Chapter 60
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 60
[Love Potion]
Naturally, a convenient item like a "love potion" doesn't actually exist.
Human emotions aren't so easily manipulated—not even in a game.
However, I could make something similar.
Well, not that similar, actually.
Trish frowned as she looked over the recipe I’d handed her.
“You want to sell this at the festival?”
“Yes. It’s less of a love potion and more of a beverage, really. Something that clears the mind while making the heart flutter.”
“Don’t tell me it’s just coffee?”
“You could say that.”
“Then it’s not a love potion.”
“You’re right.”
I nodded in agreement and shrugged.
“But who cares? If people believe it is, then it is.”
“?”
“In other words, it doesn't need the miraculous effects of a real love potion. It just needs to provide a slight nudge and convince people it’s working. It’s the placebo effect.”
The Academy Festival.
It was the thrilling atmosphere of the continent's largest celebration, where every student from the Union gathered.
Imagine a convincing alchemy-themed stall selling a sweet, delicious soft drink infused with a hint of alchemical magic. In that environment, it doesn't matter if it’s a real love potion or not.
If two people who already harbor feelings for each other share this drink while watching a spectacular fireworks show, they might just end up together.
And if that happens, what else could it be called but a love potion?
As I explained my logic, Trish grumbled in disbelief.
“Hah. You... you’re a real snake oil salesman.”
“To be precise, I’m selling a delicious beverage, hope, and excitement. The consumer decides the value.”
“A con artist with a silver tongue. I’m not doing it. So this is why you approached me in the first place, isn't it?”
“I won't deny it.”
In truth, this recipe could be used starting from Intermediate Alchemy Level 1.
For me to brew it, I’d need to be at least Low-Grade Level 8, even with Albany's Alchemist's Workbench—and even then, mass production would be impossible.
That was why I needed Trish's help.
“But this is a good offer for you, too. You could make a fortune from this.”
“I’m still not doing it.”
“Alchemy is an expensive field of study, usually reserved for rich young masters like myself. This is a rare opportunity for you.”
“…”
“No matter how much I invest in you, money will always be tight. More money means more opportunities to work with rarer, more expensive ingredients—and without the fear of failure. You could experiment with high-end materials to your heart's content.”
“Gasp.”
Trish seemed slightly tempted. I pressed my advantage.
“What if this potion sells well at the festival? If things go right, it could be franchised and sold across the entire continent. If that happens, you could be sitting on a pile of gold.”
“!”
This wasn't an empty promise.
The Union's festival wasn't just for students; it was the continent's largest event, attended by dignitaries from all over and swarming with tourists. A successful showing would attract the attention of the entire continent.
Then, by negotiating with a major merchant guild through Garfield—who has a natural talent for trade—establishing a franchise would be entirely possible.
Gulp.
Trish swallowed hard, then shook her head, trying to regain her composure. Her eyes fell on a specific item listed in the recipe, and she frowned.
“Still, this is too suspicious. This ingredient, in particular… isn't it a banned substance?”
Since the recipe called for coca leaves, it did indeed contain a banned substance.
“It is. That’s why we’ll use caffeine instead. It should produce a similar effect.”
“I see…”
Trish stared thoughtfully at the recipe. I glanced at her, my own eyes lingering on the name of the concoction.
I’d called it a love potion, but the drink we’d be selling at the festival wasn't some strange drug. Its true identity was…
‘Cola.’
It was a special bonus scheduled for distribution to early players—a unique alchemical recipe that only players could possess. It could be unlocked not only by alchemists but also by those following a pharmacist build.
You might wonder, ‘Why cola all of a sudden?’ but if you look at its origins, it’s quite convincing. Cola originated as a tonic sold in pharmacies, made from coca leaf extracts and kola nuts, which makes it perfectly alchemical.
Furthermore, after countless refinements and marketing, it became a beloved beverage enjoyed by the masses. It was sure to suit the tastes of the people in the world of Myrillin Saga.
It was a bit of a stretch to call it a love potion… but let's just call it a marketing tactic. And if we really wanted an effect, we could always mix in other ingredients later.
“So, what do you say?”
“…Damn it.”
Snatch.
After hesitating, Trish finally gave in to temptation and snatched the recipe. She glared at me and declared proudly:
“I’m definitely not doing this for the money!”
She sure looks like she’s crazy for money, though.
“Money is just a means to an end! I’m doing this to attain a higher level of skill and to seek truth through the Philosopher's Stone. Do you understand?”
“…Right.”
Her attitude was so defiant that I couldn't bring myself to argue, so I just nodded. Besides, Trish is exceptionally talented. As long as I provide the funding, she’ll handle the rest just fine.
With this, her research on the Philosopher's Stone will gain momentum, and the failing club will gradually be revived.
“Then I’ll be counting on you, Trish Medici.”
I held out my hand.
“Tsk.”
Trish clicked her tongue but took my hand, giving it a cursory shake.
In the end, despite being betrayed by Roen in the past, Trish had once again joined hands with him.
*
After finishing my conversation with Trish, I immediately left the alchemy club room.
While I was at it, I wanted to visit the Monster Purification Club—which I’d decided to join at Elena's suggestion—but I had something else to do first. Since I was already in this remote corner of Eredor, it was time to take care of a task I’d been putting off.
‘Searching for the Dark Mana Stone.’
I took a small glass vial from my pocket and gazed at the black ore inside. The Dark Mana Stone emitted a jet-black haze so deep it felt like it could pull you in. It was a mana stone that had absorbed the power of darkness, a remnant of the demonic energy emitted by a high-ranking demon.
It’s presumed that Demer, whom I dealt with before, came into contact with a Dark Mana Stone and was corrupted. Though I don't know if it was entirely his own choice or the result of Gillean's intervention.
I suspect it was the latter. He held some ill will toward Roen, but he wouldn't have craved power to the point of bringing about his own death. However, the hatred and resentment in his heart likely became the foundation upon which Gillean turned him into a corrupted being.
Rustle.
Leaving the club room, I pushed through the undergrowth and headed toward the area where the Dark Mana Stone event was originally supposed to take place.
The Eredor territory is vast, containing wide hills and forests within its grounds. Although the land has an owner, there are certainly unmanaged areas. A Dark Mana Stone is either drawn to beings who harbor darkness in their hearts, or it hides itself away in deep, unreachable shadows. Then, it gets absorbed by a suitable host and waits for a superior one to appear.
After pushing through the thicket for a while, I was greeted by unwelcome guests surrounding me on all sides.
Step.
I stopped in my tracks, clasping my hands behind my back as I took in the sight of the bizarrely large, black rats.
“Krrrk…”
They were supposedly rats, but they had grown to the size of rabbits or small dogs. Their eyes glowed an ominous red, and several more red eyeballs sprouted from all over their bodies—on their backs, ears, and tails—making them look utterly grotesque.
The mice living nearby had come into contact with the Dark Mana Stone and evolved into a higher species: Darkrats.
‘They’re still just rats, no matter what "higher species" they claim to be.’
Individually, they were insignificant enough for a grown man to defeat with a decent fight, but in a swarm like this, they were quite difficult to handle. They also had an incredible reproductive rate, a trait that allowed their numbers to multiply tenfold in the blink of an eye.
In the game, their population would grow excessively, clogging the Union's underground waterways and triggering a specific quest.
‘Darkrat Defense…’
It was a quest where you had to deal with them pouring in like a flood—quite difficult, but with mediocre rewards. However, failing to complete this quest quickly would lead to the contamination of the Union's water and sewage systems, causing a massive incident. It could even lead to an event where the Union temporarily shuts down, so it was better to deal with it now while I had the time.
Besides, they were the perfect opponents for testing the power of my newly acquired artifact.
Clench.
I put on Millia's Mana Gauntlet, clenching and unclenching my fist to get used to the feel of it. As I moved as if preparing to attack, the surrounding Darkrats sensed it and lunged first.
Kiiik—!
They leaped straight for my neck, baring their overly developed, sharp incisors. Of course, their attacks never reached me.
Thud.
Ignoring the rats struggling against my Aegis Shield, I pulled a Holy Power Potion from my pocket and threw it on the ground.
Crash!
KIEEEEEK!
The Darkrats shrieked bizarrely and convulsed as the Holy Power Potion touched them. With the smell of burning flesh, the bodies of the rats that touched the liquid melted away, right down to the bone.
Watching the rats scatter in a panic, I thought:
‘Normally, to wipe out Darkrats, you’d need a wide-area spell of the fire, lightning, or ice attribute.’
‘But a magic scroll of that level is incredibly expensive, and since it’s not a low-grade spell, I can’t memorize it with Millia's Gauntlet.’
‘In situations like this, melting them with Holy Power Potions is more efficient.’
Sizzle…
I poured the Holy Power Potion in a circle around me, trapping the rats inside. The Darkrats were literally rats in a trap. Annihilating them now would be no problem at all.
‘However, there’s something I need to check first.’
I reached out with my gauntleted hand and touched one of the Darkrats.
Tap.
The moment the gauntlet made contact, the Darkrat went limp and passed out. It was due to the stun effect enchanted on Millia's Mana Gauntlet. If the target were a person, it would have just paralyzed them, but since the rat was so small, it was knocked out completely.
Then, another of the gauntlet's abilities activated.
Whoosh…
The ability to absorb the mana of a target on contact. Mana flowed into me through the gauntlet. Specifically, the demonic energy of a Darkrat—a creature turned into a monster by a Dark Mana Stone—was being absorbed into my body.
Twitch.
As the demonic energy flowed through the gauntlet, the veins on my hand and forearm bulged in reaction.
Ting.
[Your Affinity is currently rising due to contact with demonic energy. Please be advised.]
A log window appeared before my eyes. It was a similar situation to the one during the practical exam.
Fwoosh…
The demonic energy siphoned from the Darkrat swirled around my body for a moment, unable to be absorbed, before it was finally drawn into my Mana Heart.
After confirming that Derod's Ring was also reacting to this demonic energy, I let go of the Darkrat.
Thump.
Kiek!
As the stun effect wore off, the Darkrat thrashed about wildly. I poured out the rest of my Holy Power Potions and eliminated them all.
Sizzzle…
The creatures melted away, letting out bizarre screams. They were completely harmful pests that only spread disease, but thanks to them, I learned a few things.
First, Millia's Mana Gauntlet can also absorb the demonic energy of monsters. It could be useful not just in simple combat, but also when dealing with monsters.
Second, my body can accept the demonic energy of monsters without much trouble.
‘Normally, it’s not easy to assimilate another being's mana.’
Mana is like a mage's blood; you can't just absorb it and immediately use it as your own. This was even implemented in the game system: absorbed mana would naturally dissipate if not used immediately or put through an assimilation process within a certain period. If it didn't dissipate, it could cause a backlash, leading to mana reflux.
This was the same reason I had to painstakingly process Bell's Magic Orbs.
But this Darkrat's demonic energy was absorbed by my body without any such assimilation, and it didn't dissipate either. After a brief delay, it was neatly absorbed into my Mana Heart, with no backlash whatsoever.
‘This is clearly an anomaly.’
Being able to absorb another being's unique mana means you could also inherit that being's karma. This phenomenon gave me a flash of inspiration, but also a sense of unease.
I concluded that this must hold a clue related to Roen's true identity. But it was too early to jump to conclusions. Next time, I’ll test it by absorbing the mana or demonic energy of a higher-level monster.