Chapter 96: Once Again, The Foreigner Can’t Explore The Dungeon IV (1/2)
I had completed the request, so I briefly returned to the Guild.
「Evetta-san, it’s done」
「That was quick」
I handed her the scroll.
「Oh, this adventurer is notorious for being stingy, so it's quite unusual for him to add a tip on top of the reward」
「Well, I was paid the extra money on the spot」
Evetta unrolled the scroll, stamped it, and took out the nine copper coins reward.
I took them gratefully as well.
「Well then, Souya, this is the next request」
I was given a new scroll.
After unrolling it, I checked its contents.
「Eh」
This request is clearly impossible for me.
「Umm, Evetta-san, for me, this is……」
「Souya, please read it carefully until the end」
「The end?」
The description of the request says, ”Assistance in the preparation of elixirs”.
The reward is five silver coins.
As an amateur at magic, there's absolutely no way I can provide any sort of assistance in the preparation of elixirs.
However………
「Hmm?」
What's this? At the very end of the request……
※：Anyone with a background in cooking is welcome to participate.
……that’s what is written.
What's going on? What does taste have anything to do with elixirs?
But in a sense, this is an opportunity.
According to Rana, elixirs are magic power itself, and magic power is instantly replenished when they are consumed. Unlike the recovery of magic power from sugared sweets, there's no limit to the amount that can be recovered. The more one drinks, the more magic power one recovers.
If there is a recipe, I want to have it, even if it means stealing it.
It'll definitely come in handy in our future adventures.
Hmm, this is quite a lucky break. As the Guild President said, it's important to build connections with other adventurers.
I'll record the preparation process using the bug drones, and if there are any written notes, I'll have Yukikaze make a copy. Or rather, I can just take a photo of them with my glasses and that'll be that.
Then, I'll mass produce copies, or rather, generic elixirs.
It's an item that other merchant companies are too afraid to deal with. I'll have a monopoly on it. It can be sold exclusively by the merchant companies that I'm backing.
It’ll sell.
It'll be a big seller!
My dream of owning my own home that had flown away is now coming within reach!
Nothing beats having modern science.
Hehehe.
Oh no, I'm becoming uncharacteristically greedy. If I'm not careful, I'll mess up. I'll only make enough for the party's own consumption after all.
「Souya, you have a really terrible look on your face. Is something the matter?」
「No, I was scheming ways to help this adventurer as quickly as possible」
「You shouldn't be scheming」
「No no, I'm always as gray as snow[1]」
「From the fact that you don't call yourself ”white”, I see that you're quite self-aware」
「Oh」
That just slipped out.
As I thought, I have no talent as a con man. To begin with, I can't even deceive myself.
「Leaving that aside, Evetta-san, the requestor is listed as King Lutz. What kind of country is this person the king of?」
It's hardly common for an adventurer to be a king.
There are adventurers who are princesses close to me though.
「No, King Lutz doesn't rule any country. That's just what that person is called by the rest of the party」
「Ehhh」
The King of Fashion, or rather, the self-proclaimed King of Fashion.[2]
I’m starting to feel uneasy about this requestor.
I hope he's not a crazy person, but there are a lot of weird adventurers around.
「Well, your timing is just right. See the person at the entrance with the little ones? Why don't you go meet the requestor for yourself?」
「At the entrance, little ones?」
I turned around from my seat at the reception counter and saw a man with several small creatures near the entrance.
There's no point in hesitating, I suppose. I'll just go and talk to him.
「For now, I guess I'll go」
「Good luck. Be careful」
As I thought, it's someone I have to be careful with.
I left the reception area and went over to King(party proclaimed) Lutz.
My impression, as I neared and got a better look at him up close, was that he was a childcare worker.
He looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. Though a little dirty, he had the face of a good person. He had shaggy, curly hair, and was 158cm tall, which was quite short.
His equipment was a hodge-podge of stuff.
He had a large backpack on his back. Strapped to his body and waist were a total of thirteen broad daggers that resembled shovels. There were also four short staves sticking out of his backpack.
Furthermore, there were a large number of potion bottles stashed in every nook and cranny of his leather long coat.
If he fell over, it would probably be a disaster.
The man was certainly on the smaller side, but his party members were even smaller.
They were about 100 cm tall, which was one size smaller than a certain goblin acquaintance. They had round hands and feet.
Their helmets were pointed like birds' beaks, and they wore distinctive red pointy hats on top of them. They were equipped with brigandine armor with a front plackart[3] and were armed with the same shovel-like daggers and round shields.
All seven of them wore matching gear.
They look as toy-like as the goblin did in his armor.
I wonder if they can be sold as toys for the children of the wealthy. It just might work.
「Excuse me, are you King Lutz-san?」
「Hu, huh? ………Yes」
The man looked at me with a scared look.
It’s the first time I've had someone be afraid of me.
「I've received your request from the Guild, so I'd like to hear the details」
「Could this be about the matter of the elixirs?!」
「Yes」
Is there anything else?
「I, I'd really appreciate your help. I'm Lutz・Amou. And you are?」
「I'm Souya. I'm still not sure if I can help though」
「No no! I'm just thankful that you're willing to hear me out!」
「Ri, right」
Th, this overwhelming aura of a good person……
He's the type of person that a follower of Misuranika, the god of misdeeds, finds difficult to deal with.
「Oh, I apologize for my rudeness!」
He held out his hand, and I reflexively took it and shook his hand.
Huh? This side doesn't really have the custom of shaking hands, but there's something mysterious about this person. I feel a peculiar sense of kinship with him.
「Discussing it here isn't the best, so let's go somewhere els――」
「King, pee-pee~」
One of the little ones shouted, interrupting King Lutz.
『I have to pee too~』
The rest of them followed suit and started hollering.
Their voices sound like children's. What's more, they all sound the same.