Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?

Chapter 41: Intelligence Gathering

The day I gave Sophia and Maria magic invocation medium rings, they were in a good mood all day long. Is it possible that giving rings as a present has a special meaning in this world too?

Well, I already gave it so it’s too late to worry about it now.

Sure enough, Papeck-san really sank his teeth into the refrigerator. I made a large quantity of the parts with magic formula, delivered it to the Papeck Company, and discussed how to make the case.

But even though Ice attribute magic is a superior attribute magic, it’s not that there aren’t any that can use it, so my involvement in production of the part with the magic formula will be just this once.

Having completed the initial delivery of potions to the Adventurers Guild, we had no more immediate plans, so I told Sophia and Maria about the plan I previously had of wanting to upgrading our equipment.

「My Blacksmith level and Smithing skill level have both risen, and Alchemist and Alchemy skill level have risen quite a bit as well, so I was thinking it’s about time that improve our equipment from Magic Iron to Mithril or Adamantite, but what do you two think?」

Magic metals known as Mithril, Adamantite, Orichalcum have high affinity with magic power, it easily strengthens magic power. Aside from its general use by attacking while clad in magic power, a magic sword clad with attribute magic is something a normal iron sword would not be able to endure.

Mithril is originally silver, having traces of magic power, it is harder and tougher than an iron sword, and alloying it would make it even harder and tougher.

Adamantite simply surpasses Mithril in both hardness and toughness. A sword made of Adamantite can easily cut steel armor.

Orichalcum is the top magic metal out of all magic metals. Weapons and armor made of Orichalcum are treated as sacred treasures.

「Takumi-sama, the spear and sword made with magic iron that I received are more than enough, however, if it is needed to protect Takumi-sama, then I believe it would be beneficial to change it into mithril and adamantite-made weapons.」

「I am still very much inexperienced so I will leave it up to you.」

The two did not oppose it, so we decided to gather information on how to mine and process mithril ore and adamantite ore.

「I think we should split up to gather information, but what do you guys think?」

「Then I will investigate in the library.」

「I will ask the Papeck Company.」

Sophia will investigate the library and Maria will gather information at Papeck-san’s.

「Then I’ll gather information at the Blacksmith and Adventurers Guild in town.」

Having Kaede house-sit, we went around Volton.

I first went to the Adventurers Guild.

When I arrived at the Adventurers Guild, Hans-san was there so I’ll discuss it with him.

「Head to the conference room then.」

Hans-san came in after a while, we immediately talked about my need for mithril ores and adamantite ores, and if it was possible to mine it by myself.

「Say, Takumi-kun, you’re not just an alchemist but a blacksmith too, aren’t you? Takumi-kun, have you seen any adventurer with weapons and armor made of mithril and admantite in this town?」

「No, I wasn’t paying attention so I didn’t realize, but now that you mention it, I haven’t seen any.」

In Volton, called the town of Adventurers, that was a bit strange.

「 The truth is that for both mithril and adamantite are easy to obtain because their ores are two-fold.」

「Could it be that refining and forging it is difficult? 」

「Well, that’s almost right. If it’s a blacksmith from the Dwarven country, Gnomstoll Kingdom, then he might be able handle it, but even then, refining it is still a high hurdle. Frankly, an exponential amount of magic power is necessary to refine mithril and adamantite, and it seems that even though dwarves have more magic power than humans, there are few craftsmen that can refine it. Apparently it consumes the same amount of magic power to forge them, so as a result, weapons and armor made of mithril and adamantite do not appear on the market. I think the only ones who have weapons and armor made of mithril and adamantite in this town are probably the feudal lord and Guild Master Barack.」

Hearing that much, I remembered I refine with Alchemy.

「Umm, I’m an alchemist so maybe……」

「Right, you might need extra magic power when it comes to refining, but if it’s you, you might be able to use alchemy on it.」

i wonder how much I can shape and temper magic metals with Smithing magic later.

「So, about the place to mine at…」

「Go straight northwest of Valkyra Kingdom and the mining town, Horuas, will be there. This town is dwarf-centric town, and although it is a town of Valkyra Kingdom, it has a strong relationship with Gnomstoll Kingdom.」

「Will I be able to collect ores if I’m in Horuas?」

「You can’t actually enter the mountain without joining the Blacksmiths Guild, but there is a backdoor to that. There are monsters that come out of the tunnels, if you accept a request to subjugate monsters then you are allowed to mine ores while you’re there. That’s because adventurers dig for the monsters.」

If I can do a subjugation request and mine at the same time, I couldn’t ask for more.

「How long will it take to get from Volton to Horuas?」

「Let’s see, it should be 6 days on a normal carriage, and around 3 days on a carriage pulled by a Demon Horse. My apologies but it will have to be a normal carriage this time.」

A Demon Horse is a horse that became a monster, but it is docile for a monster. It is possible to train so it can be used for horseback riding and as a work-horse. With its speed and stamina, it can reach its destination at half the time of a normal horse.

「Hans-san, thank you very much.」

「Advise the guild when you will leave Volton.」

I left the Adventurers Guild, and paid a visit to the blacksmith in town.

「Excuse me!」

「I can hear you even if you don’t yell!」

What came out of the blacksmith workshop was a bearded, beer barrel-shaped dwarf.

「What do you want, kid?」

「I came here to ask about something for a little bit but, if it is alright with you, I would like for you to teach me the important points when forging mithril and adamantite.」

When I said that, I was observed from head to toe.

「You’re a blacksmith?」

「No, I have Smithing skills, but I am an Alchemist.」

The dwarf’s eyes shined when I said so.

「That means you can refine mithril and adamantite with Alchemy, right?」

「………… probably.」

Hereupon my arm was grabbed, and I was forcefully brought into the workshop.

「I am the blacksmith, Doganbo. I have confidence in my smithing arm, but have nowhere near enough magic power to refine mithril and admantite. In my country, when we’re refining mithril and adamantite, it takes 10 men’s accumulated magic power to do the refinement. It is definitely not a one-man refinement. You’re a genuine alchemist, aren’t you?」

「Yes, more or less.」

According to Doganbo-san, there is no alchemist that can refine metals at this day and age.

Then I handed over the sword I made to Doganbo-san[1].

「This is a sword I worked on, starting from mining.」

After looking at the sword down to the hole I hammered into it, Doganbo-san suddenly took my hand.

「Sorry! I made light of you! This sword was forged with Smithing magic, wasn’t it.

Impressive. It’s the sword of an Alchemist that understands metals very well!」

「Thank you very much. If the Dwarf Doganbo-san says so then I can be confident.」

「Now, about the important notes when forging mithril and adamantite, was it. Frankly, aside from the large amount of magic power needed, it isn’t much different from magic iron. Orichalcum is a different matter though.」

Hearing that relieved me. If unknown techniques were needed, I would have had to take an apprenticeship from a dwarf.

After that, Doganbo asked me to do one thing and then I went back home.

Joining Sophia and Maria at home, we reported our findings to each other.

In the library, locations for mines aside from Horuas were investigated, but since Horuas is the closest this time, we determined that Horuas is our only viable choice.

At Papeck Company, they said they can procure mithril ores and adamantite ores. It seems that when Papeck-san was informed that we plan on going to the mine ourselves, he conversely requested that we procure mithril and adamantite ores for him.

He might have noticed that I will try refining mithril and adamantite.

「Let’s arrange for a carriage until Horuas and prepare food and other necessary items for the trip later.」

We began making preparations for our departure to Horuas.

***

Footnotes:

1. 1. Typo. Raws said Doga-san only.