Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: About Time
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The underground area of the base, which hadn't seen much use since they moved in, was now quite bustling.
It had been used as a warehouse, but one of the empty rooms now had a new occupant.
"Where should we put this one?"
"Over here... Ah, be careful. That's expensive."
"No, everything gets expensive the moment you pick it up."
"Exactly! It's all expensive!"
Louise called out to Ann's party members as they moved the luggage.
Everyone grumbled softly—they'd heard that line multiple times on the way—but in the end, they proceeded with extra caution, just as she said.
What could they do? The alchemy equipment really was all pricey.
If someone tripped and broke even one piece by mistake, they'd probably have to work for free for years.
With thoughts like that, their movements naturally became more careful.
"Ah, that one needs to be shifted a bit to the side."
"...Can't you do that yourself?"
"I have to check the materials. Only I can do it."
Alchemists sure act high and mighty.
Ceria quietly grumbled to herself as she carefully readjusted the positions of the instruments on the desk.
In the midst of that noisy underground, the faint sound of someone coming down the stairs reached them.
Louise, who had been leisurely reviewing her list, looked up and set down her pen.
"Ah, you've arrived. Captain."
A figure even pricier than the haughty alchemist. Her employer, who footed the research bills.
Ian glanced around the lab that was still in the midst of preparation.
"Looks like all the deliveries have arrived. Any issues with the setup?"
"No. We could start today as soon as we get everything in place."
Though temporary, a research lab had been established in the Ian Mercenary Corps' base.
An alchemist's workshop, serving as support for the mercenary corps.
It produced potions at prices far cheaper than stores using materials they gathered themselves, and through research, supplied rare potions unavailable in shops.
"And we have plenty of materials too."
Louise looked around the lab, which was gradually taking shape.
She had hesitated to become an exclusive alchemist because it would limit her personal research, but seeing this warehouse setup changed her mind.
"I don't know how you managed it, but... workshops equipped like this are rare."
It wasn't just about the materials' prices; having them physically on hand was key.
Rare materials not commonly available in markets required special commissions, and high-quality ones were usually reserved for major clients, making them hard to buy from stores.
Many investors promised unlimited research funding, but even they often waited ages for materials, halting research in the meantime.
In this Labyrinth City, places pre-stocked with materials like these could be counted on one hand.
"I planned to open a shop first and then get a lab, but the order got flipped."
"I'm planning to open a shop too. Can't let an alchemist of your caliber sit idle."
"Great. Then I'll look forward to the shop too."
Seeing the mercenary corps' building, the shop surely wouldn't be some half-baked affair.
Louise smiled faintly, harboring such expectations.
Though investor Ian would take most of the profits, it would still net far more than her running things sloppily on her own.
Louise looked at Ian and spoke.
"Now, tell me."
"Tell you what?"
Ian played innocent, but Louise wore an expression that said she already knew.
"People who approach an alchemist without a shop offering investment? They all have something personal they want researched."
Louise grinned as she said it.
Ian had even prepared the lab first thing.
Obviously, there was research he wanted done right away.
"Pushing this so urgently... You must really want something made, huh?"
Ian nodded without denying it at Louise's question.
With the lab nearly ready, he planned to start operations today, just as she said.
Ian handed over a pouch he had prepared in advance.
"Research these for me."
The way to develop potion recipes was by researching materials.
Succeeding on one material randomly revealed one recipe that used it.
And as Ian suggested, researching the exact matching combination guaranteed discovery of that recipe.
"You already have a recipe in mind, don't you?"
Ian nodded at Louise's question.
Louise's expression turned quite intrigued.
Knowing such precise material combinations likely meant he'd swiped a recipe from somewhere.
Of course, that was commonplace in the alchemy world, and none of her business. The fault lay with those who couldn't keep their recipes secret.
"By the way... this one."
Louise's gaze fixed on one of the materials Ian had given her.
The rest were common, but one was exceptionally unusual.
"It's from the Labyrinth."
Louise's eyes sparkled at Ian's answer.
This was worth all the hardship of moving to Labyrinth City.
"It was expensive, so use it carefully."
"Of course."
Unable to enter the Labyrinth yet, it truly had been bought at a steep price.
To enter the Labyrinth, this potion was needed.
And to get this potion, a Labyrinth material was required.
In that vicious cycle, the first batch's materials had no choice but to be purchased dearly.
"So, what's this for? Can't you tell me ahead of time?"
With a Labyrinth material involved, it couldn't be ordinary.
Louise asked Ian with that doubt.
"It's for Labyrinth exploration."
No matter how good Ian's memory, he couldn't memorize every recipe expanded by item expansion mode.
But the ones used almost constantly were naturally committed to memory.
It was the top reason for hiring alchemists as support.
[Corrosion Purifier]
- Consumable Item
- Use immediately reduces [Corrosion -20]
- Provides Corrosion resistance for a period after use
Numerous preparations that had been set in motion were now wrapping up one by one.
Most were at the stage where they just needed to await results.
And today, Ian had come out to handle the most important matter.
"All done?"
"...Not yet."
Behind Ian as he moved his pen, the entire mercenary corps, led by Rin, watched him.
It was just submitting simple paperwork, so Ian had planned to go alone.
But once the members heard the reason for going to the guild, they all tagged along to spectate.
Not even approved yet—just filing the application—and they wanted to watch that?
Finishing up with such thoughts, Ian finally set down his pen.
"There. If it's so exciting, you submit it."
"Really?!"
Rin snatched the offered document with sparkling eyes and proudly handed it to the counter.
It was the mercenary corps promotion application.
Rin nodded with a smug face.
"We're finally C-rank!"
"The review hasn't even started."
"No way we'd fail!"
Rin declared confidently.
...Not wrong, really.
With Lia and Rin, there was no chance of failing a simple C-rank promotion mission.
"We'll contact you with the results later."
"Got it. Let's go, everyone."
Ian turned to leave following the staff's confirmation of the documents.
The Ian Mercenary Corps followed him out in a group, while the staff member who received them hurried up to the second floor.
"Um... Examiner? This is the Ian Mercenary Corps' promotion application."
"Yeah. Knew it was about time."
Camilla took the documents without a hint of surprise.
A promotion application.
Reviewing qualifications for mediocre corps was a headache, but places like Ian Mercenary Corps required no such worries.
She had already been treating them as a de facto C-rank corps.
"The review... I'll pass them appropriately."
Camilla was infamous for strict scrutiny, but only for borderline cases.
She didn't nitpick solid corps unnecessarily.
Send them somewhere easy they could breeze through. As she pondered that, Camilla suddenly noticed something odd in the documents.
"Why are there so many papers?"
"Ah, well..."
As Camilla said, it wasn't just the promotion application.
Realizing that, she unfolded the attached documents.
"The Ian Mercenary Corps... also submitted a Labyrinth entry permit application."
"......"
Camilla stared at the documents in thought for a while, sighed, and sent them up to the vice-guildmaster.
The staff member carrying the now-signed documents climbed yet another flight of stairs.
"...Vice-Guildmaster? There are documents that need your review."
The mercenary guild's vice-guildmaster, Kael, looked up and took the documents Camilla had sent.
C-rank promotion application. Target: Ian Mercenary Corps.
"About time."
Kael nodded after reading the top part.
He had been wondering when this corps would apply for promotion.
Kael flipped through to see what Camilla had attached.
Promotion reviews and decisions were Camilla's domain.
The vice-guildmaster just stamped final approval, but he was curious how promising corps were handled.
"Hm?"
Kael tilted his head at the contents.
The test location for Ian Mercenary Corps' review was oddly suspicious.
"Do we really need to send them there for the test? They'll complain."
Had something rubbed Camilla the wrong way?
Kael thought that, but felt uneasy. She wasn't one to impose obvious disadvantages for petty reasons.
In any case, meddling in a C-rank review as vice-guildmaster looked bad.
Kael signed off without further comment on Camilla's decision.
But the staff returned the documents with a troubled look.
"Uh... Vice-Guildmaster? You need to check the back too."
"Why? Isn't this fine?"
"There's something you have to see yourself."
Flipping further back, words that made his head throb entered Kael's view.
Labyrinth entry permit application.
"......"
Why do all the good talents want to head into the Labyrinth?
Wearing the same expression as Camilla, Kael signed the remaining documents.