- Shari -

By now, I’ve been dealing with Liqu for a considerably long time.

All her antics, obsessive behavior, and what I summarize under the term "slime logic" left me, at one time or another, completely exasperated.

On the other side, I’ve been under the onslaught of all this strangeness for so long that by this point I believe that I’ve developed a certain resistance to it.

Which is a skill desperately needed if one needs to deal with this pure illogic.

However, it seems I overestimated myself, as right now my mind fades completely blank and even high-speed processing only serves to emphasize how I have absolutely no idea about what to do next when I see a stupidly long queue of people in ragged clothes leading to the building I bought.

And is that a sign with a potion bottle on it?!

What in this vexatious world is going on here!?!!

Since I won't find anything out by staring at the incomprehensible, I decide to delve in there.

"Hey, get in line! We were here first!" (queue stander)

Excuse me!?

Okay, high-speed processing.

Calm down Shari, take your time to think.

Freaking out won't help you deal with this situation.

First, I should politely ask what is going on.

"Sorry, but what is going on here?" (Shari)

"You don't know!? We're waiting for our turn to get potions." (queuer)

Riiiight...

Okay, asking politely doesn't help me process this.

I'm still confused.

Seems like I have to head in there.

"Hey! I said get back in line!" (queuer)

"No, you listen! This is my building, and I'll now find out what the fuck is going on in there!" (Shari)

I point a gloved finger at him for the sake of intimidation and am on my way.

Unfortunately, not all the queuing people either heard or believed me, as my attempt to pass through the new door provokes several "heys" and other unfriendly reactions.

After a short time attempting to squeeze by them, I'm almost ready to believe that maybe I just went into the wrong street here before I, at last, finally succeed in pushing past the upset people to the inside.

Probably only managing to do so because of my weight and body-shaping advantage.

Did I mention that I'm still completely at a loss as to what is transpiring here?

Well, that confusion doesn't decrease in the slightest when I see what's going on inside.

"Here is your request. That comes to twenty copper." (Nia)

I see Okin carrying something from the back room.

Once I look closer, I see that it's a bowl that contains some of the blue liquid, which given the color, can only be one of my potion experiments.

Nia takes it, fills a tiny wooden cup with it, and hands it over.

"Huh, I hoped it would be more, but I guess it's fair." (customer!?!)

"You'll see that it works." (Nia)

What. The. Fuck!

"Ahem!" (Shari)

Promptly, the two of them freeze.

"Oh... Hello!" (Nia)

"Don't 'hello' me! Instead, tell me what is going on here, right this instant!" (Shari)

I'm not even sure what I'm upset about here.

Maybe I had slight concerns after Michael's remark that they might actually have stolen something, as unlikely and stupid as this would seem considering that they know who they would agitate by doing so.

Yet what transpires here is so far out of my expectations that this feeling of irritation completely overwhelms me.

"Uh, you see, we kinda... Thought about a way to repay you for your kindness. Yes, that's it!" (Nia)

"My sister isn't lying!" (Okin)

Sure.

Because the truth needs several reaffirmations.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Well, we found a good opportunity for you." (Nia)

To put it mildly, I'm not completely convinced about this.

The man at the counter, meanwhile, took the chance to escape.

Yet a moment later, another sounds from behind me.

"What's taking so long?! It's my turn!" (annoyed queuer)

* Slime dash!

"Shut up! I'm dealing with something here!" (Shari)

"Clonk"

And with this, the door is shut.

"And now back to you. Would you mind telling me, from the start, what exactly led to this?" (Shari)

"Uh, after I finished the door some people came by, wondering what exactly we're doing. I got worried they might think that I was breaking in and told them the truth, that we're working for you." (Okin)

"Then we were asked what you do, and I remembered the potions. Apparently, they thought that you're opening up a shop in this area and wanted to know what you're going to sell." (Nia)

"So... to clarify, you opened a shop in my name here? Without my knowledge, to point it out. Essentially selling what I created? Did I get this right?" (Shari)

"Well, you left some stuff here. By the way, this healing salve is well-received." (Nia)

What I left is something that was part of my body!

You're basically selling me here!

Okay, Shari, calm down.

Freaking out won't help bring order into this chaos.

"But look! We made so much money! That must be like five silver!" (Okin)

"I even had to raise the prices!" (Nia)

I look behind the counter and find a large assortment of copper coins.

I'm sure Okin isn't great at math, but my quick estimation let me end somewhere around six silver.

Which at least covers the cost of the ingredients.

For example, the velora roots for the stamina potion cost me thirty copper per piece.

For what I created, I dissolved around three of them, which in my theory would've come to one larger potion of decent quality after I would've repeatedly waited for more of the slime to evaporate.

Yet from what I could see, she's using a less-pure version and only selling the tiniest amounts at once.

So they might have made some profit.

Nonetheless, I'm concerned and agitated, especially since I think Nia is being quite thoughtless here.

"Weren't you still recovering?" (Shari)

"That stamina potion worked really well. I don't feel the least bit tired and have still some sips to go. One of the reasons why I thought selling them would work." (Nia)

Uuuhh, and I thought only Liqu would be capable of causing this impossible headache.

Just what am I supposed to do in this situation?

"Knock, knock"

It seems the people on the other side of the door would like to decide that for me.

Unfortunately, I don't even have a lock yet, so keeping them outside only works so far.

"E-excuse me?" (woman)

To my surprise, it isn't the same person on whom I closed the door in their face.

Seems like hospitality towards the customers is still a factor, even in ridiculous cases like this.

"Yes?" (Shari)

"I-is it true that you're an alchemist?" (woman)

Maybe honesty will get me out of this.

"Not really. I'm only dipping a bit into it. I merely have rudimentary knowledge and just know a few basic recipes. In fact, I'm only an apprentice in another shop. You might know it. Tamarah's, to the north." (Shari)

This might finally tell them that I'm not worth all the attention so things can go quiet again.

"So you really are an alchemist?! And selling here to us? This is incredible!" (woman)

Did she not listen!?!

"Ehm, you understood that I barely have any experience, right?" (Shari)

"But the potions work, don't they?" (woman)

Why is she so excited?

"Well, yes. They're not perfect, but do their job without side effects." (Shari)

"My, my son got poisoned. Do you have something for him?" (woman)

"Poisoned?!" (Shari)

"Maybe a delora bush. Those grow wild in the town. They often get uprooted, but you know, Evergrove." (Nia)

"Y-yes. My son was hired for this. He lost his balance and fell right into the pile." (woman)

"Oh damn. A bit isn't too bad, but basically rubbing yourself into the leaves is certainly not good. Usually, it's only a rash and weakness, but too much and you won't be able to breathe." (Nia)

"Please! Do you have something to help him?!" (woman)

Why all this sudden drama?!

"Poisoning. Shouldn't a healer be able to help with this?" (Shari)

Healers might not be good with diseases, but poisoning is more like a finite negative factor one can counter with enough positive energy.

That's at least what the book said.

"I, I can't afford a healer. When I heard that there's an alchemist with affordable prices, I thought I might try." (woman)

These are still the slums.

As such, I shouldn't expect too much money going around here.

I move a little closer to clarify this.

"But can you afford even my goods?" (Shari)

They seem intimidated.

Is it the mask?

"I, I can pay. Just not much." (apparent customer)

Well, if that doesn't sound promising.

"Sigh. Okay, a detox potion. I'll have to brew it fresh and do a bit of research. How about fifty... thirty copper." (Shari)

That flinch she received just now at "fifty" was enough of an answer to reconsider.

"Y-yes. Sure. As you wish." (woman)

"Fine. Wait closeby. I'll see what I can do." (Shari)

Just what did I get myself into here?

I mean, yes, I wanted to learn how to help people.

Especially, in the case if they were poisoned.

The reason is that Dion's death showed me quite well how little I can do once a foreign substance is already inside the body and I felt quite helpless back then.

Anyway, I procure my book to check if I'm right about my ability to brew a detox potion.

Fortunately, I also bought a bit of coratis grass, which is a weak universal detoxifier.

It shouldn't work on anything exotic, but delora isn’t that strong of a poison.

I reference it twice with the book, which conveniently has a list of venoms coratis grass works against and different variations to amplify the result.

So I slip out of my cloak and start my "brewing".

Well, basically, I carefully dissolve the ingredients while avoiding the reagents within.

Naturally, the coratis grass, then half a clearsprout plant, as they can also mitigate to a very small degree, just like with a rash.

After this, a bit of stamina potion, to return the lost strength, and not to forget, some dark leaves, for the taste, as coratis grass is totally gross.

This is coming from someone who repeatedly fell into all kinds of plants.

The mixing is the most difficult part of this.

This, and separating any unnecessary amounts of slime from the mix.

The result is certainly not great, but for an on-the-fly job it should pass.

I'm just finished with bottling it up when Nia enters.

"Is the order ready?" (Nia)

"Yes. I'm not happy with the concentration, but if her son drinks it all it should work." (Shari)

"Great. Do you want me to hand it over?" (Nia)

To be honest, it would be a hassle to put my gloves and cloak back on.

"Sure. Just tell her I want the bottle back." (Shari)

"Will do so! Oh, by the way, we may need some more stamina potion. That stuff sells like crazy." (Nia)

Is she for real?!

I look to the side and see that the respective pot is almost empty.

Sigh, seems like I'll have to refill them.

If I just wouldn't have to literally form this stuff out of my own body.