Paintbrush Summoner – 38

Chapter 38 – Raising flags without realizing it


Making one healing potion required ten healing herbs. As well as magic water.

The herbs were boiled, and the potent substances were extracted. With alchemy, everything unnecessary was removed until what was left was a thick, high-ranking potion.

Diluting this by half was a mid-rank potion.

And a low-rank potion was only a tenth of the original liquid.

Furthermore, even if you knew the method, you need special alchemy magic spells, or the herbs would be ruined while boiling them.

As this work required a lot of focus and was tiring, it was said that an alchemist could only make ten bottles at the most.

(…I know what is normal now!)

Menew repeated in his mind what he had been taught.

He now had sixty pieces of gold in a leather bag.

Twenty per box. If this was the wholesale price, the products must have been of very good quality.

(I did get a list, just in case…)

120 potions of the highest quality.

Also, antidotes for poison, paralysis, protection from demons, attraction to demons, a cockatrice tear(cures petrification)… Cockatrice tear? What is that? Had they really gathered it?

“Menew. Did you finish selling everything?”

Ralph asked, as he was thinking and walking on their way back from the guild. It was already evening.

Out of the three quests, he had already finished one of them.

“Ah, uh, I did finish. But not really…”

“…?”

Ralph gave him a puzzled look, and so he beckoned him to a secluded alley.

He then explained to him what had happened, and then Ralph put a hand to his mouth and thought about it.

“Actually…I did a little asking around at the Adventurers Guild. About illegal potions.”

“What about the lord?”

“It seems to be related to that. Ever since we gave Totto our protection, many veteran Adventurers have been hired by the lord. Especially those who are good scouts.”

Yes, a flag.

“…I have a bad feeling about this. Could it be that they are searching for Totto?”

“The lord’s mansion is located to the northwest. It’s a good thing that the inn was in the other direction. But perhaps it is not so safe anymore. …According to what I heard, these scouts are very good at gathering information…”

Menew organized the information in his head.

The landlord was selling illegal potions and getting rich off of the profits.

However, after losing Totto, who had been making them, he was now selling the potions to Adventurers, which had not been customers before.

By doing this, he secured the help of Adventurers who were good at scouting and finding information. And like this, he was searching for Totto.

“Maybe…right now, the expenses don’t match the earnings?”

“I suppose. He is likely spending too much on personnel.”

And so he must want to secure Totto quickly and decisively.

“Alright. Let’s go back to the inn and speak to Totto.”

He could confirm their suspicions and fill them in, and then they could decide what to do.

When they opened the door, Totto greeted them with a cheerful, ‘welcome back!’

At his feet, there was another mountain of valuable potions.

“Uh, yes. We’re back.”

Menew looked a little tired as he placed the potions into the wooden boxes they had brought back.

(This must be how Ralph usually feels. I now feel pretty bad for him…)

However, when it came to Totto, the knight was rather calm.

After everything but the atelier corner were cleared, Menew and Ralph sat down while facing Totto.

“First, today’s sales. I’m giving it to you, because it’s your money.”

Totto’s eyes widened when he felt how hefty the bag was.

“What…no way… This much?”

“Yes. However, the quality and amount do not match the materials or time spent making them. Totto. How did you do it?”

Totto tensed up when he heard this question.

“The lord is currently gathering people who are good scouts. It seems like they are searching for someone.”

Before Totto could answer, Ralph had opened his mouth.

Totto tensed up even more. He was looking down and shaking. Then he seemed to make up his mind, and with teary eyes, he raised his head.

“Will you listen to me… My story…”

“Of course, we will. You asked us for help, and we said we would. We will help you, Totto.”

Menew replied as if it was the most obvious thing, and then Totto burst into tears.

“My-my mother…died…!”

“Your mother? When?”

“Five…days…ago… And so…I ran away…just like she told me…”

Totto said between sobs. After that, Ralph went downstairs to get some tea for them. And Menew hugged Totto and patted him on the back until he calmed down.

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