A Clumsy Attack

The Emerald Heart Tavern.

Elan rarely poured himself a glass of fruit wine this time. He took a sip, then set it down.

Fran came over and tapped on the table. Only then did Elan suddenly snap out of it and hurriedly greet her.

"Hey... friend... uh... I hope you're here to bring me the potions. I've got an order that's almost due."

Elan stammered out a few words before remembering what he meant to say.

Fran found Elan's behavior strange today, but didn't ask about it. She set the large box she'd brought on the table.

Fran opened the box from the far side, revealing the emerald-green Healing Potions inside.

Elan seemed distracted. He merely touched one of the potions, picked it up to look at it, then put it back.

"They're all good quality... no mistakes in the... production process."

Fran ignored his state and got straight to the point.

"Then give me the money. I still have to pay my... 'friend.'"

Only then did Elan come to his senses. He gave a wry smile.

"Uh... friend... You didn't even ask about how I was acting just now. Don't you care about your friend at all?"

"Fine, then... what's wrong?"

Elan was just about to speak, but then remembered that he probably couldn't tell Fran about this. He thought it over for a while.

"This... is my... All right, actually, I can't tell you about it. Sorry."

"Are you messing with me?!"

"Sorry..."

Elan had wanted to change the subject and tell Fran about something else. He'd been bottling things up lately and wanted to confide in someone, but his gloomy mood had left his mind completely blank.

Still, after the interruption, he felt much better. He started talking with Fran again about business.

"There's something I didn't get confirmed until a few days ago, when the merchant in charge of transport told me."

"The lord over there doesn't actually need full-strength Healing Potions."

"Full-strength Healing Potions come in too small a quantity to help all the wounded on a battlefield."

"So he wants Healing Potions diluted with water. They'll be less effective, but there'll be enough to treat the combatants."

"So from now on, you only need to bring large bottles of Healing Potion. No need for the small ones."

Back at the academy, apprentices bought potions at retail, with the bottles included.

Fran had followed the same retail model, buying bottles along with the potions and making a lot of small bottles.

But the battlefield was clearly different. Potion bottles were expensive there, and the merchants had to dilute the potions and then divide them into smaller portions in wooden bottles.

So Elan was telling Fran to stop using small bottles and make large ones instead, saving the cost of the potion bottles.

That way, both the merchants and Fran could save on bottles, which was good for everyone.

"Fine, I'll keep that in mind next time. Anything else?"

"No. That's all the money..."

Fran took the money without a hint of reluctance, then turned and left.

As she walked out of the Emerald Heart Tavern, she felt her bulging pocket and grinned foolishly.

She wasn't actually short on money now, but who ever complained about having too much?

Then, through her senses, she detected a sword swinging at her from the right.

Oh no! Why did they always attack at times like this?!

Mars had attacked her last time when she'd just gotten some money, ruining the good mood she'd been in.

She activated her Breathing Technique, leaping and twisting away from the attack.

But her opponent's assault wasn't over. From her left, a stream of liquid shot toward her. She barely managed to change direction in midair, but some of it hit her left arm.

The liquid seemed corrosive. With a sizzle, the sleeve on her left arm turned to ash, revealing the stone armor beneath, layered like scales. Fran flicked her left hand, shaking off all the liquid.

She had kept Hardened Scale Rock active in case of a sudden attack.

But there were drawbacks as well as benefits. The spell had kept her from dodging the attack just now, but it had also prevented her from being hurt. The only real loss was that she couldn't wear this outfit again.

She turned to look. A person stood where the liquid had come from, holding a torn scroll.

Fran could see that his eyes were utterly lifeless. Like a robot, he showed no signs of nervousness or excitement.

"Another modified human!"

Fran realized he was a modified human, devoid of emotion and obedient only to orders.

Am I going to keep running into modified humans? Last time Mars brought two of them here to ambush me, and now another one's attacking me.

In midair, Fran used Elven Swordsmanship to force herself toward the first modified human who had attacked her with a sword, moving in defiance of inertia.

She unleashed Sky Strike. Her opponent could only raise his sword above his head, trying to block the blow.

But Fran's attack was unstoppable. Her sword drove his down, and half the blade's tip sank into his skull. Then Fran pulled back, leaving a mix of white and red stains on her sword.

Fran drew the short sword at her waist with her left hand, took aim, and hurled it with all her strength. The sword flew toward the enemy holding the scroll like a cannonball.

A streak of purple light appeared behind him. The hilt sank deep into his chest, killing the modified human on the spot.

Fran dropped from the air without letting her guard down, still watching for another possible attack.

The attack did come, just not in the way she'd expected.

Three modified humans crawled toward her on the ground. Yes, they were crawling.

Their bodies were piled on top of one another, preventing the others from standing, but their orders left them no choice but to crawl over.

Fran could only use a Wind Blade. It howled through all three modified humans, and after struggling for a while, they stopped moving.

So this was how stupid modified humans were! Fran now understood why those lords didn't buy them.

They were strong and obeyed orders, doing whatever they were told. So why didn't the lords buy them?

The problem was that they couldn't coordinate well with others. Ordinary people knew not to get in their teammates' way, but modified humans weren't that intelligent, and on their own they weren't very intimidating.

"Who attacked me?"

Unlike Mars's attack last time, this time she hadn't seen who had ordered the modified humans to attack her.

"Hey, friend, do you need my help?"

Elan's voice came from behind her. He was walking out of the tavern; the fight had driven everyone nearby into hiding.

"Not this time..."

It was obvious that an apprentice like her had been attacked. The enforcement team wouldn't take any action against her, no matter what. At most, they'd investigate who had bought the modified humans.