past, people tried to replicate its structure by hand. Even then, the technicians were puzzled by how it worked. The structure was a mystery even to those who made it. This was the alchemical cauldron, the most powerful magical tool.

"So, you're giving this greenhorn an alchemical cauldron?"

"Better to give him a custom one than have him ruin mine."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't ask."

Arī averted his gaze, while Gurugaru frowned, not understanding. Yūri, on the other hand, bowed politely, remembering the times Arī had scolded him. Despite remembering, he would still make similar mistakes. It wasn't that he was forgetful; in Yūri's mind, an alchemical cauldron was just a convenient seasoning maker. When people find something convenient, they tend to rely on it.

Seemingly sensing that it was better not to ask, Gurugaru handed Yūri a small metal rod. At its tip were countless thread-like strands that, when followed with the eyes, connected to the numerous ingots and gems displayed on the shelves.

"...What is this?"

"When custom-making an alchemical cauldron, you start by choosing the materials."

"Does holding this decide the materials?"

"Yes."

Not fully understanding but trusting Gurugaru, Yūri held the metal rod. Arī didn't say anything, so Yūri assumed it was correct. As he held it, his body heat transferred to the metal rod, and the transparent threads gradually took on color, which then spread to the connected items.

The threads stopped at one red and two orange points. Yūri, oblivious, followed the threads with his eyes, but Arī quickly looked away. Gurugaru, his narrow eyes wide open, was shocked.

"...Arī, boy."

"Stop calling me 'boy.'"

"Who did you bring here, boy!?"

"He's our housekeeper!"

"Don't give me that nonsense!"

Gurugaru, a member of the mountain folk, had a loud voice. His natural volume was excessive. Yūri, who received the shout at close range, felt the sound reverberate in his head and crouched down. His head hurt. However, Gurugaru, ignoring Yūri's reaction, continued to confront Arī, who responded as if he had nothing to lose. While his answer wasn't wrong, he wasn't providing all the necessary information, so it was understandable that he was being scolded.

Gurugaru was shouting because the materials deemed suitable for Yūri's alchemical cauldron were out of the ordinary. Red indicated the best match, and orange indicated a high compatibility rate. The materials Yūri selected were problematic.

"...Where in the world does a human have the best compatibility with Hihiirokane?"

"Right here."

"Arī, boy!"

"Don't shout at me, old man! I didn't expect him to do this much either!"

Hihiirokane, one of the legendary metals, could only be obtained from a specific dungeon. It had a high compatibility rate with magic stones and could produce the highest quality magical items. However, using it in an alchemical cauldron was almost impossible.

Moreover, the two orange points were also unusual. Oriharukon, another rare metal, was well-known and recognized as the highest quality metal. The orange color indicated that Yūri's abilities couldn't be fully utilized with Oriharukon, not that he lacked the ability. Ideally, he would have preferred all Hihiirokane.

The last orange point was a gem. Among the precious gems, it was a bicolor diamond, a rare type with two colors in a single diamond.

"...Why do you even have such things?"

"Hmph. If I have them, I should display them."

"...Just make it for him."

"How will you pay? This greenhorn can't afford it."

"...I'll front the money."

"...Arī, are you really going this far?"

Gurugaru, looking at Arī curiously, sighed. Arī, looking annoyed, grumbled. It was his true feeling.

"Better to give him a proper alchemical cauldron than have mine destroyed."

"...Arī, I don't plan to break your alchemical cauldron."

"Quiet. You'll use it on a whim anyway!"

"...Hehe?"

"Hehe? No way!"

Yūri, scolded, tilted his head in a way that made him look even more childlike. While most would be charmed, Arī, knowing his true age and past misdeeds, only got angrier. As a guardian, he had no choice but to be angry.

Gurugaru, watching the two, sighed and took out the Hihiirokane from the shelf. He then took out the Oriharukon and the bicolor diamond, looking at Arī with a disapproving gaze. He seemed to be wondering where Arī found such a person. However, from Arī's perspective, he wasn't to blame. It was just a series of coincidences that led to their meeting.

"...Greenhorn."

"Yes."

"I'll make an alchemical cauldron for you with these materials."

"Thank you."

"It will take a few days. And I'll need a drop of your blood."

Yūri, handed a needle, looked puzzled. Arī explained.

"A custom-made alchemical cauldron uses the owner's blood to improve compatibility."

"Do non-custom cauldrons not use blood?"

"No, those are pre-made. The materials vary."

"Keep in mind, custom-made cauldrons have better compatibility."

Gurugaru interjected, implying that for a well-matched and user-friendly alchemical cauldron, a custom-made one was the way to go. Beginners, unable to afford custom-made cauldrons, usually bought cheaper pre-made ones.

Arī brought Yūri to Gurugaru, a custom alchemical cauldron maker, because he understood Yūri's skills and profession. He believed a pre-made cauldron wouldn't be suitable for Yūri.

However, he couldn't tell Gurugaru the specifics, so he had to dodge the old man's questions.

"By the way, greenhorn, do you have any design requests?"

"Design?"

"If you can draw it, show me. I'll try to make it as close as possible."

"Um, not really, but I'd like handles on the sides for easy carrying."

"...Arī, is this greenhorn going to carry his alchemical cauldron around?"

"...Seems so."

Normally, alchemical cauldrons stayed in the room where they were used. There was no need to carry them. However, Yūri often borrowed one from Arī's room and worked in the dining room. He would likely continue to work in places like the dining room or living room. Anticipating this, Arī sighed.

"Alright, I'll add handles."

"Thank you."

"...Still, for a greenhorn to have such materials..."

Gurugaru, still unconvinced, watched as the two averted their gaze. They didn't want to delve into the topic, as it would cause trouble. They planned to avoid further questions.

Later, when the custom-made alchemical cauldron was completed, Yūri was overjoyed and continued to create various items, often provoking Arī's scolding.

No one knows how it works, but the alchemical cauldron remains a mysterious item. It will continue to be a convenient tool, and its mysteries will remain unsolved.

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