I woke up to a new day with a strange smell in the air, which could only mean one thing…
"Another experiment. The least they could do is make it smell more tolerable."
I had to get up even though I didn't want to, thanks to that cursed smell.
As I went downstairs, I saw the table set with food and heard strange noises from the potion room, which meant I'd be alone again... Not that it really bothered me since it gave me time to watch the forge.
I looked at the food: a piece of bread with some eggs and a glass of juice.
I ate it and noticed a peculiar flavor, but it didn't matter much since it tasted good.
After eating, I decided to find a book to read, as I didn't want to spend all my time in the forge.
There were plenty of books, some interesting, others not. I spent some time like that until I saw one with an alchemy symbol, so I picked it up and started reading.
The first few pages warned about being cautious when making potions, as some could have poisonous effects if not done properly.
To make a potion, it wasn't just about mixing ingredients. They had to be compatible, or the potion would have no effect. It also required a specialized potion flask that preserved the mixture from deteriorating over time.
Potion flasks were made of special glass combined with a magical seal, which allowed potions to last for years.
'So, I need those flasks and that seal. Could Grandma be a mage to make those seals?'
I read about Health Potions, which required three types of ingredients: The first for healing. The second to enhance the effect. The third to provide an additional effect related to health.
"Mana Potions, Stamina Potions, Regeneration Potions, Poison, Mana Poison, Paralysis Poison... There are so many types of potions and poisons."
I kept reading about the different potions and poisons that could be made. To my surprise, the book didn't just cover potions and poisons but also tonics, liquors, reactants to aid in crafting, and hundreds of other things.
'Alchemy truly is fascinating.'
I continued reading about preparing potion ingredients, which could involve cutting, grinding, mixing with a bit of water, and other procedures.
I looked outside and realized it was getting late, so I closed the book and stepped out. Just then, the system appeared.
_______________
Due to your acquired knowledge, you have gained the subclass: Alchemist.
Creating a subclass ability: Minor Potion Crafting.
_______________
'Huh?'
I was somewhat confused about why this popped up, as I hadn't truly learned anything about alchemy.
'Could it have been from reading the alchemy book?'
I pondered this for a moment, but it didn't make much sense. I had read many other books with knowledge from subclasses like Chef, Farmer, and Lumberjack, but hadn't unlocked them. There had to be more to it.
I thought of using the new ability to create a potion, but it didn't work. Instead, a system message appeared saying I lacked ingredients, a potion flask, and a specific potion to craft.
'I should go gather some of those ingredients.'
I got to work collecting what I needed.
First, I needed a potion flask. I couldn't find one outside, but I knew there were some here, so I began searching.
I searched carefully, as Grandma was experimenting and might hear if I took one of her flasks. I went to her room to look for one.
There were some strange books with unfamiliar writing, so I set them aside.
After several minutes of searching with no luck, I was about to ask Grandma for one when I spotted a chest under the bed. I pulled it out and opened it.
Inside, I found exactly what I needed: plenty of potion flasks, a purple leather pouch, and a plain book with no title.
"Well, I've got the first item."
I carefully returned the chest to its original position and left the room to search for ingredients outside.
For a Health Potion, I needed: wheat, a yellow flower, and a bird egg.
'Wheat and yellow flowers are easy to find, but a bird egg... That'll be tricky. Would a chicken egg work?'
I left the cabin to look for yellow flowers, which grew nearby since Grandma cultivated many ingredients.
I searched through the flowers, keeping an eye out to make sure Grandma didn't leave the cabin.
I saw red flowers, blue flowers, but no yellow ones, which was strange. I kept looking until I finally found some.
'I've got the first ingredient. While I'm in the forest, I should look for a bird egg.'
I searched for birds in the forest. If there were birds, there had to be nests. I could hear them chirping but couldn't spot any, which made things difficult.
After searching for a long time, I still couldn't find any eggs.
"Better go for chicken eggs."
I grabbed some small berries I found, thinking they might be useful later, and headed to the village for the wheat and a chicken egg.
On the way, I observed the wheat fields. They seemed to shine under the sun, giving them a golden hue. From afar, it might look like a golden land in the middle of nowhere.
I carefully gathered some wheat to use for the potion, stored it, and headed to the village.
Once again, I saw children playing, though this time it felt different. The hunters were back, which struck me as odd since they'd hunted the day before and should be out again.
I ignored them and went to the chicken coop.
Entering cautiously, I saw several chickens staring at me. Feeling nervous under their gaze, I moved slowly toward the eggs.
I nervously reached for an egg but froze when one of the chickens moved.
Swallowing hard, I pulled out the berries from my pocket and threw them on the ground, distracting the chickens as they pecked at them. I quickly grabbed an egg and bolted from the coop.
I ran as fast as I could to escape in case the chickens chased me.
Minutes later, exhausted, I collapsed to the ground but had everything I needed.
"I-I've got it all... Time for a nap."
Worn out, I fell asleep.
Hours later, I woke up to see the sun setting, meaning I had slept for quite some time.
I quickly checked my materials—they were all intact.
"Phew, thank goodness."
I placed everything in front of me, along with the potion flask.
"Let's give this a try."
I inhaled deeply and exhaled to calm myself. I put my hand over everything and thought about making a Health Potion.
"Nothing happened?"
Suddenly, the items began to glow and fused into a light that transformed into a flask filled with a clear red liquid.
"It worked?"
I examined the flask. It looked different from Grandma's health potions, which were a darker, richer red.
'Maybe it's because this is a minor potion, as the system says... I should test it.'
Thinking of ways to test it, I came up with an idea.
"If it fails, I'll just have Grandma cut me with something."
I went to one of the fences around the village. They weren't well-sanded, so it was easy to get a splinter. I ran my hand over one quickly, making a gash.
"Wow, that's a lot of blood."
Blood poured from the wound, along with some pain. I opened the flask to try the potion but hesitated, remembering Grandma's potions tasted bitter.
Trying not to smell it, I drank it.
The first thing I noticed was a slightly sweet taste, not bitter, which surprised me.
"That's odd."
Almost immediately, I felt no pain. Looking at my hand, I saw the wound had healed but left a scar.
"It's not perfect, but it works. It actually worked, that's great!"
Relieved, I was thrilled the potion had worked, but still needed to investigate why I'd gained the Alchemist subclass when I hadn't with others before.
"I guess there's still a lot I don't know."