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Chapter 14
“It’s a success~!! Applaud me!”
“Oh….?”
Sieg had keenly watched Mariela train. Though perplexed due to her abrupt demand, he still clapped.
Tired.
Mariela couldn’t believe that she was already so tired from making a single set of potions.
As usual, alternatives were switched in for unavailable materials, so the potion was more difficult than usual.
(Let’s check the effect immediately!)
“Show me your right arm, Sieg,” Mariela commanded.
“Okay.”
Sieg held out his right hand, palm facing up, even though he did not know which side to present.
“Not that side, flip it.”
Mariela grabbed Sieg’s arms, revealing the marks bitten by the black wolf, and slathered the potion onto the wound.
“Try making a fist and then spreading your palm. Can you do it? Yay, it looks like you can.”
Beneath the morning gleam sneaking through the window, Sieg’s right arm, which had been feeble and slow earlier this morning, could now move properly.
“Ah…it’s moving …! I can move it!”
“Yes, yes. Now, turn around and stick your leg out. Pull up the hem of your pants and show me your left calf.”
Mariela urged Sieg who was unable to express his emotions with words to reveal the critical wound on his left leg.
The poison in the black wolf’s fangs had caused hemostasis in the wound on Sieg’s calf. After minimal treatment through healing magic, the skin was pulled taut over the gaping wound. Bacteria had entered and infected Sieg’s leg while he was being transported to the Labyrinth City.
Yesterday’s potion had cured the inflammation, but the overall strength and aesthetic of the leg was still terrible.
There was plenty of healing to do still. The gouged flesh twitched and reformed. They gleefully watched as thin muscle fibers bound together and regenerated layer and layer of skin.
“I…”
Sieg wriggled his left foot’s toes. Because the potion contained an anesthetic, there was no pain. He let his voice unconsciously leak out after witnessing his leg rapidly regenerate.
The horrible burn traces disappeared before their eyes.
Blood and skin coalesced, freshly made. The potion’s effect was preeminent.
Even after recovering Sieg’s legs, about a third of the advance potion remained.
“Okay~. Sieg, drink this. Down it in a single go.”
She pushed the potion vial to Sieg who was still gazing at his foot.
This morning, while giving Sieg a haircut, Mariela had noticed that Sieg had many scars. She thought they were traces left by a whip.
As ordered, he drank the advanced potion, his body shaking.
His body briefly glowed while his longtime traumas healed.
Sieg looked at his right hand which moved freely then looked at his left foot that had been fixed; he quietly stood from the bed.
Just like that, he took a step forward with his left leg. Walking step by step, he didn’t show any signs of discomfort.
He raised his arms and lightly bounced up and down. Turn your arms and twist your waist. The muscles on his back, which formerly appeared nonexistent, were now well-formed
“They move! My legs, my arms … Although my shoulder can’t turn, my back doesn’t hurt, my belly doesn’t cramp …”
(Just how badly did you injure yourself, Sieg-san? That aside, isn’t the high-grade potion too effective? Materials from the Labyrinth are truly amazing.)
While seeing Sieg who was nearly in tears, Mariela reaffirmed that it was good to be an alchemist.
It was a reward for healers to see their blissful, recovered patients while the victims obviously gladly regained their health.
Sieg finished checking his body’s condition and looked back at Mariela before sitting on the floor.
“Dogeza again!?” Mariela thought for a moment, but this time Sieg raised one knee. (Tler note: Kneeling?)
It was like a knight dedicating his oath.  (Tler note: oh lol)
“Mariela-sama, thank you. To think, to think that there would be a day when I could return to such a lithe body… I did not dare dream of it.  I am ashamed that I cannot express my gratitude enough; this feeling …… From yesterday, ever since you rescued me, I–I’ll do anything for your sake, Mariela-sama, whatever, whenever, forever.”
With an impressive display, Sieg let out an emotional speech.  His one bluish eye brimmed with moisture, his feelings of gratitude conveyed by his choked words.
(His eye really is beautiful…)
“I am sorry. I cannot repair your other eye yet. Please be patient until I can make a specialized potion”
“You’ve already done plenty enough. Once, I thought that I would die, but now, I don’t feel pain anywhere. I’m willing to do anything, anything at all…” (Tler note: the feel trains ;-;)
Sieg’s tension welled up in a strange reverent devotion.
“Hey, Sieg, I have a request.”
(Saying that you’ll do anything, you can’t just say words like that; you know.)
“Y-Yes!”
“Can you rinse that glass apparatus over there?”
“!!!??”
Sieg cleaned the glassware while Mariela napped till dinnertime.
While Mariela slept, Sieg washed and dried the glassware, arranged the medicinal herbs on the desk, cleaned the dusty junk box, and arranged the junk items on the floor for easy viewing.
Waking up, Mariela yawned and glanced over at Sieg’s cleaning.
“That’s just garbage~”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take it out tomorrow, so put it in a bag.”
“Yes.”
“That stuff is still usable, so put it in a bag and leave it in the corner of the room.”
“Yes.”
Sprawled over the bed, Mariela ordered Sieg around.
( Oh, it’s easy. So this is the feeling a teacher has.) (Tler note: So cute for Sieg)
(It would be great if I can have a meal while laying down like this)
With this thought in mind, Mariela heard a knocking on her door.
“Yes?”
“It’s Marlowe. Since the contract is finished, will you come to my room?”
Before dinner, Mariela had one piece of work left.
Sieg and the other two entered Vice-Captain Marlowe’s room to see Captain Dick waiting. Seeing Sieg, the captain had a surprised face. Yesterday’s Sieg had looked worse than a dying goblin. Although Sieg was still a bit thin, Mariela could also hardly imagine that Sieg’s previously emaciated and suffering figure now stoically stood before the captain, so she could understand the captain’s surprise. However, did the Captain of the Transportation Corps have to so blatantly display his emotions? He was as straightforward person as ever.
(I wonder if Dick will be okay working as a captain….?)
With Sieg standing behind her, Mariela sat in a chair opposite of the vice-captain. With a stern face, Vice-Captain Marlowe procured a clean contract.
“Considering the matter’s confidentiality, we all cannot reveal any information except to Captain Dick and myself, Marlowe. This is the contract. Please confirm.”
Mr. Marlowe handed over several papers. On the topmost form, all that Mariela requested yesterday was written. Not to mention confidentiality, if information leaked and Mariela was exposed to danger, the Black Iron Transport Corps would settle the problem and depending on the situation, assist them in escaping. This was Mariela’s first time seeing a contract. Until now, she had always brought goods to a store and let the store buy them, sold them in the plaza’s bazaar, or directly sold them to the brothel’s customers. Goods were exchanged on the spot and payment immediately received, so there was no need for lengthy contracts. The contract handed over by Mr. Marlowe had the commerce guild’s magical approval and backing and was filled with precise terms.
“Umm, what does this part that says, ‘Each individual transaction shall require its own sales contract,’ mean?”
“It is impossible to incorporate fluctuating indicators like [market price] into magic contracts. Aside from this original contract, we’ll need to negotiate a sales contract for every subsequent transaction based on the current market price. Does this satisfy you?
Vice Captain Marlowe fluently explained to Mariela while pointing at a document below. This was a sales contract. The type and number of potions ordered yesterday were written on it as well as the unit price to be paid to Mariela.
Unit price was written next to the potion types. For example, low-grade potions, low-grade detoxification potions, demon repellant: 6 silver coins; intermediate potions, medium detoxification potions: 6 large silver coins. However, the price was not completely consistent. Next, to advanced potions and advanced detoxification potions, there was no description; the total amount was also blank.
“Oh, the advanced-grade line is empty.”
“That’s….”
Hearing Mariela’s question, captain Dick who had been silent till now opened his mouth.
“Advanced-ranked potions have not been traded for more than 10 years.”
They did not appear on the market, so it seemed they didn’t know the [market price].
“Labyrinth city potions are only available from Agwinas House, except for those held by the margrave and other large noble houses. The military had an agreement with the margrave to be given a certain amount of potions, but only lower and middle-class potions have appeared on the market in the last decade. “
Captain Dick briefly explained the circumstances of the labyrinth city’s potions. Mariela had heard of the house of the Agwinas family. It was the first alchemist family of the Kingdom of Endalgia 200 years ago. This house had survived the stampede. Notwithstanding its kingdom being destroyed, it was incredible that this family still dominated the potion market after 200 years.
“For advanced-rank potions, I will determine the amount required based on the market price. Even though no one knows the market price, there’s still a high chance they’ll be bought. Below this, you can ask for the maximum amount people are willing to buy at, and we completely trust you, so we do not mind letting you attend the deal.”
Captain Dick sat in his chair, his arms folded in a dignified pose, but when looking at his stern face, his eyebrows hung because the burden he carried. He was a handsome man with bad intentions. Mariela didn’t think that she could trust him because she suspected it was that kind of thing, but the deal seemed likely to occur.
Vice-Captain Marlowe spoke, “I would like you to tell me something if possible.”
“Hmm, what is it?”
“Where will the potion be sold?”
“To the labyrinth subjugation army. There will be a regular expedition soon. They’ll also be buying demon repellants and other lower-rank potions.”
Mariela did not expect for Captain Dick to reveal his customers so easily. She wondered if it was really okay for him to tell her. When Mariela looked at Mr. Marlowe from the other side, her regular eyes are laughing as usual, but it seemed like he was somewhat pleased.
“Not to the Agwinas family?”
“If you sell it to the Agwinas family, we can’t be sure they’ll sell them to the subjugation army. The quality and quantity of potions have been decreasing lately. I’ve heard that the Agwinas family has been sending an inferior product called ‘new medicine’ to the subjugation forces. The casualties the subjugation army have been suffering hasn’t decreased at all.
This time Dick blatantly expressed a disgusted look. He had few praises for the Agwinas family. Or, is he in some way acquainted with the army?
“I understand. I don’t care if the price is cheaper if it means we’re helping them out.”
Potions cured injuries. Mariela disliked being used as a tool to earn money, so it was better to sell directly to the user. As even lower and middle-rank potions generated enough profit, Mariela was also happy because the subjugation army’s casualties would be reduced, even if only slightly.
“You’re right! Thank you! I’m sure they’ll be pleased!”
Captain Dick held out his hand for a handshake. His grip was a little too strong for Mariela’s liking, but he was very large and warm. Mariela felt like Vice-Captain Marlowe and Captain Dick was surprisingly fit to do business together.
( OK, it’s go-time!)
Marlowe caught captain Dick’s neck as the captain tried to stand and forced him to sit in the chair again. Mariela’s throat narrowed, Captain Dick looked surprised.
“The contract has not yet been finished. Also, if you speak so loudly, it will no longer be secret. Do you understand?”
Smoothly signing with his pen, Vice-Captain Marlowe completed the sales contract.
“Mariela, no matter what you say, we will bear the boarding costs such as your food, drinks, etc. during your stay here. I have already talked to the master and extended your stay for a week, so feel free to order anything you want.  Oh, there is also the matter of providing what you need for your potions; what should I prepare?”
(They’ll cover everything? I wonder if that means everything for Sieg as well.)
“This time, I don’t require anything in particular. Umm, but will you also cover Sieg’s costs?”
Mariela felt like a simple peasant asking for a favour from a noble.
“Of Course.” Captain Dick replied and smiled. How generous is he!?
“Yeah, Captain Dick will be paying for it all out of his own pocket, so feel free to spend to your heart’s content.”.”
With a smile, Marlowe said this to Mariela while. Captain Dick looked crestfallen.