Chapter 32

“Lafetti you greedy bastard!!”

Drova angrily cried out. Her hand slammed on the table, and Rain almost jumped out in fright.

“Do you want a fight?!”

Even Stagna grit her teeth in anger. Although among the three, she was always the calmest, even a Buddha can get angry. That was my food!! She was now close, very close to shooting Lafetti with magic and blasts her away. “Lafetti, you better give back my food! Right now!”

Seeing the tension in the room becoming a warzone, Rain hurriedly tried to pacify them. “Jeez, Lafetti don’t be like that… I made more than usual so you can rest assured,” although these three are commonly getting along well despite the difference of their character and personality, it seems like as long as the food is involved, they became so scary…?

“Don’t talk as if I’m glutton!” Lafetti turned towards Rain with a scowl. You’re actually helping them rather than me?! Her gaze seemed to convey. “And also, even if I can’t eat them all, they are mine…why would I have to give it to them!?”

Stagna’s face turned even fiercer and her wind started to whirl around her hand in anger. Even Drova was extremely close to pulling the sword leaning against her chair.

Looking at them glaring at each other, Rain scratched the back of his head with a bitter smile. Laffeti was not usually like this. However, it seems like her annoyance somehow accumulated.

Rain stood up and brought his face closer to her, giving a light kiss on the crown of her head. “Come on, don’t be selfish. This is nothing, okay?” he said as he took the two wooden bowls from her and gave them back to Drova and Stagna who snorted in anger, somewhat calming down.

Lafetti gnashed her teeth and started eating on her own bowl, full of frustration. However, since it’s what Rain said, she couldn’t argue.

Drova and Stagna, both who were able to calm down stared at Rain and his care for Lafetti. His patience is really long…

They could not help but enviously praise him in their hearts.

No wonder whenever the other Lamians mentioned him, the envy in their words were so clear. Especially the humorous way his lips turned up or the watchful intelligence in his eyes as he looks at Laffeti.

Which girl, much less a Lamian would not want such a man!?

… …

Rain happily and quietly spent the days following his absorption into the tribe. The only thing that bothered him was how they always treated him like a breakable heirloom, afraid to fight against even the weakest monster, or let into the wild alone, or scolding him if he did wrong, using him in hard manual labor, or even fretting in front of him lest he shattered by the slightest touch.

Although he was truly grateful for being so treasured, sometimes it’s a bit suffocating. However, he didn’t put any complain and just smiled awkwardly. Rain knew he needed help, as he is truly the weakest, or at least, among the weakest of the tribe.

Most labor is beyond his strength capacity, and monsters could easily tear him apart. This was already deep in the Desolate Cave and monsters here are far stronger than those he had fought before. If he tries otherwise, it would only turn him into a burden to others.

Therefore, instead of doing something that will make him a burden to others, he turned his attention to simple but encouraging things such as the Tribe’s development in life, farm, and culture. Though not as knowledgeable as a professional, with the Smartphone as well as the knowledge accumulated in school, he was above in many aspects among the other people in the tribe, Thus, he was able to make himself a bit useful.

Rain focused all his attention on other things such as research in Alchemy, jobs in the Smithy with Miyabila, training with Drova and Stagna in the Practice field, helping Gretia in taking care of the children, cooking foods for the entire tribe, and the care of the farm field.

Despite not being able to help all the Lamians, he was able to pack his schedule with work and fun, it’s almost overflowing. Perhaps, many people would think it was fine to be lazy, being treated like a King by the entire Tribe, but Rain didn’t feel the same.

He might not be a workaholic in the previous world, but his everyday life is still packed with work. He barely had rest time, and now without doing anything even for an hour or two make him somewhat uncomfortable. He had always followed the principle of [No Work No eat]. And besides, he was somewhat guilty of being treated like a treasure and wanted to at least even repay the Lamians for all the care they have given.

... ...

Until three days ago there had been a deluge of warm rains inside the Desolate Cave, and since then the sun had inundated the land with the golden warmth of summer. The last chill was gone from the air, and the last bit of frozen earth and muck from the deepest and blackest swamps and clean and beautiful lake and rivers, north, south, east and west of the desolate cave—the wilderness world was a glory of bursting life.

Ridge upon ridge of yellows and greens covered the entire Desolate Cave like the blue color of a vast sea of verdant green; the lakes and waterways, glad about the rippling song of running waters, the sweet scents of early flowering time.

Unlike the other regions in the continent, the Desolate Cave and its neighboring regions only have two seasons; the season of cold and wet which was hailed by the rain and storm, and the season of dry and heat, the summer.

Morning sunlight winked through the canopy of leaves, and over the towering trees around the Tribe as her move towards her house. She had not stayed home last night since one of her sisters had needed a helping hand. It took quite a long time than she expected, and she could only stay for the night.

While walking through the village that was now changing slowly, she could hear the busy blows of the blacksmith’s hammer ringing from Miyabila’s forge, the happy conversation, and discussions of the Lamians around her, as well as the roars of some magical beasts.

Although the sun just appeared, the people in the village were already awake as they could be. This was her daily routine, like always. Though, it seemed to have changed lately.

When she arrived at her home, she entered. But then suddenly, she noticed that the door of the medicine room was unlatched and a pungent odor of medicine wafted through the crack in it. Walking towards the room, Sarete’s nose somewhat wrinkled—she wondered if she actually left some failed potion littered inside? Sarete’s brows furrowed. She was never that clumsy though?

However, when she was about to enter the room, suddenly she heard a very familiar voice—

“This would not work either… I thought the combination this time a success,”

It was an annoyed, but a somewhat helpless voice.

Sarete’s lips curled upwards. She immediately recognizes the voice as only a single person could make such a fine, mesmerizing voice in the entire tribe—One that would immediately light up her life just by mere listening of its tone and accent.

She opened the door and entered the room, and just like usual, saw a black-haired, blue-eyed youth sitting in front of the table with an unusual confused expression.

Rain Revert—the man she started to adore and the one who had changed, not only her life but also the life of the entire Tribe.

In front of him was a set of basic and simple herbs, a mortar and pestle, and a mixing bowl.

Within the bowl, the pungent smell of strong odor was coming out of it.

A purple-colored liquid, that looks like poison could be seen within the bowl—another failed product, I suppose.

Sarete chuckled. However, although a failure product indeed, still it’s actually not just mere failure since Rain had gotten fond of mixing whatever herbs and materials he could have his hand on without even caring about recipes, lately.

In fact, Rain was now capable of mixing a Basic Healing Potion, even though it’s just a Lv1 Potion, it was still quite a feat for him to be able to succeed on it only after two days of doing practical work. And even his success rate was beyond 70% at that, shocking even her who was hailed as a Genius in Alchemy among the entire Tribe when she was still a small child.

When she was still starting, she had studied for two to three months, memorizing all herbs and alchemy materials, as well as methods and practices, which was like a long hellish period of using one’s head. She even began practical alchemy after another two months. And even still, at that time, her success rate can never surpass 30 to 40%. And yet, Rain was actually able to exceed that—just how monstrous are his perception and talent?

It’s as if he can accurately measure how much ingredients and materials he should place in the mixing bowl to create a certain probability of success.

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But how he possibly does that, was beyond her?

Even if the Potion Brewing was one of the most basic branches of Alchemy, it was still quite difficult to grasp of its own.

The control and amount of materials, strength in stirring, the temperature and many more. Even Amateurs who had studied far longer than Rain would have a hard time perfecting it, creating a Lv1 Potion with above fifty percent certainty.

And yet, Rain who was just starting for a few days, less than a month rather, can brew Lv1 Potions as easy as eating.

Truly, his talent is incomprehensible.

Looking at his back, he was writing something on a yellow paper while scratching the back of his head. And the words coming from his mouth was like along chant for a high-level magical spell; “…let’s see, the eye of rock spider when ground to powder and mixed with Dallsfoot Grass will create a potion that enables the use of Rock Skin ability, but the side effect is being poisoned. The Rock Skin is a good effect, but being poisoned to death is the problem…it seems like the toxicity of the Rock Spider Eye needs to be mellowed down, if possible eliminated. The Dallsfoot Grass is a Lv2 Herb with antidote effect, still, it cannot completely eliminate the poison from the Rock Spider’s Eye…Is there another better ingredient to replace it? The Green Toad Mushroom cannot be used, since the combination would result in an even more powerful poison, with an added confusion due to its excessive aggressive nature. Is the Lv3 Antidote Herbs the only thing that be used? It can’t be… it would be too wasteful…”

Although he was a Genius, he was eccentric—

Sarete mused as she slithered towards him. It seems like he was quite focused on what he was doing as he didn’t notice her arrival. Looking at his back, she smiled wryly. He didn’t like following the orthodox way, obediently doing as what the recipe says. Although he would make Lv1 Healing Potion if necessary, most of the time, he was here doing some strange things, even Sarete couldn’t understand.

He was mixing several Herbs which didn’t suit each other, and just wouldn’t be able to create a better effect.

“Whatever have you been doing with yourself, Rain?”

Sarete asked in undisguised wonder as well as concern, somewhat startling Rain who was been writing in a book made from a paper he had made personally, which was, of course, have been used at this moment by the tribe. It was much better than the animal and beast leather they used before.

At first, Sarete didn’t know what he was doing after he accidentally found a plant that grows just beside the small river they were getting water for the field from. He appeared elated when he found it, and examined it for quite a long time, saying ‘Papyrus’ ‘Papyrus’ all the time while collecting the stalks, like a child who had found a toy. Then, when he returned to the tribe, he started peeling the long stalks into long strips. These strips were then laid out in two layers, one horizontal and one vertical, and pressed and dried.

Even Lafetti didn’t know what he was doing, or what kind of thing he was making. Then, before they knew it, he had already made a roll over a hundred feet in length. When he was asked what he was doing, he happily said that he was making paper.

Paper was not a foreign item for them as from time to time, whenever they plundered caravans before, they sometimes obtained this kind of item.

Yellow-colored papers and according to what they heard, these papers were expensive and bought in gold, which a piece of paper is enough to buy three to four fist-sized pieces of bread. And it seems like only nobility was interested to buy them.

However, although coarse, what Rain made was a paper that is not completely yellow in color, though somewhat pinkish but clear and clean compared to what they know of. To think that he knows how to create a Paper. If this was sold, how much money would they be able to gain from it?

Such an item might not be important for the others, but Sarete and several others; it was a very welcome item.

Now, they are starting to allocate a small part of the field to cultivate some plants that can be made to Paper. And with Rain’s other quirky items he had found interested in, the field is becoming bigger and bigger than before. Of course, no one complains, after all, whatever he found, they found it useful as well.

“Sarete, you scared me,” said with the merest hint of a smile on his face.

“Scared you good. Look at you, you are as thin as a lath and pale as snow bear… why are you shutting yourself in here? I bet you have not gone back home last night and have been kept in here like a dog in a cage,” remarked by Sarete as she stroke Rain’s somewhat disheveled hair.

She rubbed her fingers on his scalp like a mother caring for her child and loosening each tangled strands of hair. Her beautiful eyes flashed a trace of concern as well as blame. Though, her voice was as soft as an angel’s whisper.

“That should not be possible. I never missed my meals, and never will be. And besides, it’s just one night that we haven’t seen each other. How could I possibly change that much?” Rain retorted with a wry smile. “In that note, by the way, I did go home—you know, I could never do that as someone would surely drag me out here in the middle of the night to go back home if I ever am not at home for even an hour late,”

“That’s good to know, however, you are still here quite early. I bet you haven’t had a good night's sleep back home… this is the third day. Lafetti was blaming me on my way back for keeping you here all the time,”

“I’m sorry,” Rain apologized. Sarete’s stern expression immediately softened, however, not a second later, “However! I found it! Finally! I was able to succeed just now, well, almost”

Had he discovered a magic crystal mine, greater delight could not have shone upon his features. Sarete, somewhat dazzled by the smile on the youth’s face. And her own lips curved into a sweet as well, as if it was contagious.

“…Nevertheless, I was able to create a potion that can bestow the ability of [Rock Skin], only innately possessed by Rock Spiders, and most Earth-Based Magical Monsters. The only problem is the toxicity, however, if I were able to solve that problem… I would then be able to create a perfect and powerful defense tonic! I bet if this was created successfully, it might be classified as a Lv3 Magic Tonic!” Rain claimed excitedly.

Looking at his child-like expression, Sarete didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry from amusement, and also a bit of regret. “You do know that [Magic Channeling] is needed to make it reached the threshold of Lv3 Magic Potions.”

[Magic Channeling] is the use and control of magic to refine materials and increase the potency of potions. However, to use this Alchemic Method, one must know how to use magic first and have a good amount of control over magic. But Rain was incapable of doing that.

“I know…” Rain pursed his lips.

Sarete smiled helplessly and leaned over, planting a faint kiss on his forehead; “Don’t sulk. I told you it wouldn’t be long before you can. The Magic Awakening Stone had been prepared, and now it slowly getting purified by Threia so that a human can use it without a problem. And from what I can infer on Threia’s ability, three to four days at most for it to be completed. In short, you can now use the Magic you dreamed of, in just a few days…”

Rain’s smiled blossomed. “That would be great,”

Although a bit impatient, but Rain knows that it is necessary to refine and purifies the Magic Awakening Stone first. After all, the Magic Awakening Stone used in the Tribe is for a Magical race, which was passed down through every generation of their tribe and had been used by countless Lamians. Hence, the Magic Awakening Stone now possessed magic and spirit of the Lamian Specie.

To a Lamian, this would not be an issue. However, Rain was a Human.

If Rain used it as it is, the magic power of the Lamian Race might affect him, and whatever side-effects that will occur, might not be that pleasant.

For Rain’s sake, Zarda and the others decided to refine the Magic Awakening Stone before he could use it. It was a decision made for caution and prevention of any unnecessary outcome that might occur if he uses it in the future.

Sarete rubbed her fingers at his cheek in close proximity. Rain didn’t notice it before since he was quite excited, but now, his face couldn’t help but turn red. He averted his eyes in a hurry, ashamed; eliciting an amused chuckled from Sarete.

“An, anyway… doesn’t matter, since I’m pretty certain that magic is not a necessary factor for a Lv3 Potion to appear,” he remarked, rather stubbornly. “Mark my words; I can make a Lv3 magic potion without the use of magic, and only using basic herbs and materials as ingredients. Just like this one, which I was able to infer through all the trial and errors that I had done these past few days,”

Rain seized Sarete by the coat-sleeve and drew her over to the table at which he had been working. He then gave his journal towards Sarete and pointed at the words written on it; “…from what I know, there were already at least four defensive potions recorded in the book you gave me; [Ogre’s Blood], [Magic Defense], [Rough Hide] and lastly, [Scaled Armor].

[Ogre’s Blood] can strengthen the skin’s toughness like that of metal for a period of time, roughly fifteen to twenty minutes. And raises Healing ability and strength by double or even triple, by sacrificing speed which was reduced up to 20 to 30%. It’s considered a high-grade Lv4 Magic Potion.

[Magic Defense] is a Tonic that covers the entire body with a light-like barrier made from Magic Power. Although not as great and tough as [Ogre’s Blood] it’s still better since it lasts as long as you can still have the magic power left in your system. It’s a low-level Lv3 Magic Potion.

[Rough Hide] is also a low-grade Lv3 Magic Tonic. It can strengthen the defense, and make one’s skin as hard as a bark of a tree.

As for [Scaled Armor], it was a Lv4 mid-grade potion that enables one to create scales at the top of the skin to increase defense for ten to fifteen minutes...”

Reading the words written in his journal, Sarete was quite surprised by the quite accurate information written on it.

When she recalled the Book of Alchemy Recipe she had lent to him if she was not mistaken, there were only recipes and materials written on it and so simple descriptions—for example, this increased defense a lot… this generates scales and sort. However, in Rain’s journal, there were even numbers written on it. Then, here’s the question, is what he was writing on it really accurate?

If he did, how did he know?

If he had some kind of Appraisal ability, it would have been understandable…but did he?

As Sarete continued to wonder and was about to ask Rain this question, she was greeted with a brilliant smile; “…isn’t it?” she heard him say with a proud look. “Look at it, all of them needed high-level materials. If I were to create another defensive potion with only low-level materials used, don’t you think it would be much more economical? And from what I can infer, is that [Rock Skin] is much better than [Rough Hide] Potion.”

He cried, clapping his hands, and look as delighted as a child with a new toy. “What do you think of that?”

“I think I can see where you are coming from…” she muttered with a wry smile, the question on her mind disappearing like darkness covered by light. Rain’s extreme happiness affected her.

“Although there is a problem in toxicity, I’m confident to eliminate the poison and make the [Rock Skin] even stronger than its normal counterpart. I need some simple tests and time to verify the effects of several Antidote Herbs and find the most suitable one that can neutralize the poison within the [Rock Spider’s Eye] completely. If I did that, the [Rock Skin] Potion would be much better to use than other options, don’t you agree?” Rain’s eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and then, suddenly he stood up and placed his hand over his heart, playfully bowing as if to some applauding crowd conjured by his imagination.

“Indeed, I think everyone would also like to use it as well,” in fact, if it was created by you, they would be stumbling around to get it. They might even make it as an heirloom. Sarete thought amused, somehow a bit surprised at his enthusiasm. Still, his interest in Alchemy is truly something praiseworthy.

She then turned towards the medicine shelves and walk over it. Shelves of dried herbs lined the walls. She straightened jars of herbs and potions, checked to see which of them might help or aid Rain’s experiment. Although some of them were rare and precious, especially for the people outside the cave. However, if Rain needed them, she would give them all to him, even if they become a waste. His smile alone is enough for their sacrifices.

“Still, if you want to eliminate the poison, I think you might as well try using this Aracobra’s Gall, ground into fine powder as well as Lilip Weeds.” She grabbed the flasks labeled Aracobra’s Gall and Liver Powder as well as Lilip Powder and scooped a spoonful of each into a cup, then used a dipper to ladle in. “These are good materials to neutralize poison,”

“Hm, actually I’m also thinking of trying that.” Rain grinned happily.

… … …