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The streets were busy and filled with lively noises. Pedestrians filled both sides of the streets full and carriages pass by from time to time. Although the scenery followed a certain format, it wasn't monotonous since the buildings were full of personality and filled with colors.
Along the long and open streets, one silver-haired elf walked silently, glacing from side to side as she enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Although she felt a little lonely without a certain someone by her side, the liveliness of the streets cheered her up.
In her hands was a piece of paper, containing directions to her destination. It was a simple map Grey drew for her, containing certain landmarks which would guide her to her destination, which was none other than the Alchemists' Guild.
'Hmm... And a turn here..." ［Yuna］
Following the map, Yuna made a right turn into another one of Galderia's main streets. She walked a straight path for a few dozen meters, only stopping the moment she arrived in front of a large building. She has arrived at her destination.
Just like the Adventurers' and Blacksmiths' Guild buildings, the Alchemists' Guild building was massive as well. It wasn't the only one dominating the area. In front of the building was another massive building. It was the hospital.
The Alchemists' Guild not only dealt with magical potions, elixirs, and poisons, but other consumables as well such as medicine and daily necessities, hence it was only logical to place it in front of the Hospital which was always in need of such supplies. It was a common format in every decent town and city.
If there was one thing which was noticeably different between the other Guilds and the one in front of Yuna, rather than being intimidating or luxurious, the Alchemists' Guild exuded a welcoming and clean aura.
Creeakkk
As Yuna opened the large doors, what welcomed her was a very familiar format. Just like the guilds she had visited before, the Alchemists' Guild was also one which contained a lot of counters and requests boards. It made her think whether it was for efficiency or the designers were just plain lazy.
Compared to the Blacksmiths' Guild which was filled with muscular men used to heavy labor, the people inside Alchemists' Guild had visibly less muscles and almost all wore laboratory gowns.
If there was one more thing in common with the Alchemists Yuna saw, it was that many of them had dark bags below their eyes, obviously from sleepless nights they spent researching. It was quite the strange sight.
"Good morning, where can I take the registration exam?" ［Yuna］
Asked Yuna as she appeared all of the sudden in front of a certain receptionist. The receptionist in question jolted in shock as she saw Yuna suddenly appear before her. She even made a few pens fall from the counter to the ground.
"A-Ah, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." ［Yuna］
"N-No, it's quite alright." ［Receptionist 1］
It was only thanks to the receptionist's years of experience that she was quickly able to compose herself. Well, that was only the outside as deep inside her heart, she was still startled by Yuna.
"Ahem, anyway... about your question, you just need to head to the counter on the right. There, you will be guided on what to do." ［Receptionist 1］
The receptionist pointed to the counter near the rightmost area of the lobby. It was in roughly the same area as the registration counter back at the Blacksmiths' Guild. To top it off, another lady wearing a professional smile was stationed in.
"Thank you," ［Yuna］
Yuna slightly bowed her head as she thanked the receptionist before heading to the said counter. There was another person currently filling up the form, but they quickly left after the examiner arrived.
"Oh?" ［???］
Whilst Yuna headed to the registration counter, a certain woman in her early thirties suddenly stopped on her tracks. She had black hair, sepia-colored eyes, and a mole near her right eye. Overall, she was a great beauty.
Rather than continuing with her work, the woman just spied at Yuna who was currently filling out the registration form. Soon after, she approached the registration counter as she confirmed something.
"A-Ah! Guildmaster, good morning!" ［Receptionist 2］
Yuna was about to get her guild card to verify her identity, when all of the sudden, the receptionist in front of her suddenly started acting strangely. It didn't take her long to notice a certain woman was approaching them.
The woman was indeed the Guildmaster of the Alchemists' Guild. She was a Tier-5 alchemist who was a renowned genius in Galderia. If it weren't for her work as the Guildmaster, she would have already reached Tier 6. It was also the reason why she was highly respected inside the guild.
"Good morning as well. If I may ask... Is the young lady here going to take the registration exams?" ［Guildmaster］
"A-Ah, yes. All that's needed is the verification of her identity and we can proceed with the examination." ［Receptionist 2］
"No, there's no need for that." ［Guildmaster］
"Pardon...?" ［Receptionist 2］
A puzzled expression was painted all over the receptionist's face as she tried to understand what the Guildmaster was talking about. Her face was begging for answers yet the only thing she received was a vague smile.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but... are you perhaps Lady Yuna?" ［Guildmaster］
"Yes...?" ［Yuna］
Now, it was Yuna who was perplexed by the Guildmaster's question. She had no recollection of meeting her nor even seeing her yet the latter knew who she was. It was only natural that she became confused.
"Name: Yuna, Age: 16, Adventurer rank: B, Nickname: Phantom. That's you, isn't it?" ［Guildmaster］
And if Yuna's name wasn't enough, the Guildmaster mentioned more details which were on the dot, making Yuna even more discombobulated with what was going on. Her mind was now full of question marks.
The receptionist who just happened to overhear the information the Guildmaster mentioned was even more shocked. While she was shocked that Yuna was a B-rank adventurer, she was even more shocked why the Guildmaster knew of all of it. She couldn't help but think that their Guildmaster was a terrifying person.
Thankfully, such wasn't the case. It was only because common information on guilds are shared with one another. Being the Guildmaster, it was only natural that she knew of some of Yuna's information.
"Y-Yes... That's me..." ［Yuna］
"Kyaaa～! I knew it! The very first time I saw your silver hair, I already knew it was you, Lady Yuna! I've been wanting to meet you!" ［Guildmaster］
Faster than lightning, the Guildmaster's character suddenly broke from one which looked serious to a very loud and cheerful one. One could literally see the sparkle in her eyes as she fangirled over Yuna.
Yuna only stood frozen as she looked at the Guildmaster, even more confused than before and not having a single shred of understanding about what was happening, just like the receptionist near here.
"Ah! Sorry for the late introduction! My name is Rina, as you have heard, I am the Galderia Branch's Guildmaster! I have heard a lot from my father. It's nice to finally meet you, Lady Yuna!" ［Rina］
"Your father...?" ［Yuna］
"Yes! I'm Gaston's daughter!" ［Rina］
"Eh...? Huh...? Ehh?!!" ［Yuna］
It took a little while before the information settled on Yuna's mind. Her face which was once painted with confusion was now full of surprise that she couldn't help but scream a little bit.
Just like the fathers and daughters Yuna and Grey met before, the Guildmaster didn't strike any resemblance with her father. If there was one thing which was similar, it was their similar eye colors. Other than that, it was impossible to tell they were related.
While the Guildmaster also aimed to be an adventurer to follow her father's footsteps, after discovering she had a talent for alchemy, everything quickly changed. Now, much like her father who was the Guildmaster of the Adventurers' Guild, she had also become a Guildmaster of the Alchemists' Guild.
"You know, a few months ago, we were really running low on Kalkia grass. When you took the quest and supplied us with tons of it, it really saved us a great deal! Ever since then I've been wanting to meet you." ［Rina］
The Guildmaster's mouth, like an automatic machine gun, fired words after words without rest. She told Yuna a lot of stories she heard about the latter at speeds hard to comprehend for a normal person.
After all, on that day, it wasn't only Yuna who had collected herbs that day. Larren and Nonna who happened to be with her at the time, alongside the sunweeds in the quest also sold the rare herbs they managed to find. It caused quite the commotion inside the Alchemists' Guild.
Curious where the herbs came from, the Guildmaster managed to snag some time to talk with Larren and Nonna, only to find out that it wasn't their own ability which enabled them to acquire such rare herbs, but Yuna's help. It only fueled the desire inside Rina to meet Yuna.
"I really wanted to meet you for a long time, but... every time... we just miss each other. But now! Who would've thought I would meet you on this day?! It must be fate" ［Rina］
The Guildmaster continued to story tell without regard to the surroundings. The other people were also the same. After all, it wasn't the first time it happened, they have already gotten used to it.
"Umm... Guildmaster... The exam..." ［Receptionist 2］
"Ah, right! Lady Yuna, follow me, I'll be your examiner!" ［Rina］
As unpredictable as one could get, the Guildmaster suddenly grabbed Yuna's wrist and forcibly brought her to the examination before she could even react. Along the way, she continued talking endlessly, even changing to a very casual tone with Yuna.
Unlike the Blacksmith's Guild, the halls inside the Alchemists' Guild were much quieter and peaceful. If it weren't for the Guildmaster being a blabbermouth, the peace and quiet would have been perfect.
"We! Have! Arrived!" ［Rina］
A loud announcement rang throughout the examination room as the Guildmaster yelled her arrival. There were nonresponses yet the Guildmaster's face was still wearing a bright smile.
Flasks, burners, tongs, metal rods, large tables, lab coats... There was a lot of equipment and apparatuses to be found inside the examination room. All of which were neatly organized for easy usage.
Just like the examination room Grey was in, there were also a large variety of materials and ingredients present, ranging from simple water to very strange herbs which weren't available on Earth.
"Then, Yuna, you can start at any moment! Just concoct the best item you can and good luck!" ［Rina］
There wasn't even any proper explanation of the contents of the exam. The Guildmaster only let Yuna do what she wanted as she watched on the sidelines, wearing a satisfied face for who-knows-why.
Slowly, Yuna approached the table to scan what herbs were present. There was the Kalkia grass which was the base for many potions, sunweeds, honey, and a lot of common ingredients one could buy anywhere,
"Oh, right! If you have some herbs one you, you can use it. There's no need to force yourself to use whatever is present." ［Rina］
Another reminder came ringing from behind as Yuna was examining the herbs. It was something Yuna had already expected yet she was still glad that the Guildmaster gave her confirmation.
Utilizing the storage ring Grey had lent her, Yuna took out 7 ingredients out of thin air. Four were rare herbs she picked herself, 2 were monster drops she acquired during quests, and the last one was the blood of an Adarna, a beast they defeated several months ago.
As one would expect, the Guildmaster was greatly shocked upon seeing such valuable ingredients taken out casually as if they were common items. Just a single one of them costs thousands upon thousands of kiels.
Just like when she was in battle, Yuna's eyes shone a different glint the moment the flames were lit ablaze. She then poured a beaker full of water into the pot she was heating, gently regulating the flame.
The first herb, Yuna just dropped it into the pot the moment the water started boiling and closed it off with a lid. The second and the third, she squeezed dry of their extracts creating a bluish mixture, and the last, she just left alone.
When the boiling water turned green, Yuna carefully removed the first herb and added the bluish mixture, gently stirring the mixture and pouring a little mana all the while until a cyan-colored mixture was made, letting it sit in low heat.
There was no flaw in Yuna's movements. While she seemed like she was focused on one task, in reality she wasn't. She was managing many tasks at the same time perfectly, making sure everything went right,
While the mixture was being heated, the monster drops were then crushed inside a mortar with the use of a pestle. With Yuna's great strength, the drops quickly turned into fine powder which was poured into the pot and mixed.
Yuna then prepared the adarna blood, processing it so that it becomes of the highest purity. After several minutes of heating, the mixture was then transferred into a test tube with the use of a funnel.
The blood was mixed into a mixture drop by drop. With every drop, Yuna shakes the test tube at breakneck speed to let the two liquids mix. The process only stopped when a reddish mixture was made.
Now for the last step, the mixture is boiled until it evaporates inside a distillation setup, leaving behind the residues. The last herb was also subjected to fire, where its fumes, after reacting with the vapor of the previous mixture, created a new substance and condensed down into a flask.
The result was a dark-red liquid which was Superior-Grade elixir. It was a liquid, which when drank, rids the body of many kinds of diseases, poison, and even poison. The best kind of medicine!
"A... Amazing! Yuna, you've made a Superior-Grade elixir, haven't you?!" ［Rina］
Even more so than Yuna, the Guildmaster was very excited upon seeing the product Yuna made with her own eyes. Yuna had performed beyond her expectations and was an Alchemist who achieved what many can't in such a young age.
While Yuna was a Tier-6 alchemist a few months prior, after studying the Divine-Grade potion Grey lent her, her insights have improved, and now she has reached new heights. She was now a Tier-7 alchemist!
"You're a genius... No, a prodigy! A prodigy which only comes once in a century! I'm sure you'll accomplish many great feats in the future! Yuna, why don't you quit being an adventurer and be a full-time alchemist instead?!" ［Rina］
"N-No... I think I'll pass..." ［Yuna］
"This is such a waste of talent, you know?! You should nurture this ability! Not all people are as fortunate as you! Come on now, let's become alchemists!" ［Rina］
The Guildmaster's enthusiasm was through the roof as she tried to convince Yuna to become a full-time alchemist. She wouldn't back down no matter how much Yuna refused. It reminded the latter of Vanessa somehow, only more stubborn.
In the end, after experiencing many difficulties, Yuna managed to convince the Guildmaster to stop. But in exchange, she was also trapped in a seemingly endlessly conversation with her which spanned many topics.
Yuna also was able to receive a Tier-6 Alchemist guild card as it was the highest the branch could provide. If she wants a higher one, she needs to go to the royal capital, something she doesn't want to do. She was already satisfied with what she possessed.
...
"See you later, Lad." ［Chiron］
"Yeah. Until next time." ［Grey］
Finishing his exam and somehow holding up to the Guildmaster's heated topics, Grey was finally able to go out the Blacksmiths' Guild with the new guild card he just earned. He was very satisfied with the results.
If there was one problem, it was that when he finished, it was already almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Lunch had long passed and he still hadn't eaten yet. Well, rather than himself, he was worried about Yuna.
"Alright, let's head to the market." ［Grey］
Following his words, Grey quickly headed into the market to buy lots of food he took a notice to. Most of the things he bought were Yuna's favorites, ranging from skewers to full-on cakes that Yuna loves.
Grey also didn't cheap out on what to buy. Since it was already way past lunch, he bought much more than what they could usually finish. It was not only as a token of apology for being late, but also that he wanted to spoil her.
After loitering around the market for several minutes, Grey then headed to the Alchemists' Guild located just a few hundred meters away. The very moment he entered, he saw a very peculiar scene.
"Come on, Yuna. Just five more minutes～..." ［Rina］
"No! That's what you also said thirty minutes ago!" ［Yuna］
It was a scene where his girlfriend, Yuna, was being clung onto by another woman. The latter was crying as she begged Yuna to stay longer so that they could chat. It was not something Grey had expected to see at all.
What's even stranger was that not a single person was paying attention to them. Or rather, they just chose to ignore them and go on about their lives. It was as if the two weren't even there.
"Ah, Grey!" ［Yuna］
The very moment she saw Grey, standing there, looking at them with a weird confused face about him, Yuna called out to him. At the same time, the Guildmaster's eyes also landed upon him.
An awkward silence fell inside the lobby as the Guilamaster and Grey's eyes locked with one another. Somehow, deep inside his heart, Grey already knew something was going to happen. All he could do was smile wryly.
"Ah! You must be Lord Grey! I've heard a lot about you from Yuna! It's a pleasure to finally meet you!" ［Rina］
"A-Ah nice to meet you too, umm... Miss..." ［Grey］
"Rina! Just call me Rina!" ［Rina］
"Ah, yes... Miss Rina, nice to meet you too..." ［Grey］
As if she wasn't clinging to Yuna just a few seconds ago, the Guildmaster quickly stood up and arrived in front of Grey, grabbing his hands while introducing herself enthusiastically as bright sparkles gleamed in her eyes.
Grey's eyes asked Yuna what was happening, but the latter could only respond with an awkward smile as she also doesn't know herself. All they both knew was that it was going to be troublesome.
"I heard you were the one who taught Yuna alchemy, please join the Alchemists' Guild as well! I promise we'll treat you well!" ［Rina］
"N-No... I've already joined the Blacksmiths' Guild you see..." ［Grey］
"What?! The Blacksmiths' Guild?! What's good with that bearded old geezer! The Alchemist Guild is definitely better! Please join us!" ［Rina］
Just like Yuna before, Grey was subjected to the Guildmaster's aggressive recruitment tactic. She even went as far as to insult Chiron. It was obvious that the relationship between them wasn't so good.
The Guildmaster's aggressive recruitment continued for minutes to come, and every time she asked Grey, the latter would always refuse. It was only until an unknown figure suddenly reached out his hands and grabbed the Guildmaster's shoulders that she stopped.
"Guildmaster..." ［???］
A dangerous smile was plastered on the man's face which was already painted with a dark and sinister expression. If one looked closely, one would notice an irked vein popping on his forehead.
"Don't you still have a lot of work to do?" ［???］
"N-No, Aldean, I can explain! This isn't what it looks like!" ［Rina］
"It doesn't matter what it looks like, Guildmaster. What matters is that you have skipped work again. Now, let me take you back into the office and let's have a 'heart to heart' talk, shall we?" ［Aldean］
"Noooo! Save meeee!" ［Rina］
As pitiful as one can be, the Guildmaster was dragged by Aldean back to her office. A grim expression was still on his face, his dangerous smile not disappearing and unchanging as she dragged the former away.
Aldean was the Vice-Guildmaster of the Alchemists' Guild, and thanks to their Guildmasters' personality, he always had to deal with her work and antics. Him dragging away the Guildmaster back to the office was already a common scene in the guild that people didn't even bat an eye at them.
Grey and Yuna, who witnessed such an absurd scene, only stood there, frozen. It was only after a couple minutes that they decided to ignore what they just saw and went on about their days.
One thing was for sure, it was one of the weirdest things they have seen for a while. One they might not be able to forget even if they wanted to. A strange memory.
CHAPTER 118 END