GILF Hunter

A few days had passed since the dungeon expedition with Frey.

Ian walked the streets with a guest who had arrived early. It was a representative from the merchant guild who came to speak with him.

’How has the merchant guild been lately?’

’We’ve been in a total uproar because of this whole affair,’

The merchant guild representative replied with a weary expression.

While successfully fending off the Legion Worms was good, the problem was that monster materials weren’t being released into the market.

As soon as news spread that a typical monster wave hadn’t occurred this year, the prices of all materials skyrocketed.

The reason monster materials could be obtained cheaply in Labyrinth was precisely because of the massive volume released during monster waves, but knowing that wouldn’t happen this year caused prices to climb.

’Of course, Labyrinth is in relatively better shape. We have stockpiles and many skilled mercenaries... other regions are in much worse chaos.’

’Things should improve a bit since the guild said they would release some stock.’

’It would be fortunate if it were settled with just that much...’

The ones currently in a desperate bind were the outside merchants who came all this way only to leave empty-handed, but the rising cost of materials was a major issue for Labyrinth’s merchants as well.

’It seems an increase in material costs is unavoidable for now.’

’One must endure that much to do business here. And we also have the military supply contracts, don’t we? We’ll likely receive priority for supplies during the auction.’

Anyway, since they had profited that much from doing business, everyone would just have to manage for a year.

’...Will next year be alright?’

’That’s not for me to decide...’

The merchant guild representative tried to subtly probe Ian, but it was a matter Ian couldn’t guarantee either.

As they neared the workshop, the conversation naturally shifted toward it.

Naturally, the topic was the alchemist named Emilia, whom Ian had introduced to the merchant guild.

’About that alchemist you introduced... She is extremely proactive in development. The amount she has spent so far is...’

’...It’s already that much?’

Ian flinched upon hearing the amount Emilia had spent on development costs.

To think she had already spent that much...

It seemed the merchant guild hadn’t quite grasped her style yet and had provided everything she asked for.

’Her skill is certainly remarkable, but...’

Of course, they had heard from Ian that she was an alchemist who used development funds rather aggressively. They had even investigated the rumors slightly.

However, alchemy was originally a profession that spent an enormous amount of money. And isn’t research and development a bottomless pit for funds?

The people from the merchant guild, familiar with alchemy, brushed off such drawbacks as no big deal and accepted her.

But Emilia spent so much that she completely shattered the stereotype that it’s natural for alchemy to be expensive.

’Almost all the recipes are items that are difficult to mass-produce. The process is so complex and demanding... they are items where the profit margin doesn’t work for production and sales. Our alchemists are trying to simplify the recipes, but it’s not easy because they are so intricate...’

’It seems she has a tendency to prefer difficult recipes.’

’Even so, everyone is still positive about the investment. An alchemist of that caliber is not easy to find.’

As they talked, they soon arrived in front of the workshop.

Arriving at the workshop, Ian opened the door and stepped inside. Louise and Emilia were waiting for his arrival.

Emilia, stretching in her chair, spotted Ian and greeted him.

’Ah, hello Ian. Seeing you again quite soon.’

’Isn’t this on the longer side of not seeing each other?’

’Was it? How much time has passed...?’

Since she lost her sense of time during research, Emilia didn’t even remember how long it had been.

’Leader. You’re here.’

’...You’ve worked hard.’

Soon after, a weary-looking Louise also greeted Ian.

Lately, the shop had been stable enough that Louise didn’t need to worry about it, but instead, she was breaking a sweat attending Emilia’s research sessions.

To have to stop research. Was this how the investors who had provided funds until now felt? For Louise, who was always on the spending side, it was her first time experiencing this.

Fortunately, Emilia wasn’t the type to secretly steal materials or ignore Louise’s words.

Even though she had tried her best to hold her back, the stockpiled materials had already hit rock bottom.

The most frustrating part was that there really was so much to learn from Emilia. Because of that, it was difficult to flatly refuse Emilia’s research proposals.

Listening to Emilia, she couldn’t suppress her curiosity about how such things were made, so there were many cases where they researched using Louise’s personal materials or funds.

Louise’s workshop was continuing intense daily research while overcoming such ups and downs.

’Are these the potions developed this time?’

’Ah, yes. For now, among the things researched so far, these are the ones that can be called finished products.’

Today was the regular report day to check those results.

With Emilia added to the team, the merchant guild representative who had invested in her also visited.

Various types of potion bottles were lined up on the table.

’I expected maybe one or two at most... To think such diversity comes from Legion Worm materials.’

’It was a fairly interesting material. The ingredient reactions were unique too.’

The two had recently been researching Legion Worm materials.

It was research Emilia had started out of curiosity upon hearing about a monster she’d never heard of before, but unexpectedly many people were interested in this research.

Since the Legion Worm was a monster appearing for essentially the first time, everyone was interested in where its materials could be utilized.

Emilia stepped forward and began explaining the potions on the table one by one.

’This potion amplifies the sense of heat detection...’

’It detects heat?’

’First, these three ingredients for a day...’

The explanations for the potions continued in sequence.

As the talk progressed, the expression of the merchant guild representative listening beside her grew darker.

As was always the case with the potions Emilia developed, the process was far too complex compared to the effect this time as well.

If it were a potion with a very valuable effect, it might be worth enduring and producing, but most recipes didn’t yield a profit.

They had hoped for something from the materials of a new monster... but it seemed to be a bust again.

Suddenly, Ian noticed several potion bottles set aside on one part of the table and pointed to them, asking.

According to the information, those were also finished potions, but they had been moved to the side.

’What are these?’

’Ah, those are just some subpar items I set aside.’

Seeing that Ian was curious, Emilia moved over and began introducing the self-proclaimed mediocre potions.

’They’re drafts pulled while doing component analysis. This one has a smell enhancement effect, a mana extractor, and this one is an aphrodisiac...’

’An aphrodisiac?’

The head of the representative, who had been disinterested, snapped up.

Emilia spoke of it as if it were nothing, but to a merchant’s ears, it had a soul-shaking resonance.

Louise flipped through the record journal and explained the potion to the two.

’Ah, it’s nothing special... but those components had a slight virility-enhancing effect.’

’Did, did you say it’s effective for stamina? But to put it on hold, then how difficult is the production...?’

’Huh? No, it’s not difficult.’

Emilia shook her head with a ’what are you talking about’ look, refuting those words.

’This one is so simple to make that it’s boring. You just roughly throw in the ingredients and boil it, so it’s a recipe of such low quality... I had no interest in researching it at all.’

’...!’

Ian and the merchant guild representative’s gazes crossed.

The representative immediately ran out and brought back a contract.

’Let’s sign the contract immediately!’

’Um, I know what you’re thinking. But this doesn’t have that big of an effect. It’s a very weak component...’

Louise tried to stop the representative as if telling him not to be too hasty. However, he was in a state cooler than anyone else.

’No, the effect doesn’t have to be that large. Instead... would you two write a document stating that these components are effective for virility?’

’A certification?’

’It’s not a lie, so there shouldn’t be a problem, right?’

Of course, it was a common occurrence in the alchemy industry.

The merchant guild representative received research data and a certificate from Louise and Emilia stating that Legion Worm materials were effective for virility enhancement.

And from that day on, rumors about the efficacy of Legion Worms immediately began to spread within Labyrinth.

Among the outside merchants who were in danger of returning empty-handed after coming all the way to Labyrinth to buy monster materials, and were only waiting for the guild’s auction, an emergency was declared.

And it was the same for the guild and City Hall, who were worrying about how to dispose of the mountain of Legion Worm materials. The workshops still processing Legion Worm corpses were similarly in an emergency state.

’I said I’ll buy everything here!’

’Stock will go out to the market in order, so please wait!’

The rumor spread in an instant.

An ancient monster no one had actually seen.

No guarantee it would ever be seen again.

It even has a virility-enhancing effect.

All the merchants poured out the money they had brought to buy even one more Legion Worm material.

’With this, we conclude the auction. The successful bidders are the Ian Mercenary Group and...’

And Ian and the merchant guild employees took advantage of the gap where all interest and funds were focused on Legion Worms, successfully bidding on all the guild’s materials in the empty auction hall at the minimum prices.