Translator: P411

Editor: PalenMisha

Read at Watashi Wa Sugoi Desu!

Chapter 047 – So, They’re the Same Person

“…Sage-san, why are you here?!”

Even Crash was surprised by Sage-san’s unexpected appearance. All of our attention was shifted to Sage-san instead of the monster. 

And, its claws were coming, you know! It was dangerous!

I used my sword to forcibly block the claws that were coming at Crash. Maybe it was because the monster was distracted, but its attacks weren’t as powerful as before. 

“Wow! …Thanks…” 

Crash finally faced the monster and repositioned his sword. 

That was when Sage-san gave us some advice. 

“You fools! Focus! Hey, pharmacist! Let [ Takahashi and his merry men ] handle this again and make Crash retreat! You’re both running out of stamina, aren’t you!?”

“Yes, sir!”

I replied back, and Crash and I moved a distance away from the monster. 

It was too much for us to handle and I was really grateful. 

Sage-san was drawing magic circles just like the one Crash drew at the inn one after another and fired magic at the monster. The way he drew the magic circles was so fast that my eyes couldn’t keep up and each magic circle was completed in a flash. 

Wow, that was awesome! And really powerful. What was that? Crash said I could also do this if I learned the magic circle even if I didn’t have the actual skill. 

Wow, I wanted to learn it… I mean, if I had time. 

“Sage-san is strong.”

“Yep.”

“I thought he was more of an easy-going guy.”

“Ah, well, he’s quite laid back at my place.”

Both of our stamina had recovered enough with stamina potions to be able to talk this casually. 

However, as expected, the monster’s HP bar wasn’t decreasing easily. 

Instead, Yuuta and Kairi, who were working hard at the front, their HP was decreasing at an alarming rate. Did this mean their level was too low to confront the monster? I thought Yuuta would make a miracle happen, but… 

Every time the monster roared, the more sluggish our movements became. I could see Yuuta’s group was also strongly affected by this. 

It felt like my heart was tightly squeezed every time the monster roared. 

I couldn’t picture a future where we could escape from here. I even felt like giving up here. I really hated this, but when I thought about what would become of Crash, it helped me a little to get back on my feet. 

“Hey, I do want to ask you guys something.”

Sage-san, who was at the front, asked us. 

He was still drawing the magic circle and attacking the monster at the same time. 

“Fighting this guy here or entering the dungeon with me, which one is better?”

Huh?! Was this, was this a rumored invitation to the secret dungeon!?

This could mean the dungeon searcher that Yuuta was saying and Sage-san were the same person!?

His presence was quite different, so I couldn’t figure out if they were the same person. 

“Of course, the secret dungeon is way better!”

Yuuta shouted while counterattacking the monster’s attack and ran towards Sage-san. 

[ Takahashi and his merry men ] gathered around Sage-san, so he also beckoned us to join him. 

I nervously grabbed Sage-san.

At that moment, the atmosphere and scenery instantly changed. 

---

Such a dramatic change. 

Just before we were in the deep forest, but now we were inside a jungle. 

The pressure and intimidation we were feeling were long gone, and I felt my body become lighter, so I instinctively let out a sigh of relief. 

Maybe it was because we were in a jungle, but I felt a bit hot. I was expecting some kind of a cave or something like that because this was gonna be the secret dungeon, but an open-air jungle was nothing but a mystery in the world. If there were vines or something, Yuuta would swing on those vines and yell ‘Aaaaooooaaahhhhh’ like Tarzan. Or rather, let’s make him do this. 

Ah, and more importantly, I needed to help everyone recover. I took out a large number of High Potions, high-grade MP potions, and stamina potions from my bag, and one after another, I handed them out to everyone.

I wondered how much of his magic power was consumed from drawing all those magic circles. While thinking of it, I also handed over a set of potions to Sage-san. 

“Thank you.” 

When he thanked me and smiled at me, I was finally able to match the Sage-san here with the Sage-san at the shop. 

Sage-san was actually an amazing person. It seemed Yuuta and his group still didn’t know that Sage-san was a lodger at Crash’s shop. This was a secret that must be kept at all costs. If this matter was posted on the bulletin board, there was no doubt that this could become viral. And if it happened, Crash would definitely be troubled, so I resolved to just keep this in my heart. 

After everyone had finished drinking, I collected all the empty bottles. 

“Mac, your High Potions are really great. Make them for me personally.”¹

Yuuta muttered as he handed me the bottle.

Of course, I would keep baiting him and rip him off. Then, I would split the earnings with Crash and we were going to make a profit from this. 

I made a troubled face while thinking about it and refused him once. It was because strong negotiations were a must to make a max profit. Crash and I teased Yuuta a bit, and after that, I  said to him in a low voice, “Thanks. I’m saved.” But then again, Yuuta and I were an inseparable pair of friends for a long time, so how should I say, it was really embarrassing to talk to him in this way! 

“To be honest, I’ve already gotten permission from Crash to sell this. He’ll agree to it if it’s twice the price he sells in the guild.”

“Twice the price, huh… But to recover this amount of HP in one drink. I can attack an extra turn to the monster instead of wasting time drinking another potion. Hmmm… it’s a great deal, so twice the price is fine. Sell it to me? I want to deal more damage to the monster as often as I can.”

“Are you a muscle brain?” 

But as expected of Yuuta, who had been leveling up by defeating monsters. Such dedication.

I immediately handed him over 10 rank S High Potions right away and really received twice the amount of money. Crash told me to sell at 1.8 times the price, but I would make sure to properly give him the profit for his portion. 

When I glanced at Crash, he was talking with Sage-san in a friendly manner, so I shifted my attention back, hoping not to disturb him.  

---

My very first secret dungeon. 

I had never thought I would be able to enter one. I was a little bit excited. 

Just what kind of strong enemies would come out? If anything, I would leave it to Yuuta’s group and concentrate on recovery. Ok, let’s do that. I would just be a burden anyway. 

But I could be of some use. While thinking of it, I activated my full power enemy search with a beaming smile. It was a simple job, just checking the map and telling everyone what was on it. 

Not long after we started walking, we met a three-forked road. 

I checked the red marker on the map and pointed at them to tell the situation to everyone. The markers were also appearing from behind, so we couldn’t return to the place we were before.

Straight ahead, there were four red markers in a group and two red markers on the right path. I wondered if the monsters on the right path were bigger than the rest. 

Just when I was thinking, Sage-san gave me some advice. 

“If you can read the flow of magic, you might be able to see further ahead.”

At that moment, my [ Enemy Search ] skill changed to [ Enemy Detection ]. 

As soon as the skill changed, I started to feel a sense of oppression, or some sort of the same pressure, from the road to the left, where I thought I felt nothing at first. 

Eh?! I opened my eyes wide. Why?! Just as I was surprised, I realized that it was because of Sage-san’s advice that I was able to perceive this.

Then, maybe Sage-san had something to do with me getting this alchemist job in the first place?

“Perhaps.”

I walked towards Sage-san, who was walking a little behind Crash, and asked him a question. 

“Was it because of you that I was able to become an alchemist…?”

Both Sage-san and Crash looked surprised when I asked him. Just as I expected, no one knew that I was an alchemist. But why would they give me a quest for an alchemist? I wasn’t the problem here, the rest of you all were! 

“Mac, you are an alchemist?!”

I was frozen by Crash’s sudden outburst. 

“Weren’t you the one who sold me the cauldron!?”

“Huh, I thought it was useless.”

“You sold it to me because you thought it was useless!?”

You were just like a con artist selling weird jars! We stared at each other in astonishment.

The last time was a piece of alchemy recipe, Crash really had been pushing every single thing that he didn’t need on me. But weren’t they Sage-san’s belongings?

Perhaps, the cauldron was also from Sage-san!? The question was already answered with his quick and clear response. Sage-san, one day this merchant guy will rip off everything from you sooner or later! Run away, Sage-san! Absolutely, run away!