"Alright, we're here! Quick, quick! There's something I want you to make. Oh, my name is Zephyrus. Nice to meet you."
"Huh? Ah, yeah. Zephyrus. I know, though? We're from the same village. Actually, we're childhood friends, right? Why are you introducing yourself now??"
Arriving at the alchemy shop while maintaining unnecessarily high energy, I remembered that I had planned to come here later anyway, and that I hadn't introduced myself yet, so I went ahead and introduced myself as my excitement dictated. However, it seems the girl already knows me.
She has a very confused look on her face.
She doesn't know that I don't know her name.
Of course she'd be confused.
No problem. In times like these, you push through with momentum.
"Hey now, when someone introduces themselves, you have to introduce yourself back. That won't fly once you leave the village, you know?"
When I push through with something random, she seems to find it a plausible reason and starts talking as if convinced of something.
"Ah, is it practice for the academy? Come to think of it, you mentioned making the rounds earlier... Um, I'm Hanna. Nice to meet you?"
"Okay, okay, just like that, just like that."
So the girl's name is Hanna.
In the game, this girl didn't have a name.
While it seems like Dan-katsu as it was, there are tons of things about Dan-katsu that I don't know scattered around.
Even just learning Hanna's name feels fresh!
Having successfully pushed through, I enter Hanna's house slash alchemy shop with her.
Guided to the back of the shop, a nostalgic room comes into view.
This part is properly the same as Dan-katsu.
The alchemy shop in the first Nameless Starting Village is only visited when replaying from the beginning, so it feels like it's been a very long time.
"Um, would you like some tea?"
"Oh, then I'll have some!"
Hanna, whose behavior seems somewhat unnatural, offers me tea, so I immediately accept.
Come to think of it, her formal speech has somehow disappeared. Is it because of that forced march earlier?
After hearing my reply, Hanna disappears into the back of the house and returns after a while.
It appears to be green tea based on its green color.
This is something I never saw in the game era either.
I take a sip, and it tastes exactly like green tea.
My first food or drink since coming to this world.
It has proper taste! And aroma too!
"Um, how is it?"
"...I'm moved!"
"That much!?"
Hanna is exaggeratedly surprised, but for me this is no joke.
Seriously moved.
And I feel the thoughts I've been harboring for the future reignite.
There are food items in this world.
I've thought "Damn, I want to eat that" more than once or twice while being tortured by food images on screen.
Now that this is real, I'll conquer all the food items.
I've decided in my heart.
Now then, having savored that, let's get to the main topic.
"Hanna, by the way, where are your parents? The shop seemed to be closed?"
"Um, you see. It seems like my parents aren't here right now."
Yeah, I know. The parents are triggering a subquest in another location. The alchemy shop won't open until it's cleared. I'm relieved it's the same here too.
"That's convenient."
"C-convenient!?"
At my comment, Hanna's face instantly turns bright red.
Ignoring the suspiciously acting Hanna, I take out a certain item.
"I want you to use this to perform 'Alchemy.'"
"Fweh?"
Perhaps having some misunderstanding, Hanna looks at my face, looks at my hands, looks at my face again, and turns 50% redder than before.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing's wrong at all, nothing! A-an 'Alchemy' request, right... Tell me sooner!"
While stumbling over her words, she rambles as if covering something up and snatches the slime jelly from my hand.
This slime jelly is the drop item from defeating that slime earlier.
My first drop in this reality. I was a bit moved by this too.
My first drop item was kind of slimy.
"S-so? What do you want to make with this? The only item I can make using slime jelly is slime jelly!"
"No, I don't need slime jelly. For now, I want you to try mixing this with it."
"...What is this?"
"Muddy water."
"I can see that!? If I mix something like this, it'll be a critical failure!?"
"That's fine. I want a critical failure."
"That makes no sense!"
When I show her the muddy water I collected from around here, Hanna gets confused again.
Don't you have any equipment for confusion resistance?
Anyway, since Hanna shows no sign of moving no matter how long I wait, I remind her who saved her life and push her back. Finally, Hanna reluctantly takes out an alchemy set and begins preparing for 'Alchemy.'
"This combination will definitely be a critical failure."
"Yeah. Definitely a critical failure!"
"Ugh, I don't understand at all."
"What? You'll understand if you watch."
'Alchemy' is a skill that creates items by combining materials.
However, crafting has recipes, and when materials different from those are used, a fumble occurs. And when completely opposite materials are used, a desert fumble, a critical failure, occurs.
And when a critical failure happens, a certain phenomenon occurs.
That's exactly what I'm aiming for.
Hanna proceeds with the alchemy preparations while groaning "ugh, ugh," and puts the slime jelly and muddy water into something like a small earthen pot.
Then she equips a bracelet with the 'Alchemy' skill embedded in it, 'Alchemy LV1 Bracelet,' and the preparations are complete.
"Um, are you really going to do this? We can still..."
"Alright, do it!"
"Waaah! Don't blame me for what happens. 'Alchemy'!"
The moment Hanna activates 'Alchemy,' the earthen pot-shaped alchemy cauldron begins glowing green, instantly turns murky black, and puffs out smoke.
Good, from what I can see, it's a complete critical failure.
And a few seconds later, something slimy crawls out from inside the alchemy furnace.
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