The Alchemist’s Deception

In places like casinos, people are invariably consumed by their own desires. Everyone understands the fundamental rules and operations here. In border cities, the profits generated by trade are carved up by merchant guilds, while commoners, yearning for instant riches and indulgence, flock to these establishments, only to lose everything they possess.

Guided by an elegantly dressed attendant, the young woman stepped deeper into the casino’s innermost chambers. Lavish decorations unfolded before her eyes, and at the foremost table sat a man who, though not appearing young, exuded a shrewd and seasoned air. He was undoubtedly Mr. Carmen, the owner of this establishment.

“Boss, they have arrived.”

At that moment, guided by the attendant, Anya stepped into the room, and Mr. Carmen’s lips curved into a smile.

“Are you indeed the sister of Anto, the alchemist? Your brother has lost a considerable sum here, you know.”

“Is that so?” Anya replied, a note of discomfort in her voice. Meanwhile, Carmen’s gaze lingered, appraising the young woman. Her delicate skin and flowing hair ignited a spark of endless speculation within him.

“Indeed, young lady, you are quite… striking. Your brother, however, is a complete scoundrel. Our establishment had long heard of Anto, the renowned alchemist. They say he is the finest physician in the borderlands, capable of concocting the most potent elixirs. Yet, the truth is, his character and his drinking habits are equally deplorable. He would borrow money as soon as he lost, only to lose again after borrowing… such was his pattern throughout the night.”

“I see…” At this, Anya’s expression grew visibly grim.

“The famous alchemist—I truly hoped to have a proper discussion with him. After all, a certain potion he concocts, known for treating epilepsy, is highly sought after by the nobility. If he were willing to share the formula with us, I would gladly offset a portion of his debt. Unfortunately… his lips have proven difficult to loosen.” Carmen spoke softly. “So, I thought, perhaps you, his sister, might be able to persuade him to speak?”

“Noble lords… do they often suffer from epilepsy?”

“Oh, not at all. It’s primarily used as a recreational energy elixir. Hence, its high price and excellent sales.”

“…In that case,” the young woman said, a hint of worry in her voice, “might I see him first, Sir?”

“Of course.” With that, Carmen clapped his hands. Immediately, two burly men dragged a young man forward. His clothes had been beaten into mere strips of fabric, and his face was a swollen, bruised mess.

“An—” As the young man managed to utter a syllable, the girl rushed forward, embracing him fiercely before crying out loudly:

“Brother! Brother Anto! Do you have any idea how worried everyone has been because you haven’t come home? Do you realize how utterly irresponsible you’re being? Carousing in a place like this…”

“…An—”

“To be beaten to such a state…” Anya’s face was streaked with tears. “You are utterly inhumane!”

“Humanity? What humanity can one speak of in a place like this?” Carmen chuckled. “He owes us money, and he refuses to satisfy our demands. What else can be done? Mr. Anto, your sister is indeed quite beautiful. Now that your family has arrived, truthfully, I have no desire to keep holding you. However… Miss Anya, if he cannot repay his debts to us, we may require his family… perhaps even you, to settle his obligations here.” Carmen’s face twisted into a greedy grin.

“In fact, we rather welcome such arrangements. After all, beautiful young women are always exceptionally well-received in our establishment.”

“…How much does he owe?” Anya asked quietly. The man promptly replied, “Not much. Two hundred ninety-two border gold coins, with a monthly interest rate of seven percent.”

“An additional twenty gold coins in debt after just one month?” Anya raised her head, and Carmen merely smiled. “The money he borrowed, he naturally must bear the cost of. And that’s not even counting the principal.”

“…Is that how it is?” Anya sighed upon hearing this. “Can the potion’s formula settle all his debts?”

“If you are willing, our merchant guild would offer two hundred gold coins for the potion’s recipe and exclusive selling rights,” Carmen stated. Anya sighed. “Then there’s still ninety…”

“If the young lady is willing to work for us, I can offer a monthly salary of twenty gold coins, provided you’re willing to stay here.” Carmen chuckled. “I know you borderlanders often lack funds, but don’t worry, we are quite eager to provide you with employment opportunities.”

“No, thank you. I’m accustomed to more… legitimate work. How much did he actually gamble?” Anya suddenly interjected. Carmen then replied, “He simply owes this much; that’s the extent of it.”

“…Tell me, my dear brother, why couldn’t you just drop dead?” Suddenly, the young woman looked at the bruised and swollen man before her. “The village chief told me to find you. I scraped together all our family’s savings, a full twenty gold coins, thinking that no matter how bad it was, you wouldn’t have gambled away a few silver coins to this extent. Yet you actually… three hundred gold coins. I truly underestimated you.”

“What could I do?” the beaten man sighed. “I kept winning before, winning all night, and then suddenly it was all gone… It just, happened all at once. I truly… I just wanted to get my principal back.”

“And then you plunged deeper,” Anya sighed. “When you signed, you even used my name. When people came to our door to collect debts, I truly wanted to beat you senseless. But there was nothing I could do, you bastard. You truly deserve to die here; you’ve brought shame upon your father.”

“What are you two… talking about?” Carmen interjected at that moment. The young woman then rose, fixing her gaze upon him. “He is not Anto Colmensin. I am.” She pointed to herself.

“I am the alchemist Anto.” The young woman’s voice deepened, and her entire demeanor shifted. No one could have possibly imagined that this ‘young woman’ was, in fact, a young man.

“…”

“That’s Mans, the son of the village chief of Kaxin Village. He was a scoundrel before, and he’s still a scoundrel now. Impersonating someone else, that’s particularly despicable.” Anto declared, looking at Carmen. “Can’t your people even verify someone’s identity before scamming others and ‘harvesting leeks’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘ge jiu cai,’ referring to exploiting naive people for profit)?”

“You’re a boy?”

“That’s right.”

“You wear women’s clothes.”

“For some personal reasons.” Anto shook his head helplessly. Dressed in a girl’s attire—a skirt and white stockings—his face made it impossible for anyone to perceive him as a boy, yet he undeniably was one. This was a truly frustrating point. “In any case, he cannot give you what you want. Even if you beat him to death, he couldn’t produce it, because he isn’t an alchemist at all. But I can. For two hundred gold coins, I will give you the potion recipe and its exclusive selling rights. Here are twenty gold coins; I wish to redeem him. Is that acceptable?”