A Name Begins (Part One)

In the blink of an eye, it was February. That day, the sun shone brilliantly.

The long-lasting cold weather finally bid farewell to Rika Town. The sun in the sky regained its strength, bathing this land in warmth.

Places once covered by snow had now become a paradise for rivers.

The snow on the ground had all melted.

It was as if people had thawed as well. They began emerging from their homes, calling friends together or throwing themselves into work.

Adventurers once again headed toward the Magic Beast Forest in groups. Rika Town, which had lain quiet for several days, grew lively once more. At that moment, someone sharp-eyed noticed that a notice board had been erected outside Romon's potion shop.

Several striking lines of writing covered the board. Those who could read either shook their heads or headed into Romon's shop.

Those who could not read asked around and learned that it was an announcement for a new potion launched by Romon's potion shop.

According to the notice, this new potion cost the same as the previous healing potions, but its effects were greatly improved.

Although most townsfolk merely shook their heads and left with indifferent expressions,

the adventurers were mostly deeply interested in this new potion. In weather as bitterly cold as this, many healing potions and methods were far less effective than usual.

Thus, a potion that was inexpensive yet remarkably effective was simply too important in the eyes of adventurers.

So, less than ten minutes after Romon had someone put up the notice board, curious adventurers began entering the shop to ask about it.

However, Romon's current Druid level was not high, so while many asked, almost no one bought. Romon did not waste words. He brought out twenty finished bottles and gave one to an adventurer who was still hesitating, saying that he could try it for free first.

"Is this bottle free?" the adventurer asked curiously, looking at the small bottle in his hand.

Romon smiled. "Of course."

The adventurer immediately stopped hesitating. With a chuckle, he tucked the bottle into his clothes. Its effects were still unknown, but who did not like free things?

Once the first person came to take one, a second followed. Some adventurers who had originally only intended to look also came over to claim free potions.

Before long, even some adventurers who had originally planned to buy potions from Jefa's shop across the street were drawn over.

"Teacher, look at them!" The young girl in gorgeous winter clothes stamped her foot and complained coquettishly inside Jefa's potion shop, looking thoroughly indignant.

Seated across from her was the Druid Jefa, who had come to inspect the shop today. Seeing his beloved disciple so upset, he could only feel helpless.

"It's only a momentary novelty. It's nothing," he said with a smile, trying to comfort her.

"But..." The girl pouted unhappily. "I stayed up so late making potions yesterday, yet no one came to buy any today. It's infuriating!"

Watching his beloved disciple fume, Jefa could only shake his head helplessly again, while turning his gaze toward the shop across the street.

"An enhanced potion with improved effects?" Jefa shook his head again and smiled dismissively.

The preparation of basic potions was one part of the Druid learning system. Every Druid could learn to prepare potions, but the higher a Druid's rank, the greater their influence over the preparation process, the lower the required costs, and the better the final effects of the potion.

Moreover, potions were ultimately only an exercise for Druids to master the medicinal properties of natural plants. They could serve as a diversion, or a way to make a living at lower levels, but they were not a proper profession.

A true Druid was a profession charged with protecting nature. No Druid would be willing to make potion preparation a long-term career—that was the responsibility of herbalists and priests.

Overall, this was why, although Druids possessed healing spells and herbal knowledge, their standards in healing fell below those of priests specializing in such matters. Even so, the countless Druids who had emerged over innumerable years had researched plant properties and formulas deeply enough for practical application and practice.

Therefore, Jefa's first reaction to Romon's actions was disdain. His second was absurdity. He had originally thought that Romon, who had managed to rapidly advance to a Level Two Druid on his own without guidance, possessed at least a little talent.

But after this incident, Romon, whom he had already considered obsessed with profit, seemed even more self-important in Jefa's eyes.

Never mind whether a Druid would devote energy to developing new potions. Even if someone truly took an interest in such research, those who created new potions were always intermediate- and high-level Druids with profound knowledge.

For Romon, a mere Level Two Druid, to dream of preparing a new potion—even making the slightest improvement—was making a joke out of countless predecessors!

No, it was simply overestimating himself. As someone who had once taught Romon, Jefa knew full well that although Romon had now reached Level Two in power, without Jefa's in-depth guidance, his actual knowledge of Druids was terribly lacking.

As for his understanding of potions, it was limited to simple potion preparation.

Even his current beloved disciple Weiwan, though only a Level One Druid, knew far more about potion preparation than Romon did.

This was also one reason Romon's potion shop was doing poorly—his lack of knowledge and lack of ability.

Yet such a half-baked Druid actually wanted to prepare a new potion whose effects surpassed those of his predecessors. How could Jefa not find it laughable?

Meanwhile, in a room within the Temple, the young priest was repeating what Jefa had said.

"An enhanced potion with improved effects?" His tone was equally disdainful, though his words carried an extra trace of malice. He casually burned a secret letter, then sneered.

It was the malicious sneer one gave upon seeing an idiot.

The reason was simple. As someone who had watched Romon grow from an apprentice into a Level Two Druid, he too did not believe Romon could develop any new enhanced potion.

"As long as his potion isn't as effective as he claims, there'll be a good show to watch." The young priest sneered as he picked up a pen and wrote a letter.

He tied the letter to a carrier pigeon's leg. As he watched it spread its wings and fly away, the smile on his face became even broader.

"Bakar, let's see what you can do as a tax officer." A few minutes later, at the other end of town, a carrier pigeon landed on the windowsill of the tax officer's home.

The tax officer removed the letter from the pigeon's leg. After only one glance, a knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Use this chance to pin a crime on Romon? Good idea!" Destroying the letter as well, the tax officer muttered to himself.

"The crime of deceiving the public? That charge really suits Romon!" With his hands clasped behind his back, he gazed up at the sky, wearing the same cold sneer as the priest.

Meanwhile, aside from a few adventurers who had taken some free potions home, most of the townsfolk remained on the sidelines regarding Romon's potion shop's new product.

After all, in their minds, Romon was only a Level Two Druid. He could not possibly compare to Jefa, a Level Five Druid.

If even Jefa, a Level Five Druid, could not do it, could Romon really succeed? Besides, healing potions for wounds were not all that useful to them.

"Romon, still no one's coming. Do you think our potion isn't any good?"

It was already February, and the weather was gradually warming. At the end of last month, Romon's potion shop had launched a new potion. Hardly anyone had bought it. Only the twenty bottles prepared at the beginning had been handed out for free.

Moreover, those who had asked for them had mostly been adventurers. But since taking those potions away, they had not sent back a single word.

Romon's potion shop remained deserted, with scarcely a soul at the door. However, Romon had anticipated this situation long ago.

January was the season when Magic Beasts appeared least often. Though some adventurers still ventured into the forest, the chances of encountering Magic Beasts were few and far between, and the number of people injured by them was even closer to zero.

With no one getting hurt, naturally no one needed his potions. So it was normal that there had been no response yet. But just because he thought so did not mean everyone else did.

Although Nick had initially placed great faith in Romon's new potion, as the days passed, he began to feel uncertain as the shop manager. Taking advantage of a moment when no one was around, he quietly asked the question above.

Romon looked at him with amusement. "What? You don't trust the potion I prepared?"

"It's not that, it's just..." Nick scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "It's already been half a month, and no one has come to ask about it again. It really makes me uneasy."

"You." Seeing his worried expression, Romon shook his head. "Don't rush. Someone will come to buy it."

Seeing that Nick still did not quite believe him, Romon patted his shoulder. "Nick, just wait and see. I never deceive people. Trust me."

"Mm! I believe you!" With Romon's assurance, Nick finally regained his confidence.

"That's more like it." Romon smiled, sweeping his gaze over the people gathered outside to watch, though he felt somewhat frustrated inside.

Even Nick did not fully believe in the effects of this new potion. The others probably felt the same. But someone should have begun using the twenty bottles given away for free last month!

As the weather had begun warming these past few days, the adventurers' movements had become increasingly frequent.

His enhanced potion should be showing its effects soon. Why had no one come yet? Could it be that his new potion truly had no effect when used on people?

Something came up today, so I won't be around at noon. I posted this early; the evening update will still be released as usual.