Chapter 2: The First Customer
The next morning, it was almost time to open the shop, but Teo was still asleep.
Since he went out to gather herbs yesterday, I’ll let him rest a bit longer.
Hehe.
After preparing to open the shop, I started making potions in the workshop next to it.
I prepared the herbs Teo had gathered and clean water purified with magic.
I also cast holy magic on this water.
Then I lined up the bottles specifically for potions…
That’s right, if you gather the herbs yourself, the material cost is almost nothing.
It’s just three copper coins for the bottle.
If I sell one homemade potion…
With three silver coins, it’s enough for two people’s food expenses for three to four days, but potions are expensive for commoners, so selling one a day would be pretty good.
Cheaper medicines like healing salves sell more often.
Dungeon-made potions are expensive, so they don’t sell much.
Even if they do, maybe one a month.
They’re sold at every apothecary, after all.
But now that Teo has become an adventurer, he might bring back potions from dungeons.
If that happens, we’d make five silver coins in profit.
Hehe.
I can use magic.
Everyone can use basic life magic, but people have strengths and weaknesses depending on the attribute.
In countries to the south of the continent, there are many people who can’t use magic at all.
According to Teo, my mother could use many kinds of magic.
I can also use four elemental attributes, as well as higher-tier magic like purification and holy magic.
I can even cast enhancement magic on myself to run faster.
Hehe, it’s convenient since I don’t get tired.
But… Teo told me not to use magic in front of others until I become an adult.
I suddenly looked into the mirror in the workshop and remembered what Teo had said.
“You’re starting to look like Sayuri…”
My mother’s name was Sayuri, and she had black hair and black eyes.
I have black hair too, but my eyes are dark brown and sometimes look a bit reddish.
The item bag my mother left behind can only be used by me, and Teo couldn’t even put his hand inside it.
There was only money and dungeon items inside, though.
It looks the same as other item bags, made of rough, pale cloth, but the inside is lined with smooth, light purple fabric, making it a double-layered bag.
When I realized that this bag had a time-stop effect, I was really surprised.
Now, it’s incredibly useful.
Normal item bags (small) can be found in dungeon treasure chests, but they don’t have time-stop effects.
They can hold about half the capacity of a wagon, and most experienced adventurers have one.
Teo has one too.
By the way, I don’t know how much mine can hold.
◇
After noon, Teo finally woke up.
“Alice, I’m heading to a dungeon now, so I won’t be back for three or four days. Make sure to lock up properly!”
Huh…
Wasn’t Teo supposed to go back to being an adventurer after I turned ten?
Well, whatever.
I’ll look forward to souvenirs.
“Got it! Teo, be careful. Take these potions with you as a good luck charm.”
I handed him three freshly made potions.
Teo put them into his item bag and, while stuffing bread with cheese into his mouth, said,
“Yeah! Thanks, Alice. I’m off. Munch munch…”
“Okay. Teo, take care!”
After seeing Teo off, I started making healing salve in the workshop next to the shop.
Clack, jingle jingle.
Ah, I heard the shop door open.
“Welcome!”
I called out and stopped working, heading to the shop area.
“I heard the potions here work well on old wounds… but it’s a child running the shop. Hmm, could you sell me one potion?”
This was my first time seeing this customer.
He looked about twenty years old, a handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes… but he had dark circles under his eyes and a pale complexion.
It’s such a waste for someone so handsome to look so unwell.
He was wearing a white knight’s uniform and white gloves.
A knight coming to a small shop in a back alley…
“Yes, this would be our homemade potion. The pain-relieving effect varies from person to person. Even if it works on old wounds, it won’t heal them completely. Is that alright?”
I wonder where he’s hurting.
He looks like he’s in a bit of pain.
“You speak quite properly for someone so young. Yes, that’s fine, sell me one.”
You see, when you read difficult alchemy and herb books, you naturally learn the right words to explain things.
“One homemade potion will be three silver coins and three copper coins.”
“That’s cheap…”
Our potions are priced reasonably, after all.
I put one of the potions from the shelf into a paper bag and handed it over in exchange for the payment.
“Thank you. Next time, if you bring back the empty bottle after use, we’ll deduct the bottle cost, making it three silver coins.”
“I see. It becomes cheaper, huh. That’s well thought out.”
Saying that, the handsome knight left.
“Thank you very much!”
On days when Teo isn’t in the shop, I always close early.
If it gets too late, troublesome customers start showing up… like drunk people.
Since it had passed two-thirty, I went to the entrance to close the shop, when someone suddenly rushed in.
Clack, jingle jingle jingle!
“Haa… haa… sorry…”
Huh?
It’s the handsome knight who came earlier.
He was out of breath… what happened?