Potion Merchant Bordeaux (1)
Potion Merchant Bordeaux (1)
The Potion Merchant Bordeaux.
Their¹ first appearance was with the Burning Hell update. Before Bordeaux's introduction, there was no such concept as a potion.
Players concocted salves by mixing herbs.
The effectiveness of these salves was minimal, and most players either added regeneration bonuses to their gear or made it mandatory to have a priest with them.
-This shitty game.
-Playing without potions is what Bern Chronicle is all about, and now it's gone.
-I'm quitting this game and moving on with my life.
User evaluations were harsh.
Even among the remaining players, some have left, and the number of parties attempting to tackle the boss is quite small.
From Redin's perspective, it was a great patch.
Being able to tackle bosses solo without a priest meant he had more time to devote to the game.²
It's a memorable experience.
Bordeaux wasn't so easy to come by, either, as they only appeared randomly and with limited supply across the entire continent in seemingly random times and strange places.
It took him some time to find them.
He analyzed the locations and times of Bordeaux's appearances to see if there were any rules to them, or if he could find out anything from their dialogue.
This led him to discover three pieces of information.
-Bordeaux was rich.
-They are married and have children.
-They were a wizard from the Kingdom of Resha.
Despite the long period of research, he couldn't find out anything about their age or gender.
Not knowing the most important things, Redin had no choice but to go through the documents Reto had brought him.
A total of ten Bordeaux.
All of them wealthy, all of them married, all of them with loved ones. And only one was a mage.
And there was a note that said the one and only Bordeaux had died a few days ago.
"Give me the rest from the beginning."
"Here they are."
First, he ruled out those who weren't mages.
Anyone could marry, but only those with the talent could become a mage.
Then those who were rich.
There was really only one left. Redin reviewed Bordeaux's details on the parchment.
-Recognized as a prodigy as a child, he entered the Magic Tower.
-Five years ago, he was once a wealthy man known in Magitia.
-3 years ago, married a woman named Sophia.
-2 years ago, he had a child, but died due to an incurable disease.
-Excommunicated from the Magic Tower in the year of his child's death.
-5 days ago. Died.
The conditions were perfect.
"This is annoying."
"Isn't this the one you were looking for?"
"Is This... Are you sure you've found all the Bordeaux in Magitia?"
"Yes."
He closed his eyes for a minute.
Unlike the other kingdoms, the Kingdom of Resha is made up of only one country, Magitia.
It doesn't make sense that they're not here.
If the real Bordeaux was dead, someone would have taken up the name. The most likely candidate is Bordeaux's spouse.
"Is Sophia a mage by any chance?"
"Huh? Wait a minute."
Reto searched for something, then looked at him with wide eyes.
"Yes. She is a mage."
A possibility, for now at least.
One thing's for sure, he'll figure it out when he gets to Bordeaux's house. There might be a laboratory, and he could hear it from Sophia's mouth.
"I'll be out in a couple of minutes."
"Now? Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, it's okay."
Leaving Reto behind, he stepped out of the house alone.
Covering his face with a cloak, he ducked into an alleyway. With Barnes' capture, rumors would inadvertently spread.
From here on out, it was better to be careful.
Picking up his pace, he made his way through the maze of residential neighborhoods. Bordeaux's place wasn't far from here.
A street lined with restaurants.
As he passed by, he paused at a familiar face. The face that Reto had drawn on the parchment.
Sofia, Bordeaux's wife.
She was talking to someone. He turned to see the face of the man she was talking to.
The man's face was also very familiar.
The middle-aged man who had stopped him at Viscount Bothaman's castle. It was obvious that he was a knight in Viscount Bothaman's service.
"Huu..."
He pulled out a telescope from his pocket.
[Watcher's Eye]
-Can see up to 20 kilometers away.
-Allows the user to lock onto a specific target and watch their movements in real time.
-Can be used to detect people.
He set Sophia and the knight as his targets.
Slipping it back into his pocket, he walked into the restaurant where they were talking.
There was no one else around them.
It would seem suspicious to sit right next to them, so he took a seat a few feet away.
" A cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake."
"Sure."
After ordering, he heightened his senses.
From this distance, he could hear their conversation.
"I'm sure you'll be pleased with our offer."
"I refuse."
"With this money, you could pay off all your debts and live the rest of your life without suffering?"
"I'm not going to change my mind, so please go away."
*Skrrr!* Bam!
Sophia rose from her seat first and stormed out of the restaurant. The middle-aged knight made no move to follow.
"Here's the coffee and cake you ordered."
"Thank you."
He paid with a tip and sipped his coffee. He slowly took his time eating the cake, but the middle-aged man didn't move either.
'Perhaps he thought I was suspicious.'
Just in case, he used the Mask of the Dead to change his face. After finishing the plate of cake, he stood up from his seat.
Casually, he turned around.
Glancing at the middle-aged knight, he was definitely looking in his direction, sending a sharp glare at him.
Ignoring the stare.
Nonchalantly, he made his way out of the restaurant.
Keeping a reasonable distance, he tracked the position of the middle-aged knight. It seemed like he had dispelled his suspicions and was moving in a different direction.
The path that Sophia had taken.
The middle-aged knight followed it, maintaining a gap between them.
"There's a scent in the air."
It felt like something very dangerous was about to unfold.
* * *
Knight of Viscount Bothaman.
Godric looked up at the sky.
It was a darker night than usual, with the moon's light blocked by clouds.
A night that was perfect for stealth.
"Let's begin."
At his command, those standing behind him stirred. Black-robed and hooded, they ran toward the mansion ahead.
The residence of the wizard Bordeaux.
There is something they must take there.
Originally, he was going to get it through conversation, not through force. There's nothing quite as satisfying as getting what both parties need.
But Sofia, Bordeaux's wife, rejected the offer.
"I wish you would have handed it over nicely."
He didn't want to use force from the start, partly because Sophia is a mage and can't be easily subdued.
This is because he wanted to handle the situation quietly.
But now that things had gotten to this point, he had to use force to retrieve the item.
Crack!
His subordinates used the Mana Control Stones to nullify the defensive magic circles surrounding the residence.
No magic can be used in the area for the next half hour.
Not even Sophia.
Godric followed his men as they moved forward. The gates of the mansion opened and the men parted.
"Hmm?"
Godric furrowed his brow and looked around.
Something felt wrong.
He heightened his senses to check for indications of movement around him, but it was only his men. No other intruders.
'Maybe I was too nervous.'
That's how important this mission was.
Godric cleared his head and started walking. He didn't have much time to spare, so he had to work fast.
He followed the stairs to the bottom.
There were carved magic circles everywhere, but they weren't working. Given the damage they'd done, it was clear that the lab in the basement had what they were looking for.
There was only one luxurious door in the basement.
Creak!
He opened the door and couldn't see anything. After a few moments for his eyes to adjust, he moved again when he could dimly see inside.
A variety of formulas.
Different mixtures of liquids in beakers.
There were also the corpses of monsters everywhere.
"I know what's in here."
With the words Godric uttered, he heard a gasp from somewhere inside.
Gulp!
With a grin, Godric moved toward the sound, and as he got closer, he could hear the breathing becoming more ragged.
A wooden closet.
Godric pushed the door open, and there was Sophia, her hand clamped over her mouth.
"I guess you thought I wouldn't find you if you hid."
"......."
"While I'm being nice. Tell me where the experimental drugs are."
"I... I threw it all away, it's not in this world anymore......."
Godric reached out and grabbed a handful of Sophia's hair. He yanked it out of the closet.
"Gah!"
"Don't play games."
"I don't have it, I threw it away, Aaaah!"
"Then I guess I'll just have to take you in and torture you."
Bam!
Godric knocked Sophia unconscious and dragged her out of the basement, but soon realized something was amiss and furrowed his brow.
The men who should have followed him were nowhere to be seen.
Nor did he feel any movement.
Letting go of Sophia's hair, he drew his sword from his belt.
"Come out."
Swish!
He heard the sound of something slicing through the air, but felt nothing, and then his vision turned hazy.
"Huh?
He saw a body with its throat cut.
The body slowly collapsed, revealing a man.
It was like looking into a mirror.
A man with a face exactly like his own.
As if he were shaping clay, the face changed and a familiar face appeared.
The new prison guard who had visited Lord Bothaman's Castle.
'Uh... how....'
His skills were at most intermediate level, at best an expert.
Just a beginner who recently reached the intermediate level.
On the other hand, Godric was at a level where he looked down on even the intermediate level and aspired for an advanced level. This situation was perplexing and hard to comprehend.
He was not complacent.
However,
There were no signs of life, or even swords flying at him.
He didn't feel anything.
"Co......."
No words came out.
"Now you're not even a big deal."
With that, Godric closed his eyes.
* * *
[Killed the target].
[Harvested a damned soul].
With that, Godric's memories flowed in.
The office in Bothaman's Castle.
Viscount Bothaman gave Godric instructions.
'Two years ago, a wizard was excommunicated while developing a potion to restore the body. He recently died, and I want you to bring me all of the relevant materials.'
'Understood.'
'You may use the vault if you need anything. This is something you must do at the risk of your life, so you must succeed.'
He bowed.
Godric rode out of the castle.
Even as he rode in the carriage, his thoughts drifted into Redin's head.
Viscount Bothaman's plan to use black magic to possess Marek's daughter with the spirit of his late wife.
He needed the potion to carry out his plan.
The memory ended with this.
"Hoo...."
A plan was drawn to capture Viscount Bothaman.
Nobles are not supposed to be captured without clear evidence. Especially Viscount Bothaman, a magnate who could become a Count.
But if he uses black magic.
It's game over.
"Good."
The rough plan was drawn.
He turned his head to look at Sophia.
From Godric's memories and her current behavior, it was clear that she was the future Bordeaux.
He would need to convince her.
"I guess I should wake her up first, huh?"
Just as he was about to approach Sophia, he paused.
A new message appeared in front of his eyes.
[The power of shadows stirs].
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Gender-Neutral Pronoun used, reason will be explained early-mid part of this Chapter.
2. A Friend of MC recommended him to Play games as Therapy.