Chapter 23

The Golden Elixir.

A potion of life that, as long as you don’t die, can instantly heal any fatal wound or deadly disease.

From crawling on the bottom to becoming the master of Golden, from the position of mocking the world at the top of the empire, she had seen too many deaths.

Ironically, the master of Golden, who had used people’s lives and deaths as her own tools, came to fear death.

Therefore, she wished to escape death.

This was the long-cherished wish of the master of Golden, Iris Viden.

And the Golden Elixir was one of the most perfect tools to grant her wish.

“You know its whereabouts?”

Even at Iris’s question, I blurred my answer with a mysterious smile.

It would have been natural to get annoyed at my silent attitude, but instead of spewing anger, Iris waited leisurely and observed me.

“For that, you bribed countless Academy students and had the Golden merchant guild members enroll several times. You even sent your adopted son.”

The first place the Golden Elixir showed itself in this world was a certain dungeon managed by the Academy.

It was a discovery that turned the world upside down, but after that, the elixir never came out of any dungeon.

The one and only elixir was used here and there, and in the end, it was exhausted, and only the empty bottle was strictly stored in the imperial treasury.

If so, there was no choice but to find and monopolize the second elixir.

“The money spent just to find the elixir is in the billions of gold. But you can find it?”

“If you make a contract with me, I will definitely put the elixir in your hands.”

“What’s in it for you?”

“There are some food ingredients I want to request from the master of Golden.”

“…What?”

The face of the master of Golden crumpled messily.

Was it an unexpected answer? Well, what kind of crazy person would come all this way just to get some food ingredients?

That crazy person was right here, though.

“Well, let’s just say that having the master of Golden at my back is also a goal.”

At my small addition, Iris let out a clear laugh, puhahaha.

It was a little surprising, a different side from the face of the shrewd merchant.

“Alright, that’s fun. But surely you don’t mean to make a contract with me empty-handed?”

“Are you saying you need a down payment? To want something like that from a student, how much did you sell your conscience for?”

“I sold it for a very high price.”

The gracefully curving eyes and leisurely voice felt quite detestable.

“…Is it okay if I sell an idea?”

“Yes, by all means. I am a merchant who pays a price for anything of value.”

If so, something comes to mind.

Basically, the food in this world is generally greasy. And, there was a good way to relieve a stomach churning from greasy food.

“How about you try selling a beverage?”

“A beverage? Are you talking about something like fruit juice? It’s too common.”

If it were that common, I wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place.

“It’s not an ordinary juice. It’s closer to an artificial taste. Simply put, it’s a ‘carbonated drink’.”

It’s a famous fact that X-ca Cola originally started as a medicine.

What I was going to sell to the master of Golden was carbonated water and a drink that would be sold based on it.

Perhaps with the alchemy foundation that Golden has, it might be possible to reproduce X-ca Cola even in a world like this.

“A mere beverage recipe is the down payment?”

The master of Golden frowned, as if unable to understand.

It’s a natural reaction.

Even if you told the person who first developed cola, ‘This is a drink that people all over the world will love, so let’s make a contract!’ the reaction wouldn’t be ‘Oh! Let’s do it right away!’ but rather ‘What is this, this scammer bastard?’

“You can decide on the commercial value after you’ve tried it yourself.”

When I requested paper and a quill pen, her double willingly provided them.

Once, when I didn’t want to go outside and had a lot of time, I tried making carbonated water and cola myself to kill time.

It was a relief that I remembered it well because I had done it once.

I wrote down the recipe as it came to mind and handed it to her.

“Here’s the recipe.”

“You said you’d give me the Golden Elixir, but the down payment is a mere fruit juice recipe.”

It’s not just a fruit juice.

The double, who breezily ignored my grumbling, was about to receive the recipe when I snatched it back to my side.

What is this? The master of Golden asked with her eyes.

“The profits from the recipe, you’re not going to hog it all to yourself, are you?”

“You sure take your share diligently, wasn’t this my down payment?”

“He’s my son’s junior, so you can take care of him a little.”

“Well, I suppose that’s fine.”

Oh, she’s being very compliant. I thought I’d have to argue a bit more.

“I’ll give you 10% of the profits. I don’t know if this recipe has that much value, though.”

“It will be enough.”

“You’d better pray it is. Now, hold out your hand.”

At her instruction, I held out my hand without hesitation.

Looking at my outstretched hand, she let out a leisurely smile.

“You’d do well not to trust others so easily.”

“Is there a reason not to trust the master of Golden?”

Moreover, I’m about to make a contract with her now.

“It’s because it’s me that you shouldn’t trust.”

She raised her fingernails and lightly scratched my wrist.

A red mark was engraved on my delicate skin, and the red mark soon became a line that looked like a snake’s scales and scattered.

“I’ll contact you later.”

“Understood.”

“Today was quite fun. Even if the deal doesn’t go through, will you still hang out with my disciple?”

“Well, if it’s possible.”

I couldn’t give a definite answer, so I just vaguely mumbled.

* * *

After Theo Lisitoel left, the woman looked at the pipe, where embers still remained, burning.

“It’s strange.”

“What is so strange?”

The woman naturally flicked the still-burning ashes onto the man’s palm.

Even though it must be hot, her double doesn’t let out any groan. He just kneels on one knee and waits for the woman’s command.

“I should want to break his neck, but instead, it’s fun.”

“If you wish it now, my lady, I will bring him.”

“That’s enough, it’s not like I’m going to war with Evan Lisitoel.”

Well, she did want to keep him by her side and play with him by poking him now and then.

Ah, in that sense, Theo Lisitoel was certainly Evan’s son.

Iris had attended the Academy at the same time as Evan Lisitoel, and every time she ran into him, she wanted to break Evan’s neck.

“…….”

Here, the woman’s word was absolute.

This Golden was the land the woman ruled, her own grand temple where she reigned as a god.

“It’s funny, isn’t it? He said he’d give me the Golden Elixir, but all he wants is food ingredients. He can’t bring it right away, so he’ll give me a down payment, and that’s a mere beverage recipe.”

But, what should I say… as a merchant, I had a strange conviction.

This would be quite delicious. It would bring her an enormous amount of gold─

“He’s a very interesting child, isn’t he?”

“If you think so, my lady, then it must be so.”

For now, I’ll have to make a contract, even if this recipe doesn’t have that much value.

Though the contract terms will have a lot of things added that will be disadvantageous to him.

“I hope it’s as valuable as you say.”

If not, he would have to become a slave of Golden.

Iris burst out laughing.

It was a day that wasn’t languid for the first time in a very long time.

* * *

The moment I left the building, walking up the stairs behind the master of Golden, tiring! the system displayed a new window.

[Congratulations!]

[You have completed the sudden quest!]

+++

<Sudden Quest> [Complete]

You have found favor with the master of Golden, Iris Viden.

She will make a contract with you.

However, all that remains to be decided are the terms of the contract.

-Reward: EXP 2000

+++

Nice!!!

I clenched my fist and swallowed a cheer.

How much I had suffered to find favor with Iris Viden.

I watched her like a hawk and chose my words carefully to say things she might like. My head really almost died from the headache.

“The terms of the contract to be decided in the future…”

If I fail, do I become a Dobb* who can’t receive socks for the rest of his life?

A Dobb* who can’t shout ‘Xbby is free!’ how horrifying just to imagine.

Moreover, the opponent was that master of Golden.

The master of Golden, who proudly took first place in the community poll for the character you don’t want to meet as a boss with a 93% vote rate!

A slave contract with her, how thrilling just to imagine!

“I really hope it goes well.”

If I introduce a carbonated drink into a world where all they have is fruit juice, it’s bound to be a success… but you never know what will happen in the world.

“Well, that wasn’t my only purpose.”

If I can draw the master of Golden to the hero’s side, there are many benefits to be gained.

Besides, perhaps I can prevent the relationship between Viden mother and son from hitting rock bottom and avoid the tragedy of Part 1.

Avoiding the tragedy of Part 1 meant I could prevent the misfortune that would start to grow in earnest at the end of Part 1 from the very beginning.

If so, this world might be able to escape destruction.

“…….”

The village I was watching was exceedingly peaceful.

Carriages came and went, and students chattered, overflowing with energy.

Watching that scene, I felt a little strange.

《That chicken skewer you were eating earlier, I want to eat it too.》

Albedo, who had climbed up my body at some point, settled on my shoulder and wrapped its tail around my neck.

“…Can a lizard eat something like a chicken skewer?”

《I’m not an ordinary lizard, am I?》

“It would be a big problem if you were caught.”

Yes, things would get hopelessly tangled.

But I definitely felt a little better.

I patted Albedo’s head with a certain amount of gratitude.

“Alright, let’s buy a lot and share it with everyone.”

I want to prevent the tragedy of Part 1.

But, even sightseeing on Mount Kumgang comes after a meal.

I smiled willingly and headed towards the streets of the village.

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