The Tutorial Boss Stays Out Overnight
As I stepped out of Borudo's Blacksmith, the midday sun stabbed at my eyes. Once I ducked into the alley, the shadows of the buildings blocked the light, leading into a dimmer stretch blocked off by a wall that controlled access. Passing through, I entered the alchemist's district and headed straight for Dorea's Alchemist Shop.
The shop smelled strongly of herbal medicines, different from my last visit. Amid the soft glow of magical lanterns, a grinding sound—grrrk, grrrk—echoed from the counter.
"Old man."
Dorea, lost in his work, finally turned to me. "Ah, Eck. Hold on, just a sec. Almost done here."
He was a sight. Always a bit ragged from skipping baths, but now his hair, face, and robe were smeared with powdery residues and liquids reeking of herbs. The dark circles under his eyes were visible even in the dim room. No doubt he hadn't slept since Elena delivered the troll materials.
In the mortar cradled in his arms, some powder was being ground fine.
"Drying and pulverizing troll entrails. This is the key to the regeneration potion. This amount should regrow a finger, at least."
The regeneration potion, derived from maximizing a troll's regenerative powers, could even heal lost limbs.
"You'll collapse at this rate. I get it—rare materials after so long must be exciting—but don't you think it's time for a nap?"
"No time for sleep. The enzymes I isolated from the troll bile are reacting right now. If I stop, it'll all go to waste."
Dorea kept talking as he shuffled back to his U-shaped workbench. Even answering me, his hands never stopped.
"Troll materials have so many uses. The bile alone works as a base for three types of potions. I'm aiming for regeneration—I've only theorized till now due to lack of materials, but with this..."
I let the alchemist's rant—fueled by years of pent-up frustration—wash over me. I lacked the brains or background knowledge to follow the theory anyway. But I had knowledge from another angle.
"Old man."
"What? Want me to whip something up for you? Being a male adventurer ain't easy. Heard rumors some monsters target cocks specifically. This'll sort you out if that happens."
"No idea what you're making, but can you really pull it off with just that?"
Dorea's hands paused. "What're you getting at?"
"Exactly what I said. Can you really make it with just one batch of troll materials? Troll stuff's been prized forever, but countless alchemists have failed at this, right?"
"..."
Dorea knew it too—his excitement had blinded him. Thirsting to quench a long-standing itch, but chased by the materials' expiration date, he couldn't reach for surer methods.
"So what do I do? I took the troll materials from that girl you sent in exchange for potions at cost. Even dried and stored, they last barely half a year."
He shook his head. He knew his situation better than anyone.
"A guy who knows all that—why not think of other ways?"
"Other ways? Stuck in this hole, what can I do? You telling this old fart to go hunting for materials?"
"If you're that desperate, yeah."
I shrugged and continued. "But there's a better way."
"What's that?"
Interest flickered in his eyes, but his hands kept working—expertly extracting something from a solution, filtering it, moving to the next step.
"Delegate a commission. To me or Elena."
"No money for pay."
"Pay isn't just cash. You've already put your skills up as collateral— if you don't get that simple fact, guess alchemists are secretly full of themselves too."
"Heh. Can't argue there."
Dorea muttered as he flipped through a notebook on the workbench.
"So you came for my skills knowing who I am?"
"Who are you, old man?"
He glared at me. "So what do you want? High-grade potion recipe? Super regeneration potion? Or maybe the super aphrodisiac stamina booster? I had a knack for aphrodisiacs too."
"I want you on exclusive retainer."
"...Didn't see that coming. What use is a worn-out old geezer like me?"
"An alchemist's skill is in accumulated knowledge. Living long means you're top-tier. Cheap talent like this? You buy low."
"Hm..."
Dorea finished his work and clamped his mouth shut, deep in thought. That was enough for now.
"No rush to decide. For starters, tell me what materials you need, and do me a favor in return. Build from there."
"Meat slime mucus."
Dorea blurted it out. "That do it?"
"That'll work for now, but can you get it?"
"Do my favor, and sure."
"What's the favor?"
I grinned. "Make me some potions."
"That's it?"
"A lot of them."
I pulled out the pre-written contract from my pocket and handed it over. Dorea scanned it and his eyes bulged.
"Low-grade potions—thirty thousand? You trying to kill me?"
"Gonna need you cranking nonstop for a month."
I also pulled out a money pouch. Thud. It hit the workbench heavily—stuffed with gold coins.
"Advance payment. Use it for materials and labor."
"Gah..."
"Too little? Shame, since I'll be ordering plenty more."
"N-no, it's nothing. ...This much, I can hire help. You're richer than you look. But what if I take it and run?"
"Not much life left—where you gonna spend it? Buy a harem and live out your orgy dreams, I won't stop you. Gives me an excuse to drag you back."
"..."
The old man's eyes locked on the gold pouch. It tipped the scales in his mental weighing.
"Thirty thousand potions. Working an old man to death. Fine. Deal. Better to go out busy in my twilight years."
Dorea gave a wry smile.
"Looking forward to it."
I left the shop. Gear to Borudo. Potions to Dorea.
Alchemist side's sorted.
Dorea would handle setting up production lines for the potion guild. Right after dungeons spawn, potion demand skyrockets. Mass production lags a few days, causing casualties. With ample supply, fewer female adventurers get caught by monsters due to shortages.
Cuts the monsters' reinforcements.
The more city forces are preserved, the longer we hold against the monster waves. But it wasn't enough.
"Pila's place today, then done."
I headed to Pila's Workshop.
I knocked on the door of Pila's workshop. Clattering came from inside.
"W-wait! Just a sec! O-opening now!"
Flustered footsteps, something collapsing. A yelp. More things toppling. The door opened.
"E-Eck?"
Pila peeked through the crack, startled. Her robe, thrown on in haste, was splattered with experiment stains. Her sparkling pink hair, usually like a chandelier, was dulled as if doused in something. Spotting me, she slammed the door shut.
"J-just a moment."
Pat pat. Pat pat pat. The door reopened. She'd brushed off the powder from her robe and hair, straightened her crooked glasses.
"C-come in."
The workshop was messier than last time. One corner brimmed with red materials preserved on a magic circle to retain their red power. Beside it lay the magic sword Vitalia, suspended in the air on a hook. Its blade, coated in red paint, pulsed crimson like a heartbeat—brightening and fading repeatedly.
During the Red Moon, I'd brought Vitalia here for sealing. The sword bewitches its wielder; a boss mob possessing the body fulfills the host's desires. Being a post-acquisition spirit, it could be avoided with procedure—or sealed like this.
Pila was in the process of sealing the sword.
"How's the sealing going?"
"Huh? Oh, that..."
Pila glanced at the parchment before the sword, sweeping back her bangs.
"I forcibly shut down the sword's functions. Next is separating the soul. The spirit clinging to it exists via separate power, so once the sword's off..."
She pointed at the sword's pulsing red glow.
"Only the soul's power remains. Now just extract it and transfer to another vessel, and we're done."
The handed-over parchment listed steps. Checked boxes marked completed phases, progressing steadily.
"This is the vessel for the soul."
"A doll, huh."
"Yes."
She held up the sealing vessel: a simple wooden puppet made from bound sticks. I'd seen it in the game. Sealed boss mobs in these transform the doll into pet form via their soul shape. Useful stuff. Toss at a monster, it becomes bait.
"Humanoid soul, so doll form?"
"Yes! Exactly. How'd you know?"
"Seen something similar."
I handed back the puppet.
"How much longer?"
"About ten days to full separation."
A bit iffy timing.
"Can't speed it up?"
"I-I'll try harder. Push it tight, maybe shave off a day...?"
Dungeons could pop anytime—no telling when—so faster was worth the risk. Then Pila fidgeted toward the workbench, paced, and suddenly clapped.
She snatched a purple-liquid-filled potion from the messy pile.
"Stamina booster! It's done!"
"Already? What's different this time?"
This was the second batch, for reference.
"It... gets bigger. Than original size."
Face red, Pila held up two fingers, curled inward, then spread them wide.
"A-and."
She went deeper into the workshop, drew back a curtain, revealing a bed.
"Last time, couldn't check progress, s-so disappointing. T-today, got time, right? Stay the night."
"...You sure?"
"Yes!"
Pila bounced excitedly. Her ample breasts jiggled. The sight sent chills down my spine unbidden.
Calm down. This ain't her.
I reminded myself of Pila's true nature.
"Eck's fine. F-first reassuring guy like you. Never dreamed I'd chat normally so close to a man. Hehe."
"R-really."
She smiled shyly, beauty rivaling Elena's. Breasts ready to burst, unhidden by her robe. Imagining what lurked inside made me shudder. My fists clenched involuntarily.
"Want your review of last potion too. Helpful?"
"That..."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"I'll tell you slow."
I sat on the bed, downed the new stamina booster. Shared my experience as prior test subject. Pila jotted notes in her parchment notebook while fetching food from the kitchen, recording my feedback and changes. Her quill scratched across the page as night deepened.
Not long after Eck left the guild cafeteria, Elena returned to the guild. There, she heard some news.