Baggage Carrier ①
Day 1.
I went to the Forest and gathered medicinal herbs while looking at the Herbal Encyclopedia.
Day 2.
I performed Compounding with the herbs I gathered.
Day 3.
I left home impulsively. I headed towards the Witch’s place.
I didn’t want to go.
But, the Witch’s place was the only option left.
I kept using the Crescent Vessel’s Compounding function continuously for three days.
After using up all the medicinal herbs I had gathered, I understood.
It’s impossible. As I am now, I can’t even make a Potion.
I mixed the medicinal herbs listed as Potion ingredients in the Herbal Encyclopedia.
A dark red liquid and a blue-green liquid—but no matter how many times, tens or even hundreds of times, I tried Compounding them.
They didn’t even become Potion-like substances.
In other words, I haven’t even reached the starting line.
I was naive. I thought if I had Compounding, I could do it easily.
Everything I managed to create over three days of Compounding wasn’t a Potion.
Not even a recovery medicine.
Just in case, I tried drinking one. After lightly cutting my finger, I drank it.
It wasn’t so bad I wanted to vomit. But it wasn’t delicious enough to drink down either.
It was just plain bad. Not tasty. And my wound didn’t heal.
I tried various things over and over again. Nothing worked at all.
I want to at least reach the starting line.
The way to reach the starting line.
The moment I instantly understood, I was aghast.
It’s not here.
If it exists anywhere, it’s only at the Witch’s place.
That’s right, I was told it wasn’t anywhere else, not even at Ambrosius-san’s place.
A book detailing the Compounding methods for Potions and the like.
I suddenly wondered. Had the Witch anticipated this?
She probably did anticipate it. After all, she’s the Witch.
She’s the woman who can Compound the Potions I failed to make while humming a tune.
I remember that time.
The Witch’s demonstration with the Crescent Vessel.
I thought she was just tossing things in haphazardly.
I thought even being rough, one could at least make a Potion.
That’s how carelessly she seemed to handle it.
But now I understand. Her skill. She’s mastered it.
I hurried, dispatching the monsters along the way with rough speed.
Even so, I only arrived at the Witch’s house past noon.
A brick house in a hollow at the base of a gnarled, crooked tree.
A wooden door. I rang the doorbell situated diagonally above it.
Chirin chirin.
“Yes, yes. Please wait just a moment, nee. I’m opening it now, nee.”
Shaking her large fox ears, the Witch popped her head out from the crack in the door.
Seeing me, her eyes widened.
“Oh my, my, well, well, if it isn’t Wof-shounen, nee.”
“H-Hello.”
The Witch wore a pitch-black patterned robe over a pitch-black patterned dress.
As usual, truly witch-like attire.
Her chest was daringly open, and her skirt was short. Her three fluffy tails were conspicuous.
Haa, if she bent over even slightly, it looked like I could see under her skirt.
“Now, now, come in, come in, don’t hesitate, nee.”
“Y-Yes. Excuse me for intruding.”
I was led into the living room.
As always, the living room was cluttered with various things.
Mountains of books that couldn’t fit on the bookshelves. Waves of suspicious tools with unknown uses.
Numerous staves spilling out of the staff holder and rolling around.
For some reason, paintings, pots, statues, necklaces, rings, and the like were scattered about in great numbers.
The only thing barely unscathed was the sofa.
“Well, well, have a seat, nee. I’ll bring some Herbal Tea now, nee.”
“Ah, um, please don’t trouble yourself!”
She had already gone.
Giving up, I sat down on the sofa.