CH 40

40

Alchemy...basic recipes...Magic Stones…hm, hm? Magiclay? Clearly seems to be an intermediate material, but what is it used for? I would love to ask about «Alchemycraft»’s【Element Manipulation】, so let’s go to granny’s place.

I leave the inn and go to granny’s general store.

“Hello.”

“Oh, it’s you. Shopping? Alchemy?”

“Alchemy.”

“I see. Let’s hear it then.”

For now, I report that my «Alchemycraft» reached level 10. It went up when I was mass-producing arrows with Tokkei Feathers.

“Which means, you learned【Golem Refining】?”

“I have necromancy, so I didn’t check it.”

“Rather than spend Magic Stones on golems, it is better to feed them to your summons.”

It’s one thing if I could only use golems, but since I can use necromancy, using that it is better. The only problem with necromancy is Capacity - bone and meat. If there is no problem with Capacity then use necromancy. If there is a Capacity problem, use golems.

Because there is a problem with meat and bone supply, the researchers make strong golems with just Magic Stones.

“So, what are you so curious about?”

“【Element Manipulation】and Magiclay. As you said, my Magic Stones go to necromancy, so it’s hard to try those.”

“Hm, I see.【Element Manipulation】starts when you first acquire elemental Magic Stones. There isn’t any around here. ...By the way, how was the entrance to Nether?”

“I was told where it is by Lucianna-san, thank you very much.”

“Did she say it’s Northeast?”

“Yes. I took a look around there, but there are so many Undead that I can’t reach yet.”

“They’re about Mid Undead, right?”

“Yes, they’re all above 30.”

“Then they should be dropping Dark Magic Stones.”

Magic Stones have the same element as the enemies they drop from, and【Element Manipulation】is capable of moving that element. However, substances have varying magic aptitude. There is the ease with which materials accept Magic Power and the capacity of it they are capable of storing, if these are low, the material breaks.

“As for Magiclay’s usage… it can be used for【Golem Refining】, for «Doll Crafting»… and also for «Handicraft».”

“Well, I get the golems and dolls, but what is it used for with «Handicraft»?”

“It’s clay, so dishes. But since they are costly, the only ones who use it are pretty much just royalty and nobles.”

“I see. So dishes are «Handicraft»’s territory.”

“Speaking of which, you have «Cooking», right?”

“I do.”

“Do you use【Tableware】for food that has magical effects?”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Hmm… You should use Magiclay dishes when it becomes possible.”

Generally magical items should be stored in magic containers. It will stop the magic from degrading and in some cases, improve the effect.

If you want to be particular about it, special facilities will become necessary.

“In order to make magic items, you need “Magic Materials” and “Magic Facilities”, as well as experience. If you want to make good things surely and reliably… you need to prepare everything.”

“Magic facilities...”

“They are for very skilled craftsmen, so their price skyrockets.”

“You mean, the High Class Crafting Kits?”

“Or facilities. Of course, facilities are more effective”

So, either a kit or facilities. By facilities she must mean ones for housing. Kits are “mobile" after all.

“Also, there is more than one type of Magiclay. Change the soil you use depending on what you wanna make. Golems need more durable soil, while dolls need one with magic aptitude. Dishes need beauty. Search for needed materials yerself.”

“So dolls need magic aptitude?”

“«Doll Magic» is a derivation of golems which uses threads made of Magic Power to move them. In general, dolls are made out of wood. You should understand already that it’s because wood is a magic catalyst.”

Wood has both durability and magic aptitude. Furthermore, there is a lot of it, so the cost is low. It’s enough to carve it to process. Magiclay is also easy to process, but it requires Magic Stones and Slime Gel, so the cost is higher.

Also, while wooden ones only require «Logging», preparing Magiclay requires both «Gathering» and «Alchemy», so it’s heavier SP-wise.

Well, it’s an MMO so you can just buy it, but… is there anyone selling Magiclay? «Alchemy» is said to be unpopular at this point.  Speaking of which, the reason for its unpopularity is the limit of C quality. Isn’t there something that can be done about it?

“By the way, is it possible to improve the quality of items made above C?”

“Hm… wait a moment.”

She said and went into the back, then after a while came back with books.

“This… also these two.”

Umm… three books of “Refining Circle Expansion Core 1~3”?

“You process the Magic Stone into a core and embed it, enhancing the refining circle which allows you to make high quality items. It’s hidden knowledge passed from a master to a disciple. Don’t blabber about it.”

“So if you want to learn it, you need to become someone’s disciple?”

“There is no point becoming an alchemist if you don’t intend on becoming someone’s disciple. You can’t make the crucial crystal without it.”

The disciple receives a Seal Crystal from their master and embeds a Magic Stone inside to enhance the refining circle. By doing that, the limit of C quality is removed. There are three of them, so I think they unlock B-class, A-class and S-class qualities.

Now, the problem is that I don’t have enough Magic Stones on me. Medium, Large and Huge are necessary. I haven't seen a Huge Magic Stones yet.

“I’ve been giving Magic Stones to Servants lately, so I don’t have any. Would Orbs work?”

"...Orbs?”

“These.”

“You… where did you get these?”

“This ring generates them from my surplus Magic Power.”

“So it was equipment after all, and quite special, too? In any case, it’s better to be quiet about it. Also… it seems like gods are involved in this?”

“Hm, I wonder?”

“Where did you get it from?”

“In the Catacombs Northeast from here.”

“By Northeast you mean… a legacy of the past, huh. An Immortal holding black and white legacy… mm?”

“Well, fine.” she said and holding two orbs, she headed into the back of the store. It seems like they won’t be enough for a Huge Magic Stone’s replacement.

Still, these clothes, is there another meaning for them except for the set effect? ...The color? Maybe in the past, it was decided which colors one can wear… or something like that? Monochrome coloring and gods… which points at the church. Seems like it’s better to be quiet about it, so Lucianna-san is the only choice.

There is no need to ask directly about this equipment, I guess I can ask about wearing specific colors. We Outsiders don’t have such a practice.

While I was thinking, Megan-san has returned.

“Here, it’s this.”

[Tool] Refining Circle Expansion Core 1

A cluster of secret knowledge passed on from master to disciple.

It takes effect when set in a Refining Circle, increases the quality limit by 1 class.

[Tool] Refining Circle Expansion Core 2

A cluster of secret knowledge passed on from master to disciple.

It takes effect when set in a Refining Circle, increases the quality limit by 1 class.

〈You have fulfilled specific requirements, «Alchemycraft»’s Extra Art has been added.【Refining Circle Expansion Ex1】〉

〈You have fulfilled specific requirements, «Alchemycraft»’s Extra Art has been added.【Refining Circle Expansion Ex2】〉

This Refining Circle Expansion Core, just as the description says, isn’t something given to others lightly. Even if one is a disciple, normally it’s necessary to visit the master very often. Apparently the disciple’s personality and demeanor is being checked. But that’s not all, it’s only natural to act good in front of the master, anyone can think of that. Which is why the master investigates the disciple’s reputation in the town. The reputation… so, likability is actually important here.

And so, people who normally act bad will see hell in such case. The way to increase likability is different for everyone, and if you want to improve your likability in the town, just one person isn’t enough… so it’s pretty difficult. Of course, that one person will slightly improve and spread your overall reputation, but it’s up to their own human relations? Feels like getting old ladies at the stalls on your side is the best idea. This requirement must also apply to becoming a disciple for things other than «Alchemy» as well.

“You only have to bring a Huge Magic Stone now. With that you will unlock S class. Well, it’s up to you whether you can make it.”

“Alchemy-crafted items quality is dependent on material quality, yes?”

“In general. Also… let’s just say that【Magic Power Manipulation】is crucial. Think of the rest yourself.”

"...【Magic Power Manipulation】?”

“Alchemy-type crafting is crafting that uses Magic Power, you can’t just forget about the Magic Power, can you.”

“I see, makes sense. I will try to stay conscious of it from now on.”

“Also, facilities are also important. There is a limit to how much you can do with mobile ones.”

“So, I should get a home.”

“If you want to do it seriously, secure facilities. With that, the things you can do will greatly change.”

From the Residents’ perspective, crafters make a living by crafting, so a good environment… having facilities for themselves is important to strike success. It’s the same whether it’s Alchemy or Smithing, if one is to live as a pro, the facilities - their work tools - are crucial. The future of people who can acquire them, and those who cannot, is different. Facilities are very expensive, so usually a disciple borrows their master’s facilities.

Well, this is ultimately from the perspective of Residents living in this world… Thinking of real reasons, it would most likely be for the sake of making the setting more realistic.

And Megan-san who is my master, age-wise, is a super-veteran so she can make S quality, right? She’s mostly selling C-ranked items in the store though.

“Ahh, right. You were Immortal, weren’t you? You can’t use potions even if you make some.”

“I can’t.”

“If you make Cs, you can sell them at my grandson’s store, but you should take the higher quality ones to the Adventurers’ Union.”

"Hm? Adventurers’ Union buys them?”

“They are selling C+ quality consumables for C-rank and higher adventurers. Which is why they are buying them, but it’s not like they buy from anyone.”

Was «Identification» a rare Skill from the Residents perspective? It must mean that they do not purchase items from untrusted sources. Also the apothecary next to the union was her grandchild’s store...

And C quality could be said to be common quality, so if you can make it, you have a rank high enough to have a store. If you can make B quality, you are treated as very talented. We Outsiders can mass-produce B quality items, but it’s thanks to the protagonist bonus that you see in RPGs so often. There are still no reports of anyone making A quality items.

Basically, B quality aside, even C+ quality gets much more expensive. Naturally, the higher the quality gets, the higher the price increases… but even acquiring C+ quality is relatively hard. Which is why Adventurers’ Union is providing high quality items in order to support adventurers… is what it means. The reason they only buy ones above C is because of the prices or something.

Salute-san’s stall did have pretty high prices… Certainly, buying them all up would be impossible. It’s a game so a lot of things are omitted, but I guess Residents need to pay for their residence and food costs?

If I want to earn money, I should use consignment. If I want to earn likability, should I go to the Adventurers’ Union? Likability should not be underestimated, so I should earn money with cooking… and sell the potions in the union.

Oh right, let’s go ask about the clothes’ color.

“Does the color of one’s clothing have meaning here?”

“It does. But there is nothing prohibiting you from wearing colors of your choosing.”

Looks like it’s mainly related to clergy. In other words, there is coloring related to gods like red and green, blue and yellow, white and black. Furthermore, there are also gold accents. It seems like everyone avoids primary colors.

You can tell who a clergyman worships by the color of the robe they wear.

“White and black robes with golden embroidery. They are colors of the chief god and vice chief god, so even clergy avoid wearing those colors. Another peculiar color is… opalescent green.”

Unless there is some special event concerning gods, not even clergymen wear white and black robes with golden embroidery. Using clothes that have colors of the chief and vice-chief gods in a daily manner would apparently take a lot of courage. It isn’t forbidden and there isn’t any punishment for it, but it seems like everyone’s stares can hurt. Is this person worth wearing those colors…? That is.

It must be something coming from the fact that everyone feels the gods’ presence so closely...

“You are an Immortal, so a worshipper of Stellura-sama. It isn’t strange for you to be wearing white and black. It’s harsh on Immortals if they are abandoned by Stellura-sama, so live sincerely.”

"...Is it because she represents contracts and judgement?”

“Indeed. There may be times where you have to lie, but if you do, lie for the sake of others and not yourself. Only then you will be forgiven.”

“I understand. ...By the way, I just thought, but, is it a good idea not to say “I swear to god” too lightly?”

“Better don’t. Especially avoid the highest form of it that is “I vow on Stellura-sama”. If it’s considered as a contract and you break it, monsters will come after you.”

“You can’t mean… the Outer Ones?”

“They’ll come. Are you influential among Outsiders? If you are, tell them about it.”

So if someone jokes about it like in real, they will see hell? Apparently they would be told about it if they went to church, but it’s hard to tell just how many people would go out of their way to go to church. It might be more interesting not to say it, but I guess I might as well. Or maybe it’s actually safer not to say it…? but there is no need to bother about people who try it on purpose.

“Don’t get in the way of the enforcers. They’ll kill you without mercy.”

“Understood. If I am to help, then I’ll help the enforcers.”

“You won’t even have to. Even Outsiders won’t come out in one piece when facing enforcers.”

In this world, the chief god Creall-sama and vice-chief god Stellura-sama are cooperating… was it? And the enforcers are under Stellura-sama’s jurisdiction… yup, not happening.

I ended up staying for a good while, so it’s about time I take my leave. ...Is what I thought, when the doors were opened violently and a man came inside.

“Grandma!”

“You’re noisy, what is it?”

“I have materials, but crafting won’t make it! Help me out!”

Ahh, so it’s the grandson from the apothecary next to union. I remember him from back when I delivered potions.

"...It can’t be helped, mm. If you have time I’ll take a look, so you help out too.”

“I’m curious about【Magic Power Manipulation】, so I will take this chance to get some advice.”

“Oh, you are the person who delivered a large amount of potions, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I can’t use them myself, after all.”

“I recently made her into a disciple. Come on, we’re doing it.”

“EH, IT’S MY FIRST TIME HEARING ABOUT A DISCIPLE?!”

“Cause I told you just now.”

“Ehhhh...”

Confused, the grandson carried the materials from in front of the store, placed a list and returned to his own store.

“It’s merchandise so C are needed, but ones above that won’t go to waste.”

“For now, I will try being conscious about the Magic Power used...”

“Each item has an optimal quantity. You need to memorize them.”

Under Megan-san’s supervision, I crafted Beginners’ HP Potions, HP Potions, MP Potions and Antiemetics. It’s my first time making ailment-curing potions. Thanks to Megan-san’s instructions and improvement of facilities I made them at C quality. It looks like herbs are used for ailment-types. First it’s necessary to extract components from herbs before synthesizing them with Distilled Water.

“Be conscious of how you pour in Magic Power. The amount, speed and timing are important. Control it so that Magic Power doesn’t overflow from the refining circle, control it well as you pour in a set amount.”

“Magic sight comes in handy here.”

I see Magic Power at all times, so let’s focus on it now.

I poured Magic Power into the refining circle without placing anything on it, and observed it. If I pour Magic Power all at once, it overflows from the lines, and when I speed up all at once it spills on corners. In other words, the refining circle is a Magic Power version of a water canal.

In case of synthesizing, I place materials on the circle and when I pour in Magic Power, it gathers on the materials. When I pour a certain amount, the materials melt into Magic Power to fill the circle before gathering in the center and becoming a finished product. It’s a mystery as to why, but I’m not going to retort… Alchemycraft sure is amazing.

...Hmm. I understand the flow of Magic Power now. What’s left is to confirm the required quantity with my eyes, or grasp it with my senses.

“Speaking of which, you are a High Immortal, right. You don’t need【Magia Trace】do you?”

“I can see Magic Power racially. There’s no meaning in me using that spell.”

“That sure is useful. And yours seems precise. Make a’lotta of them just like that.”

Yes, I sure will. My «Alchemycraft» goes up with materials someone else prepared. Really sweet. Just like eating good food with someone else’s money... kind of thing? ...Let’s put that aside and craft in silence.

It would be troublesome if quality increased, so I made a lot of them without using the expansion core. It works as a【Magic Power Manipulation】practice, so it’s plenty great. As I pour Magic Power, I get this feeling that this much is enough.

〈«High-Class Magic Ability» reached level 15.〉

〈«High-Class Magic Ability»’s【Dual Spell】was enhanced.〉

Hm?【Dual Spell】has become【Triple Spell】and I became able to cast three spells at once. Feels like this number will be increasing for a while.

Umm, the remaining potions to make are… hm? Cold Medicine and Stomach Ache Medicine… Digestion-Improving Medicine and Potency Drug? As well as drugs helping with alcohol, and drugs helping pregnant women.

[Recovery] Cold Medicine　Rarity: No　Quality: C

Flavor Medicine.

Is said to be effective for infections.

...I see, a flavor medicine. I guess it would be unnatural if there wasn’t one, but it’s something unrelated to players… in other words, game data-wise it saying “this thing is pointless!”. This kind of thing isn’t bad. Let’s make some. It feels like it will have an effect on likability.

If it isn’t Olive and Turmeric, Basil and Cinnamon. I see, so they are used for these. I craft them as I listen to Master’s instructions.

〈«Identification» reached level 30. Gained “2" Skill Points.〉

Oh my, finally my «Identification» went up. I did use it quite a bit this time. My «Alchemycraft» went up by three, «High-Class Magic Ability» by two. Excellent.

Still, these facilities… They are really nice. So this is what facilities for housing look like. For Alchemy, they make it much easier to pour Magic Power and control it. Well, it appears that my master’s, Megan-san’s facilities are quite high level.

“As expected, we finished fast with the two of us. Now, I can’t leave the store by itself. Off you go.”

“Understood. Then I’ll be going for today.”

“Do ye best.”

I take the potions that we diligently made and leave the store, heading for the grandson’s store… which is next to the union.

Kind of ignored it earlier, but this thing she put the potions in… it’s a magic bag, isn’t it. To put it simply, a bag that had its space expanded. Or maybe I should say that it’s a bag that acts just like an inventory.

It’s different from my belt pouch. To put it simply, my pouch is a shortcut to my inventory. It does have an effect of expanding it, but shares the slots with inventory.

This bag has its own separate slots. Which is why it’s a spatially-expanded bag with inventory-like mechanics. Should this separation be treated as useful? Or maybe as inconvenient? For uses like this time, it definitely has to be separated.

Now the problem is that, since this exists, it means there is a high possibility of making something similar. Thinking simply, «Spatial Magic» and «Sewing» would be necessary. And most likely, a Seal Crystal might be crucial. Also… there is «Enchant Magic», so maybe it’s a higher version? There’s a lot of dreams ahead, but I can tell that we aren’t anywhere near being able to make it. To make Seal Crystals I need to be on master’s level.

As I examined the bag I was given, I arrived. Let’s enter right away.

“Hello, I have a delivery. I brought potions.”

“A gray dress… Are you grandma Megan-san’s disciple? Please come in, to the back of the store.”

An unknown woman was attending the store. The grandson's wife? In any case, I go into the back.

“That was fast! This helps!”

“Oh no, I learned a lot this time.”

“You really did well to become Granny’s disciple… She’s a top level Alchemist around here, but was famous for not taking disciples.”

“Is that so? She was the one who proposed it...”

“Really?! What a rare thing to happen. ...Yup, no problem here.”

He checked the potions as we talked, but it appears everything is fine. Megan-san and I both checked it, so I wasn’t really worried.

“I bet this will sell right away, too...”

“What about the ones I delivered the other day?”

“They sold right away. In an instant… Do Outsiders not make potions?”

“It requires pretty detailed work, so it’s not very popular. I think some of the new people will start crafting, but it will take some time until they make anything useful.”

“It’s without doubt a good time to make money, but I would like to have some calmer time...”

Please do your best. A little longer and the second batch should be able to make potions by themselves. Endure until then.

Alright, let’s have lunch. I delivered the potions, so I will take my leave.

Logging out for now.