Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: Death Knight
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Since the sun was still up, I headed back to the Alchemist Guild.
Standing in front of the room—whether it was a lab or a workshop, I couldn't tell—where Luna and Paranoia were revealing the potion recipe, I could sense quite a few people inside.
They’re putting that in there?
Th-this is heresy! I can’t accept it! This isn’t proper alchemy!
I felt like I was losing my mind!
Why the hell is nymph foot-wash water going in there—!
I had no idea what they were doing inside, but it was clearly some horrifying spectacle.
Nymph foot-wash water? What the hell was that? Hoping I’d misheard, I waited a while.
Soon enough, Luna and Paranoia emerged from behind the door again.
“How’d it go? Did it work out?”
“Seems like it. They gave us Alchemist Guild passes! And I’m officially a member of the guild now! Starting today, my business is more or less legit!”
Luna showed me a bracelet etched with some bizarre pentagram-like design.
It looked like some Gnostic symbol blaspheming divinity, but this was actually the mark of Mercury and the insignia of alchemists.
“You’re a guild alchemist now, Luna?”
“Provisionally, yeah. Apparently, one of the labs here emptied out just yesterday. Turns out Vainas sister left the city in a hurry. Probably took her spot.”
Vainas the alchemist.
I recalled our midnight confrontation.
She’d left the city just as I’d told her to, and now Luna was filling her vacancy, even if temporarily? That was great news.
“Anyway, sorry you had to wait so long! What’ve you been up to, Hassan?”
“Oh, you know, just drank some tea, took a few adventurer quests.”
“Tea? Come to think of it, you smell kinda like roses.”
“Anyway, congrats.”
“Lady Luna, I’m so tired.... Instead of hanging around here, can we please head back to the cabin and rest...?”
That’s when Paranoia, looking utterly drained beside us, piped up.
He was wobbling like some soft-bodied mollusk. No clue what they’d been doing in there, but he clearly looked like he’d been through hell.
So we all headed back to the cabin together. On the way, we grabbed some bacon to grill up and celebrate safely passing this hurdle.
“Man, that feels good. Ahh—.”
Luna stretched languidly in the yard. She really did look relieved.
But I had a bit of a worry. Once the recipe was out, competitors might pop up and cut into profits.
It’s only natural in any world—when business booms, copycats sprout like weeds.
Luna brushed it off, though.
“It’s fine. They don’t have a nymph!”
“Really?”
“What I shared was a stamina potion that only works with a nymph. We’re calling it Nymph’s Tears.”
“Such a cruel name.... It’s the fruit of my blood, sweat, and tears.... In return, I negotiated ten percent of the sales...!”
“Good for you.”
“I hope business booms...! Starting tomorrow, we’ll get massive orders, and I’ll be rich too...!”
Paranoia rolled his eyes around like he was picturing himself rolling in cash.
His creepy chuckle made him look like some scheming cultist; I kinda wanted to smack him upside the head, but I held back.
Everyone deserves the right to daydream and forget reality for a bit.
While we chatted, I noticed something in Luna’s mailbox. A newspaper? No, it was a thin roll of parchment sealed with wax, like a letter. Tax documents maybe?
Surprisingly, my name was on the outside.
To Hassan—.
For a second, I tensed up, thinking it was another draft notice. Luckily, it didn’t seem like it.
Hassan, this is Vainas. As you commanded, I’ve left the city for a place no one will find me. Truth be told, I was already disillusioned with city life. What I really wanted to become wasn’t an alchemist, but....
What the hell, sibble.
The letter gushed about how meeting me had opened her eyes to a new life, how grateful she was for my forgiveness, and so on.
Hassan, I’ll train so I can be of use to you someday. P.S. Do you like big-breasted women?
What the sibble.
A chill ran down my spine for some reason.
“Hassan, whatcha doing? What’s that?”
“Nah, nothing.”
Luna eyed the letter curiously, so I figured it’d be a headache if she saw it. I quickly stuffed it into my pocket. I’d tear it up or burn it later.
* * *
The next day.
I geared up early for a long trip.
“You’re heading to the north gate, right, Hassan?”
“Yeah. Wanna come?”
“I’ll go too...! Death Knight of Manticore Valley. To think such a thing exists. I’m so excited...!”
I’d planned to hunt a named monster and be out all day, but Luna and Paranoia had nothing pressing, so they tagged along.
Having party members for an adventure was a huge help against surprises, so I was glad.
“Sure, whatever.”
Party hunt, huh.
Though neither Luna nor Paranoia were exactly party-hunt material. Luna at least could debuff monsters and create variables with her spells these days.
But what the hell was Paranoia’s class anyway.
Not a necromancer, not a warrior or rogue.
“Heh heh, to the north gate...!”
I narrowed my eyes at the excited-looking Paranoia. Might have to use him as bait if things got dicey. Was bait his class?
Still, I wasn’t thrilled about it.
“Paranoia, what’s your class anyway?”
“Huh? What’s that out of nowhere...?”
“In party hunts, everyone has a role. Frontline tanks, supports in the back, ranged mages, you know. What can you do?”
“I, uh....”
Paranoia’s pupils shook wildly. Had I asked something too harsh?
In party hunts, nailing your role fills your slot perfectly. So with a chance like today, we needed to divvy up duties.
“I’m good at eating candy...!”
Eating candy.
Even racking his brain, Paranoia couldn’t come up with any real skill.
So he got stuck with trap disarming, scouting, luggage, and odd jobs.
“S-so heavy...!”
Paranoia lugged our stuff, his bag bulging like a camel’s hump. He huffed pitifully.
But I knew he was exaggerating. His level was 23 or 22, around mine.
Unless he’d dumped everything into strength like me, his balanced stats meant ten minutes of luggage wouldn’t tire him out.
“Lady Luna, it’s too heavy...! The bags are sinking into the ground...! M-my body’s being dragged down! Eek—!”
“Quit your bitching. It’s just ten minutes of carrying.”
We hadn’t even left Sodmora’s north gate yet. At this rate, who knew when we’d reach Manticore Valley.
Luna seemed worried about Paranoia heaving like he might pass out.
“Paranoia, want a stamina potion if you’re beat?”
“S-suddenly, strength surges within me...!”
“See? Told you he’s faking it.”
We were in the middle of chewing him out when—
“Hey, saw a familiar face from afar. Speak of the devil—Samaritan bro! Heh heh.”
Someone called out to us from the city center heading north. Few in this world called me “bro” like that.
That oily, booming voice belonged to one guy.
“Fucking Malko, you bastard. Long time. What you been up to?”
“Same old, bro. Just scraping by.”
Swoosh.
Malko scanned me head to toe. Blatant stare, but he didn’t see it as rude, and neither did I.
“You’re looking sharp. Saw it in the papers. Your fame’s rising; as your personal bard, I couldn’t be happier!”
Malko delusionally thought he was my exclusive bard.
We’d never agreed to that, never even discussed it, but somehow it’d become reality.
According to Hippolyte, bards attaching to famous adventurers was normal and great for fame.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if Malko was effective as one.
“Ahh! Hassan! A goblin, a goblin appeared! A massive goblin! Gogrid must still be alive...!”
“Nymph sisters, this is no goblin—I’m Malko. How my refined visage reminds you of one, I’ll never know.”
Refined visage.
Didn’t suit Malko at all.
But honestly, I had to concede this time.
“Malko, what the hell have you been up to...?”
I gave him the once-over like he’d done me.
He wore a noble’s crimson velvet cloak, a weird crown, and a gleaming golden guitar strapped to his back.
Rings thick with gems on every finger. A silver chain necklace dangling like a dog collar—funny, but probably real silver.
What the fuck.
Why was this clown dressed flashier than me, who’d slaved away?
Was Malko some noble’s bastard son or shit?
I had this prejudice: entertainers were hobbies for rich kids.
Same here—bards were a go-to for noble brats.
Like wastrels sent off to sing, drink, and chase romance.
“Fucking hell, are you a noble? What happened to you?”
“What’re you on about? Oh, this stuff? Ha, material wealth comes and goes. No need to fuss. Just a little change, right?”
“Bullshit, that’s a massive change. What’d you do? How’d you make bank? You’re not into crime or anything, right?”
Was this really the clownish Malko I knew?
How does a guy transform like this in days?
I was dying to know.
Then Luna blinked beside me and yelped, “Ah—!”
“Ah! It’s the big nose! You changed so much I didn’t recognize you!”
Luna hadn’t even clocked it was Malko. Clothes change image, sure, but this was extreme.
“Exotic sisters, even you failing to recognize me is a shock. I have changed a bit. I shed my weak former self.”
Then, from afar: “Malko—! Where are you!”
Over there, someone waved from a fancy carriage pulled by two magic beasts. Couldn’t see inside, but somehow I was glad for it.
“Gotta go. Nice seeing you all. Samaritan, let’s grab drinks next time. Kallidur was asking about you.”
“Kallidur?”
The bald elf hunter who’d crossed from Alvheim to Gaia chasing Elfriede.
Ruthless mo-muscle baldhead.
A couple years younger than me.
Couldn’t figure why he’d want to see me. Elfriede-related? Maybe. As I opened my mouth—
“Really gotta bounce now. Great seeing you!”
Malko waved and vanished into the carriage.
Watching him go, Luna said,
“Big Nose is living beyond his means. Burning his lifetime luck too early. Bet he’s up to something unholy.”
Couldn’t parse what she meant, but I agreed he wasn’t long for this world.
If he’d made that much that fast, it was probably shady.
Short and intense life, then.
Anyway, despite the distractions, we exited Sodmora through the north gate.