Unexpected Acquisitions and Alchemical Revelations

Nina stood up, rubbing her eyes.

“But, Miss, we’ve only just arrived. We don’t have anything presentable at home.”

Iordera switched on the room light.

“Didn’t I tell you to go out and buy something useful today? Where are they?”

“I bought them, I bought them.”

Nina placed a small pouch on the table, then began pulling out items one by one.

A towel, a water cup, and a green bottle.

Iordera pointed at the bottle, asking, “What is this?”

Nina picked it up and explained, “Slime Purified Mucus (TL Note: A fictional substance, likely a highly potent adhesive derived from slime creatures.). It’s a very powerful adhesive.”

Iordera blinked, “Why did you buy super glue?”

“It’s glue, after all. What if we need it? Anyway, Miss, you only said to buy useful things; you didn’t specify if they had to be useful right now or later.”

Indeed, there seemed to be no fault in her reasoning.

Iordera asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice, “Is that all?”

“There’s also this,” Nina said, producing a pen. “A secret pen. I’ve always wanted one.”

Iordera took it and examined it, “Isn’t this just a pencil?”

To call it a ‘secret pen’ made it sound far more significant than it was.

Nina explained, “A pencil *is* a secret pen! With other pens, the ink is difficult to erase. If you tear up paper or try to obscure the writing, alchemists can easily restore the original text. Only with a pencil can you write something and then simply erase it with a rubber.”

“If you want to write something private, Miss, like a diary or something, you can use this.” She then pulled out a small bear-shaped eraser. “Look, they even gave a free gift with the pen.”

Iordera pursed her lips slightly, “No, I won’t write one. What respectable person keeps a diary?”

Nina set the pen aside. “Well, that’s not my concern. I’ve already bought the useful things; whether you use them or not is your business, Miss.”

‘…’

This maid was truly audacious.

Just then, a knock echoed twice on the door, and Andrew’s voice called out, “Girls, are you free? Come for dinner.”

Yuna sprang directly from the bed, “Coming, coming!”

Nina swiftly gathered her things, patted down her clothes, and cheerfully went to open the door.

Iordera watched her two maids, a headache beginning to throb.

‘Does food earned without effort truly taste so delicious?’

“Delicious!” Nina declared without hesitation.

Yuna echoed, “It’s incredibly delicious.”

‘Alright, alright, if it’s so delicious, I hope you don’t burst.’

****

Andrew’s friends had arrived that evening.

Like him, they were all old craftsmen, their hands calloused, strong enough to wield hammers and fell oxen.

In summary, their appearance shared one common trait: sparse hair but abundant beards.

In the guesthouse’s backyard clearing, several large stoves had been set up.

A substantial grill rack, laden with evenly arranged, seasoned steaks, sizzled enticingly over glowing charcoal.

The rich aroma of roasted meat permeated the air, causing Iordera to involuntarily swallow.

It was truly a wonderful barbecue party, its only flaw being the slightly subdued atmosphere.

Andrew’s friends silently grilled their meat, not uttering a single word.

Andrew, feeling a touch awkward, rubbed his large hands together.

“Come, let me introduce you; these are…”

“Andrew!” one of the men grilling steak looked up, glaring at him. “Don’t forget, our work is confidential.”

“Alright…”

Andrew, left with no choice, ushered everyone to sit down.

“Then let’s eat. Eat, try this piece of roasted meat.”

Nina and Yuna wasted no time, grabbing their knives and forks and digging right in.

“Delicious, delicious.”

“Truly excellent; the short ribs are superb.”

Iordera hesitantly took a seat.

The man who had been so cold just moments ago suddenly offered her a bottle of soju.

“Care for a couple of drinks?”

Andrew stopped him, “Hey, don’t mess around. She’s just a child…”

“It’s fine, Uncle. I’m actually over twenty this year,” Iordera said, taking the soju. “I’ve had plenty to drink before.”

Hearing this, Andrew’s mood grew even more conflicted.

‘You’re over twenty and still calling me ‘Uncle’?’ he thought.

The soju of this world was generally mild, not comparable to the potent Erguotou (TL Note: A strong Chinese liquor, typically 50-60% alcohol by volume) from her previous life.

Yet, paired with the barbecue, it became increasingly flavorful with each sip.

The man who had offered the drink, after downing several bottles, reached out and slung an arm over Andrew’s shoulder, tears glinting in the corners of his eyes.

“Old Lu, we’ve finally made it, Old Lu!”

“Indeed,” another person slurred, “It’s all thanks to those obstructive fellows getting into trouble, leaving this opportunity to us.”

“Hmph, a bunch of arrogant snobs. They finally got their comeuppance.”

As they drank more, their words flowed more freely, and they began treating Iordera less like an outsider.

Any concerns about “confidentiality” that they might have harbored vanished completely once the alcohol took hold.

Perhaps, in the eyes of these rough men, anyone who shared a drink with them was no longer a stranger.

“Don’t laugh at them; they’ve been suppressing it for too long,” Andrew said with a chuckle. “They finally got such an opportunity…”

As the bald uncle slowly recounted the story, Iordera finally understood.

It turned out they all hailed from a small town called Iron Hammer Town, adjacent to Junefort, and were all alchemical craftsmen.

Alchemical craftsmen, as they were called, were those who performed the complex, arduous tasks within the alchemical manufacturing system.

Although some possessed exquisite skill, they were relegated to being mere craftsmen their entire lives because they hadn’t received formal training or passed the Alchemist’s Guild examinations.

“The City Lord has a project to thoroughly improve public safety, and it requires professionals, so he sought us out,” Andrew explained, taking a sip of his drink. “After all, the original alchemists in the city… I’ve told you about them, haven’t I?”

Iordera also took a drink.

“Told me what?”

“It’s about the Witch.

The Witch is imprisoned in Junefort, and the chaos within the city is caused by her minions.

Moreover, before her incarceration, the Witch was actually the President of the Alchemist’s Guild for the entire continent.

You could say that all the alchemists in the world were once her subordinates.”

Andrew spread his hands.

“So, the City Lord didn’t trust them and sought us out instead…”

“This proves we always had the capability,” the drunken man beside them chimed in, leaning closer. “We don’t need the recognition of that blasted Guild; we *are* alchemists!”

“Yes, we are!”

Andrew’s friends grew increasingly intoxicated, beginning to sway unsteadily.

Iordera sat nearby, secretly nodding her head.

No wonder Andrew had previously mentioned having exclusive, absolutely reliable information; it turned out the source was none other than Junefort’s City Lord.

“Uncle, what project did the City Lord enlist you for?” she ventured to ask.

“I can’t tell you that; it’s top secret,” Andrew slurred drunkenly.

He wouldn’t loosen his tongue even when drunk, suggesting it was indeed quite a secret.

After sharing a casual drink with the uncles and waiting for her two maids to finish their meal, the trio left the gathering.

After all, the rest of the group seemed poised to continue drinking for a considerable while longer.