Chapter 43

The people who saw the adventurer come to were murmuring in confusion.

“Wasn’t he dead?”

“He’s not dead?”

“Was he just unconscious?”

This was my chance. I raised my voice so everyone could hear.

“The Low-Grade Recovery Potion I made tastes bad enough to knock you out, sure! But it works! Right?”

“Hmm… well… that’s true….”

The adventurer, now fully on his feet, patted down his body as if checking for damage. Then he broke into a grin.

“I feel less tired than before? Apothecary, you’re the real deal.”

I lifted my chin proudly.

“Obviously! I’m nothing like those scammers!”

After that, things unfolded smoothly.

The adventurer, curious about the flavor, bought one of the tasty potions and tried it, declaring it had a sweet cherry juice taste.

Hearing that, the onlookers nearby grew curious as well and began edging closer to buy potions of their own.

Most of them tasted the potion on the spot.

One sip. Two.

Their eyes went wide, and exclamations burst out one after another.

“It’s real! It tastes like fruit!”

“Mine’s strawberry!”

“Mine’s apple….”

“They all taste different?”

“Aren’t potions supposed to be bitter? How does this taste like fruit?”

“It’s true! If you’re curious, just buy one and try it!”

Curiosity turned into a flood. People swarmed toward the stall.

My potion stand became the hottest spot in the morning market in an instant.

“Everyone, line up! A line—! No cutting!”

Doing business with adventurers was just as exhausting as working part-time at a kids’ café….

---

Notification sounds went wild inside my head.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

“…….”

“I thought she was a scammer, but she’s a real apothecary?”

“This is a real potion! The effect’s insane!”

“How does a potion taste like fruit?”

“Where has an apothecary like this been hiding all this time?”

“Apothecary, are you in a guild? If not, how about joining ours—”

“Move! We’re scouting her!”

I feel like I’m losing my mind.

The system keeps throwing pop-ups at me like it’s possessed, and the people around me are just as insane.

“Miss Apothecary, ten mid-grade potions—!”

“Hey! Why are you cutting again? I was here first!”

Are these people really adventurers?

Not bandits? Pirates, maybe? The vibe’s kind of similar.

Amid the noise and chaos, Lycian raised his left hand and lightly tapped his own Adam’s apple.

It looked like an ordinary gesture, using his index and middle finger.

But the moment he opened his mouth, everyone—including me—jumped in shock.

“Quiet.”

His voice boomed out, thunderous. Like he’d just spoken through a speaker.

In that instant, realization struck.

I stared at Lycian, eyes wide.

‘Magic?’

Come to think of it, Lycian’s magic stat was 891.

With stats like that, it would’ve been stranger if he couldn’t use magic, but still—

‘I didn’t think he could actually cast it….’

Now that I thought about it, earlier too, when he tapped his throat, he’d used his left hand.

The left hand is the hand that casts magic. For a mage, it’s as vital as their life itself; lose it, and they can no longer wield magic.

That’s why it’s also called the “mage’s hand.”

“Shut up and line up. Break order, and you won’t be buying a single bottle.”

When Lycian spoke in that arrogant, threatening tone, a crushing pressure seemed to fill the air.

It felt like an innate quality of someone born to rule—something unseen, yet unmistakable.

Being a ruler wasn’t just about status. It was something more fundamental….

Hard to explain, but—

“There’s a mage too?”

“A mage and an apothecary couple? That’s insane….”

“Everyone, line up quietly! Unless you want a baldness spell cast on you!”

A middle-aged man with a gleaming, perfectly round bald head waved his arms and shouted at the crowd.

Seeing the brilliant shine of his scalp, people quickly complied and formed a proper line.

The power of lived experience was formidable.

‘May this man’s hair grow back someday…!’

After offering a silent prayer of gratitude, I diligently continued selling potions and other items.

Thanks to Lycian keeping them in check and the shining-headed man maintaining order, business ran smoothly after that.

---

“Ughhh, I’m exhausted….”

The moment we returned to the inn after closing up, I collapsed face-first onto the bed.

Dealing with such colorful adventurers was utterly draining.

‘Still, I made a lot of money!’

I shot upright and pulled out the coin pouch from my inventory.

A crooked smile tugged at my lips as I peered inside.

A whopping 3,152 Rubels.

For my first day of business, that was an astonishing amount.

‘Just 648 Rubels more…!’

One more good round of selling, and the mission would be cleared.

The problem was, I’d sold out of potions. I had to make more…

Going all the way back to the farm to brew them would take too long.

But doing it here at the inn… the space was a bit cramped.

‘Somewhere I can borrow space to brew potions… there’s really only one place.’

…Right. Let’s move on to the next plan.

I want to rest, but the sooner I act, the better.

Sliding off the bed, I walked up to Lycian and said brightly,

“Lycian, let’s head out.”

“Already? You should rest a bit, Muriel.”

“No! I want to get everything done as soon as possible!”

I grabbed his hand without hesitation and tugged him toward the door.

He paused for just a second, then let out a hearty laugh and followed obediently.

“We’re going to the Veratis Guild?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Of course he’d seen right through me. Seriously, he’s like a ghost.

‘The Guild Master of Veratis… Lycian didn’t seem too keen on meeting him.’

The thought nagged at me, and I glanced sideways at him.

What if it’s someone he truly doesn’t want to see, and he’s putting up with it because of me?

The moment our eyes met, I flinched, my eyelids fluttering.

A low chuckle sounded beside me.

“I’m fine, so don’t worry about it.”

“…….”

As if he could see straight through my thoughts, Lycian spoke casually. Ghost-like, indeed….

“…Thank you.”

When I whispered that softly, his eyes curved into a gentle smile.

We left the inn and walked toward our destination. All along the way, people passing by kept sneaking glances at us.

At first I assumed it was because of Lycian’s handsome face—but some of those looks were directed at me too.

‘Is it because of this pink hair? I thought it was a pretty normal color.’

I lightly touched my pale pink hair—and suddenly, someone with the same shade came to mind.

Sienna Castel.

Though she was the princess of the Castel Kingdom and Raul’s childhood friend, she’d clung to Winterberg Castle like a ghost haunting the place.

‘As for Sienna… well….’

I didn’t particularly resent her.

She’d misunderstood Muriel, but she wasn’t the one who’d directly framed her.

‘It’s just… she’s scary in a different way.’

Because Sienna is…

Th-that.

A yandere…!

‘If possible, I never want to run into her!’

“…?”

When I suddenly shuddered, Lycian tilted his head and looked at me.

I flashed him a bright smile, pretending it was nothing.

But as the saying goes—bad luck comes when you least want it.

The moment we arrived at the Veratis Guild branch, I spotted an unexpected figure standing in front.

‘You’ve got to be kidding me! Why is Sienna here?’

Horrified, I froze with my mouth hanging open—then quickly snapped out of it and yanked Lycian into a narrow alley to hide.

The problem was, the alley was far too narrow….

Seriously. Way too—

How did this even pass building inspection?!

“L-Lycian, can you move back a little…?”

“I can’t. It gets narrower the deeper we go.”

He was right.

This insane alley grew tighter the farther in you went, to the point where even one person could barely shift sideways.

The only option left was for the two of us to press our bodies together, wedged helplessly between the walls…!