CH 4

“We’re here! Hurry up, hurry up. I have something I want you to make. Oh, I’m Zephyrus by the way.”

“Uh, yeah I know. We live in the same village and we’ve known each other since we were kids. Why are you introducing yourself?”

When I arrived at the alchemy shop while maintaining my level of excitement in vain, I remembered that I was going to come here later and that I hadn’t introduced myself yet, so I introduced myself. But the girl seemed to already be aware of who I was.

She also seems unaware that I don’t know her name. Not a problem, I got this.

“Hey, hey, when someone introduces themselves you’re supposed to do so in return, that’s how it works outside the village you know?”

“Oh is it practice for the Academy? Well then uhm, I’m Hannah…nice to meet you?”

“Right right, that’s the way.”

Oh so her name is Hannah, in the game she didn’t actually have a name. More things I don’t know, this is exciting.

We entered the alchemy shop together. She led me through the store into the back room, how nostalgic. It’d been a long time since I’d entered the alchemy shop in the starting village.

“Uhm, you want some tea?”

“Oh, yes please.”

Hannah seemed to be acting slightly strange but I accepted her offer off tea. She also seemed to be speaking to me in a more familiar tone.

After my reply Hannah disappeared into the house before returning with what looked like green tea. This wasn’t in the game either.

The first thing I’m having in this world is tea. I took a sip and the taste, even the smell was perfect.

“Uh, how is it?”

“This tea….it’s moved me.”

“That good!?”

Hannah seemed surprised but it wasn’t a joke, I really did feel moved. And once again expectant of what lies ahead.

There is food in this world. From the other side of the screen it wasn’t just once or twice that I wanted to eat something that was in the game. Alright, in my heart of hearts I’ve already decided….I will conquer food in this world, I will try everything.

Anyway back to the subject at hand.

“Hannah, what about your parents? The shop looks closed?”

“Uhm, m-my parents aren’t here right now.”

I already knew that though, her parents are part of a different side quest, without completing it this shop won’t open. I relaxed a little seeing this at least was the same as the game.

“Perfect.”

“P-perfect?!”

For some reason Hannah’s face grew Bright red. Ignoring her I pulled an item out.

“I’d like you to use on this. ”

“Huh?”

It seems it was different that what she expected, she stared at my face, then down at my hands, then back up at my face growing an even deeper shade of red.”

“Whats wrong?”

“N-nothing…. Nothing at all! So you want me to use alchemy huh aaaaah say it sooner next time!”

In my hand was my very first drop, slime jelly.

“So, what do you want me to make with this? Actually the only item I can make with this is slime konjac. Is that what you want? ”

[T/n: looking at it I’m pretty sure it’s that gross stuff that I always got at an izakaya along with cabbage… kinda looks tofu like? I’m 90% sure it’s gross…. Unless I’ve had a solid 8 beers before hand and the other food is taking forever….]

“No I have no need for slime konjac, for now I just want you to try mixing it up.”

“……………what, this?”

“Muddy water.”

“I can tell that just by looking, this is going to fail!”

“Perfect, I want a failure!”

” What does that even mean.”

Hannah seemed confused again, isn’t there some kind of equipment that can help her with that confusion problem?

“This is absolutely going to be a giant mistake.”

“Yeah! It is, isn’t it! ”

“I don’t understand~”

“What, you’ll understand after you try it.”

[Alchemy] is a skill that takes two materials and merges them together. When a material is off it causes a failure. But when the material is completely wrong there is a great failure and sometimes a strange phenomenon occurs. That was my goal.

Groaning Hannah put the ingredients into a clay pot and slipped on a bracelet with a level 1 alchemy skill embedded inside.

“Are you sure you want to do this? We can sti-”

“Yeah! Do it do it!”

“Uuuuuugh, I don’t understand you. ”

The moment Hannah’s “Alchemy” was activated, the clay pot-shaped alchemy kettle glowed green, the contents became black and muddy and spewed smoke.

Alright, as far as I can see, it’s a Great failure.

After a short wait, something slimy crawled out.