Chapter 77
Returning home alone, I temporarily switched back from Shilent to Shizuma.
As expected, I staggered slightly from the swirl of information attacking my mind, but I didn’t lose consciousness this time.
“Well, I did fight some tough opponents as Shilent… Let’s see what’s changed…” (Shizuma)
Vitality: 120
Strength: 120
Magic: 70
Willpower: 90
Agility: 70
[Growth Rate: Highest – Full Reflection]
[Blessing of the Silver Fox] [Appraisal Eye]
[Basic Enchant]
[Survival Instinct] ← Rank UP
[High-Speed Movement]
[Throwing]
[Hearty Appetite] ← NEW
[Cooking Lv1]
[Crafting Lv1]
[Sewing Lv1]
[Swordsmanship Lv3] ← Rank UP
[Archery Lv1]
[Hunter Knowledge Lv1]
[Scholar Knowledge Lv1]
[Thief’s Knowledge Lv1]
[Swordsman Knowledge Lv1]
[Warrior Knowledge Lv1]
[Mercenary Knowledge Lv2] ← Rank UP
It seems Shilent’s abilities have grown as a result of the recent battles.
Mercenary Knowledge Lv2, huh… That adds a few more combat skills to my arsenal. I can now use [Gale Break], the projectile technique I used before that sliced through trees on the mountain.
That’s a nice boost. Having a long-reach move with a sword is really helpful.
It’ll definitely be useful when I start developing myself seriously.
Also… [Hearty Appetite] got successfully inherited.
That one makes you less likely to feel hungry, and slightly reduces stamina consumption compared to Glutton.
As I thought, if I replicate the conditions that Seira experienced in the past, Shizuma seems to inherit them.
“Alright, time to switch back to Seira…” (Shizuma)
I was bathed in light, and my height increased.
My arms and legs elongated, shifting my center of gravity a bit.
“…Yeah, I get it, the stares…are kind of hard to ignore.” (Shizuma)
Melt isn’t here today… I’ve got to keep my rationality running at full capacity.
—————-
While Shizuma slept alone at home and Melt spent the night at the camp, elsewhere…
In Lindblum, certain people who stirred beneath the surface were quietly beginning to move.
“What the hell are we supposed to do… We can’t even save Muraki?”
“But we’ve grown strong enough to take down the guards. Those guys were entrusted with the most important treasure, that accessory, despite the heavy security. They were probably the elite among adventurers.”
“Yeah… But we could only run from Melt. And even that girl who chased after us…”
“That just means those two are in a different league.”
Isaka and Kazunuma were having a private discussion inside the “Conspirator’s Mansion,” their hideout.
“…We should split up and have someone gather intel. Our collaborator here is only offering a place to stay, not much help beyond that.”
“Right~? We’ve been cooped up in this mansion forever, and I’m so bored~”
“That’s true, but if we move around as a group, we’ll draw attention. We stand out.”
“Eh? I’m fine, really. I dyed my hair. Black hair stands out even more, ironically~”
These girls, uninvolved in the museum attack, were also sneaking around Lindblum.
Yuuko voiced her dissatisfaction with what was practically a house arrest situation.
Still, Hishida’s suggestion that someone be assigned to recon duty made sense.
“In terms of ability, I’m the best suited for reconnaissance. I’ll go ask the mansion owner.”
“Hey, Shu, no fair~”
“It can’t be helped. Hishida-san’s ability lets her find her destination even in unfamiliar territory. If we’re lucky, she might even find where Muraki-kun is.”
“True~ Ah, but bring back some souvenirs! The food here’s fancy but kinda…’stuffy’~”
“…I’ve thought that too.”
“Yeah, like French cuisine. Feels like a high-end restaurant.”
“…Right. I’ll ask for something easier to eat and maybe some mood-lifters while we’re laying low.”
And so, Hishida set out to negotiate for permission to move beyond the mansion.
—————-
Good morning. I resisted my desires.
Now, I’m going to take a morning bath.
No, I’m not thinking anything shady.
I just didn’t feel fully refreshed after bathing as Shilent. Shuris was partly to blame for that too.
“…Seriously, she looked like a goddess of beauty…” (Shizuma)
Nope, just remembering it makes my heart race.
I had a ready-made breakfast, then pulled a bottle from the fridge.
Homemade craft cola syrup. Wonder how it turned out?
“Tasty! It’s on a whole other level compared to the ones sold in convenience stores… It’s more like…” (Shizuma)
Memories and knowledge of drinks I’ve never tasted before come flooding in.
“Curiosity Cola….” (Shizuma)
Supposedly “the tastiest cola in the world.”
Damn it… I only have the memory of the taste… I wanted to try it while I was still on Earth!
“Guess I’ll head to the Alchemy Guild first today.” (Shizuma)
But first, the sunroom check. Good, no radar activity today either!
Alright, I’ll bring the cola syrup bottle with me.
I want as many people as possible to try it…
—————-
While waiting for Melt in front of the Alchemy Guild, a receptionist inside noticed and kindly said, “You can wait inside if you’d like.”
Apparently, Nielson-san had arranged that in advance.
He’s so considerate… I wouldn’t be surprised if he were one of the people managing this city, like Bark-san.
I was told to wait in Lab 4, so I relied on memory to head to the lab from two days ago, and I could hear people talking inside.
Not just one or two, it was practically a commotion.
“Excuse me…” (Shizuma)
The voices fell silent as I opened the lab door, and a group of people who seemed to be alchemists all turned toward me at once.
…Scary! And as expected, someone’s eyes are wandering!
“C-Could you be the one…!?”
“Ah, no, I was just told to wait here, sorry.” (Shizuma)
“I see…”
“I thought you were that prodigy, but I guess I was mistaken…”
“Hmm… But you’re a new face. Quite intriguing.”
It seems all these people gathered here just to see Melt’s experimental results.
They’re calling her a prodigy, huh… Yeah, I’ll admit she’s smart. It’s just that…well…
“Excuse me, has Nielson-san arrived yet?” (Shizuma)
“Hm? The guildmaster was speaking with Lady Elda, the one who brought this up, just a moment ago.”
“I see. Got it.” (Shizuma)
It must still be a little early. Melt should arrive soon.
I should inform them of that.
Shortly afterward, Elda-san and Nielson-san entered the room.
“Good morning, Nielson-san.” (Shizuma)
“Good morning, Seira-san. So you didn’t come with Melt-san?” (Nielson)
“No, she’s probably on the stagecoach heading to Lindblum right now. She had a monster subjugation job at a campsite along the eastern highway.” (Shizuma)
“I see, so it was adventurer work. In that case, let’s wait a bit longer. If it’s the first morning coach, she should arrive in…less than an hour.” (Nielson)
And so, everyone agreed to wait a little longer for the prodigy’s arrival.
In the meantime… I heard this guild also stocks carbonated water. Mind if I borrow some?
—————-
“This is…delicious! It’s not like ginger ale or spice ale… There’s a sweet yet complex taste, like the essence of knowledge itself!”
“You’re right! There’s this depth to it, like it embodies a scholar’s suffering, inner conflict, and inspiration…!”
“I see… Yes, it’s complex, yet perfectly balanced and easy to drink. There’s something medicinal about it, but thoughtfully crafted. A wonderful flavor, Seira-san.”
The cola was a big hit among the alchemists.
But seriously, what the heck is the “taste of knowledge”?
“If I could get tipsy off this, it’d be perfect. Oh, pardon me, I shouldn’t say that in front of the guildmaster.”
“Heh, alcohol enriches life. As long as you use it properly, it can be a good friend.” (Nielson)
“Haha… I appreciate the wisdom.”
Hmm? I wonder if this world has strong spirits like back on Earth?
If they did, I could mix them in and make something like a cola sour…
While I was thinking about that, the person we were all waiting for -the so-called “prodigy”- arrived.
“Wow… I didn’t expect this many people to be here!” (Melt)
“Welcome, Melt-san.” (Nielson)
“Good morning… What should I do? I didn’t think I’d be presenting in front of so many people. I hope everything went well…” (Melt)
Melt stepped forward and began inspecting a large beaker that had been placed on the research table.
The liquid that was bright red before was now pitch-black and opaque.
It looked like ink dissolved in water.
“If it’s this black after just two days, then I think it went well. Okay, I’m going to dump the liquid out now. It’s not dangerous, so it’s fine to dispose of it anywhere~” (Melt)
The black liquid drained away. Melt peered into the beaker and smiled.
“Normally, when making elixirs with Secca Grass Fruits, you need to infuse them with magic in a base solution to trigger the reaction. But these fruits are weak, so you have to gather a bunch to increase their purity. It’s tedious, but if you do it this way, they become a material that doesn’t get used up in one shot. Back home, I used to reuse them for about half a year.” (Melt)
Her explanation caused the room to erupt in chatter.
They reacted as if she said something outrageous or against common sense; confused, even disapproving voices.
But the moment they saw what was left in the beaker, the room went silent.
“Finished! Look, look! I bet it’s thanks to Elda-san for maintaining the temperature so well! It grew this big and pretty!” (Melt)
What rolled out of the beaker was…
A gem-like object: deep crimson, crystal-clear, with radiating spikes in every direction.
No way… Something like that came from a fruit? Is this…really alchemy?
“From here, just infuse mana into it in the same way as regular Secca Grass Fruits, and it’ll produce an elixir. For low-tier elixirs, you should be able to reuse this one about seventy times.” (Melt)
She smiled as she explained happily, but her expression quickly turned uncertain.
“Did…Did I do something wrong? Was it disappointing? Niel-ojichan… I’m sorry if I didn’t live up to your expectations…” (Melt)
“No…that’s not it at all… We’re just speechless. This is far beyond what anyone anticipated…” (Nielson)
“It really exists… It looks just like the illustration from that book… ‘The God’s Weeping Blood’…”
“She said it could be reused… That matches what was written in the book. But still!”
“From a simple fruit… From an ordinary fruit came this?! One of the Three Great Treasures of Alchemy was born from a forest fruit…! No wonder we never found it! We’ve been wasting years chasing in the wrong direction! With just this one, just this one treasure, how many lives could we save!?”
The previously stunned group now erupted in fervor.
So much so that Melt, overwhelmed by their intensity, ended up hiding behind my back.
“Melt, this was supposed to be an elixir ingredient, right?” (Shizuma)
“Y-Yeah… That’s how I’ve been using it. It’s convenient since you can use it over and over.” (Melt)
…So that’s what’s causing the commotion.
In other words, once you make one, it can substitute the rare materials with Secca Grass Fruits indefinitely.
She says it takes a lot of them to make it, but if this kind of ingredient can be harvested from any regular forest, then yeah, this uproar makes sense.
“Melt-san. Honestly, I never imagined the result would be a reusable, non-consumable material. That was something out of the ancient tome Alchemy Dreams and Aspirations. A half-mythical tale. And yet, there are alchemists who dedicate their lives to recreating the so-called ‘dream materials’ described in that book. Melt-san, today, you brought one of those dreams to life right before our eyes.” (Nielson)
“R-Really…? But…they seemed happy, right? As long as I didn’t disappoint anyone, then I’m glad…” (Melt)
“Of course. From today forward, everyone here will admire you, be grateful to you, and treasure you. You’ve become the first person to grasp an alchemist’s dream.” (Nielson)
“T-That’s kind of an exaggeration… So, um, since I taught you how to make it… may I go home now…?” (Melt)
“Yes, that would be best. This excitement will take some time to settle. And once they calm down, they may bombard you with questions.” (Nielson)
Perhaps imagining that scene, Melt gave a shiver. Her tail puffed up slightly as she quietly slipped out of the lab.
—————-
“Phew… I didn’t expect everyone to be that surprised.” (Melt)
“Yeah. But from what I heard, that kind of reaction was probably inevitable.” (Shizuma)
“I guess so… Hey, Seira? That book Niel-ojichan mentioned earlier, Alchemy Dreams and Aspirations, I think my grandma wrote it.” (Melt)
Huh? Judging from how everyone talked about it, it sounded like an ancient tome.
“How old was your grandmother, anyway?” (Shizuma)
“Hmm…not sure! But she was the village chief two generations ago, back when the village still existed. The lifespan of silver foxkins varies a lot. Most live a little longer than other foxkins, but some live as long as elves, apparently.” (Melt)
“I see…that explains it. Then I guess I’ll have to live as long as I can too, for your sake.” (Shizuma)
I said that without thinking.
But apparently, talking about lifespan was a taboo subject for Melt…
“I don’t want that… I don’t want to be left behind… I don’t want Seira, Seimu, Shizuma, or Shire to die first… No way, never! If I have to, I’ll make every medicine in Grandma’s book and force you all to live longer…!” (Melt)
“Ah, yeah, sorry. That was dumb of me. By the way, what kind of amazing medicines are written in your grandma’s book?” (Shizuma)
I cautiously asked, somewhat reminded of the uproar at the guild earlier.
And…
“There’s a potion that makes you a year younger, and one that stops your aging for a year! You can’t make either with the red sparkly one from earlier, but with the blue shiny one and the yellow glowy one, you can!” (Melt)
“…Can you actually make those blue and yellow ones?” (Shizuma)
“If I have the ingredients, I think I can.” (Melt)
“Please don’t. And don’t teach anyone how to make them either.” (Shizuma)
“…Even I think people would freak out if they knew. So… shh. Sshh.” (Melt)
Sensei! We’ve got a living Philosopher’s Stone here!
—————-
(´・メ・｀) I hate sharp-witted pigs like you.
(´・ω・｀) No way…
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