LXXVI

After handing over my weapon, I enter the small village. Really, though, the place is tiny. The gate opens to a trampled dirt pathway that leads to a well at the village center, with a dozen or so buildings surrounding it in a circle, opened only by the trail passing through. Between the circle that the buildings form and the outer wall is about thirty feet of area all around that is filled with crops. It is early autumn at the moment, so the crops look about ready for harvest, covered in their fruits and vegetables. Mostly I see corn, though some pumpkins can be spotted through the stalks as I walk down the path to reach the inhabited part of this tiny village.

The buildings are made of wood, possessing a similar hue to the most recent forest I passed through, with no windows in sight, just plain walls of wooden boards nailed to a frame. The roofs are steep and shingled, leaving me to believe that they are likely to get a large amount of precipitation here.

A couple women are near the well talking with one another. They look at me curiously, before turning back to each other. It takes me a moment to realize that these are essentially the first women I have encountered in this world, other than that one girl I can never remember the name of who was also captured by those wretched slave traders.

I ignore them as well, going around the opposite side of the well to the biggest building, the one with a sign saying simply "store," sloppily written in the same script that I had learned from Lector.

I make my way into the store, to be encountered with an open room with walls covered in goods. I see food items, weapons, potions, and a wide range of other items. While the range is quite wide, I notice that the stock of an item rarely exceeds one or two pieces; I can only assume that as town this small only needs a few items of each type every other decade. I mean, how often do you need a talisman to increase fire resistance?

I look around for a while, searching for a map while waiting for someone to appear to talk to about making some money. Other than a map, I also look for some clothes. Even after washing myself with the water pulled from the air and heated with fire, my clothes are still quite ragged, in desperate need of replacement.

Suddenly, a voice interrupts my search. "Ah! A customer! How can I assist you?" a small man with a wrinkly face and gray hair asks in a rather high pitched voice.

"Well, I would like to buy a map of this region and some clothes. However, I don't have any money after an unfortunate encounter with a group of bandits, I was told that you might have a job for me?"

"Oh? A map and clothes? Yes, you are from out of town, a map would surely be of great help. And your clothing must be replaced… attacked by bandits, you say, and in need of money? I assume that you were informed of my job as an alchemist?"

"Yes, I was," I say with a bow.

"Hmm… Well, I'm afraid to say, I am not in need of any ingredients at the moment."

"Oh? Well, how about recipes? I am not by any means a master of alchemy, but I do have the recipes for sleep resistance and endurance potions memorized, I could sell them to you for a price."

"Do you now? Why, yes, I would be quite happy to buy those off you, I possess neither. How much would they set me back? Of course, you will have to prove that these recipes work before you receive any compensation."

"That will not be a problem. However, I must ask, how much would two sets of clothes and a map set me back?"

"I'll give it all to you for one of the recipes, surely you wouldn't object?"

I place my hand over my chest in mock astonishment, saying "You would try to take advantage of a poor traveler down on his luck!? Why, I know for certain that the value of a good recipe for one of these potions is worth far more than that! What you have offered wouldn't even buy one endurance potion of incredibly low value, I struggle to believe that a good recipe should sell for less than even that! Honestly, trying to sell me some simple clothes and a shoddy map good for nothing other than determining direction at the cost of such a recipe, this is ridiculous!"

"Hmph. Fine, I'll give you two gold and the items you requested, in exchange for the sleep resistance potion recipe. Is that good enough for your lofty standards?"

I shrug, saying "Considering that an alchemy book of the quality of the one from which this recipe originates will set you back about fifty gold, I suppose that your offer is fair enough."

[Heh heh. It's a good thing that alchemy related objects are so expensive in this world, even just by selling one recipe, I am able to do so well. This two gold price tag equates to over a year's income for a poor farmer, just from a piece of information that costs me nothing to part with. In fact, this info is almost half as valuable as I was when being sold!]

The shop owner leads me to a room attached to the back of his store, a room which is well stocked with every ingredient and piece of equipment which he may need. Cauldrons, bottles, vials, beakers, and a wide assortment of tools are strewn about. On nearly every surface, on counters, in droors, hanging from the walls and the ceiling, are ingredients of all shapes and sizes.

"Demonstrate," he says to me.

"Well, I must remind you, I am hardly an expert of alchemy. But I should be able to show you that this recipe does as I say it does."

I have him bring me a few sheets of paper and a writing utensil, upon which I record the recipe which has been so ingrained in my mind by the great number of times that I carried it out. My writing is slow and sloppy, a result of my minimal practice with producing this script, but it seems legible enough to me.

After I record the recipe, I carry it out. During the process, my alchemy immediately jumps up to Moderate Alchemy level seven, showing yet again that skills both mark talent and provide it.

My sleep resistance potion ends up in a state that I am quite proud of, I am confident that it will give a decently good result.

After I hand him the potion, he drinks it. "Oho! I have had sleep resistance potions before, this one is quite good! Furthermore, you seemed to really know what you were doing when you made it, especially considering your repeated insistence that you are no expert. I must ask, what level is your alchemy skill?"

"Moderate, level 7," I answer nonchalantly.

"Well, that sure explains it! Not an expert, you say? Why, you are only marginally inferior to myself, and I have been practicing in this field for five years and studying it for more than ten!"

"Ha ha, considering the one from whom I learned this recipe, I am hardly even a novice among the novices. He could mass produce dozens of these potions in the span of a few hours, with the maximum effectiveness. In fact, he apparently hadn't slept for decades by maintaining a supply of these spells."

Without even noticing it, I had started talking up my treacherous master. [Gah! He haunts me wherever I go, whatever I say! Curse you, Lector! Curse you!] Anyways.

"Really? He must have been quite famous. What was his name?"

"Lector is what he went by."

"Hmm… never heard of him. Still, he must be a pretty skillful guy to teach you so well. That said, this recipe seems to be good, if a bit on the pricey side when considering ingredients, but I can certainly afford it, especially knowing the wealth that it has the possibility to bring. Perhaps I may have to move back to the city after this. I came to this village to retire on the wealth I had accumulated, allowing me to be the richest resident. However, this recipe is so good, I may have to go back into full-time business."

"Are sleep resistance potions really so rare?"

"Not particularly, but this recipe is exceptionally good. To achieve one hundred percent effectiveness is amazing, even the best alchemist following the instructions of most recipes perfectly still wouldn't have such effectiveness. Honestly, without an extremely skilled mage here, we cannot determine if your claim that it is fully effective is true or not, but if it was I would pay you a great deal more than you have asked. Even as it is, this recipe is quite good. In fact, it is so good that I will throw in one additional item from my store in addition to the agreed upon sum. How does that sound?"

"Almost too good to be true, but if you're serious, I will accept immediately."

"Good, I'd feel like I was robbing you otherwise. Now, I am willing to buy that other recipe you mentioned you had off of you as well, if you will sell it…"

And so I gladly repeat the process again, this time for a flat sum of seven gold coins. He again comments on the recipe's quality, which leads me to wonder if this is a special recipe made by Lector as opposed to a commonly known one sold in books. I mean, Lector's potion book did seem handwritten, with lots of additions and modifications. Though if Lector was able to make recipes like this one his own, that shows that he was truly gifted in the realm of alchemy. I mean, Lector [did] seem to spend most of his free time making potions, perhaps that is where his expertise really lies… though that seems to imply that he is not also an expert in sorcery and elemental manipulation, which is certainly not the case. No, Lector was just too overpowered, a master of too many branches of magic. And with my massive proficiency bonuses, I wonder where he will go from here… I shudder at the thought.

After I have sold him the two recipes, and denied knowing any more, we return to the main store. He helps me pick out the best map he has available, as well as some pre-made clothing he assures me will fit. In this world, most clothing is custom tailored. However, by trying on some clothes, I am rather easily able to find some that fits well enough.

[Nine gold, clothes, and a map, I'm making out like a bandit with this deal. Seriously, this really shows the differences between the haves and have-nots of this world. Without a second thought, he was willing to give me enough money for a poor farmer to live rather comfortably for a decade in exchange for a couple potion recipes. Yet, when compared to how much money he can sell even a few decent potions for, he will profit immensely from this. Truly ludicrous. Well, I still have one last way to get some money out of this. Heh heh. Normally, throwing in an extra item, he would expect me to pick something I want or need, respectfully limiting its price. No! Unless I find something I desperately want, you better bet that I will find the most expensive item here!]

Surprisingly, my two aims do not come into conflict, as the most expensive item is also one that I quite want. And what could such an item be? A dimensional storage ring, of course! That thief Lector stole mine, and they are amazingly convenient. And expensive. Oh, so expensive. This one ring is marked at a price that could probably purchase this whole village. Yes, the store owner will regret insisting that my recipes were so excellent, he will have no counterargument now.

When he walks up to ask me if I have found anything yet, I turn to him with as big and twisted a grin as I can muster. "Why, yes, I believe I have," I answer, raising my hand to show the ring upon it.

His face visibly pales. "Could I request that you choose another item?" he asks, quite predictably.

"Nope. You said any item. Besides, I know that those recipes will be able to net you more than the cost of this ring, assuming you are willing to sink the necessary immense costs into learning them. I have hardly taken advantage of you here, this is quite fair!"

"Well, I suppose you are correct. I guess I can't blame you for making the best financial decision, either. Very well, the ring is yours. Make good use of it. Should you find any more recipes of similar potencies, feel free to return at any time. Unless there is something else that you would like to buy from me today with your newfound wealth?"

"No, no, I have everything that I came here for," I answer, putting the clothes, gold, and map into my ring.

"Well, if you are sure," he says, bowing before turning away. I rather expect to see his fists clenched in fury, but he seems to have taken my choice of item in relatively good stride.

I sigh. [Well, it would seem that not everyone is willing to contribute to my efforts to have fun. What a shame.]

I leave the store, returning to the central courtyard surrounding the well. I briefly consider spending the night in the village, before deciding against it. Knowing the exact route to the nearest large city, in which I can further my goals, why should I remain here?

I return to the gate, where the guard from earlier is still stationed. "Leaving so soon? Did you find a request?"

"No, I have already fulfilled my aims here, I am departing for the time being, I have no current intention to return."

"Oh? Did you really manage to find such a quick method of earning money?"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," I say, proudly waving my ring in front of him.

Apparently he immediately recognized it for what it is, saying "Eh?! How did you acquire that?! Isn't that the dimensional storage ring our new shop keeper was so proud of acquiring? Wait… did you steal it?"

"Ask him yourself," I say, my smile replaced with a deep scowl. "And could you at least return my sword to me before you continue your unfounded accusations?"

"Yes, yes, my apologies. Obviously that new storekeeper of ours could not be robbed from, I really must ask what you were able to do for him to bring in such money. Ah, excuse me, I'll go grab your sword."

He steps away only to return less than a minute later, holding out my own sword for me to take. I snort and grab it, unsheathing it and carefully analyzing it to make sure that it has suffered no damage. I do this in front of the guard of course; doing so will almost certainly be taken as an insult, and that is my desire.

Once I have found my blade to be in good condition, I say to him "Lots of good taking my weapon did, considering my proficiency with magic and my lack of desire to cause problems. If I [had] wanted to make a scene, what could you taking my blade do, anyways?"

Saying that, I walk away, hopefully leaving the impression of a disgruntled individual of somewhat considerable power, still irritated by not being permitted to access the town with my weaponry. Now, if only he could see the mischievous grin plastered on my face…

[Ah… Why do I do things like that? I should be trying to establish connections, instead, I am working to irritate those I encounter for no benefit to myself. I mean, I do get some entertainment value out of it, I suppose, and of course, entertaining myself at the irritation of others is a fair tradeoff in and of itself. However, any potential issues it may cause will greatly outweigh the entertainment which I glean from it, I should really stop with such behavior. Or, at the bare minimum, justify it to myself by blaming it on my madness skill… or my chaos skill? Either way, I won't take responsibility even if I do cease in my silly actions. Never foolish, mind you, just silly; for how could I be a fool?]