Huh!

　In a deep forest.

　Swinging a sword down with a spirited voice is a lone girl with flaming red hair growing to her waist.

　Her sword, wielded with a dignified expression of beauty, easily sliced through the confronting demons and caused them to die.

''Raffy, thank you for your help. Are you hurt?''
It's just a minor cut. It's fine.

　The one who approached Raffy was a boy. Unlike Raffy, who is armed, he does not carry any kind of armor.

　Instead, he carries a large bag that he carries on his shoulder.

''It's dangerous to leave it unattended. If a fungus gets into the wound, it will make it worse.''

　The boy said and took a vial from his bag. Quickly opening the stopper, he poured the liquid inside into Raffy's wound.

　Then, in an instant, Raffy's wound is healed.

'Well, wait!　That can't be...
Hmm?　The elixir, though?

　Raffy is stunned by the boy's words, as if to say that there is something wrong with him.

　Elixir is the most potent of all wound healing potions. If you try to obtain it, you'll have to pay quite a bit of money.

''I appreciate your concern, but don't spend such an expensive one on such a small wound!

　The boy smiled at the supremely honest words from Raffy and smiled.

'Don't worry. There's no such thing as an elixir (...), I can make one again.
That's not the point...

　Raffy holds her temples and sighs deeply.

　Only a few terrific alchemists are able to create elixirs. Moreover, even such alchemists are not able to create elixirs so easily.

　It's at the level of being able to make one every few years over time.
　However, the alchemist in front of Raffy uses the elixir with the casualness of using a nutritional drink or something like that.

　Even from the point of view of Raffy, who was an S-class adventurer, it was extraordinary.

　--Someone, please teach this alchemist the word "self-weight".

　The cry in her heart didn't reach, and Raffy thought back to her encounter with the alchemist.



　******



　Inside a shop run by a great merchant famous in the kingdom. There, one girl with flaming red hair was shouting at him.

''Please, I'll pay you as much money as you want!　So....!
You may say that, but I only have one elixir at the moment. On top of that, that one is also being purchased by a royal, and I've already received the money.
But my sister's life is at stake if we don't...
"Well I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm in the business myself, so forgive me.

　No matter what, the elixir will not be available. That fact leaves Raffy, an S-class adventurer, in despair.

　The reason for Raffy's quest for the elixir is to save her sister, who is down with a mysterious illness and her life is in danger. No matter how well-respected a doctor shows her, she is told that she doesn't know how to save her sister. There was no longer anything to rely on but the cure-all.

　--However, it turned out that that medicine was not available either.

　How could I see my sister, who was getting weaker and weaker every day, and how could I look at her? Is there really no way to save her?

　As she left the store and made her way to her home where her sister was waiting for her, all she could think about was the backward-looking thoughts.

''........I'm my sister, I shouldn't be doing this, I have to get my shit together in order to save that girl.''

　Take a deep breath once to chase away the negative thoughts. I stop and look up at the sun shining in the sky.

'Good!'

　When Raffy regained her spirits, she was about to move forward again. Suddenly, a figure fell in from the alleyway.

''Heh?''

　Raffy let out a strange voice and saw a figure fall in front of her. It was a boy of about eighteen. He has unusual black hair and is carrying a large bag. From the looks of it, there are no significant external injuries.

　I looked around hurriedly, but perhaps because it's a little off the main street, there's no one to be seen.

''You, are you okay...?''

　Unable to ignore it, Raffy fearfully touched a hand on the boy's shoulder. Then, suddenly, a loud 'goo' sound sounded.

'I'm hungry, I'm hungry...'

　The boy blurts out, sounding like he's dying now. For a few seconds, Raffy stiffened. He thinks for a moment, then extends his hand to the boy.

'Would you like some of the bread you have on hand?'
Really?

　The boy got up with a bang and stuffed himself into Raffy, his eyes shining as bright as this.
　Raffy couldn't help but chuckle at the momentum.

'Yeah, I was just finishing up my shopping,'
'Thank you, how lucky I am to have such a kind man in the city...'

　The boy was so hungry that he took the bread from Raffy and finished it all in the blink of an eye.
　Raffy was taken aback by how much he ate.

'Speaking of which, what's your name?'

　The boy's question brought Raffy back to himself.

'I'm Raffy. I'm an adventurer.
"Right, Raffy. I'm Wraith, the alchemist. I'm going to be able to make a lot of things, so if there's anything you want, just let me know. Thanks for the bread.
The alchemist...

　Alchemists are the ones who make potions and accessories with magical effects. They are also the ones who make elixirs.

'Then I'd like an elixir... well, I guess that's impossible.

　It was a joking term, without a shred of hope. Raffy himself was well aware of the scarcity of elixirs.
　--there was no way a mere alchemist could possess it.

　Raffy chuckled at the fact that it was too absurd a request, and tried to open his mouth to correct his words.

'Oh, good.'
What?

　The unexpected reply made Raffy stare at the wraith unexpectedly. The person in question didn't pay attention to what she said, but fished around in her bag. And after a little while, he grabs a vial of blue liquid poured alongside it in his hand.

'Yes, Elixir.'
'Hey, wait a minute ... this is the elixir!
Yeah.
'Ahhh.......where did you get all this expensive stuff!
I made it.
I made it!

　The alchemist in front of me looked to be the same age or slightly younger than me, no matter how I looked at it. I couldn't believe that such a young alchemist had created an elixir, though I couldn't believe it.

　However, the color and the magic power I could sense from the vial was exactly the same as the real elixir I had seen before. Probably the real thing.

　--With this, I might be able to save my sister.

''Wraith, I'll pay you whatever you want!　That elixir, you're going to give it to me!

　This might be my last chance to save my sister. When I thought about it, I couldn't spare the money.

'No, thank you and I don't need the money.

　Saying that, Wraith smiles like a good person.

''No, that's indeed...!

　Receiving an elixir in return for bread was not even close to being balanced. For some reason, Wraith himself didn't seem to mind, but as Raffy, he really wanted to at least do something to make up for it, even if he didn't receive the money.

''Well then, can you show me around the city?
Is that what you want?
Yeah. It's my first time in the capital.

　Honestly, even a city guide would be too cheap, but it would be strange to say anything more from Raffy.

''Well okay. If that's what you want to do, Wraith.
You're on it.

　At this point in time, Wraith was still a pleasant and mysterious alchemist to Raffy. It wasn't far away that his reputation would change to an 'abnormal(...)' alchemist.