Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Alchemy and commerce were closely connected.
Alchemists who operated from ateliers needed merchants when sourcing materials that grew in distant regions, while traveling merchants made their greatest profits by distributing alchemical products across the continent.
Because of that, merchants were always gathered around alchemists.
“Pick what you like! Sun Herbs from the southern desert, 7 silver per stalk!”
“Red Herbs cultivated in the Earl of Yevillen’s territory, 3 silver for ten stalks!”
“Wind Cores, 20 silver each!”
As I entered the district where ateliers were densely packed, merchant voices echoed from every direction.
They all specialized in alchemy materials.
Being stationed near this district meant they were seasoned veterans, so the quality was reliable.
But the prices created a clear barrier to entry.
“Everything’s imported… no wonder it’s expensive.”
“Kyuu.”
“Yeah. Better to gather them myself.”
Red Herb that normally grew everywhere now cost one and a half times more.
If herbs alone were this expensive, the rest was obvious.
Shaking my head, I walked toward a massive building at the end of the atelier district.
“Still, when you’re short on money, there’s nothing better than the Stella Trading Company.”
The Stella Trading Company.
It was created to stabilize the empire’s internal economy.
It was a massive state-run merchant organization led by the Second Princess, also known as the Golden Princess.
As a tool of the empire that had designated alchemy as a national industry, Stella Trading Company naturally catered to alchemists.
Its most notable feature was simple. No matter which branch you visited, prices were always the same.
In a place like Astrum where prices were inflated, it was like a lifesaving rain during a drought.
The only downside was lower quality due to mass supply.
Still, it acted as a strong price stabilizer against merchant cartels.
“Even bigger up close.”
When I entered the building, I was greeted by a space that could only be described as a fantasy supermarket.
The sight of people and goods everywhere made me look around in awe.
Then someone approached me quietly like a cat.
“Welcome to Stella Trading Company!”
A cat beastkin wearing a mix of maid outfit and uniform smiled brightly.
Exactly like the NPC model I had seen countless times in the game.
One of Stella Trading Company’s named employees, Erin.
I composed my expression.
“Is there anything you need?”
“I came to look for alchemy materials.”
“Meow! You came to the right place! Stella Trading Company offers the best value in this city!”
Her tail swayed proudly as she spun lightly on her toes.
Her skirt lifted slightly with the motion, then flowed down like a jellyfish as she landed gracefully.
“Sorry for the late introduction! I’m Erin, in charge of alchemy material sales at Stella Trading Company!”
“I’m Teodoro, Nigredo-class alchemist. Just call me Teo.”
“Got it, Customer Teo!”
Her eyes sparkled.
“So, what materials do you need?”
“Materials for five basic health potions, five mana potions, and two homunculus-grade granite cores.”
“Excellent choice!”
Her tail spun like a propeller.
Probably because sales counted as performance.
She quickly guided me toward the alchemy section with light steps.
There, other staff members were busy assisting customers.
“Erin! You sneaked out again to bring in customers?”
“Nyahaha! First come, first served!”
“You were told to stay at the counter!”
“Only if I get caught!”
A senior employee sighed while watching her cheerful antics.
He turned to me and bowed slightly.
“Sorry about that. She gets a bit too enthusiastic.”
“No, it was actually interesting.”
The man sighed in relief and returned to his post.
Erin gave him a playful salute before leading me further inside.
“Potion materials are 2 silver per set. For homunculus granite cores, size matters. Do you have a preference?”
“Two meters.”
She immediately started calculating.
“Then that’s 52 silver per core. Total is 1 gold 24 silver!”
“Here you go.”
In Korean currency, that was roughly 1.24 million won.
Ridiculously expensive.
I handed over the money with a slightly trembling hand.
She quickly confirmed the payment and smiled in satisfaction.
“I’ll go gather your materials right away!”
As she disappeared into the shelves, I sighed.
Now I only had 1 gold 56 silver left.
More than half was gone in an instant.
I whispered to the spirits hiding in my sleeves.
“I knew it would be an investment, but it still hurts.”
“Kyuu…”
I knew this would pay off later, but watching my money vanish so quickly still stung.
And I would need to spend the remaining funds too.
Soon Erin returned, her tail swaying.
“Here we go! The granite cores are too heavy, so we’ll send a delivery service.”
“Then I’ll give you my atelier address.”
“Isn’t it Teo’s Atelier, the new one that just opened?”
What?
How did she know?
I blinked in surprise.
It had been less than an hour since I registered at the Sage’s Tower.
Seeing my confusion, she laughed playfully.
“Alchemists usually name their ateliers after themselves. And your name is Teo, right? So I just guessed!”
“Impressive.”
She really was a top-tier employee of Stella Trading Company.
Her sharp intuition and quick thinking showed why she held her position.
After finishing the payment, I packed the materials and left.
“Come again!”
“I’ll be self-sufficient next time.”
“Ehh, that’s harsh!”
With Erin waving behind me, I headed to my next destination.
The granite delivery would take time, so I planned to visit another place.
“There’s some time left… I might as well go there.”
The spirits peeked out, worried.
Honestly, I was a bit nervous too.
But I had to go eventually.
The owner was eccentric, but not a bad person.
I just needed to avoid doing anything disrespectful on first meeting.
I crossed narrow alleys, relying on memory.
It was a complicated area, but my game sense hadn’t rusted.
Soon I arrived.
“There it is.”
A shop covered in ivy, strangely isolated from the surrounding noise.
Even though Astrum was only ten years old, this place felt like it had centuries of history.
“This is the place.”
A sign with a cauldron wearing a pointed hat.
I knocked politely, then opened the door.
Ding—
A clear bell rang.
Inside was much larger than it looked.
In fact, it felt like a different dimension.
Not surprising, given the owner.
“Hello.”
“Oh? A customer?”
A woman inside turned toward me with a relaxed expression, holding a long pipe.
Another familiar named character.
Long black hair like a night sky, eyes like obsidian.
A revealing dress and a large witch hat confirmed her identity.
A witch.
Leila.
She looked at me with interest.
“Interesting. Two souls in one body. And the one in control is the outsider soul.”
I flinched.
As expected, she noticed immediately.
I forced a calm expression.
“I’m also a victim. I woke up like this.”
“I believe you. I don’t see any resistance from the original soul.”
She smiled.
I sighed in relief.
Unlike her strict quest-giver image in the game, she seemed friendly.
“I’m Lee Hyunseong, a victim of possession. I’m trying to find a way to reverse it.”
“I’m Leila, the Witch of Stories. I run this shop called Story Blossom.”
After introductions, she tilted her head.
“So why are you here?”
“To buy materials.”
“Materials? You can get those anywhere in the city.”
Fair point.
I shrugged.
“I prefer good quality sources when possible.”
“That’s fair.”
She didn’t argue.
Then she smiled strangely.
“Or maybe… you didn’t come here just for materials.”
I felt a chill.
She really was sharp.
But I couldn’t reveal everything.
“Anyway, welcome. Since you’re a customer.”
“I’ll just buy materials and leave quietly.”
Leila watched me with a knowing smile.
I ignored it.
“What materials do you want?”
“Mist Flower, Cloud Powder, Thorn Vine Seeds, Bubble Grass…”
“Wait.”
She raised a hand.
Then closed her eyes.
The room trembled slightly.
A white flower emitting mist, powder shaped like clouds, and other requested materials floated toward us.
Perfectly measured.
“These, right?”
“Yes.”
“1 gold 56 silver.”
She even knew my budget.
I paid quietly.
After collecting the materials, I bowed.
“Thank you. I’ll visit again.”
“Next time, bring the soul inside you. I want to meet it.”
“I’ll do that.”
I nodded and left.
The sky was already dark.
I needed to prepare for tomorrow’s expedition and eat dinner.
But after a few steps, I stopped.
“Right… I forgot to save money for food.”
I had spent everything in one go.
After a moment of hesitation, I sighed.
I didn’t want to create awkward situations with someone I would keep seeing.
So…
Tonight, I would just skip dinner.