Chapter 3: Cursed Mirror, Again

「Okay… We finally secured enough 《Ether》.」

 

Pomera heaved a sigh hearing me confirmed the 《Ether》.

 

「What a relief… This drug which I drink like water is supposed to be expensive, right? I wonder how many million golds it will be sold out there…」

 

Pomera tried to ask with a timid voice.

 

I touched my chin as I pondered about it.

I tried to guess the price in accordance with the currency of this world.

 

Naturally, following the law of supply and demand, one of the materials, namely the B-rank item, the 《Jade Dragon’s Eye》 alone had already cost me five million gold.

In one of my business transactions with Gannet, I couldn’t hold my curiosity and tried to ask him for the price of one kg of 《Adamant Ore》.

 

Gannet pondered for a while before he told me that there was no price set for it since it was an extremely valuable and rare material, it would go for at least five hundred million gold at a minimum if it appear in the market.

In short, the difference in price between B-rank and S-rank material was a hundred times at a minimum.

 

「… We might be able to sell one flask for more than ten billion gold. One of its’ main ingredients is the 《Brain of High-Rank Devil》, a legendary rank ingredient after all. It’s free for us though.」

 

At least that was what the 《Akashic Record》 had told me.

Since the devil who came out from that place was a level 3000 devil at minimum, someone with a level below 3000 wouldn’t be able to slay them.

Thus I came up with an exaggerated price.

In the first place, the devil’s brain wasn’t readily available without 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》.

 

「E–」

 

Pomera’s face twitched hearing my reply.

 

「What’s the matter?」

 

「Pomera feel sorry for drinking such expensive drug…」

 

「It’s just a rough estimation. I doubt we will find anyone out there who can spend so much money to buy it.」

 

I smile wryly at Pomera, and waved my hand to disperse her worry.

 

I also tried to ask Gannet if there was a safe way to sell 《Adamant Ore》.

But, the one who would make their move once the news about a lump of 《Adamant Ore》 spread was the royalties, and the other kingdom, 《Mithril’s Cane》 wouldn’t be got the chance to get one.

Meaning that it wasn’t the kind of item that was available to the public.

 

Well, it’s not like I need a quick and huge sum of money either.

Hunting monsters every once in a while and selling 《Yggdrasil’s Droplet》 was enough for our source of income for now.

And those alone were enough to cover the material cost for 《Ether》.

 

「Y-You’re right… But still, Pomera can’t help but feel guilty about it…」

 

Philia who stood beside the perplexed Pomera tried to taste the 《Ether》.

 

「Kanata… This is… Not tasty at all… And bitter. It smell weird, and tasted strange.」

 

「You can’t do that, Philia-chan! That’s Kanata-san’s ten billion gold!」

 

Pomera pulled Philia’s hand from the kettle.

Philia raised her face, looking at Pomera with a dissatisfied face.

 

「Muuh…」

 

「Don’t worry, I’ve made a promise to Philia before to allow her to drink the finished product.」

 

I explained the situation to Pomera.

 

「S-Sorry, Pomera, Just… But well, I don’t think this is supposed to be used carefreely like that.」

 

「But we got a lot of stock for 《Ether》 thanks to Philia’s 《Dream King’s Mask》. And even if it failed, we can sell it in the store around this area.」

 

「But still… Sorry, Philia-chan.」

 

Pomera returned the kettle while apologizing to Philia.

Philia shifted her attention to the drug, it seems she couldn’t follow our conversation.

 

「Philia thought… It’s sweet.」

 

「Eating sweets after drinking 《Ether》 might be made the sweet taste lot sweeter than usual.」

「Kanata is amazing! Philia wants to try it too!」

 

Philia then went to take a heap of sweets.

 

「Shouldn’t we replace it with another bitter thing? Or, is it just something that only Pomera has noticed?」

 

Pomera spoke with a doubtful look on her face.

 

「We were not troubled by money right now. Gannet has already told me that he will sell the 《Yggdrasil’s Droplet》 bit-by-bit at a high price to prevent the market price’s collapse.」

 

We had plenty enough money left for us to make several batches of 《Ether》, and the rest was enough for our daily necessities.

Even if we ran out of funds, I could sell Lovis’ 《Adventurer King’s Golden Compass》 to secure another activity fund.

And since it was an A-rank item, I should be able to ask Gannet to help me to sell the compass.

 

「Well, it’s not like I like to throw money like water but, I’ve no problem with it as long as Philia-chan is happy.」

 

「Kanata! You’re a genius! The sweet taste is even better after I drink this! Try it too, Kanata!」

 

Philia spoke cheerfully as her mouth was almost stuffed with cookies.

 

「Excuse me but, Pomera still thinks that we shouldn’t waste 《Ether》 in this way! I mean, we literally throwing away ten billion gold for nothing right!?」

 

「It doesn’t really matter since Philia-chan seems to want to know about 《Ether》. Not to mention that I don’t want Philia-chan to feel like she is being left out.」

 

I explained so to Pomera.

 

I feel bad for Philia but, I really didn’t wish to be her sweets friend more than I already have.

I could go around Manarak, looking for something bitter that might pique her interest but, she might get tired of it immediately.

 

「Pomera doesn’t think it’s something that can be drunk like water… I mean, it’s okay to drink it in between the magic training or battle but this is just…」

 

《Ether》 had the effect of sharpening magic sense while restoring magical power at the same time.

And its’ boost in terms of making learning magic more efficient was simply off the chart.

That’s why one should drink it till their stomach was choked full with it during the training.

 

「It’s also something that I made for your training, Pomera-san. That’s why let’s drink a lot of it and went into the 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》 again.」

 

Pomera’s shoulder twitched the moment she heard 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》.

 

「U-Uhm, I don’t think we have to go into that place…」

 

「I’ve told you before that I want to raise your level a bit more but… The truth is, I might need to do that as soon as possible.」

 

And raise the bar on top of that.

 

「What… Made you change your mind?」

 

「Something that Alice of 《Humanoid Dragon》’s last remark has been bothering me to this day.」

 

Alice gave me a warning at the end of her life.

 

『Fu, fufu, I’ll give you one last piece of advice, Kanata… You, who turned your blade toward the higher existence, will end in the most tragic way sooner or later. And when that happens, you’re not the only one who got involved. That’s why even I have to live in hiding in accordance with the flow that they decided.』

 

Though Alice wasn’t an otherworlder, she knew about the higher being… About Nyarlhotep.

And from the way she spoke, it seems she had also realized in her last moment that the 《Red Authority Cane》 which caused the last incident was one of the scenarios prepared by the higher being to get rid of me.

 

So I knew that she wasn’t muttering complete nonsense.

Nyarphotep might be so pissed off since he failed to kill me.

After this, I’m afraid that the monster even more terrifying than the Red King or Alice might be got instigated by Nyarphotep’s machination to kill me.

 

「… I thought that I won’t attract a dangerous guy’s attention if I’m laying low. But, I guess my enemy has already marked me.」

 

Nyarlhotep was the existence that was involved in the creation of this world.

If they were serious about eliminating me, I doubt I could survive this far.

I think, leveling inside the 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》 aside, I had to find something to fight against the higher being too.

 

I explained to Pomera a long time ago that she might be in a dangerous situation due to her involvement with me, including the fact that I helped her to raise her level.

That was the assumption for the 《Humanoid Dragon》 or the other otherworlder.

 

But if Nyarlhotep really did lock on to me, the two above might be the least danger she would find coming her way.

Knowing that he was aiming for me, I had no problem with avoiding his plan as long as I’m being very careful.

Nyarlhotep was the kind of cruel, selfish, and malicious kind after all.

I’ve only met him once before but, I’m pretty much aware of his personality.

 

「I don’t know how much of what Alice had told is the truth. It’s not like I can guess what she really thinking about. But supposing she’s telling the truth, honestly, I can’t help but worry about Pomera-san…」

 

Pomera didn’t interrupt my speech but, she cast a downgaze while holding on my wrist.

 

「Since it’s such a dangerous situation, it’s all the more reason for Pomera to help! Pomera still has a debt of gratitude to Kanata-san after all. Moreover… Going through difficulties together is what you call a comrade!」

 

「Pomera-san…」

 

「And Pomera… Pomera doesn’t want to leave Kanata-san’s side!」

 

Pomera went as far as telling me her resolution.

Since that was the case, I had to do my best to make sure that she didn’t go through a dangerous situation, meaning that I have to raise her level.

 

Philia embraced my left arm too.

 

「Philia too! Philia loves Pomera and Kanata, Philia will do her best too!」

 

Hearing that, I knew what I had to do next.

 

「Thank you… Okay then, since we secured enough stock of 《Ether》, let’s go to the 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》 to raise our level!」

 

Up until now, I thought that I don’t have to raise Philia’s level.

But something about Alice’s last words kept bothering me.

Naturally, if Nyarlhotep really did something, I would take responsibility for that matter.

 

But if I was with Pomera and Philia, some sort of accident was bound to involve them too.

Thus I have to raise their level in a hurry, even if it was a bit too forceful so that they could protect themselves.

My power leveling method wasn’t as good as Lunaire but still…

 

「Oooh! Philia will become stronger!」

 

Philia clenched her fist as she said so.

 

「… Yeah. In the end, we’re back to the 《Distorted World of Cursed Mirror》…」

 

Pomera let out listless grumbling.