A week had passed since my unexpected encounter with Claire Reynolds.
From the fang she had given me, I managed to create four batches of potions. One for strengthening the constitution of whoever drank it, and the other three had healing and regenerative effects. I kept the first one for myself for when I went out on a hunt, and decided to sell the others.
Living in a cave had already begun to grate on me, and with my Energy Manipulation Stat now at 8, I could maintain my Human Form for eighty minutes a day. It was time. Time to finally get a proper house somewhere near the Colorado Highlands. Of course, a place that had become a sort of "paradise for the Monster industry" came with a ridiculous price tag, second only to the capital, so even if I worked myself to exhaustion starting today, it would take a long while before I could afford it.
For now, though, I was standing in front of an "Alchemy House" that smelled sharply of bitter herbs and echoed with the bubbling of boiling chemicals.
There were fewer than three Alchemy Houses in any large city, and these rare establishments were the only places where potions could be verified, graded, and distributed. Despite being scarce, finding one in the Colorado Highlands was surprisingly simple, because their survival depended entirely on Monsters and humans like me needing them.
I tugged my hood up over my head and adjusted the robe favored by alchemists, trying to look the part, but I could feel my inexperience leaking through every awkward step and glance.
"Is there something I can assist you with, perhaps?" a polite voice asked.
I turned to see an employee approaching. "I'm here to sell some potions I've created. But I've never sold one before, and I don't have any reputation. Is that even possible?"
The man smiled and gestured me to follow. "Of course. Right this way, please."
Alchemists were always fewer than magicians, and always more valued. Despite my obvious newbie aura, my words and posture carried just enough authenticity to keep the man courteous.
I sat down in the nearest chair as he brought a document across the counter. "This is the application form. Fill in the name of the potion and its effects. Once verified for safety and efficacy, a grade will be assigned, and then it can be sold."
Potions made by skilled alchemists were in far greater demand than the supply could meet. Emergency potions sold in Monster Stores using low-grade Mana Stones were nothing compared to what a true alchemist could craft. The best potion makers remained anonymous, letting only their work speak for them.
"Check the box for anonymity if you wish to stay hidden," he added.
I filled out the form carefully, writing "A Goblin's Kindness" as the name, and noted its effects: healing and regeneration.
The man's eyes widened, and he visibly trembled. "Regeneration… that's rare. Do you mean regenerative recovery of wounds? Usually potions with minor regenerative effects are graded lower, but with a healing component as well, this could… be High grade. Hospitals and Knights Orders have been desperate for these lately. This is excellent news."
I smirked lightly. He had no idea, but I knew there would be no side effects. After all, a skilled Goblin combining powdered Sabretooth Tiger fang and herbs down to a nanogram accuracy was perfection incarnate.
"I've completed the form," I said.
"Ah, thank you. Do you have a sample of the potion?"
"Not a sample," I said, producing the bottle from my robe. The liquid glowed a brilliant, clear blue, casting a faint light around the bottle.
The employee froze, utterly speechless. He knew instantly this was no ordinary concoction. Even without testing, it was obvious, this was the "Healing and Regeneration" potion.
"I… I'm not qualified to handle this. Please wait a moment," he stammered.
I shook my head. "Just leave three drops for testing. That will be enough. I'll return later after the process is complete."
He panicked, grabbing my shoulders. "Wait! The Manager will…"
I held firm, and he reluctantly let go. The three drops would suffice, and that tiny act had secured a future business relationship.
Stepping out into the city, the noise hit me like a wave. Conversations, traffic, the distant hum of city life, it was overwhelming after the quiet mountains. Amid the chaos, a voice caught my attention.
"Knight Claire Reynolds, only two weeks left until your Highest Tier Knight ascension ceremony… how do you feel?"
A hologram projected from a wrist display, showing an interview with her.
"Not too bad."
"…Yes? Haha… of course… Hahaha!"
Her laughter was light, almost embarrassed. I couldn't help but smile, understanding why she froze in front of cameras.
"After being voted No. 1 most beautiful Knight by your male peers, how does that feel?"
Her gaze was clear, confident, and dazzling. Even through a small projection, her presence shone bright.
"An ideal man…?"
She paused, thinking carefully. Then she smiled.
"I prefer a man that's like a Goblin. Intelligent, kind, and skilled."
The reporter blinked, stunned. Misinterpreting her words, he mumbled something about no ideal man existing.
I couldn't stop grinning, watching her, before stepping into the Alchemy House properly.
"Welcome~"
"Oh, yeah. How much for this hologram? Will it even work deep inside a mountain cave?"
Inside, the Managers were alchemists who had proven themselves by registering at least three potions on bestseller lists. Hazeline, a Dark Elf alchemist who became a Manager at just 31, examined my potion.
"…Why am I even looking at this? This doesn't even need testing. Mid grade, at worst High. And you sent him away? Idiot."
"My apologies," her assistant said.
Hazeline sighed. The sample left behind meant business potential. The assistant read aloud the form hesitantly:
"'A Goblin's Kindness.' That's the potion's name."
The room was engulfed in an uncomfortable silence. Hazeline's lips pressed into a narrow line, fingers lightly tapping the smooth counter. The potion's sheen reflected in her eyes, a glimpse of both awe and doubt in her gaze. "---1 Goblin --- ", she muttered quietly under her breath, it sounded foreign and dangerous.
There hadn't been an alchemist living, or anyone in the Colorado Highlands that could make a potion like lthis, nor the history of the Highlands. The consequences of this potion were terrifying. The person who made this concoction
wasn't just skilled; they were scary.
Hazeline leaned in closer and lowered her voice, as if the walls might betray her. "If something of this caliber is out there... then, everything we understood, everything we've spent our lives building, is about to change."