Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: A Treacherous Subject Has Uses Too - 34
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"I don't need much. A few commonly found herbs, some light equipment for distillation, pressing, cooling, and so on. If we want to scale up production, we just enlarge the setup. And a little bit of a magic stone."
"A magic stone? Those can be quite expensive, can't they?"
"Ah, we need it for the core process. But we don't need much. I've already considered productivity; if we can just set up sufficient equipment for a single batch, a magic stone about the size of my fist should be enough to produce about half a sack of this powder."
"Half a sack... You said this amount earlier was enough for 20 doses?"
"Yes. Easily enough to dose a million people. I'll leave the pricing based on its addictive properties to you, boss. I'll just take a 10% cut. With the time left after production, I'll focus solely on research to fix this skin of mine."
"10%? You think that's enough?"
It felt like far too little for someone holding the manufacturing technique, so Malek was taken aback and asked again. But Beonald smoothly waved his hand and gave an excuse for his modest demand.
"I am an alchemist. I can make drugs, but I'm ignorant of the world of sales. If a guy like me gets too greedy, he can get hurt... and I want to focus only on research and production... In return, I ask that you keep the ~final process~ a secret, as it's my lifeline. Hahaha."
'Hmm... Well, if I think of it as him first paying the price for his life and submitting, it's not wrong. Besides, it's not like we're exchanging a contract fee or anything.'
Along with Beonald's attitude, the fact that he wasn't asking for a large upfront payment—just the equipment investment—meant there was little risk for Malek. The other side was only requesting protection of his technique as a form of leverage, but since that could be circumvented later by secretly hiring another alchemist, Malek couldn't pass up this opportunity and accepted Beonald's proposal.
"Alright! Let's do it that way. So, what do you need?"
"First, a location for the production facility and a place for me to stay, about ten people, and......"
Malek began investing funds according to the words of the disguised Beonald, procuring people and equipment.
And three days later, a new workshop was established in the very heart of the Agrasander Group's territory.
To avoid arousing their suspicion, Beonald obediently showed them the process of manufacturing the "Flower of Illusion" as they desired.
"Ta-da, it's complete. The output is a bit lower as the equipment optimization isn't fully done yet, but I've completed about half a sack."
"Hmm, I see. Let's test it."
The drug, packed in a triple-wrapped sack of utmost importance, was handed over by Beonald. When Malek opened it, he was astonished. He then administered it to a pre-prepared test slave. Even though the quantity was smaller than before, the slave's reaction was exactly the same as what he had seen previously—immersed in pleasure and fantasy, trembling uncontrollably. Malek couldn't help but let out a laugh.
'This is truly a goose that lays golden eggs! This efficacy! The money spent on production is just...'
The material cost was just various herbs, a large quantity of a few potions, and one fist-sized magic stone. Now they just needed to reinforce the equipment, so the investment was practically nothing. Yet, if this much drug kept being produced and distributed...
At first, they'd give out samples in tiny amounts to get people hooked, and then they could name their price.
In his mind, Malek was already imagining himself sitting on a mountain of gold coins.
"How is it? Production time is about 48 hours. With a bit more research and optimization, we can produce even larger quantities. So, my 10%... I really must ask you for it. It's a matter of my life, you see."
Beonald subtly emphasized "life," pleading desperately for him to keep the promise.
Anyway, now that the real product had been proven, and with the thought that selling it would bring in an enormous fortune, Malek wore a broad smile and answered him.
"Heh heh heh, hahahahaha! Excellent! Sir! You've shown the results, so I have nothing more to say! Understood! You focus hard on making and optimizing this. I'll focus hard on selling it off! I'll definitely keep my promise!"
'Good. That completes the first condition.'
"Anyway, how about a drink to celebrate today? My treat. Surely, even in that condition, you can still drink a little, right? We're going to be rich! Kekekekekekeke!"
"If it's just a moderate amount... then sure. Hahaha."
And so, to foster a sense of familiarity, Beonald attended their feast, drinking, chatting, and partying all night long.
He was somewhat confident in his drinking ability, but since he was currently playing the role of a weak, pampered young master alchemist, he drank little by little while conversing with Malek.
"Guh! Our teacher, later when you're all better, I'll treat you to the ace of the brothels here in the Tear Slums! She's so famous her fee is exorbitant, a woman only nobles or great merchants can afford! But with this, we can earn as much as those merchants! Hahaha!"
'Yeah, I was surprised too. I thought a drug organization would have something like an alchemy research lab... but at best, they just press herbs with drug components into a smokable form. I should have looked into it more. Tch!'
Once again, Beonald realized how much the world had regressed in 500 years.
The scale and manpower of this organization were certainly fearsome enough to be called a city-wide criminal syndicate, but the manufacturing method of the drugs they traded was utterly primitive.
If he had known this earlier, he might have just made a moderately potent drug instead of something like the "Flower of Illusion," a blockbuster drug that once swept an era.
'Of course, I considered all this when making my plan... There's no other option now.'
First, he had to produce it to gain Malek's trust, so this process up to now was essential.
After finishing the feast, Beonald confirmed everyone was asleep as planned, got up, and began moving for the next phase.
The next day, at the Agrasander Group territory feast hall.
Malek, who had eaten and drunk all night in high spirits, was suffering from thirst and a headache and unconsciously searched for water.
After drinking water and regaining his senses, he looked around at his sleeping subordinates and slaves.
"Ugh... So thirsty. Huh? Teacher, where'd he go? Did he already go to work?"
However, the figure of the alchemist teacher—his goose that laid golden eggs—was nowhere to be seen.
He had forced the reluctant teacher to drink yesterday, so thinking he might have gone to work, Malek headed towards the drug factory facility they had prepared for him. The moment he arrived, he couldn't help but be shocked.
"Wh-what is this? Everyone, wake up! Wake up!"
The production facility, his goose that laid golden eggs, was in complete disarray.
All the glass bottles and various facilities brought in according to that alchemist teacher's instructions were shattered and destroyed. The materials were all burned or strangely tangled, to the point that recovery seemed impossible.
Sensing this was no ordinary situation, Malek immediately woke his subordinates and began assessing the situation.
"Damn it! How dare they! What happened?"
"Fortunately, the warehouse and the safe are intact. The 'drug' that teacher made yesterday is also safe."
"The 'drug' is safe? Then it seems... the teacher didn't just run away..."
If the 'item' the teacher made had disappeared, he could have interpreted it as the teacher using him to make it and then fleeing. But since the item was safe, that clearly wasn't the case. A man whose goal was money wouldn't disappear empty-handed. That left only one possible conclusion: kidnapping.
"Then the remaining possibility... is a kidnapping?"
"It seems so."
"No, but which bastards...?"
"Who else but the Darktiss or the Baarath bastards? Just look—who else in this Tear Slums would have the guts to snatch such a jackpot from us, and a place where news could spread so quickly? It's only those two."
"Damn it!"
As his subordinate said, the only places that came to mind were the other two of the three major organizations in the Tear Slums. If news had reached the guards, the knight order, or the Count's family, it wouldn't end with just a kidnapping—soldiers would have stormed in and wiped them out. Of course, there was also the possibility of minor organizations under them or other parties, but the prime suspects were still the Darktiss and Baarath organizations.
"God damn it! I was having such a sweet dream!"
"What should we do, boss?"
"First, comb through all the subordinate organizations. Mobilize every information channel, including other organizations in the surrounding territories we're connected with, to find that teacher! We can't lose that goose that lays golden eggs!"
"Yes!"
"Damn bastards! I won't let them get away with this, whoever they are!"
Looking at the remaining sacks of the Flower of Illusion, Malek gnashed his teeth. Someone had appeared to interfere with his golden future, which he thought was finally blooming. It was a situation where he couldn't stay calm even if he tried. Moreover, if the culprit was from one of the other three major organizations, this wasn't a simple crime—it was a matter of survival.
'It's practically trying to steal our livelihood!'
If another organization gained the ability to produce and trade this Flower of Illusion, from that point on, their Agrasander Group would be doomed. This incident was a critical issue threatening the organization's very existence, so Malek was prepared, if necessary, to go to war with the other organizations.
'Damn it! Since it's come to this, why not just unify this place?'
They had wealth accumulated from drug sales, and now they even had a new premium drug in hand. It wasn't an impossible story to gather mercenaries and lawless elements from other territories and make a big move. If they couldn't recover that alchemist teacher, the organization's survival was at risk anyway, so they had to invest boldly now while they had a clear justification.
'Even in the worst-case scenario... we have this, so we'll manage somehow. Anyway! Whoever the hell it is, just you wait!'
Malek burned with determination, putting the entire organization on high alert and sincerely began preparations for an all-out war.
And from the roof of a temple building, Beonald watched their frantic activity with great amusement. He was biding his time, waiting for Malek's side to make their move so he could fan the flames of this war. He too made preparations to stoke this conflict.
And three days later.
Despite searching all subordinate organizations and combing through everything from the slave markets of surrounding territories to the back alleys, Malek's subordinates failed to find Beonald.
Finally, Malek, declaring that the fate of the Agrasander Group was at stake, gathered his members. He converted the amassed wealth into war funds and began preparations to unify the other three major guilds by hiring mercenaries and adventurers with special abilities.
"But boss, what if that alchemist teacher doesn't appear from the other two organizations either...?"
"Tch, then we'll have no choice but to crush all three organizations and unify them. If we've gone all-in, we have to see it through to the end."
"Is that... wise? But..."
"Look at this drug! As long as we have this, our organization has no future. If we're outmatched in the quality of the drugs we sell, it's the end. So even without that teacher, we have to devour Darktiss and Baarath."
At Malek's words, his subordinates nodded with resolute expressions and proceeded to prepare for the war between the three major organizations in earnest. Their movements were also relayed to Baarath and Darktiss.