I Will Try to Save My Dad - Chapter 115

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 115

The potions sold at shops by the Alchemists had limited applications.
Light wound treatment elixirs, tiered recovery potions, stamina-boosting draughts, health supplements, hair dyes, and so forth.
Excluding the tiered recovery potions, there were only mundane remedies.
‘Potions for specialized purposes are difficult to source, but….’
One could say the Alchemists’ livelihood depended on potion crafting.
Formulas passed down through generations or those developed independently were typically not shared; instead, the Alchemist themselves would manufacture and sell the potion. Otherwise, they would share the formula in exchange for a fee.
The problem was that finding a vendor for a potion of desired purpose wasn’t easy, and consumers had to endure trial and error to discover truly effective remedies.
The reason Uncle approached my father to obtain a potion that temporarily restored vision was rooted in similar circumstances.
‘Since Lucian used a potion to transform into Sherry! I need to find out where to buy it. The potion’s effects faded quickly, but it lasted several hours.’
Moreover, Lucian had been quite flustered when the potion’s effects wore off. That was as good as saying the original duration was supposed to be longer.
‘If I drink the potion and transform into an adult with a completely different appearance from me, then Aunt Mariane would never suspect a thing!’
Today I’d come to Trang Clothing Shop with Father.
Lucian was here too, and he mentioned he’d be staying in Hisport Town for a while.
Since it took considerable time to travel here from the Edencia Kingdom, he planned to handle various matters related to the clothing shop this time before returning.
Lucian had finished one task and was now sitting beside me on the sofa. Father, the Shop Manager, and the designer were preoccupied selecting fabrics for the men’s clothing line.
Thanks to that, no one paid attention to us. There couldn’t have been a better moment to speak secretly with Lucian.
“Lucian!”
“Yes, Berry?”
“I’m curious about something.”
I asked with a bright smile.
“How did you transform into Sherry?”
….
At the mention of a forgotten past, Lucian’s face turned as red as a flushed deer.
“Why are you suddenly curious about that…?”
“No particular reason! It’s just fascinating! You looked exactly like Sherry. Even though you’re tall, when you transformed into Sherry you were shorter, weren’t you? And you changed from male to female!”
“Our Berry has quite the memory, doesn’t she?”
“Hehe. Do you have special abilities too, like the other races?”
“It’s not an ability of another race….”
As my words continued, Lucian’s head bowed like grain at harvest time. Lucian spoke.
“It was the effect of a potion made by the Alchemists.”
Gasp.
I deliberately covered my mouth with both hands and made a surprised sound.
Then I whispered to Lucian.
“The Alchemists can change appearance with their potions? …Is it only possible for you?”
…Huh?”
“What?”
At my final words, Uncle Lucian’s eyes widened in surprise. I feigned innocence, my gaze brightening as though I were observing someone truly remarkable.
Uncle Lucian hesitated before asking me a question.
“…Are you curious about what kind of potion it is?”
“Yes! I want to know!”
“It’s a potion contained in a bottle the size of a palm. If you take a body part like hair from the person whose appearance you wish to assume and place it in the potion, then drink it, you can transform into that person.”
“How long does it last?”
“Twenty-four hours. Though occasionally defective batches do appear, so you must be careful about those. Some last only about three hours? Since the duration of defective products is inconsistent, it’s difficult to say precisely.”
“Still, it would last at least an hour, wouldn’t it?”
“Probably? While defective batches do occur, the potions from that place are far superior to those from elsewhere.”
“That place? Your regular shop, Diplomat?”
“Not quite a regular, but there’s someone named Camila….”
Uncle Lucian, who had been answering my questions at length, suddenly fell silent. Then, like someone awakening from a spell, he tilted his head in confusion.
“Why am I even saying such things?”
It was a reasonable question. My heart was racing as I asked, given how readily he’d answered everything.
Uncle Lucian would never make a good spy. In any case, from his trailing words at the end, I distinctly caught a keyword.
‘Camila.’
Either the name of an alchemist or a shop name, perhaps? I’d need to ask Zena Chaser to investigate.
To avoid letting Uncle Lucian notice that he’d revealed information, I changed the subject.
“That’s right. Theon and Jeffrey’s swords—you mentioned last time that they’d be made from iron from Rauf!”
“Is that so? That’s wonderful.”
“Father seems to prefer that iron over Pefol too~”
Pleased to hear that Father favored the iron he’d recommended, Uncle Lucian’s lips curved upward.
“Are all diplomats as clever as you, Uncle Lucian?”
“Ahem, well. There are many places in the Heishal Empire that produce fine iron besides Rauf, Berry.”
“Really? Many places?”
“Yes. I’ll recommend a few more, and would you remember them and tell Lord Reytan later?”
“I’d love to! Where are they?”
Uncle Lucian possessed both interest and extensive knowledge about iron. This meant—.
‘An opportunity to glean consumer perception of rival iron mines…!’
For someone like me, who rarely had the chance to participate directly in the field, this was invaluable time!
I perked up my ears, preparing to listen intently to Uncle Lucian’s words.
Uncle Lucian held up three delicate fingers before my eyes. As he made his recommendations, each finger folded down one by one.
“Perulis.”
Oh, the strongest contender appeared right from the start.
It was a place that produced top-grade iron ore every year without fluctuation in quality. The only drawback was the price. Still, if money wasn’t a concern, Perulis remained the finest option.
“Next is Grey Mount.”
This was a place that produced iron ore in massive quantities. Top-grade ore appeared frequently enough that, with a discerning eye, this place was quite viable too!
Uncle Lucian truly did know something after all!
“Crest Mine.”
Wait, that place too—.
“Huh? Crest Mine?”
“You know of it too, Berry? It belonged to the Trabel Count Family. The quality of iron there has improved considerably of late.”
At Uncle Lucian’s words, I blinked.
That was information I shouldn’t have known.

***

‘How did this happen?’
The fact that Uncle Lucian was interested in the iron from Crest Mine was rare news, but hardly something to celebrate.
‘Uncle Lucian knows about iron that hasn’t even been released to the market yet?’
It was only yesterday that I’d contacted Baltar to select appropriate iron and request a quality inspection for sale.
At the earliest, he should be filling out the inspection request form right about now.
‘Who leaked this information?’
It was information that only someone at the site would know. The iron from Crest Mine was being carefully guarded against external exposure to hide the presence of adamantite.
I furrowed my brow in contemplation. Then someone’s finger smoothed out the wrinkles between my eyebrows.
“Berry, Berry, you’ll get wrinkles if you frown like that.”
“Oh. Father, you’re all done washing?”
It was Father. I had been waiting in Father’s room on the sofa for him to finish bathing.
Father dried the remaining moisture from his hair with a fresh towel and sat down beside me.
“Yes. What brings you to Father’s room when you’re already in your pajamas?”
“Well—”
Father’s leg was positioned perfectly for resting my head. I naturally leaned against his thigh and lay back toward the ceiling. A large hand gently touched my cheek.
“What’s the matter?”
“I wanted to thank you for buying me those shoes in Goldport last time~”
“I suspect there’s another reason? You already thanked me for that before.”
Father was definitely looking down at the top of my head. From this angle, I could still see Father’s face, and I brought up the real reason I’d come to find him.
“When will we have a tutor?”
“A tutor?”
“You’re looking for one for Theon and Jeffrey~”
Father let out a thoughtful hum and looked down at me. His eyes held the gleam of someone spotting something suspicious.
“We’re still searching. But Father is curious why you’re curious about that.”
“Then can I recommend a teacher?”
I looked up at Father with sparkling eyes, and he gently closed my eyelids with his hand.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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