Chapter 3: Chapter 2

The Road To Being The Strongest Is Finally Showing

 

It has been a week since I fought with the orc. I needed time to heal from my injuries so it ended up taking a week to do that. I can’t ask my gram to heal me because she has been sick lately and succumbed to a coma. 

I managed to find out about what ailed her by asking around in the village and it turned out that her mana core was damaged. The damage caused cracks to form on her core and the mana is pouring out, poisoning her internal organs. According to what I have read from the book, mana isn’t normally dangerous since the body needs it to function, but too much mana flowing into the body is bad. If the mana core is damaged, then that is even more dangerous.

Since mana flows in a certain route, the mana veins, it never directly flows through organs. It flows through mana veins to cells and those cells use that mana for the body.

People can reduce the symptoms by refraining from using magic and thus slowing down mana consumption levels. The reason why using magic can speed up the symptoms is because the mana in the core would be drained thus the body would have to absorb more mana from the environment to replenish the spent mana. And since the core would be damaged, the mana would continue to pour out, poisoning the body and also forming more cracks. So, the best course of action for Gram is to refrain from lowering her mana levels in any way and try suppressing the mana that is pouring out.

There are potions that help to reduce the symptoms but regretfully, there is no cure for such an illness so no matter how much they try to suppress the symptoms, the day always comes when their core breaks down completely and they perish under their own mana.  

I have been using low-level healing potions that they sell at the village’s pharmacy and now it is time for me to sell my spoils. Even though monsters aren’t edible, some of their body parts can be used to make potions and medicines. 

I then go to Lockwood village which is near the Silent Demon’s Forest. It looks as lively as ever. The village is selfsufficient so they focus on hunting to make a living since it is far from the main town. So, because of that, people in the village depend on each other. 

“Today I'm going to sell my spoils in the pharmacy and also receive the medicine for my gram,” I think to myself. “I wonder what Stacy is doing.”

I enter the pharmacy in the village. The jingling of the doorbell is refreshing as always.

“Hey Stacy, I’ve got some things for you!”

The smell of herbs and potions wafts up my nostrils, potent as ever. The pharmacy is a small building made of wood. Inside, there is a counter and shelves that are stacked with a variety of herbs and potions. There is also a door that leads to the back room where Stacy practices her alchemy in potions.

Stacy is behind the counter positioning her herbs and medicines. As usual, she is wearing her white coat and her nerdy glasses, and has her blond hair tied up in a bun. She has pale white skin and still radiant for her age; not that I know her age, of course. 

“Oh, Allen it’s you! I wonder what you have brought for me today. Let me guess; more herbs and rabbits' foot, I presume?”

“Well yeah, but what would you say if I said I also have goblin materials as well?”

She pushes her glasses to the tip of her nose and narrows her eyes at me. She definitely doubts me.

“Hmm, I would say ‘where did you steal them from’ since a little kid like you wouldn’t have hunted down goblins by himself.”

Goblins aren’t necessarily strong but for a kid like me, who hasn’t even reached the age of ten yet, it is impossible.

“Don’t make me laugh. Anyways here they are.”

I place everything I have in my leather bag on top of the counter, except for the orc materials. She is a little surprised by what I take out. Materials of seven goblins, three boars, and a fang wolf.

“Wha... where did a kid like you get all these materials from?”

“I hunted them of course,” I answer nonchalantly. 

She is in awe. I guess it is natural since it would have been impossible for a seven-year-old kid to hunt down a goblin, boar and a fang wolf all alone. 

I knew this kid wasn’t ordinary ever since he came to my pharmacy two years ago and borrowed my lab to do some experiments. He was like five years old at the time but now he is able to kill a goblin. Even if goblins are considered to be the weakest of all monsters, it’s absurd to think this small child killed them. And also, wild boars and a fang wolf? Those are hard to hunt even for the village guards.

She seems to be pondering something really hard but I honestly don’t care. 

She draws a deep breath. “You never cease to amaze me, kid. Even though these materials are of the lowest rank, they can still be useful in several ways for the people of this village. These magic cores can help boost the potion’s healing factor and efficiency, even if it’s a low-grade portion. Maybe a Level 3 low-grade potion might be created. But if only we had orc materials. With them, I can whip up some medium-grade potions and possibly a high-level one too. It's such a waste to use these materials alone like this.”

“Well, count this as your lucky day then,” I say as I take out the orc materials. Stacy’s jaw drops to the floor. 

“What the hell is this?! But how... how did you get these? I mean orc eyes, orc fingers and teeth? And not only that, the orc’s magic core! If you would have found the orc already dead, then it would’ve been impossible to have the core here since whoever killed it would have taken it out.” 

She stares at me, still visibly befuddled. “Wait a minute, don’t tell me you and you alone killed it.”

“Yeah, I was the one who killed it,” I say casually, short of chest-thumping myself. 

She looks dumb-founded. I can tell she doesn’t want to believe me but the undeniable proof is right in front of her. I don’t understand why she is so shocked though. After all, in my previous world, orcs were one of the low-level monsters. Video games and anime always portrayed them as such. I should learn the monster ranking system of this world.

“With these materials, I can at least make medium-grade potions and one high-grade potion,” she says, and then gazes at me, pensive. “I see now. Is it because you want something, that’s why you decided to show me these materials now?”

“Yes. I’m not selling these orc materials to you. I want you to craft a medium and a high-grade healing potion. You can have the remaining materials and do whatever you want with them. So, what do you say?”

Orc materials aren’t rare but to get them, you need someone who can defeat an orc and since there is no one in this village who can, I end up having to wait for the merchant caravan that comes here at least once in two months. And even when they come, it’s not guaranteed that they would have them and even if they do have them, they are usually old and expensive since they also add the travel fee. And since C-rank monster materials are already expensive, I end up having to pay at least double the price if not more.

She lets out a deep sigh. Again, I don’t know what she is thinking of but her deep sigh means that she will at least say yes.

“Okay, I'll take your deal but you have to promise me one thing. If you ever have materials like these, you’ll sell them to me.”

“Well, you’re the only pharmacy in the village so who else would I sell them to?” 

But then again, magic cores can be used to make magic items and weapons so I guess it’s understandable.

“It’s a deal.”

As an afterthought, she adds, “I’m not encouraging you to risk your life out there just because of what I said but knowing you, you’ll keep doing it, huh!”

I smirk. Stacy is the only person in the village - and probably the entire world - who understands me. Is it because we are both somewhat scientists or is it because I spend most of my time with her more than anyone else?

“I know. Anyway, when will the high-grade potion be ready?”

“Since I know you want it for Barbra, I can finish it by the end of the day,” she says. “But I want to remind you that even if it’s a high-grade potion, the only thing it can do is quell the symptoms, not cure her.”

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“I know that so don’t worry.”

She then goes behind the counter and takes out a bag of money. 

“Here,” she says, weighing a bundle of copper and silver coins on the counter. “This is for the materials.”

“Oh, I can’t Stacy,” I say, waving her away as if she is a leper. “This is way too much for the materials I brought you.”

“Well consider the extra money as an investment for our future cooperation.”

She probably won’t back down, I guess I should accept it.

“Well, I can’t say no to that. I still have somewhere to be so I'll be leaving.”

“Yeah kid, see you later.”

I then leave the pharmacy.

A cold sweat rolls down Stacy’s face.

To think the kid can hunt down a C-rank monster alone. It scares me to think how he’ll be in ten years’ time. Well, I shouldn’t think of the things that don’t make sense. Hell, the kid himself doesn’t make sense. Sigh, I guess I should focus on making him this potion.

My next stop is the crafting shop to sell the boars and the wolf’s pelts. The teeth of the goblins and orc are also in demand here. I don’t spend much time in the shop since the craftsman himself isn’t much of a talker. He doesn’t even ask me about the orc teeth or anything else. He always keeps a grumpy face on, so it is hard to read him. Well, I guess I should be happy he didn’t ask me questions about the materials. 

My stomach growling, I head to Granny Alma’s restaurant. I enter Granny Alma’s restaurant, and it is lively as always. Granny Alma’s place is also the village’s inn with a restaurant and a bar mashed together. When people pass by our village, some need a place to stay for the night so they stay at granny Alma’s inn since it is the only inn in the entire village. Since it has a restaurant, the villagers tend to eat and drink there most of the time.

“Oh, isn’t it Allen? How are you today?” 

Granny Alma is in the kitchen as always. There is a counter connected to the kitchen so she can basically see everyone from there. Even though I call her Granny, her facial features are younger compared to her age. 

She is also in her fifties like my gram but she looks like she is in her thirties. My gram is also like that. Is it a thing in this world for people to age slower? Come to think of it, Stacy’s age is also a conundrum.

“Granny Alma. I'm good. I thought I should pass by your place today and grab lunch.”

“I can see that. Thanks to the boar meat you sent four days ago, the business has been going well. Not only that but I got to try those new recipes you gave me and the people seem to love them.”

Not only did I sell the meat from my hunts to her, but I also shared with her recipes from my previous world. So, she tends to give me food on the house, especially on days when the business is doing well. Even though I have recuperated, I knew that if I didn’t give her the meat, then it would have become spoiled.

“Why don’t you take a seat over there? I'll send Amy to fix you a plate.”

Amy is granny Alma’s granddaughter. Her parents died when she was young so granny Alma practically raised her. I don’t know if it is my hair or eyes but she always acts weird around me. Well, I wouldn’t be shocked if it is both. After all, my eyes are as blue as the ocean and my hair white as snow - a look that is not common in this place.

I sit down at a table at the corner and wait for my meal. I don’t need to tell granny Alma what I want since I always order the same thing every time. A moment later Amy brings the steaming plate to my table.

“Umm, here’s your food, Al.”

“Oh, thanks, Amy. Smells good.”

I start digging in like a famished beast. The food is delicious as always. It was a right call giving granny Alma those recipes. When it comes to the kitchen, she is a master chef. Too bad she can’t bake; I could go for some chocolate pudding for dessert.

I realise that Amy is still standing next to me as I wolf down the food. Her complexion is flushed and she is nervous for some reason. Am I that scary?

“Is there something else you wanted to say?” I ask her, feeling annoyed. I don’t like unnecessary things and what she is doing is unnecessary.

She starts to play with her hair, pulling and coiling a few strands around her finger.

“Umm, I was wondering if you could... if you aren’t doing anything after this, hang out with-”

“Sorry but I have a lot of things I've got to do,” I interrupt her before she finishes talking. “Maybe next time.”

That might have sounded harsh but it is for the better. I don’t plan on getting close with the village kids. I have a lot on my plate both literally and figuratively. 

“That’s what you said the last time,” she murmurs indistinctly.

“Sorry, I didn’t get that?”

“Ah, I said it’s fine, nothing else,” she says with a sad look on her face. “Can I get you... something to drink?” 

“Nah, I’m already done anyway,” I say, abruptly standing up. “Tell granny Alma I've left, okay?”

“Sure, no problem,” says Amy listlessly. 

I then leave the inn and go back to the pharmacy. It's already this late? I wonder if Stacy has finished the potion.

I arrive at Stacy’s pharmacy. 

“Hey, Stace. I wonder if you managed to... ”

For a moment I am shocked at the sight of her. It seems as if she hasn’t taken a break at all. Her eyes are soulless and her expression is that of an undead.

“Here’s your potion, get out!” she snaps.

Before I have even exchanged pleasantries with her, she has already kicked me out. I guess working since morning has made her cranky. But at least she managed to finish the potion right on time. I then leave the village.

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