After breakfast, Makoto went to meet Hazal
in front of the adventurer's guild.
"Good morning, Hazal," Makoto said using magic writing after meeting him.
"Good morning, Makoto-sama," Hazal replied cheerfully.
"Is it true that we're going to make potion from Ruby Eye eyeballs?" Hazal asked.
"Yes, that's right. Now we're going to the client's residence," Makoto answered.
After walking for a while, they arrived in front of a luxurious mansion. After Makoto informed the guards of his name, they were allowed inside by a servant and told to wait in the living room.
"Um, Makoto-sama, isn't this the residence of the owner of the Rembrandt Company?" Hazal asked hesitantly.
"You're right, Hazal. This is the Rembrandt residence," Makoto replied with magic writing.
"So I'm going to make potion for the owner of the Rembrandt Company… What if I fail? I'll surely be killed," Hazal said fearfully.
"It's fine. Rembrandt-san is a good person," Makoto said to calm him.
Not long after, Patrick Rembrandt arrived together with Morris.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Patrick Rembrandt said.
"It's no problem, we just arrived as well. This is Hazal, an Alchemist Master," Makoto said, introducing Hazal with magic writing.
"I'm Patrick Rembrandt. Nice to meet you," Patrick said as he shook Hazal's hand.
"Y-yes, my name is Hazal. Nice to meet you as well," Hazal replied nervously.
"Then without wasting time, let's begin making the potion. Morris, guide them to the prepared room," Patrick Rembrandt said.
"Yes, sir," Morris replied.
"Makoto-sama, Hazal-sama, please follow me to the prepared room," Morris said.
Morris led Makoto and Hazal to a room resembling a chemical laboratory, filled with various glass bottles and several tools used for distillation. In front of them, the ingredients needed to make the medicine were neatly arranged.
"Hazal-sama, this is the recipe for making Ambrosia and the method for extracting Ruby Eye eyeballs," Morris said as he handed the recipe to Hazal.
"Is this all?" Hazal asked after reading it.
"Yes. Aside from the unique extraction method, the purification process itself isn't difficult," Morris said with a smile.
Hazal then drew a magic circle on the floor and began chanting spells. Makoto, watching Hazal repeatedly invoke the goddess and use an inefficient magic sequence, could only shake his head. Makoto chose not to help and simply observed Hazal making the Ambrosia. After completing various steps, one bottle of Ambrosia was finally finished.
"One Ambrosia potion is complete," Hazal said and handed it to Morris.
"I'll bring this to the master immediately," Morris said, then left the room.
"Thank goodness… I want to go home and drink alcohol already," Hazal said. He then proceeded to make the remaining medicine. It didn't take long for the two required bottles of Ambrosia to be completed.
Makoto noticed Hazal about to pick up two bottles with one hand. Without thinking twice, he took both bottles from in front of Hazal.
"Don't take two bottles with one hand. What if you drop them?" Makoto said using magic writing.
"I'm sorry, Makoto-sama. After finishing the medicine, I relaxed too much and didn't think it through," Hazal said apologetically.
Not long after, Morris came rushing in, opening the door loudly.
"Makoto-sama!?" Morris shouted.
"Aah!" Hazal cried out in surprise.
"Morris-san, what happened?" Makoto asked with magic writing.
"There's been an incident. Please come with me to meet the master," Morris said. Makoto and Hazal were then led to Patrick Rembrandt. When they arrived, Patrick Rembrandt was sitting while holding his injured arm.
"Rembrandt-san, how is your wound?" Makoto asked with magic writing.
"I'm fine. It's just a minor injury," Patrick replied.
"What happened?" Makoto asked.
"When I tried to give the medicine to my wife, she resisted fiercely," Patrick said.
"Madam had to be restrained by me and the guards. She's unconscious now," Morris added.
"She's never gone on a rampage like that before," Patrick said.
"I believe that wasn't a rampage, but a barrier spell caused by the cursed disease, preventing her from being given medicine," Hazal said.
Patrick Rembrandt was shocked.
"A cursed disease can cause something like that?" Morris asked.
"If it's a level 8 curse, it's very possible," Hazal replied.
"At first it was just a mild fever, but it never improved. She began to fear water, then light, lost her sanity, and resisted violently. Her hair fell out, her cheeks hollowed, and her eyes turned red. The once-beautiful figure no longer looked the same. That hell was supposed to end today," Patrick Rembrandt said in despair.
"Rembrandt-san, please take me to your wife. I'll restrain her. You just need to make her drink the medicine," Makoto said with magic writing.
"Hazal-san, please make one more potion using the remaining ingredients," Makoto added.
"Understood, Makoto-sama," Hazal replied.
"Thank you very much, Makoto-dono," Patrick Rembrandt said.
"Thank you, Makoto-sama," Morris said.
"Morris-san, could you accompany Hazal? He tends to be a bit careless after doing something important," Makoto said. Morris glanced at Patrick Rembrandt, who nodded.
"Very well, Makoto-sama," Morris replied.
"Rembrandt-san, could you show me the way?" Makoto asked with magic writing.
"Of course. Follow me," Patrick said.
They arrived in front of a room.
"Rembrandt-san, once I enter, I'll immediately restrain her movements, so be ready," Makoto said with magic writing.
"Alright. Be careful," Patrick replied.
As soon as Makoto entered, Madam attacked him, but Makoto easily dodged and restrained her, rendering her unable to move.
"Now, Rembrandt-san," Makoto said.
Patrick Rembrandt, astonished at how easily Makoto restrained his raging wife, snapped back to his senses and poured the medicine into her mouth. Moments later, her condition improved and she fell into a peaceful sleep.
"Ah, Lisa… You can finally speak and laugh again," Patrick Rembrandt said, crying as he embraced his wife.
After that, Makoto and Patrick Rembrandt went to their daughter's room. When Makoto entered, he sensed someone's presence in the corner of the room. The figure leapt at him, but Makoto easily avoided it, grabbed the arm, slammed the person to the ground, and restrained them. Without being told, Patrick Rembrandt poured the medicine into his daughter's mouth.
When they left the room, they saw Hazal running while carrying the final potion.
"Makoto-sama, I've finished making it!" Hazal said cheerfully.
Suddenly, Hazal tripped and fell, tossing the potion into the air. Morris, who was behind him, effortlessly caught the bottle midair and handed it to Patrick Rembrandt.
"Master, this is the final potion needed," Morris said.
"Thank you, Morris," Patrick replied.
"Hazal, I told you to be careful when doing things. Look what would've happened if Morris hadn't been here," Makoto said with magic writing.
"Thank you, Morris-san," Makoto added.
"No, it's simply my duty, Makoto-sama," Morris replied calmly.
They then went to the final room. When Makoto entered, he saw that Patrick Rembrandt's daughter was still conscious.
"R-run… please r-run…"
After saying those few words, she lost consciousness and went berserk, attacking Makoto. Moments later, Makoto restrained her, and Patrick Rembrandt poured the medicine into her mouth.
"My wife and both my daughters are now asleep. I'm truly grateful, Makoto-dono," Patrick Rembrandt said.
"That's good to hear. I hope they recover quickly," Makoto replied with magic writing.
"The restraint technique you used is truly incredible. Who exactly are you?" Patrick asked.
"I'm just an adventurer," Makoto replied casually.
"Anyway, I've finally been freed from those terrifying days. Oh Goddess, thank you for today," Patrick Rembrandt said. Hearing Patrick praise the goddess, Makoto could only give a stiff smile.
After finishing his business with Patrick Rembrandt, Makoto left, leaving Hazal behind to perfect the Ambrosia. On the way, he met Tomoe and Mio.
"Tomoe, Mio, what are you doing here? Weren't you busy preparing for tonight's celebration?" Makoto asked in confusion.
"We left it to Shiki and Ema," Tomoe replied.
"Then why are you here?" Makoto asked.
"We came to pick you up, Waka-sama," Mio said happily.
"So what are you planning, Tomoe?" Makoto asked.
"Actually, I discovered that we've been under surveillance ever since Waka accepted the request from the Rembrandt Company. I thought it was about time they made their move," Tomoe said confidently.
"Seems you're right, Tomoe," Makoto said as he looked around. Suddenly, a magic circle appeared beneath their feet, and a blazing fire tornado erupted around them. After the flames disappeared, Makoto, Tomoe, and Mio stood completely unharmed.
"What!?" shouted the mage who had cast the fire spell. Then a silver-haired youth blew a whistle to signal his companions. In an instant, Makoto's group was surrounded.
"Those two women there, want to work with us?" asked the silver-haired adventurer.
"The criminals in Zetsuya said the same thing, didn't they, Mio?" Tomoe said.
"That's right, Tomoe-san," Mio replied.
"So you refuse. What a shame. If only you hadn't gotten involved with Rembrandt, you wouldn't have suffered like this," the silver-haired adventurer said, then ordered his companions, "Attack!"
Makoto stood calmly and gave instructions to Tomoe and Mio.
"You two, defeat them without killing them. They're just victims being used by someone else," Makoto said.
"Yes, Waka," Tomoe replied.
"Understood, Waka-sama," Mio said.
Tomoe and Mio then beat down the adventurers one by one until only the silver-haired man remained.
"I'm the number one adventurer in Tsige, Lime Latte!" he shouted as he drew his short sword and attacked Tomoe. Tomoe easily broke the sword and knocked him to the ground.
"That's enough, Tomoe, Mio," Makoto said as he walked toward Lime.
"Do you know what you've done?" Makoto asked using magic writing.
"I feel guilty for making such a young girl fall asleep," Lime said.
"It seems you really didn't know anything and were merely being used," Makoto replied.
"Weren't we just giving them a sleeping curse?" Lime asked in confusion.
"I'll tell you this: the curse cast by that mage was a highly dangerous level 8 curse that could threaten lives," Makoto said.
"That's impossible! The mage said the curse wouldn't endanger their lives!" Lime exclaimed.
"That's why I said you were being used," Makoto replied.
"Tomoe, Mio, let's go," Makoto said.
"Yes, Waka," Tomoe and Mio replied. Makoto left Lime sitting on the ground, questioning his own life.
"How are the celebration preparations? Is anything missing?" Makoto asked.
"Everything's ready, Waka. The stage and decorations are prepared," Tomoe said.
"For the food preparations, I asked Alke and some Highland Orcs to help with the cooking," Mio added.
"Good. It looks like tonight will be a lively celebration," Makoto said with a happy smile.