[Your disposition with the town of Kyushu has increased!]
“It’s not what it looks like,” I said as I helped the man stand. “I take no credit for this. Let’s just say a dryad friend of mine gave you her blessing.”
The man appeared to be in his early forties, broad-shouldered, and really, looked exactly like you’d expect a hard worker of his profession to look. Add in the marriage, because they were always in high demand.
The brown-haired man had a good-natured look to him, someone of honest living.
“You… or, eh, your dryad friend saved me,” he said, though in the depths of his voice, didn’t seem too convinced. “But the potion. You’re the new potion maker ,right? I’ve never heard of a potion that could heal broken bones instantly and painlessly.”
Ah, shit. You know, I should probably refrain from using the appraiser too much. I did have the ability to analyze these things myself. The only reason why I considered it for the second time was for appearances and to establish my own connections with the people in this town.
“I am, but don’t worry about that,” I said. “I’m just glad you’re okay. You’re lucky that massive tree didn’t outright kill you.”
The man seemed to collect himself. “You’re right. I was surprised by a spirit beast, that’s all.”
“Spirit beast?” I asked, a bit worried. “I thought the mana in this area was too weak to attract any.”
“Same here,” the man said. “Wanda’s ass, I didn’t get a good look at it. Was it a zinger-cat, wind wolf, bear? I can’t remember.”
“Let’s just get you to the others,” I suggested. “We can worry about the spirit beast later.”
“Are you sure… you’re not a magician?” the man asked.
“Just a potion maker,” I replied. “And, you know what, a new customer.”
The man chuckled. “It’s fine if you want to keep secrets. I know what I… dreamed. I’ll make anything you request, free of charge. By the way, I’m Tom.”
“I’m Nate,” I replied, accepting his handshake. “Also, I don’t want to put you out of business. I’m a business owner too you know, or eh, trying to become one.” I made eye contact with the man. “If the popularity of a potion maker can save this town, return business to it and bring down the inflation, I’m all for it.”
The man cracked a smile. “We don’t get many merchants that actually care about our town.” He scratched the stubble on his chin. “Just know, word may eventually get out if you’re making potions like this. You may attract some city folk or jealous types looking for any way to destroy you.”
“My dryad friend’s a woman of peace,” I told him. “If they cause trouble for the people here, she may command the earth to banish them from these lands.”
Tom chuckled.
Hey, I could put on the dramatics too.
As expected, there was a crowd waiting for us when we exited the woods. Late guards were marching in with saws and a stretcher. The woodworker’s wife damn near knocked her husband over as she dove into him for a hug.
Everyone else looked dumbfounded, mouths agape. The guards almost dropped their tools. This was… one of those times I wanted to pull a Tom and Jerry sneak-away routine, but all eyes were on me, several questions beaming within them. I had one. Why the fuck did they leave the man behind and unguarded like that? Did they all decide to run for help or were they secretly scared of the spirit beast someone mentioned?
“He had a little help from a health potion,” I told them. “As for the tree, let’s just leave the thanks to my dryad friend. She can command the earth at will.”
Tom looked a bit uneasy and too damn sharp for his own good, but that didn’t matter. The people appeared to have bought my lame explanation.
“Anyway, back to work I go. I need to find myself a table, to set up shop today.”
“Sir Nate, was it?” a blonde woman asked. “I’m Lina. My husband has a wooden shop table he no longer uses. Please take it as thanks.”
A bearded man with dark hair beside her shrugged. “I’m Hamlet, but just call me Big Ham like everyone else. You saved Tom’s life. The least we can do is get you a table for your shop. And if there’s anything else we can help you with, just say the word.”
“I seriously owe you a life debt,” Tom said as he wiggled away from his short wife. “You and your dryad friend. Where is she?”
“She’s at the camp. You’ll see her today at the stand,” I said. “Try to keep it casual. We don’t want to make her uncomfortable.”
Tom, who was certainly suspicious of me, spoke first. “Sure, it’s no problem. It’s incredibly rare these days for dryads to appear before humans.”
As Nate walked away, following Big Ham and his wife, Tom could only stand there and watch. He turned, noticing a familiar face at the far corner of the crowd. She was a beautiful young woman with long blue hair. Unsurprisingly, her scrutinizing, curious, and suspicious eyes followed the potion maker. The mayor’s daughter. Very few people in town knew her secret. If she had eyes on the potion maker, then Tom’s suspicions were all but confirmed.
“Harmony,” Tom said. The girl, just barely an adult at eighteen, flinched. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay,” she said, her voice containing just a little anger.
“He’s a magician, isn’t he?” Tom asked.
Harmony hesitated, before confirming Tom’s question with a nod. Tom’s blood chilled. Magicians were power-obsessed freaks of nature on a path to immortality. Normally they were either employed by the Lord Ruler, belonged to a clan, or attended magic academies. Being a magician could unlock a dream of riches and power, or so they proclaimed as they battled their way up the ranking ladders.
The Lord Ruler forced the history books to write him as the most powerful magician around, but everyone knew it was actually the hero and his party. The hero also defeated the demon beast known as the Midnight Dragon. Currently, they were supposedly on the hunt for humanity’s greatest threat, unsurprisingly a magician himself, Ares the Peace Spawner.
Like most normal people, or what the magicians arrogantly called mortals, Tom was terrified of magicians.
“He seems friendly,” Tom said to the mayor’s daughter. “A bit… strange, to say the least.”
Harmony nodded again, then finally faced Tom. Her blue eyes were beaming with uncertainty and terror, almost borderline teary.
“He’s the most powerful magician I’ve ever felt in my life,” she whispered.
Tom’s eyes widened. “A… master magician, here of all places. No wonder why he’s able to befriend dryads.”
Dryads were almost goddesses, Tom knew that much.
“What should we do?” Harmony asked, her voice almost a whine. “Should we tell my father? Would he leave if asked? What if he gets angry?”
Tom sighed. “I may be just someone who chops wood to you, but I’d like to think I’m a good judge of character. That man saved my life without hesitation. The potion he had was worth so much gold, and he… he just wasted it on a stranger, a mortal, like it was nothing. Didn’t request payment, didn’t make me swear an oath, didn’t request to bed a daughter. He’s not pillaging and causing havoc. He’s not abusing any of his powers, nor showing off. It’s hard to believe he’s real.”
Tom waited. To his relief, Harmony took a deep breath and let it out, her demeaner improving for once. Magicians really were the most terrifying beings in the world, responsible for the destruction of many lives. But Nate… he acted so different. He didn’t act as if he owned everything. He treated people like… people.
Of course, Tom didn’t want to be too trusting, too fast. Harmony had a point. Kyushu existed on the far east of the kingdom, but even they’d had to deal with a magician before. A cruel bastard.
Yet… Nate saved him without hesitation.
The mayor’s daughter had the spark, but being born with a broken core meant that, at best, she could surprise an offender for a second.
“Only time will tell,” Tom said after a good moment of silence between the two. The crowd was beginning to clear, and his wife called for him. “You could try investigating Nate, or just watch him from afar, form your own judgment. If you think he should go, we’ll bring up the case to your father. Your father can always hire a clan to run him out of town.”
He turned and started toward his wife. “Last time with one of them was a close one. We defended everyone to the tooth then, your virtue as well as those women, and we’ll do it again. You and your father are like family to me. Remember, we’ll always be there for you.”
Harmony nodded.
After getting myself a nice table, Milia and I set everything up at the center of town where other merchants thrived. We got a few micro-glares, especially from a teenage brother-sister team of fruit and snack salespeople. However, once we introduced ourselves, bought some of their snacks and told them we were selling potions, they warmed up to us. Don and Ayame, sixteen and seventeen-year-olds, were forced to work by their circumstances and help pay their family’s living expenses and debts. Their mother was currently sick, attended to by their father.
“Potions! Highest quality energy and limited-time health potions,” Milia shouted to the crowd. The time to chat was ending. After today’s demonstration, all eyes were on us. Not just Milia, but both of us. The guy who selflessly gave up an expensive health potion and the dryad who saved a man from the clutches of a tree. I seriously hoped these people wouldn’t write a tale or song about that. This wasn’t the legacy I had in mind. Perhaps if I was known as the mystery guy in a cape, maybe this world’s version of Batman, then maybe. But as the guy passing by, I almost felt like a discount Meme Oshino. No, I wasn’t going to start asking people if something good happened to them or if they’re in good spirits. I wasn’t sleazy either!
Needless to say, we sold out of everything. Health and energy potions.
“Maybe we should consider contracts,” I told Milia as we cleaned up for the evening.
“Perhaps,” the dryad said.
“You two were most impressive,” Ayame said.
“You’re kind of a natural at being a merchant, Nate,” Don said.
I didn’t want to ruin the kid’s image of me by telling him I worked in retail long enough to deal with most people. Before getting transported into this world, I was a pencil pusher in the corporate world and worked part-time at a Home Depot to cover any missed expenses. Life consisted of going to work and occasionally having a few drinks with friends at the pub on a Friday.
“Hey, Nate,” someone called. I turned to see Tom walking toward me. He gave Milia a short bow and broad smile before addressing me. “I heard you were looking to get yourself a house built, on the grasslands just ten minutes from here.”
“A house and shop combined,” Nate said. “It’s going to be a short walk, but I’d prefer that over accidentally dousing the town in fumes if something goes wrong.”
Tom laughed. “Fine point. Listen, I can gather some people to start helping with any building at the crack of dawn, tomorrow. I recommend a two-story home. Your shop on the first floor, everything else on the second.”
My eyes widened. “Well now. And here I was going to build it myself. On account of buying the materials I need.”
Now it was Tom’s turn to widen his eyes. “You’re a builder too?”
“I’ve got some experience,” I said. “I planned to get a few basics done, hire a few hands, and hopefully have everything right, long before winter.”
“A man with his head properly screwed onto his shoulders—”
Interrupting Tom came the cries from a group of panicked children. “There’s something in the forest! You were right, Tom.”
I turned to Milia. She shrugged.
“I’m just your assistant,” she said. “But if you’re requesting that I come with you, I shall oblige.”
“You really would do that for us?” Tom asked. “I mean, we shouldn’t have to trouble you. A few men with a sword or two should do it.”
I shook my head, knowing damn well Tom and the townspeople were the type to go in with garden tools and poorly maintained blades. Sure, the honest people could probably fight as well as a streetfighter, really fuck you up, but the tables would be flipped if it turned out to be a bear. Or wolf.
If I didn’t have the strength of a magician or whatever, I sure as shit wouldn’t go in there. I’d close that son of a bitch off with a fence and call it a day. Then again, persistent bears could find a way.
“Shall we check it out, Lady Milia?” I asked, making a tiny show.
Milia gave an amused smile, followed by a sigh. “You’re the boss. I will follow your lead.”
Listen, before you judge me—I know you’re giving me that look—if it weren’t for these powers, I wouldn’t be leading a lady into the valley of death. With the sun setting, well, even with magic, I still felt a bit uneasy. Perhaps if I had a double barrel or anything, I’d at least feel secure. Somewhat.
The moment I stepped into the forest, I felt… something. You know how you can feel someone in your room. That, but on steroids. My eyes looked left, then right. Before I knew it, I was moving.
What the hell’s wrong with me, I thought as I rushed through the forest. I never in my life ran this fast and when I leapt, I… jumped what felt like fifty fucking feet in the air, and landed weightlessly next to the giant… bull man?
Red fur, glowing red eyes, standing on two feet. In its freakish human hands was a sleeping white-furred wolf cub. Or at least it looked to be so.
“A demonic beast this far? Oh my,” Milia said, not a trace of worry in her voice.
The growling bull man suddenly spoke. “Do you plan to break the divine oath and interfere, dryad?”
“What oath?” Milia asked, causing the monster’s eyes to widen.
“You… you wouldn’t? I’ll—”
“Okay, time the fuck out,” I interjected. “A talking bull guy. What kind of LSD shit is this?”
“Like I said, a demonic beast,” Milia answered. “A type of spirit beast that operates off demonic energy and corruption, instead of mana.”
“Human… I’ll ki…” The bull froze, dropping the cub.
“You dropped your food,” Milia said. “I’ll pick it up for you.”
Vines shot from the ground, secured the baby wolf, and carried it to the dryad.
“M… master magician,” the bull hissed. It was actually sweating, eyes filled with terror. “That human survived and hired you. He must’ve been nobility to be able to afford this. Well, I…”
The bull’s knees were trembling. “S… spare me.”
“What’s that?” I said.
“I am but a humble low-level nothing,” the bull man said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Please…” It actually fell to its knees… fucking kowtowing.
“Man, I was just not ready for today,” I told Milia. “Cute cub, though.”
“He is,” Milia said.
“So, what do you think I should do with bully over here?” I asked, grinning evilly.
“I heard humans saying something about delicious demon bull meat and that magicians use it to help cultivate,” Milia said, her voice playful.
“Eh, I’m not big on the eating sentient monsters from hell thing,” I said. I turned to the shivering bull. “Are you the one responsible for the tree?”
“I—it was an accident,” the bull stammered. “Then I felt a massive power and fled.”
“Bullshit,” I said, then grinned. “Yeah, I said that to a bull.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, I’ll give you one. Get the fuck out of here and never go near a human population again, or I will hunt you down and turn you into Rocky Mountain oysters. I’m sure I can make a killing selling it to some fucked up noble.”
“I recognize that as an oath binding,” Milia said. “Do you accept? If you break it, he’ll know. Your body will begin to suffer the consequences of breaking the binding.”
“If you don’t accept it, I’ll do what I must,” I said, though I honestly didn’t know what I’d do. What? I wasn’t a sick fuck that went around killing things, so how would I know what to do? I did have ridiculous strength for some reason, so breaking a leg or two could do the trick until we came up with an idea. That or let the pros handle it, you know, monster hunters.
“I accept, I accept, please spare this lowly bull man, master magician,” it whined.
I wasn’t sure what it meant by master magician. I only had these powers for two days, but if his confusion meant a peaceful resolution, I couldn’t complain. No fighting, no cultivating, and hopefully no getting dragged into shit. What would it gain me, anyway?
“Now get the fuck out of here,” I said.
I… don’t know why this happened, but injecting a little anger into my voice created super strong winds which knocked the bull man onto its ass. It probably set a few world-class records as it bolted.
“Well, that happened,” I said.
We turned around, only to see a blue-haired woman watching us, mouth agape. Knowing my luck, if she hadn’t witnessed the entire thing, then the girl saw enough to draw obvious conclusions.
I sighed. “Ah, shit.”
I wasn’t really good at this hiding my power thing.
“Hmm,” the girl said in a bad acting voice. “The forest is much too dark to see. If you’re still alive in there, Sir Potion Maker, we’re waiting by your stand.”
She turned and walked away.
“Well, it turns out these are my kind of townsfolk,” I said.
Milia giggled. “You do know she’s going to start hanging around a lot more. I certainly hope you’ll have an explanation for the mayor.”
“She’s the mayor’s daughter, isn’t she?” I deadpanned.
“Sure is.”
“Great,” I said, annoyed.
“That’s not a bad thing,” Milia said. “That is, if you hire another hand for the shop.”
“An optimist, are we?” I mused.
We started walking toward the forest entrance, unconcerned about anything else that could be lurking. The little white wolf cub continued to slumber. Milia handed him to me.
“I don’t mind taking care of him,” I said. “We’ll call him Wolverine.”
“For some reason, I have a feeling this is some poor naming choice from a land I don’t understand,” Milia said, her voice deadpan.
I waved off her concern. “Ah, you don’t get it. But that’s fine. You’ll get used to it.”
As we neared the forest edge, I asked Milia another question. “By the way, Milia, where do you live?”
“Oh, I haven’t shown you my home yet,” she said. “I needed to evaluate your character.”
“Hey, I don’t blame you,” I said. “I wouldn’t let some stranger near my house either.”
“You really are a strange man, but in a good way,” Milia said. “These people are not of your kin, you know nothing of them, and yet without asking for a reward, you help them.”
“I mean, helping people is a normal thing, right?” I asked. “If it’s within my ability, yeah, I don’t mind lending my strength to a place I’m going to live in. Especially if it means a peaceful life.”
Milia gaped at me, before smiling. “An interesting line of thinking, to live for peace. But… this world is a cruel place. The strong rule over the weak. The weak face terrible turmoil. Will you be able to handle things under the stress of the world?” She waved off my protest. “Of course you will. You have no idea just how capable you are.”
I chuckled. “Careful with giving me too much credit, Miss. It’ll inflate my ego.”
Milia snorted. “I’m sure a reminder of the way you planted those seeds will bring it back to us.”
I laughed. “I figured it was a piss poor job.”
