Three days after the incident passed, Nova Initia was back to normal. Normal in a way since there's no powerful expert staying at their place. The hype Steron has brought them has died down, but it gave them dozen more customers who decided to make Nova their go-to blacksmith.
However, the shop next door little only knows about despite it literally just beside the blacksmith, a human is interviewing a gargantuan for the position of manager of the alchemy shop where they're at.
When he means manager, he'll manage and do everything that is needed to operate the business. From crafting the products to selling it over the counter, the workload of a single person may seem too much but it's really not.
The scale of Nova Alchemy Shop was much lesser compared to his blacksmith. It can only entertain 3-4 people inside the shop at a time.
"You sure you can begin work as soon as tomorrow?"
Brian glanced at Samon from head to toe and saw he was covered in bandages. His teacher had a very rough way of disciplining his students. He'll probably get reported to the authorities if Steron was teaching back on Earth.
"Moving around is not a problem. But Teach took all my money so I need ways to earn my living."
"Harsh, but at least Senior Steron burn the awful hair you had."
Samon is now your normal Gargantuan with his bald head. It looks much better compared to when his hairstyle changes every day what seems like.
"That's right, Boss Bry! That old man did cross the line! How can he burn my very soul!?"
"He's doing god's work when he shaved your head."
Rather than an interview, the discussion they had is a just banter spree from Samon complaining about what his teacher did before he left the city. Feeling their conversation is going nowhere fruitful, Brian led the talkative creature to the back of the counter.
It can be considered as this shop's workshop but all it consists of was a table with strange engraving on the surface, cabinet storage, and a sink to throw the used liquid.
Where the plumbing system both of his shops connect to-- Only the System knows.
But Samon said this is more than enough to create the magical consumable items ranging from the most basic to more complex ones. The engravings on the table should be the thing that helps an alchemist produce results.
To check whether Samon is not just a mage, he asked him to create some healing potions you can find in your usual medicine store. Being a student of Steron gives him the answer already, but Brian wanted to know how the process works.
At least when doing his job, Samon appears serious. But he's probably thinking some stupid ideas while mixing the ingredients.
The inventory of Nova Alchemy Shop is filled enough to last until the thousandth potion of the same kind Samon is creating. The space they were in permeates all kinds of smells coming from the different components Ogz and his team delivered yesterday.
Although it doesn't smell unpleasant. Brian could find the similarity of this aroma from opening a bottle of liquid medicine.
Since Brian requested the lowest grade healing potion, the process wasn't that complicated. Three herbs and a pinch of powder made from the horn of a Kaji Ram are all it takes to produce the familiar red liquid every adventurer should have drank in their lifetime.
Samon found the fitting bottles to pour the mixture. One set of ingredients produces enough solution for twenty bottles.
Brian took one of them and pop open the cap to smell it first. The potions in Soliel are made similarly to the potions he has been using in his time in the army. He ave drank and pour gallons of it on his wounds before to the point he was sick of the odor these potions give.
However, to his surprise, the smell resembled a fruit juice. If it wasn't for the murky color, it will probably pass as a strawberry drink sold in your cheap stores.
How healing potions work in this world is by increasing the natural regeneration rate of a human body when it is applied internally or externally.
Brian doesn't have any complications in his body except the mysterious curse or illness. So it would be difficult to check the effects of it. Appraisal did work, but it gave him a numerical value he doesn't know the reference for.
<Healing Potion (Low-grade)>
<Description: Made from the Gin root, Feverfern, Sawdew, and Kaji horn. Its healing properties can help regenerate the human cells by x4 faster. Meanwhile, a berry type fruit has been added to give a fruity flavor>
<Potential: A->
Noticing the dilemma of his boss, Samon said, "How about I try it, Boss Bry? It can help remove some scars under these bandages."
Samon didn't take it orally. He poured the contents of the bottle on the surface of his hand. It's slow but Brian saw the light scars are beginning to heal itself. It did what it should do so that's a passing mark.
He didn't doubt his skills as an alchemist. If Samon even failed this basic potion, then his teacher might appear once more to disciple him again.
"How about it, Boss Bry… Should I bring my stuff over the next door inn?"
"Before I can give you this place, you need to sign a contract first." Brian placed a single sheet of paper on the table.
"Just put my name. Whatever it is, I'm working here."
"…No you should read and sign it."
Samon glanced over the contents of the paper then sign with a makeshift pen he conjectured with magic. This took about five seconds which was very questionable for Brian.
"Do you know the highest level punishment for breaking the rules?"
"No Idea! That should be no problem for me."
"…"
'It's not my fault if his soul get sucked out of his body. He already signed his name so the restrictions are already placed on him. But just to be sure…'
"READ THE CONTRACT!"
Surprised by the sudden outburst of his boss, Samon quickly pick up the paper he just signed. He don't want to offend his boss on the first day of work because his livelihood depends on it.
This time, it took him a minute to screen on all information the contract has to offer. Now that he knows why his Boss wanted him to read it, he can only face Brian with a scared expression.
"Can I back out?"
"You've got your name signed already, and you'll need a week before I can wipe your memories… Unfortunately, welcome to Nova Initia."
"Noooo!"
This should be the normal reaction for people when they see the contract the System has written. But the problem is that Samon didn't read it before agreeing to whatever was written. The System contract is not your simple Terms and Conditions you can check simply by scrolling it down.
Now Brian felt he did something wrong. Hearing the cries and complaints of Samon, he thought it's alright because it's not his fault.
It took a bit of convincing that everything would be fine as long as he doesn't do anything on the list. Samon also thinks it's probably an exaggeration because even his teacher doesn't have any knowledge about deleting souls-- if it was possible in the first place.
That was a dangerous way of thinking to underestimate the capabilities of the System. So to remove that mentality, Brian brought him to the workshop of his blacksmith. It was best to let him understand what kind of workplace he is dealing with-- And the best way to do that is to show time manipulation. A magic that was a step above compared to space magic which he should know very well.
"Boss Bry! Came to check again…? This should be our newly hired member. Glad to meet you. I'm Richi, the blacksmith of Nova."
Stepping inside the workshop tells him that Samon should have signed the contract already. Richi has already seen some stuff that is world-breaking and can never be spread outside.
'If Boss Brian is sends him here, then they could be trusted.' That's how Richi sees people.
"Changing the flow of time is impossible. You can't fool me Brian."
"Oh, the new guy is not yet convinced?"
"So you're the guy behind those decent wares outside-- I'm Samon, we should have met at the party but I guess we'll be meeting more in the future."
The meet and greet went better compared to when Brian introduced him to the person outside at the clerk's counter. When you pair a talkative person like Samon with the quiet and cold Lucy, you'll get an ignored and annoyed sides.
It also doesn't help Samon tried to forcefully take the game cube from Lucy's possession because he wants to know what it is. He got a dropkick on his bald head because of his action.
"Since you are here, you should meet my teacher." Clicking the button, the Systems avatar showed up and did the forging process of Makaze.
Samon finds it strange the one teaching was a lifeless and faceless being who seems to only follow a set of procedures. Although he can't complain to Richi because his teacher was worse.
After knowing each other a bit more, Brian thinks it was enough to show him how the room works. An hour passed by in the workshop so the position of the sun from the skill be visibly different once they leave.
Yet, Samon believes his eyes are deceiving him. His memory was great so when he saw the sun being hidden by the same cloud in the sky, he wonders if it's just a big coincidence.
"You left an hourglass in the shop, right? Just look at that."
"Holy Protegenus!!! It's true!
And just like that, another employee starts to believe the absurdity of Nova Initia.