arc1 · 007-ch7

Chapter 7: Alchemy

So, the day after the shocking acquisition of <Appraiser>.

A restful holiday that comes after overcoming a desperate battle. Normally I'd enjoy my hobbies to recover my energy, but today's me is different from usual.

So I'm locking myself at home for my first alchemy.

"I'm getting nervous thinking this is finally happening."

<Alchemy> is a delicate technique — apparently, so first I'll shove all the unnecessary stuff into the closet with a SWOOOOSH!

Then in the center of the room, now as clean as a minimalist's, I set up a chabudai table. And a floor chair!

Next to it, I spread out a large cloth and neatly arrange the collected medicinal herbs by type. The key is placing them within arm's reach while sitting.

Finally, on the chabudai, I place a cutting board and knife. Then I set down the alchemy tools: the mortar and pestle, and the grinding mill with a DON!

You probably understand the pestle without explanation, but what about the grinding mill? It's that thing with a stick through the center of a disc, and you roll it back and forth over the receiving dish to crush materials. I always imagine historical dramas using this to make medicine. It's exactly that.

The price was amazing — the grinding mill was eighty thousand yen! And the pestle was twenty thousand yen! Together, a hundred thousand yen! Man, what a bargain!

"...Not cheap at all. A hundred thousand? What the hell."

No, I did understand the reasons for the price and bought it anyway, but still, it's expensive.

Actually, these were made by production job crafters, and apparently by passing magic power through them, materials become easier to crush.

There are cheaper mass-market tools, but some materials are supposedly quite tough, so if you don't use something like this, they'll break easily.

Since we're dealing with low-level plant materials this time, that won't be a problem. But if I'm going to do <Alchemist> seriously, I figured "you get what you pay for" and stretched to buy them.

Maybe it's my bandwagon-chasing spirit, or maybe I just got excited by the romance of old-school alchemy tools. I couldn't resist it...

"First, use the knife to cut the materials as finely as possible"

If they're not small enough to fit in the receiving dish, you can't crush them. For now, I should cut all the materials I collected. Since Ina and I stuffed anything that looked like materials into our backpacks whenever we found them because they'd make money, we've got plenty of materials.

...If I have to process all of this, my day off might be ruined. Just thinking about it makes me depressed. But this is something I have to accept.

In combat, I'm inferior to those two. The only thing I can do is prepare. Imagine every possible situation, create items, and get ready. They might go to waste. But it's far better than slacking off and dying.

It's the whole "prepare like your life depends on it to not die" thing. That's a cool phrase, really. I should follow it myself.

It's like taking overtime work home. Give up and focus. One by one, seriously, with careful work —

"No, can't do this seriously. I'll watch anime while doing it."

Whoa, I put too much spirit into it and focused on the wrong thing. Why on earth do I need to be this serious about a task that's just cutting materials small? It's ridiculous. This isn't a workplace, it's my house. This kind of multitasking while doing something else is perfectly fine.

Just being careful not to cut my hand, I happily kept cutting while enjoying the stockpiled anime... Hmm. Not bad, but three episodes might be good for this. Slightly misses my preferences.

After finishing about three anime episodes, I was able to cut all the materials needed for potions into small pieces.

"When did I get this much done? My focus isn't something to scoff at, is it."

That said, the work from here gets troublesome again.

Put the cut materials little by little into the receiving dish, then crush them with the grinding mill. Put strength into it, and guhh...

"Ah, this posture is bad. The position is too high. Don't need the chabudai."

Come to think of it, I remember scenes using this tool had them placing it on the ground.

I try moving the chabudai away and using the floor chair cross-legged... Hmm, this is easier. Still feels like it needs strength though.

I try pouring magic power into it. Even though I've hardly ever used it, for some reason I've known how to emit magic power ever since I got my status. Strange.

Oh. The crushing speed suddenly went up, and it got lighter. This is amazing.

All right, from here I'm serious. Flowing magic power and concentrating...

"—...? ...This seems fine even if I do it pretty carelessly, huh?"

It's not really about pouring magic power — I just need to be a little conscious of it and it gets absorbed automatically. Plus it uses surprisingly little magic.

Hmm....

"Let's keep watching anime."

This is that type, isn't it? The type that forces long hours of simple work that can't be shortened no matter how hard you try. Requires appropriate distribution of focus and patience. Ugh, how harsh. But I won't lose! ...Hey, wait. Is this a huge hit? Could be the dominant anime this season.

Watching anime, I keep crushing and grinding the materials. By the time I finished watching all the stockpiled anime, I finally finished processing all the materials.

"Well, minimum processing is done with this stage."

At this stage, I can supposedly make potions. If I further grind them into powder with the pestle from here, I can process them into tablets or ointments, improve quality, and reduce the magic power used for <Alchemy> afterward — supposedly.

But I don't have any quality-improving production skills right now. So no matter how hard I try, I can only make the same thing.

To put it in easy-to-understand gaming terms —

【No quality improvement skill. Production success】→ Potion

【With quality improvement skill. Production success】→ Potion (+1 or more)

That's how it works. Since I don't have that skill, no matter how hard I try, I can't make items with bonuses. But conversely, if production succeeds, even if I cut corners, I can make baseline items.

And the Association will happily buy any baseline potion. Plus they're perfectly adequate as practical items for us to use.

In that case, there's no need to work hard unnecessarily, right? Careless is fine, careless. And above all, preparing any further than this is annoying, so this is fine.

...Where did my determination to "prepare like my life depends on it to not die" go? Did it run away from home?"

"Okay. Then, it's finally showtime."

I pour water into a cooking pot at home, then add materials for one recovery potion. Then, I slowly and continuously flow magic power of a certain quality.

The important thing here is the quality of this magic power. Specifically, the concentration. For higher-level items, and the more you try to improve quality, the higher the concentration needs to be.

And you must not change the concentration midway. You need to keep flowing magic power at the same concentration constantly. If you change it here, the materials will change partway and fail, apparently.

Whether you can output the necessary concentration. Whether you can maintain it to the end. You need to judge these things to determine what level of item you can make.

Well, I don't understand the meaning of making it concentrated yet, so I'll just output magic power as is.

"Oh. This is..."

This needs a bit of focus. Can't watch something on the side. Concentrate and keep pouring magic power.

About thirty minutes passed? I felt the feedback from pouring magic power disappear, so I stopped. Looking into the pot, the tap water was stained green. This is... complete?

【Item Appraisal】――<Low-Grade Health Recovery Potion>

"Whoa, success...!"

The <Appraiser> skill, 【Item Appraisal】, assures me of production success. If <Appraisal>-san says so, there's no mistake. There's no information more trustworthy than this.

It's a bit moving when I think this is my first production. Since it's the first item, I should keep it as a memento... not that I'd do that.

Even if it's my first, it's just a low-grade potion after all. I don't think I'd keep something I can make anytime safe. After all, in a week I'll be wanting pocket money and think "Let's sell it!" — that's clearly visible coming.

"...Magic power decreased quite a bit? But I can still go, right?"

Since it was surprisingly work that required focus, I feel some mental fatigue, but it's not impossible. If I rest a bit, I'll go for another one.

More importantly, magic power. With level 2 magic power, it's painful that making just one uses a lot.

...No, rather the opposite?

When you think about being able to make two or three a day at just level 2, that's amazing, isn't it? Ninety thousand a day, right?

If I raise my level a bit, magic power will increase too, right? If my skill proficiency improves, I'll be able to make them more easily and faster, right? As long as I gather materials, maybe I'll be able to make ten a day? If that happens... daily wage of three hundred thousand?

And this is with current quality. For potions, I lose to <Pharmacist>, but <Alchemist> also has quality-improvement skills for all items. And high-quality items have correspondingly high purchase prices....

――Suddenly got motivated.

"Sixty thousand! Let's go!"

I transfer the completed potion into a container for submission to the Association, and with a heave-ho, I dump the materials for the second one into the pot. Focusing on potion production so I don't fail, I single-mindedly pour magic power. That said, with it being the second time, I have enough margin to lightly think about other things.

What I'm thinking about is my newly acquired power.

"<Appraiser>, huh..."

From just now, I can tell it's actually convenient. Even though I only got it eventually, being able to check items at a glance is good. Thanks to that, I didn't hesitate earlier, and going forward, I don't have to study when looking for new materials, which is really easy. An amazing ability.

But that's for production. For combat, it's still unusable. And if I can't fight, I can't dive into deep layers. That's why I was looking for a combat skill or job.

――To play in dungeons together with those two.

Without combat power, that can't come true. That's why I lightly despaired about getting the <Appraiser> job... but a day later, that thinking is starting to change. Why is that?

To begin with, even if I got a combat job, would it be useful?

Going forward, there's almost no possibility of getting a combat job. Having fallen into that situation, I finally realized this — but if someone who first obtained <Alchemist> as their job gets a combat job as their second job, can they keep up in terms of ability? That's the question.

It's common to take multiple jobs, but apparently the first job you get definitely has high aptitude, and your physical abilities grow to match that.

If it's a warrior job, you become a muscle-bound muscleman.

If it's a mage job, you become an intelligence with magic power pouring out.

Then for <Alchemist> me, wouldn't I not become that strong either way?

Those guys have become combat experts. Can I, getting a combat job now, keep up with guys like that from now on?

The more I think about it, doesn't it seem impossible? Rather than that, if I think for the party as a whole, wouldn't it be better to acquire expertise those guys don't have?

Instead of acquiring half-baked fighting power and aiming to be someone you can find anywhere, wouldn't it be better to develop power only I can do and become an irreplaceable person? That's still more realistic, and harder to discard, right?

And I see that possibility in <Appraiser>.

I have a question about <Appraiser>. It's — do 【Person Appraisal】 and 【Monster Appraisal】 skills really not exist? I'm quite skeptical about this point.

Because there's absolutely a skill to see through people's and monsters' actual strength, right? If that's possible, wouldn't it be <Appraiser> or something like that? Yet they can only do materials and art objects? Isn't that side more unnatural?

I understand that countries around the world are organized and conducting various verifications. But for dungeons, things we don't know are overwhelmingly more. Jobs and skills too — from results they probably infer "it's like this," but they don't know the real thing.

In that case, isn't there a possibility I could discover 【Person Appraisal】 or 【Monster Appraisal】? And if I really could get those, wouldn't that become power reaching the top-tier explorers?

Am I thinking too conveniently? No, I think there's plenty of possibility for that. Rather, if an ordinary person is aiming for that, they need to take a gamble somewhere.

To distract from one's anxieties by jumping at the easy path right in front of you — you won't even reach your own feet... wait? Huh, hold on? We're not aiming for the top in the first place, right?

If we can earn at our own pace, that's fine. Me, and those guys too. If we reach level 10, income-wise it's enough... hmm? Or maybe even now it's enough?

Because with my 【Alchemy】, I can earn for about three people's worth with ease, right? And I myself said just now that if I raise my level even a little, I can earn more?

In that case, shouldn't I aim for high survivability rather than a one-in-a-million possibility?

...N, no, that's not it! That's not it, no, no!

There's a possibility those guys will change their minds and become type-A consciousness-high people aiming higher... no, that's even less likely. Because they're those guys. If anything, there's a higher possibility I'll be like that.

Plus, simply raising levels seems fun. Wondering what skill I'll learn next gets me excited. Ah, this is it. I'm convinced. To be able to dive deeper, I should be bold here —

——BEEP!

——BEEP!

——BEEP!

——BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

——BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!

"Annoying?! What on earth is ——Ah"

——BON!

The moment I felt my concentration break and the flow of magic power stagnate, smoke came out of the pot.

Timidly, I peek into the pot. Purple muddy semi-solid-like substance, with smoke and a nasty smell drifting from it.

【Item Appraisal】――<Alchemy Waste>

O, oh. How simple. No, I can only call it that.

I'm not at an age where I get depressed over every failure, but when I think thirty thousand yen went to waste... this is...

Without a word, I reach for my smartphone. Then I open the SNS I often use. A message had arrived in the three of us's talk room.

LoliGaski: Yo. Since I'm bored, wanna play games?

ElfMoki: I don't particularly mind, but what are we playing?

LoliGaski: How about "Kin Tetsu" or something? For about thirty years.

ElfMoki: At this age, that's already ascetic practice. But tomorrow's a holiday too, so I'll accept the challenge.

LoliGaski: Good, now it's Kaede's turn!

LoliGaski: Oy, what's up? Still asleep?

LoliGaski: Stamp (loli character saying "Still?")

LoliGaski: Stamp, stamp, stamp, stamp, stamp, stamp, stamp stamp stamp stamp stamp stamp stamp stamp stamp —

That damn fatass, of all times, he did it at the worst possible timing...!

The cute character I painstakingly built is so hateful I can't stand it!

ChichiGaski: Sorry for the delay. I was a bit tied up. Heheh, please forgive me.

LoliGaski: You're slow, you idiot! Jeez, don't let there be a next time, okay?

ElfMoki: Since it's a holiday, you're not slacking off, are you? Days off are when you should play with all your might!

ChichiGaski: I am terribly sorry. I was just now working on potion alchemy. This was my first challenge, but I somehow managed the first one successfully. By the way, the second one failed because my attention was drawn by the stamp bombing just now. Due to my clumsiness, thirty thousand yen was wasted. Despite everyone's support, I am truly sorry.

LoliGaski: I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry! Please forgive me!

ElfMoki: I feel deeply ashamed that I was getting carried away on a day off while Kobata-san is working hard giving up his holiday. I also bear responsibility for not stopping Kawabe. Please forgive us foolish ones.

Hmph, seems they've learned their place. You fools.

...But, since the message came at just the right time, maybe I should just try consulting a little. They might oppose it, but then I'll explain until they understand. If it's those guys, they'll probably understand.

ChichiGaski: By the way, about exploration. From now on, I'm thinking of trying to go without a weapon, is that okay?

LoliGaski: Stamp (loli character saying "Sure!")

ElfMoki: Stamp (elf older sister character saying "That's fine.")

Too fast!! And so light!? I thought they'd understand if it was them, but immediate reply!? Do they understand what I'm saying!?

LoliGaski: Rather than that. Is there anything I can do? Want me to help?

ElfMoki: Yeah. It's too sorry to make just one person work.

Really? I appreciate that, but only I can do alchemy... Ah, but anyone can do material processing. That would really help. Then I'd only need to do production.

ChichiGaski: I already did it for today, but from next time, I'd be grateful if you could help with material preprocessing. That would really help.

LoliGaski: Ah~, you finished already. Then from next time, let's help Kaede the day after exploration.

ElfMoki: Yeah. Even with two days off, we'd probably have too much free time, so it's just right.

ChichiGaski: I'm grateful. Then I'm counting on you for next time. Also, I'll message you when I finish making today's portion, so mix in for games after that. Kill some time however you like.

LoliGaski: Got it. Then I'll wait.

ElfMoki: I'll wait however long it takes, so go at your own pace.

The discussion went through easily. I can do exploration as I hoped, and production will get easier too — seriously saved.

...Without even a proper explanation, why do they forgive me? They're truly idiots.

I also need to respond to such idiots.

"Then, I need to prepare."

If I've decided not to use a weapon, I need to prepare my weapon in its place.

Potions and convenient items. And — poison.

"For now, material preparation... Ah"

Today I was thinking of doing potions only, so I didn't process poison plants at all. Failed. I don't want to touch them myself, I should have made them help — wait, hold on.

"Using the same tools, you end up processing medicinal herb and poison plant materials"

Especially the grinding mill worries me. Since it crushes things. Of course I intend to do maintenance properly, but isn't it impossible to not mix at all? If I'm careless, maybe poison plants get mixed in potions? With 【Appraisal】, I could tell if it's harmless, but psychologically, I don't like it. Umm....

"The best thing would be to buy another set of tools"

Like one for potions, one for poisons. But that's a luxurious story. Right now, it's a bit tough.

That said, I'll be able to earn right away, so I just need to endure for a short time. No, even so, I don't like it. It's a bit scary.

For stuff I sell to the Association... well, it's probably fine. They don't care what tools I process materials with. It won't get found out, it won't get found out. Restaurants where cockroaches don't exist don't exist. It's the same as that.

The problem is when I use it myself. When it comes down to it, I won't hesitate, but I don't like it. Since I know, even more so.

But wait? Among us, the one with high possibility of getting injured is definitely Kawabe, right? Only he goes to the front.

Kawabe... Kawabe, huh... well, if it's him, it's probably fine. Probably okay.

——BEEP. BEEP.

"Hmm? What is it?"

My smartphone rang again, so I check. As expected, it was from those two.

LoliGaski: Just killing time by ourselves is kinda whatever, and since it's almost dinner time, we decided to take out delivery pizza and self-deliver to your place. We'll bring something good, so wait.

ElfMoki: Side dishes and cola are obvious too. We'll stop by the supermarket on the way and buy midnight snacks too. We can fight until morning.

Honestly, those guys.

I might really have been blessed with companions.

"Before they get here, let me at least finish processing the materials"

What, if I cut them up, those guys won't be able to tell. If I don't make it, I'll hurry and hide it, hide it.

●　　　●

【Exploration Hints! #6】

<Take-Home Overtime>

Bringing one's unfinished work from work hours home, and doing overtime at home, a cafe, etc.

If there's a business order, it becomes formal overtime, but in most cases it becomes unpaid overtime, which is problematic.

If an enterprise forces this and it becomes常态, it's definitely a black company. You should quit quickly. However, there are also cases where doing take-home overtime makes things easier later, so you can't simply say that's how it is. It's quite a difficult story.

That said, recently with stricter compliance, there are more companies prohibiting take-home overtime itself, so such victims are on a declining trend.

However, there are also many enterprises that, defying the times, remain old-fashioned and force unreasonable labor. I can only pray that employees are not crushed by such evil.

Well, let's look back at Kaede's work content, who claimed it was take-home overtime.

Cutting and reducing materials while casually watching anime. About one hour.

Casually crushing materials while watching anime. About two to three hours.

A little focused alchemy. Maximum about two hours. Furthermore, after that, he invited friends and had an overnight game tournament. By the way, that day was a weekday. Furthermore, the next day is also a weekday, but they plan to do it on a holiday.

W　H　E　R　E　I　S　T　H　E　W　O　R　K

Don't underestimate work!!!!!!!!