"What kind of house are you looking to rent? I can introduce you to the right people," the innkeeper asked.
Helag thought for a moment. "Preferably a large courtyard in a quiet area, not too noisy."
The innkeeper nodded. "Got it. I'll make some calls. You should be able to see some places tomorrow."
"Thanks." Helag placed five silver coins on the table.
The innkeeper smiled and took the coins. "You're welcome."
Dinner arrived quickly, consisting of a pot of stew with some unfamiliar green leafy vegetables and a plate of freshly made pumpkin cakes.
Late at night, Helag noticed that Ryan City didn't have a curfew. People were still walking around, and a few drunkards were loudly making a ruckus.
***
The next morning, Helag sensed the innkeeper receiving a visitor, presumably the person handling the rental.
Since Helag hadn't gotten up yet, the visitor waited downstairs.
When Helag came down, the innkeeper introduced him. "This is Mr. Geralt, looking to rent a house with a quiet courtyard. This is Colin, who has several properties in the west part of the city."
Colin, a round-faced man with a turban and a large belly, probably weighing around three hundred pounds, smiled, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Mr. Geralt, I have properties ranging from ten silver coins to ten gold coins per month. What price range are you looking for?"
"Ten gold coins a month? That's quite expensive," Helag said, surprised at the high prices.
He thought for a moment. "Something within one gold coin per month, and it must be quiet."
Colin's small eyes twinkled. "I know just the place you might like."
Colin's carriage was waiting outside. Helag got in, and they headed west.
The carriage passed through several streets, a market area, and two main roads before reaching their destination.
It was a residential area with large courtyards, and the houses were spaced far apart.
"This is a wealthy area. You won't see any vagrants here. The entrance is guarded, and soldiers patrol the area daily. You won't have to worry about drunkards wandering into your home," Colin explained.
"This place is very quiet. The rent is one gold coin per month. It meets all your requirements. What do you think?"
Helag observed the surroundings, noting the tranquility and low foot traffic.
He walked into the courtyard, finding three houses, all clean and well-maintained, indicating regular upkeep.
After inspecting everything, Helag said, "I'll take it. I'll rent it for three months first."
Given the uncertainty of his future plans, he decided to start with a three-month lease.
Colin, surprised by Helag's quick decision, smiled broadly. "Great. Do you need a maid who can cook and clean? I can arrange one for ten silver coins a month."
"Sure, please handle that for me," Helag agreed, preferring to delegate these tasks to save time.
That afternoon, Helag completed the paperwork and moved into the courtyard.
Colin was efficient, quickly arranging for a woman named Judy, a resident of Ryan's slum area, to start working.
Though not young or pretty, Judy was skilled in household chores, which was exactly what Helag needed.
Helag had specifically requested someone capable rather than attractive, and Colin understood, selecting Judy for her efficiency.
After moving in, Helag designated the largest house as his living quarters.
The two smaller houses were allocated to Ed and Judy, providing them with ample space.
The right house was off-limits to Ed and Judy, reserved for Helag's potion experiments.
Life quickly settled into a routine. Judy handled the procurement of supplies, while Ed drove the carriage and took care of the horses.
Helag stood in one of the small house's rooms, where potion equipment was neatly arranged.
He had divided the room into different areas for various stages of potion-making, just as he had in Moonlight Forest.
He adhered strictly to the experimental standards taught by Larry, with Deep Blue enforcing these standards.
"100 milliliters of pure water, 30 milliliters of Mist Treant sap, 10 grams of Dragon Tooth Grass powder, 3 drops of Hemlock juice, 5 drops of Mandrake sap."
This was a potion formula deduced by Deep Blue to accelerate Helag's meditation, tailored to his physique and meditation method.
Helag checked the ingredients. "All basic potion materials, which I have."
Before leaving, he had stocked his spatial ring with basic potion materials provided by Larry, ensuring he wouldn't run out while practicing.
Helag began preparing the ingredients according to the formula.
"30 milliliters of Mist Treant sap…"
He took out a branch from the Mist Treant, needing to extract the sap using magic.
Holding a test tube, he channeled magic into the branch, drawing out the sap.
Pale yellow sap oozed from the branch, dripping into the test tube.
Watching the measurement, Helag stopped at just over 30 milliliters and put the branch away.
"10 grams of Dragon Tooth Grass powder."
Helag took out a small, precise scale and a Dragon Tooth Grass plant from his spatial ring.
Processing Dragon Tooth Grass powder was slightly more complex, requiring the plant to be thoroughly dried and then ground.
The drying process needed precise temperature control; too high would deactivate the plant's properties, and too low wouldn't remove enough moisture.
For Helag, this was easy to manage, as he could now manipulate fire energy particles.
He placed a beaker on an asbestos net, using magic to gather fire energy particles and ignite a small flame.
With Deep Blue's assistance, he precisely controlled the temperature, slowly drying the Dragon Tooth Grass.