Chapter 14

By the time Kabirumba and I returned to the town, it was already late at night. The streets were already deserted and even the adventurers seemed to be inactive. It seems that we are the ones who work the most. Where is my slow life? Oh, well. I couldn’t abandon it, that’s for sure.

Now, after handing over the entrance fee to the sleepy gatekeeper, we returned to the lodge. The inn was locked up tight, so I had to wake up the owner. He didn’t get angry with me, but he looked at me like “please don’t do that again”. I’m sorry. I’m a bad boy.

”Well, we made it back in one piece. Now, all I have to do now is to make the ‘Curse-Breaking Charm’. The materials are of good quality, and I’m sure I can make a ++.”

”As expected of Leo-sama. By the way, what kind of effect does the ‘Breaking-Curse Charm++’ that Leo-sama makes have? A normal ‘Breaking-Curse Charm’ would break the curse and that’s it, but Leo-sama’s is different, isn’t it?”

Kabirumba is right. This guy knows very well that I am a genius alchemist.

”That’s right, Kabirumba. First, of course, it will break the curse, but at the same time, it will restore the user’s body to its original healthy state, which was damaged by the curse. And here comes the best part. The user’s body becomes resistant to the curse! He/she’ll never be under a weak curse again!”

”Then, how is long that person would be resistant to the curse?”

”If I cast the spell as hard as I can, maybe up to ten times of their age, if it succeeds at all.”

”That means the person is almost completely immune to the curse, right?”

For some reason, Kabirumba is scratching its head. Why does this guy look so serious when I told him about it?

Leaving Kabirumba aside, I start to make alchemical items. First, I start with “white neutralizer”. This is an item necessary for mixing materials that normally do not mix.

It is quickly made from salt. Now that I have all the materials I need. I put some of the silver coins I have in my pocket on the table.

”The money is running out fast…”

”It’s no use. Let’s go back tomorrow to get the materials for the potion. Leo-sama can make as much money as you want from now on.”

”That’s true.”

By the way, I didn’t have lunch or dinner today. Seriously, I am poor now. If only I could sell this “Breaking-Curse Charm”, I would be a rich man at once. But if I do that, I will be far away from the slow life at once. Now is the time for patience. Don’t be preoccupied with immediate gains.

However, first of all, I need to complete this charm. So I put my hand on the table and I create a magic circle.

”Money, money, money, money…”

”Leo-sama, you are obsessed with money…”

Despite Kabirumba’s words, I concentrate on the task at hand.

Light particles gather and fade away. In front of my eyes, I saw a completed charm. It had a large letter written in the center, surrounded by several smaller letters. I could already feel the sacred vibrations from the charm.

”It seems to have worked.”

”I was wondering what to do when Leo-sama started saying money, money, money…”

”It’s all right, as long as it’s finished.”

If I deliver it now, the margrave won’t accept it. So, let’s do it tomorrow morning after breakfast. As I didn’t want to stay up all night, I went to bed immediately. Though I was woken up soon after.

* * *

The next morning, I have a sandwich at the inn as I did yesterday. Today’s sandwich seems to have a fried egg in it. The homemade mayonnaise is the best match.

”Kabirumba, you have checked the location of the Margrave’s mansion, haven’t you?”

”Of course I have. I also checked the stores that might sell the materials for yesterday’s Giant Death Spider.”

Kabirumba gives a thumbs-up, or its mycelium up. It is very confusing. But it helps.

”Kabirumba is a reliable guy. But it’s inconvenient that the place where I could sell the products has to be changed according to the products to be sold.”

”It can’t be helped. No one wants everything.”

”Well, that’s true.”

I doubt the sanity of the stores. Do they sell the exoskeleton and paws to a blacksmith guild? If so, the eggs would be sold at a grocery store somewhere. Still, there is indeed no way to sell the items without choosing the right place to sell them.

Now, after finishing the sandwich, we headed first to the Margrave Mansion.

It was on the hillside of the town. There were no other buildings around the mansion, and it looked like a place where a person of high rank lives. Well, it’s not as good as the castle of the demon king. Though, it is no more.

Fortunately, not many people seem to visit the Margrave Mansion. At the gate of the wall that surrounds the mansion, a gatekeeper with a spear is looking bored.

”Hello. I’d like you to deliver this to the Margrave.”

”Hmm, what’s this?”

”I think the Margrave will understand if you give it to him. Just to be safe, make sure everything is authenticated.”

”I understand. Please come in.”

The gatekeeper, who has no idea what’s going on, seems to be in a state of confusion. That’s right. I am now completely covered by a suspicious gray cloak to hide my appearance. I also wear a mask to keep people from seeing my face. This was Kabirumba’s suggestion.

However, it is not a good idea to invite such a suspicious person into the mansion. I think it’s time to teach this gatekeeper a lesson in gatekeeping.

”Hey, do you intend to let a suspicious person like me into the mansion so easily? If you do, you’ll lose your head.”

I gesture for his head to be snapped off, and immediately, the blood drains from the gatekeeper’s face as he comes to himself. Comparing the mysterious item with the one he had been handed, he seemed to think that was the case.

”In that case, could you at least tell me your name and where you live?”

Well, that’s not good. I don’t want him to find out who am I or where I live. See that? Kabirumba is shaking its head from side to side. I can’t tell him this.

”As you can see, I’m just a suspicious person. No name to give, no place of residence. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

”Ah, he, you can’t…”

I lightly dodged the gatekeeper who tried to stop me, and left the place as if I were running away, or rather, as if the wind was blowing. In no time at all, I can no longer see the Margrave Mansion. It seems that the gatekeeper did not chase me. Oh, dear. It’s not easy to do good.