The Back-Alley Alchemist
After my walk with Claudia ended, someone was truly assigned to keep constant watch over me. Leaving Philip and Angela behind, I was discharged first, and immediately the student council sent someone over.
“I am Raiko.”
“Ah, yes… I’m Lee Han.”
She was a student with black hair and blue eyes, a sword at her waist, and an East Asian appearance. I recalled she was a third-year. “From today onward, I will accompany you and protect you from external threats.”
“Ah… Well… I don’t think there’ll be any real danger, though.”
“If there is none, that would be all the better.”
“…But don’t you have classes, senior? Is it really okay for you to stick with me like this?”
“As a special student, I am permitted to skip classes. Besides, I am strong enough even without attending them.”
“I see…”
“You yourself do not attend classes, do you, Lee Han? I understand you skip everything that is not strictly mandatory.”
“Mine is a bit different. There’s just someone I find unpleasant.”
“Shall I eliminate them?”
Raiko’s eyes gleamed with a chilling light. Her face had been serious all along, but now it looked even more so.
“What? No…”
“It was a joke.”
“…”
She really didn’t have the kind of face that should be telling jokes. In any case, Raiko followed me wherever I went. While I ate, during class, even when I went to the bathroom.
When does this person even rest, eat, or sleep?
Raiko showed none of those human needs. She was like a machine. A machine built solely to mark me.
“Is there anything that inconveniences you?”
In the afternoon, I stopped by the library to find materials that would help strengthen our group. But with Raiko standing right behind me the whole time, I couldn’t focus on the text.
“Hey, do you really have to follow so closely? Or at least keep some distance…”
“I cannot. This is the optimal distance for responding to ambushes.”
“Haa…”
No point arguing. I just had to accept it. I turned my eyes back to the book.
“This one looks good. And this too…”
I picked out books to recommend to the others. Explaining everything myself would take too much time, and they might start asking how I knew these things. So I decided to go with recommending books instead. Of course, we would still do physical training. Though I wasn’t sure how well that would work with this insane leech attached to me.
A few days later, in the hospital lounge. We gathered with the patients and Yohan included.
“Lee Han, you’ve even got a bodyguard now?”
“Whoa… A beauty like this as your guard? You’ve made it big, Lee Han.”
Philip and Angela teased me.
“…It’s not like I wanted this.”
“She’s a third-year senior, right? How is our Lee Han? Isn’t he handsome? Spending time together, maybe you’ll find yourself drawn to him without realizing it?”
Angela snickered. But Raiko remained like a block of wood. She didn’t respond with a single word.
“…”
Embarrassed, Angela scratched her cheek. Raiko was so devoted to her duty that she wouldn’t exchange even one word with anyone other than me.
“Just pretend she’s not here and let’s get to the point. The reason I called everyone today is…”
I explained my grand plan to the three of them. It was about training together and aiming for greater heights. That included not only physical training but theoretical study as well. Dungeon expeditions were also part of it, though we couldn’t go right now because of the recent incident. I also planned to share some of the hidden pieces I possessed.
“Philip’s firepower is lacking despite everything else being fine. We need to start by increasing his output. Angela’s agility is good, but she lacks strength as well. Yohan needs to expand the range of things he can do. For example…”
I briefly outlined the key points for our three friends.
“…So that’s the plan I have in mind. What do you think?”
I couldn’t reveal everything because Raiko was listening, but I explained as much as I could.
“Lee Han…”
Philip looked at me with a serious expression.
“You’re really serious about this, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Preparing this much… I’m touched?”
Angela’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“But first, we need to get discharged before we can do anything. Let’s focus on recovering for now. And Philip, I’m going to need your help.”
“Yeah? Just say the word.”
“Your family has money, right?”
“…?”
It was time to make use of Philip’s financial resources, the core of this plan.
Philip came from a prestigious family and was wealthy. Unlike Yohan from a humble noble house, Angela a former street adventurer, or me with no background to speak of, he was different. So I intended to actively leverage Philip’s influence.
Late at night, I opened the dormitory window and prepared to escape. I draped myself in the Cloak of Silence and hung various tools needed for stealth all over my body. This should let me slip away without Raiko noticing. If I still got caught even after going this far, then I would just accept everything.
“Philip…! Philip…!”
I called out to Philip, who had escaped first and was waiting for me in the darkness.
“Ah, yeah. I’m here…!”
“Let’s go, quick! Before we get caught…!”
Thus, we escaped the dormitory and headed outside the academy. A massive city had formed beyond the academy grounds. The city hadn’t existed first with the academy built inside it; rather, the city had been built for the sake of the academy. That spoke to the academy’s immense prestige. But that wasn’t important right now. From here, we would head to Medicine Street. Using Philip’s money, I planned to have special elixirs made and have everyone take them regularly.
“This way.”
We navigated the complicated alleys and arrived in front of a shabby apothecary.
“Are you sure this is the right place? Wouldn’t somewhere a bit… cleaner be better?”
Philip’s suspicion was understandable. There were large, impressive workshops along the main street, so there was no reason to choose this run-down place.
“There’s a reason.”
First, cost. Bigger places charged more. Philip might have money, but it was his family’s money, not his own. Besides, the recipe I was going to have made didn’t exist in this world yet. Only I knew it, so absolute secrecy was necessary.
“This person is trustworthy.”
“If you say so…”
“Let’s go in.”
Knock knock.
I knocked on the wooden door that looked like it might not even open properly.
“…”
No answer. I knocked again.
“…”
Still no answer.
“Maybe she’s asleep? It is pretty rude to visit at this hour.”
Philip said awkwardly.
“No. This person’s perfect for this time.”
Thud!
I kicked the wooden door with my foot.
“If you don’t come out right now, I’m reporting you to the guards! There’s an El-spy living here!”
Of course, I had no intention of actually reporting her. While she had committed some crimes like espionage, the person behind this door would become a major ally in the future. So I didn’t plan to treat her too harshly. It was just that she wouldn’t open the door unless I went this far.
Only then did I hear movement from inside. There was a clatter as if something had fallen, followed by hurried footsteps rushing toward the door.
Creak.
The door opened, and an elf woman poked her head out.
“Wh-what the hell?! Why are you making such a racket?!”
“I came because I have a request. Let’s talk inside.”
“At this hour?! Barging into someone’s house like this! I don’t want to!”
“Oh? An El-spy like you has a lot to say—”
“Aah!”
The elf frantically covered my mouth.
“Who are you?! Why are you saying things like that?!”
“If you don’t want to get caught, open the door. I’m not joking.”
“Tch…”
The elf opened the door weakly, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Uh… Lee Han? Is this really the right approach? I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks like you’re threatening your way in…”
Philip said uneasily.
“It’s fine. This is the best way to deal with this useless elf.”
“I’m not useless! Just come in already!”
In the end, we were let inside the elf’s house. It was a complete mess. Papers, trash, and empty liquor bottles were scattered across the floor, and old books were stacked all the way to the ceiling, probably serving as makeshift partitions. We were guided to a sofa that was half used as storage space.
“So who are you? Why do you keep calling me an El-spy, you bastard?”
“I only spoke the truth, El-spy. Or would you like me to show you the evidence?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Anyway, I came because I have a request. Please make the medicine according to the recipe written here. Regularly.”
“You show up at this hour and suddenly ask me to make medicine? And you’re asking me? Are you out of your mind, bastard?”
“You probably just woke up anyway. I deliberately came at the exact time you’d be active.”
“…What do you know?”
“Quite a lot. Like how you entered pharmacy school at the top of your class, got expelled for selling illegal aphrodisiacs, and later got involved in narcotics and ended up exiled from the Great Forest to work as a spy.”
“Th-that wasn’t narcotics! It was less addictive than tobacco or alcohol! It was all a conspiracy by people jealous of me! Who the hell are you?! How do you know so much about me?!”
“Let’s just say I’m an ardent fan.”
“You bastard…!”
The elf’s face turned bright red as she fumed.
“So what do you want? What are you planning to do with Lucia?!”
“It’s simple. Just make the medicine. Of course, I’ll pay you. Though it’ll be cheaper than the usual price.”
I handed Lucia a stack of papers with the recipe written on them. She frowned deeply as she accepted them. As she read through the recipe, her expression quickly turned serious.
“This is… Well, for a human, it’s quite an ingenious idea. I’ll give it 8 points.”
“Out of what?”
“100.”
“Darn.”
“More importantly, I’ve never heard of a medicine like this. Where did you get this recipe?”
“I made it myself.”
In reality, it was a recipe that would be developed several years from now.
“If you have the skill to make something like this, why aren’t you making it yourself?”
“I’m the type who’s weak in practical application. I’m more of a theory person.”
“…That’s ridiculous.”
“Anyway, is it possible?”
“It is. Though there are a few parts I’d like to tweak. With a few adjustments, it’ll turn out to be a much better medicine.”
“Oh.”
As expected of the top student from a prestigious pharmacy school. I knew she was skilled, but she seemed even more capable than I thought.
“In exchange for the modifications, you have to pay properly! I’m already doing you a huge favor!”
“Shut it, El-spy. Do you want to get caught?”
“Aah! I’m not a spy!”
“Anyway, make one for now. You can do it quickly, right?”
I placed a pouch of gold coins on the table. It was less than the usual price, but it was still a large sum for someone who sold medicine in secret. She snorted but kept glancing at the pouch.
“W-well… It’s nothing I can’t do. It’s child’s play for Lucia.”
She headed toward the area with her pharmaceutical equipment. After grinding various herbs, distilling them, and going through this and that process, she soon produced a single potion glowing with a blue light.
“It’s complete.”
Lucia said with her arms crossed arrogantly.
“Hmm… Looks well made. Try it, Philip.”
“M-me?”
“Yeah, you. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But since it was made with your money, I figured you should be the first to try it.”
“Uh… This is safe, right…?”
“It is. When have I ever lied?”
“Huu…”
Philip seemed doubtful about the suspicious potion, but it was definitely safe. If it weren’t, Lucia wouldn’t have made it either. She might look like a wreck, but she had a conscience. She wouldn’t do anything that could put someone in danger.
“Fine. I’ll drink it.”
Philip gulped down the potion.
“How is it?”
“H-huh?”
Philip looked confused as he felt his own body. Then he raised his palm and ignited a flame.
Whoosh!
“Whoa!”
Philip flinched in surprise. A massive flame shot upward. It nearly scorched the ceiling. Not only was it large, but it was also remarkably stable. That was the important part.
“I-I didn’t think it would get this big?!”
“See? It’s definitely different, right?”
“I-it really is…”
“Told you. I wasn’t lying.”
It was a recipe I had obtained after countless regressions and years of effort. I felt a bit proud. Little did I know that someone was watching from the side.