Free Web NovelChapter 100: Chapter 84: Large Potion Order
"Five hundred bottles?" Mary’s pupils constricted. She immediately nodded and said, "Of course. You can leave an address, and our workshop can deliver them for you."
"No, I can have some friends help me carry them," the Mage said, declining with a smile.
"Sir, our delivery service is complimentary. I would still recommend we deliver them—after all, these glass bottles aren’t cheap," Mary suggested.
The Mage considered for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. Please deliver them to the Moonlight Inn in the West District. The recipient is Qige, from the Storm Brotherhood."
Mary took out an order form, filled in the details, and pushed it toward the Mage. "Please sign here."
The Mage picked up the order form and carefully reviewed its contents before signing his name in the bottom-right corner. "Your shop is very professional," he remarked. "Even more so than the Alchemy Workshops in Black Lion City."
"Will you be needing any other potions?" Mary asked, slowly retracting the order form after the Mage had signed.
"Are you a member of the Storm Brotherhood?" Emlyn spoke up, his voice tinged with excitement.
"Er, yes, I am." The Mage turned to look at the Elf Ranger beside him, a smile quickly returning to his face. "Can I help you with something?"
"I’m an Adventurer, and I just signed up for the selection," Emlyn said, puffing out his chest as he stepped forward to introduce himself.
"I can tell you’re a Ranger," the Mage said with a nod. "The selection is still a few days away, so you should get some good rest until then."
"I heard the selection involves fighting in a team, but I’m all alone," Emlyn the Elf said, lowering his head, looking a little dejected.
The Mage chuckled and turned to scan the various potions on the shelves. "Ma’am, do you sell these potions in sets?"
Mary replied with a smile, "We do. Which type of battle pack are you looking for?"
"I think, instead of a set, it would be better to mix them all up. That’s the only way to find out which potions are most suitable in a real battle, isn’t it?" the Mage said with a mysterious smile.
"You make a very good point," Mary said, blinking as she instantly grasped his meaning.
’I get it.’ Emlyn also immediately understood the hidden meaning. ’So the selection will shuffle the applicants and form random teams. That really is a better way to see an individual’s combat aptitude.’
"Random teams! That’s great! I thought I’d have to go into the forest and kill a quota of goblins to get in." Emlyn let out a long sigh of relief.
"Goblins are such foolish creatures. How could they be used as a standard for the test?" the Mage said, reminding the Elf with a smile. He then asked, "As for Awakening Potions, do you have many in stock?"
"How many do you need?" Mary asked, taking a bottle of Awakening Potion from the shelf and handing it to the Mage.
"Two hundred bottles," the Mage stated calmly.
"We have them, but they aren’t part of the ’buy ten, get one free’ promotion."
The Mage inspected the potion. "The quality of your potions seems excellent," he said. "No sediment at all. They must be the work of a veteran Alchemist. I’ll take them."
"You’re correct, he is indeed a veteran Alchemist." After Mary had him sign the new order form, he left a deposit of 80 Gold Coins and prepared to leave.
"Good luck," the Mage said to Emlyn. After taking a few steps toward the door, he asked, seemingly at random, "Forgive me for asking, but when you were hunting goblins in the forest, did you happen to see any little goblins?"
"Er, no, I haven’t," Emlyn replied earnestly after tilting his head in thought.
"Alright, thank you." With that, the Mage pushed open the door and left.
"Did you still want your potion?" Mary asked with a smile, pointing to the Acceleration Potion on the counter.
"Yes, of course!" Emlyn said at once. "I’ll take one bottle—no, two bottles of Acceleration Potion."
He readily pulled out his coin purse. "Thanks again for the help earlier, ma’am."
"Think nothing of it." Mary collected the coins from the counter, then asked casually, "Why is everyone so eager to join the Brotherhood?"
"Because they’re strong! All the official members are Black Iron Level Adventurers, and their leader and strongest Mage are even Bronze Level. If you manage to join, hitting Black Iron Level is no problem at all. Plus, you get to follow them deep into the forest to explore Relics, which means even greater rewards."
"That does sound pretty good," Mary said with a nod and a smile.
Once the transaction was complete and the Elf Ranger had left, she took a notebook from under the counter and wrote in it with a serious expression:
Storm Brotherhood purchase: 500 Healing Potions, 200 Awakening Potions. Buyer specifically inquired about the whereabouts of little goblins. Suspect they are planning an extended stay in the forest.
Then, Mary smoothed her braided hair and thought for a moment before adding another line below: Possibly searching for something.
JINGLE. The brass bell on the back of the door rang as another customer entered. Mary closed her notebook and asked courteously,
"How may I help you?"
...
"Qige, what have you bought this time?" Matel asked, looking up from polishing his Longsword.
"Potions." Qige the Mage set down the book he was reading and sat beside him.
"Potions? Are our reserves not enough?"
"They are, but I found an Alchemy Workshop having a ’buy ten, get one free’ sale," Qige said with a grin.
"Then buy them out!" Matel boomed with a laugh. "Buy every last one they have."
Qige held up a hand, spreading his five fingers. "Five hundred bottles."
"That should last us a while. Is that Alchemy Workshop run by idiots? Putting Healing Potions on sale? I’ve never heard of such a thing in Black Lion City." Matel picked up his Longsword again, carefully inspecting its edge.
"Perhaps they’re worried Adventurers are too reluctant to use their potions while hunting goblins," Qige said.
"That reminds me of when we first became Adventurers. We were reluctant to use potions, too." Matel touched the long, thin scar on his cheek. "Back then, I even dreamed of hunting goblins in my sleep."
"And now, hearing a number like ’five hundred bottles’ doesn’t even make me flinch," he said, sliding the Longsword back into its sheath. "That Alchemy Workshop must have some serious resources. That’s a stockpile on par with the Count’s Mansion. You sure they aren’t watered down?"
"I inspected them myself. The color and consistency are fine, and there’s no sediment. I also bought two hundred Awakening Potions," Qige said, leaning back in his chair and picking up his book again.
"It’s a good thing you remember these details. I completely forgot about Awakening Potions. With those, we can stay in the forest for four and a half days. That’ll be more than enough time." Matel walked to a table and poured himself a drink. "Where are Yak and Ricardo?"
"One’s on the roof playing with his son. The other is probably getting played with by the beauties in the Red Light District," Qige said without looking up from his book.
"I’ll go get them. It’s time for a meeting." Matel straightened his clothes. "We need to discuss the Goblin Fortress."
He pushed the door open and left.
Qige didn’t look up. He kept his eyes on the book in his hands, the very picture of confidence, as if everything was already going according to plan.
