The Merchant God

Chapter 9: Going to the Auction House

Alexander readied the cauldron in the kitchen and start with the brew of the orange gel potion. After a 2 hours of concocting in the kitchen, he already reached his 9th failed attempt in brewing the potion however he didn’t give up and after another hour, he already at his wits end with his 14th attempt that leads to a failure. “what am I doing wrong? I can be at least 100% sure of the ingredients and the method. What am I missing? I only have 11 sets remaining.” Alexander checks on the ingredients and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the quality. He pondered for a bit on how he should brew the potion. Like lightning, an idea suddenly flash on his mind, just like with the apple gel potion, he put water on the cauldron then waits for it to boil. Once it is boiling he put all the ingredients in the cauldron except for the spring water. After several minutes of boiling, as the mixture was about to bee dry, he pour the whole bottle of spring water in the mixture and after few more minutes of boiling, a purplish thick liquid appear on the cauldron. Confused, he uses the appraisal skill. “initializing appraisal skill… … appraisal complete. Congratulations host for being able to produce a prototype mixture. Prototype mixture – this thick liquid can help a ranker to restore its elemental energy by about 50%. It can also help to recover the ranker’s fatigue when using Overskills.”

In this world, there are many type of skills and technique that a ranker can use. The most common type are ‘physical skills’ that can be acquired by training hard so that the mortalanker physique can handle the stress as this technique has only required minimal elemental energy. Another type of technique are ‘tome spells’ this technique can be learned via books and theories and has the a large amount of elemental energy required. Of course there is also some ‘passive skill’ or what we call innate skills. These skills are so rare but in can be acquired either inborn or via volharding or in words, persistence. A theorist ranker once said that if you persist and endure enough physical or mental suffering, you may unlock a secret potential in your body. And lastly the ‘Overskills’ from the word itself, it’s a skill that will overburden you body with one use, however, that one use is the crucial part.

As Alexander is reading the description of the mixture “I can at most make 3 potion from this mixture. And with this potion, the possibility of using an Overskill twice will drive any ranker mad. Should I sold this to the auction? As Alexander pondered about it, he started to brew once again, however after using all of the ingredients and same method, he wasn’t able to produce the purple potion but the orange gel potion. Right now, he has a total of 30 orange gel potion and 3 of the prototype potion. “Hmm… maybe I’ll just call it refresher potion.” Alexander was satisfied with this gain and is about to sleep but as he was on his way out of the kitchen, a knock was sounded at the front door. “Good morning elder Merck! I am an envoy sent by young master Levi of the Gaidar family to escort Mr. Alexander.” A voice sounded on the otherside of the door. “what in the 9 hells! It’s morning already?!” Alexander was shocked and couldn’t believe that he brew potions until morning. Left with no choice, he opens the door and followed the escort.

Once arrive at the old house that he once been, he only greeted Levi and didn’t say anymore as he demonstrated to the alchemists on how to make the apple gel potion. After a few hours of instruction, most of the alchemists has successfully brew the potion. Some has only one portion others have 2 but most are 3 potions per set which is already good enough. Satisfied with the result, Levi was happy as well as Alexander. “now meatball, let me see the color of your blood!” muttered to himself.

As the two men talk to each other with future plans, it was already noon and excuse himself and without waiting the reply of Levi, he took off and went straight for Merck’s house to take a rest. Night came but he still not awake until very early in the morning the next day. “I think it’s today that my weapons should be finished.” Alexander stand up then stare on the two kids sleeping in the carpet floor and walks out of the room. He entered kitchen to cook a breakfast for himself and after that, since he still has some left over sets for the beast repelling ball, he started to concoct until sunrise. “alright, that’s about it I should be safe with this repelling balls.” After brewing he once again sold 100 balls to Merck earning him another 30 silver making his current asset to almost 40 silvers.

After dealing with Merck, he make his way to the smithy to meet up with old man Grease. As he arrive at the smith, he was greeted with curious yet furious glare from Grease. “Boy! Confess! Where are you from and how did you know the smithing technique from our clan?!” As he interrogating Alexander, Alexander on the other hand was confuse. “wait a minute old man. You’re a dwarf?”, “damn straight I am boy!” answered by Grease. “then why the hell you have a physique of a half giant?! Don’t tell m-..” before he was able to finish his sentence, Grease interrupted him “yes I am a mixed breed between dwarf and giant. My dad is the dwarf and my mother is the giant.” As he confirmed Alexander deduction, “I can’t tell you where I got the technique but I can tell you that I have a close relationship with dwarfs.” Grease just stare at Alexander and soon calms down. “the weapons are finished however, a news has been leaked regarding on one of the weapons ability so we can expect to have a bumpy ride towards the auction house.” Alexander was not shocked but instead he was calm as a rock like he’s expecting it. “f*cking fatty, still not giving on me. Oh well, it’s your grave that you are digging not mine.” Alexander smiles and instruct Grease to sent one of the bastard sword with ruby embedded to it together with a small note to the Gaidar family and together with Grease they ready themselves to leave the village for the auction house.

At the Gaidar family, “reporting to father! Mr. Alexander already took off for the auction.” Levi said. Before Leonardo was able to reply a voice sounded at the front door of the meeting hall. “reporting to the patriarch, there is a package sent by the smithy with a note for the patriarch.” Upon hearing the report, Levi smiles and open the door to retrieve a long box with a note. “father, this is the thing that has been leaked out by the Paule family.” Levi open the box and everyone saw a reddish bastard sword with a gemstone embedded to its base blade. Leonardo picks up the sword and read the note ‘pour some of your elemental energy on the sword’. As he read it, he followed the instruction and sent a bit of his energy to the sword then suddenly the whole sword blade combust and the ordinary sword turned into a fire sword. “Great sword!” Leonardo laugh and stop sending his energy to the sword and the fire has disappeared. On the hilt of the sword, there are letters embedded to it and says ‘Firebrand’. When Leonardo saw it “ I guess the it’s the name of the sword the Firebrand sword.” Leonardo was satisfied. “Levi, mobilize our elite guards! We will be going to the auction house as well! Also ready some money. I think that brat Alexander will surprise us at the auction.” Leonardo said to Levi and he nodded and take his leave to make the preparations.

“are you ready kid?” Grease asked. “yeah, let’s go and make some fortune at the auction house.” Alexander smiles and get on the carriage and took off on the way to the auction house.