Hiroto Arakawa sat behind the counter in his quiet alchemy shop, staring at the lone bottle in front of him. His face was blank. *Zutto*—he'd checked out hours ago.
Outside, the adventurer's district hummed with noise. *Klang*—swords clanged in practice duels. Merchants shouted, *bada-bada*, about rare weapons, and adventurers gathered to chat about dungeon raids. No one glanced at Arakawa Alchemy, his little shop wedged between a blacksmith's forge and a bakery.
A gust of wind rattled the sign above the door. The N in "No Refunds" flapped weakly, *pita-pita*, and was half-peeled off.
"...I should just close up," Hiroto muttered to himself.
His last few customers hadn't been happy. His Healing Potion (Extra Cheap Ver.) healed wounds but left people unable to blink for three hours. His Mana Boost Elixir had a 1% chance of causing *puka-puka* hiccups that sounded like explosions. And his Strength Tonic? Well, it worked... kind of. It boosted strength—but only if the person happened to be in the middle of a dramatic monologue.
His potions worked. They just weren't... practical.
As he got ready to pack up, the shop bell went *ting-ling-ling*. Hiroto looked up in mild surprise. A customer?
A young adventurer—barely out of his teens—stepped inside. His leather armor was worn, and a rusty sword hung from his belt. He had the look of a complete rookie.
"Hey there," the boy mumbled, scratching the back of his neck, *gacha-gacha*. "I, um, heard this place is cheap?"
Hiroto's face went flat. "Yes. Cheap. Not refundable."
"Right. I need a stamina potion," the kid said. "I have a guild exam tomorrow, and my stats are bad, so I thought…"
Hiroto didn't hear the rest. His brain had already processed two things:
The kid was desperate.
He had exactly one stamina potion left.
With the *haku-haku* energy of someone who'd given up, Hiroto reached under the counter and placed the Failed Stamina Potion (Clearance Ver.) in front of the boy.
The liquid inside was an unsettling shade of grayish-green. *Bura-bura*—it swirled in the bottle.
"...What's wrong with it?" the boy asked, squinting at the potion.
"Nothing," Hiroto lied. "It works. Probably. It's just, uh, fast-acting."
That was an understatement. The potion did boost stamina—but only for five minutes. After that, *gura-gura*—it made you shake uncontrollably for an hour.
The boy squinted at the label. "Why does it say WARNING: SIDE EFFECTS UNKNOWN?"
"Legal reasons."
"…And why does it say Do Not Sue underneath?"
Hiroto slid the potion closer. "It's 80% off."
The boy hesitated, then sighed, *fuuu*. "...Fine. How much?"
Hiroto forced a smile. "One silver."
The kid handed over the coin with a *chink*, grabbed the bottle, and left without another word.
Hiroto slumped in his chair, rubbing his temples. *Haa*... "That's it. No more customers. Ever."
He had no idea that by morning, that rookie adventurer would unlock a rare skill, pass his exam with ease, and set off a chain of events that would turn his life upside down.
But for now, he stared at the two silver coins left in his cash box. *Chink-chink*...
"...I should've charged two silver..."