“Um, so? Why the sudden need for an elixir?”
“Ah, well… how should I put this… I’m sorry, but it’s classified information, so I can’t share the details, even with you, Seras. But if I can share one thing… a very important figure in this country has fallen gravely ill and, just recently, has been in critical condition. That’s why we urgently need an elixir to treat their illness.”
“I see. I don’t fully understand, but it sounds like a pretty serious situation.”
Because it was classified, I wasn’t told who had fallen ill, but judging from Douglas’s anxious demeanor, it was clearly a dire situation.
“Exactly. But finding an adventurer who can retrieve something as rare as an elixir, the ‘universal panacea,’ from a dungeon is almost impossible. We’re all scrambling to figure out how to obtain such a rare item immediately…”
“Ah, I see. Well, if that’s the case, would you like me to give you an elixir?”
“Huh? W-Wha—?! Seras! Do you… do you have an elixir?!”
When I responded in my usual tone, Douglas was visibly shocked and blurted out the question in disbelief.
“Yes. Not long ago, I managed to gather all the rare materials needed to make an elixir and decided to try creating one.”
“Y-you mean you made an elixir?! Not stumbled upon one in a dungeon?!”
“Yeah, that’s right. I crafted it through alchemy.”
After years of tirelessly experimenting with alchemy, my skill level had already maxed out.
Now, I could craft any item available through the alchemy system as long as I had the required materials. Persistence really is the key to success.
(Of course, making an elixir requires an enormous amount of rare materials, so the crafting difficulty is extremely high.)
But I had wanted to prepare an elixir as an emergency remedy in case of a life-threatening situation during battles with bandits. Over several years, I diligently gathered enough materials to craft a single elixir.
And just recently, I finally finished collecting everything I needed and decided to test the process. That’s how I ended up with the homemade elixir I now held in my hand.
“Seras, you’re amazing… being able to craft an elixir yourself… you’re truly incredible!”
“Not at all. I just studied alchemy tirelessly, and eventually, I could make it. That said, the materials are so heavy and rare that I can’t make them often, but if it can help someone in need, please use this elixir. Here, take it.”
I handed the glass bottle containing the elixir to Douglas. He accepted it with wide, sparkling eyes, visibly excited.
“This… this is the real deal. With this, we can save that person! Seras, thank you so much!”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that. I don’t know who they are, but if someone important to this country can be saved, that’s more than enough for me.”
“Seras… you’re incredible! Oh, right… about the payment for the elixir… I’m sorry, but it’s such an expensive item that the guild doesn’t have enough funds to pay for it all at once. Would it be okay if we paid in installments?”
Douglas’s earlier excitement faded as he now wore an apologetic expression. Well, even in the game, elixirs were considered unpurchasable due to their rarity. I could imagine it’d cost a fortune to buy one outright.
So, I said…
“You don’t need to pay me. You and the guild staff have always taken care of me. Besides, if it helps someone in need, that’s enough for me.”
“W-what?! But an elixir is an incredibly rare item! It’s worth so much money that you could live comfortably for the rest of your life with just one! Are you sure you don’t want a reward—”
“No, really, it’s fine. Thanks to the guild buying recovery potions from me over the years, I’ve saved up plenty of money. And you and the staff have helped me countless times since I was a kid. Consider this elixir my way of repaying that kindness. Just take it and use it to help. If something happens to me in the future, I hope you’ll lend me a hand, too. Haha.”
“Seras… fine. We’ll never forget this favor! Whatever happens, the guild staff and I will support you with everything we’ve got!”
“Thanks, that’s reassuring. I look forward to continuing to work with you all.”
“Of course! And again, thank you so much for today! We’ll never forget this!”
After saying this, Douglas and I exchanged a firm handshake.
With the upcoming bandit attack event, knowing I had allies like Douglas and the guild nearby made me feel much more secure.
