Golden Potion

Morning rays fell into a barely lit room revealing a messy workplace. Several instruments could be seen lying across the room, where one might have to take measured steps to not trip over one of them. In the middle of this room, a young man could be seen working on a similarly messy table.

The young man had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept in a long time, and had an expression of determination plastered on his face as if nothing in this world could divert his attention from his work. 

He swiftly handled his equipment, added various concoctions, and sampled and recorded his findings. As he was done mixing his new concoction he was taken aback as a slight change seemed to occur in his potion turning it gold.

Seeing that he took a closer look at the potion, a look of amusement flashed on his face. He started to document the potion.

<If we add silver grass essence with a concoction of horned rabbit blood and fairy tears, golden will form.>

<color: gold>

<smell: orderless>

<taste: have to be further tested>

<properties: needs to be appraised>

Satisfied with his documentation he took his concoction to the other side of the room where a plain black box was lying on a dusty table. He dusted off the box and opened it to reveal various runes painted over the box's surface layered with what looked like a magic circle and a small space in the middle of the box.

He gently placed the veil containing the concoction in the middle of the circle and poured his magic into the runes. The runes shimmered with light for a while and when the light died down the runes started projecting the information of the concoction in front of him.

[ A potion condensed from the amalgamation of horned rabbit's high sensitivity and fairy's greed for gold bound by binding essence of silver grass.]

[Properties: When this potion is taken orally the user's sensitivity to treasures and secret lairs is heightened.]

At first, he was intrigued by the appraisal, he had never heard of a potion that could heighten someone's sensitivity to treasures or hidden lair. Then a grin formed on his face, one of a crazy kind and he started laughing maniacally.

"Haha!! We Are Rich!!"

At his sudden hysteria, a peacefully sleeping cat was startled awake. Its beautiful black fur stood on end.

"You insolent brat! How dare you disrupt my quality sleep! I curse you to stub your toe in-"

Even as the insults flew by he didn't seem affected by it and just continued to laugh. His eyes shone with gold coins in them. He could already imagine how he would auction this potion and the gold coins would come pouring in.

"Don't You Understand? We are Richhhh! We can earn at least 100 gold coins from this potion"

The cat looked annoyed at the antics of the human. It let out a sigh and shook its head.

"You mortals, How can you be so easily swayed with such measly wealth"

Ignoring the cat's remarks he started mumbling to himself.

"That's 100 gold coins for god's sake, We can buy a mansion in the capital, We could even buy unlimited meat for life with this much, no wait why am I thinking of food"

The cat got more irritated as he got ignored by the human. It suddenly froze as it was about to give this human lecture about life.

"..Did you say something about me..meat?"

The cat started salivating, it could already imagine this human serving it with meat daily. Just the thought made her laugh out loud.

"Hehe..hehe..hahahaha"

The two duo's laughter filled the whole room. 

After coming back to his senses he realized his cat was laughing like an idiot, it could be said to be eerie.

"Hey Noctis, have you been possessed or something?"

Noctis, finally stopping its laughter, looked at her master with a confused expression, as if trying to comprehend what this human had just said.

"Damn brat! which ghost can be so brave even to try to possess this flawless me, and even if they could how can anyone act as beautiful and perfect as me"

He rolled his eyes at his cat's narcissistic remarks. Or was it?, after all his cat or to be precise his familiar was the goddess of night Noctis. He sighed and grinned as he was about to make it big today.

"Let's go, Noctis we have to open the magic factory"

Noctis threw a suspicious glance at him.

"You.. you rolled your eyes at me didn't you"

He ignored Noctis as he made his way outside of his room.

"Hey Human! Answer Me!!" 

Noctis followed him all flustered.

Everything was looking joyous and heartwarming until it wasn't. As he was walking out of his room, maybe because of excitement which led him to be careless he stubbed his toe on one of his instruments. And the worst thing wasn't the pain he got from stubbing his toe, It was the pain he got as he saw the potion slip from his hand and get smashed on the ground. He felt like his heart shattered instead of the glass holding the potion.

Noctis shivered at the events unfolding in front of her.

'..He..he didn't stub his toe because of my curse..Right?'

As they both watched their chance to become rich(meat) spilled on the ground their expression turned solemn.

"Can't you just recreate the potion?"

Noctis couldn't help but ask as she hoped for an affirmation. She was quite surprised at his next words.

"Recreating one?, that I can do "

She didn't expect an affirmation, but weren't their problems solved? why did he still sound so dejected? As if to solve her doubts he added.

"But getting myself a fairy's tear again.."

He shook his head. And both of them fell into despair again.

***------***

He dejectedly walked out of his workshop and heeded to his office which was right next door to his workshop. The signboard ahead read 'Directer Charlie', Charlie sighed as he got inside his office.

The interior of the office was quite good, he had a spacious desk, a large room with shelves filled with books, a big and comfy chair so that he didn't get tired of sitting all day, a large space in his room where he could walk around contemplating his life choices and a big sofa for the visitors and the costumers. 

But he couldn't bring himself to gloat after all that happened that day. He dejectedly sat on his desk. The mountain of documents he needed to go through didn't make him feel better. He looked at his cat who was still lost as she saw her dreams broken and staring into the void with a given-up expression. Charlie sighed, at least he wasn't the only one suffering.

Just as he was about to start reviewing the documents a knock came from his door. Charlie knew who was behind the door. Who could it be other than his assistant? 

"Come in"

She opened the door with enthusiasm and spoke with a wide smile

"Good morning Direc-"

She finally noticed Charlie's face which was darkened due to the dark eye he had got. As she was preparing to scold him for not taking care of his health. She also noticed a dejected expression on Charlie's face.