Chapter 36 - 35: Running a Household Is Not Easy

Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Running a Household Is Not Easy

Gaode gave Amy a meaningful look, then reached out and took the box. Whether Amy gave it to him because he couldn’t open the box or because of the reason he stated, Gaode didn’t care. As long as the final outcome was the same, that was all that mattered.

Gaode knew very well that if he hadn’t agreed to become the Master of the Medicine Garden, Amy would have most likely taken the box with him, rather than offering it up, even if it couldn’t be opened. As he thought this, Gaode tried to open the box. Even though Amy had already said it was impossible to open, it didn’t hurt to try.

As it turned out, Amy hadn’t lied to him. The box looked perfectly normal, but when he tried to open it, it felt as though it were welded shut. No matter how much force he applied, it wouldn’t budge. After tinkering with it for a while, Gaode gave up on trying to open the box using conventional methods. Clearly, there was an invisible lock on the box. Without unlocking it, opening the box was impossible.

"Isn’t this just a safe in the Mage World..." Gaode muttered to himself, feeling a bit frustrated but also realizing it made sense. He had already caught a glimpse of the wonders of Magic. In such a world, even the most fantastical things could truly exist.

"The most pressing matter is to rest, heal my injuries, and get the Medicinal Garden running again," he planned. "Once those two things are sorted, I’ll find a way to open this box."

Gaode knew the contents of the box were bound to be extremely valuable. It most likely contained the Magic Formulas and potion recipes he needed most. However, he was well aware that rushing things wouldn’t help. Quickly adjusting his mindset, he put the box away.

He glanced at the apprentices still crowded in the room, making the narrow space feel stuffy and unventilated. Yawning, he told the group, "I’m a bit tired and need to rest. Everyone, go back for now. We’ll discuss the matters of the Medicinal Garden in detail after I wake up."

Gaode was indeed exhausted. Enduring immense pressure on his Spirit for an entire month had long since worn him down, and his physical injuries only compounded the fatigue. The apprentices tactfully took their leave one by one, including Amy, who was originally Gaode’s roommate.

"If you need anything, just give a shout, and I’ll be right over," Amy said before leaving.

"Alright," Gaode replied.

With a low CREAK, the door was pulled shut.

"This place is too small. It’s not comfortable to sleep here. I need to change rooms," Gaode thought. "Mage Seda’s bedroom, for instance, would be quite nice."

"It’s great to be alive," he finally said to himself.

Gaode reclined on the bed. The Sun was currently shining brightly high in the sky. Warm sunlight streamed in through the open window and spilled over Gaode, causing him to comfortably narrow his eyes as he rested and recovered from his injuries. His previous narrow bedroom only had a tiny transom window, so by Nature, it never enjoyed such a view.

This was Mage Seda’s bedroom—a spacious and well-lit room. Now, it was his. As the victor, Gaode unceremoniously claimed it for himself. It was the spoils of war!

Bustling noises came from outside the door, mixed with the SCRAPE of objects being dragged across the floor. Gaode knew it was the apprentices clearing out the debris. Because of that massive explosion, Mage Seda’s workshop—which also served as his study—had been completely reduced to ruins. Fortunately, the blast hadn’t affected the other areas of the Medicinal Garden, preventing any further losses.

Cleaning up the widespread mess left by the explosion was no easy task. The apprentices had spent two days on it and still hadn’t fully cleared the aftermath. As for Mage Seda’s corpse, it had been moved and buried in the back mountain while Gaode was still unconscious. They buried him alongside the apprentice who had died earlier from testing potions. It could be considered a harmonious reunion between master and disciple, happily sharing the same grave.

As for all the items in Mage Seda’s room, apart from the unopenable Magic wooden box, everything else had been blown to pieces, turning into useless trash. Even the Magic Robe on Mage Seda had been blasted into shreds by the sheer power of the explosion. Obviously, this level of damage was far beyond the scope of the Repair Skill. It was absolutely impossible to fix, so it ultimately had to be disposed of along with the rest of the garbage.

This made Gaode’s heart ache. After all, First Ring Extraordinary Items were worth sixty or seventy Gold Coins. But given the massive disparity in strength between him and Mage Seda, what right did he have to be picky about the spoils of war?

As long as he was alive, there would always be bread on the table. Gaode could only console himself with this thought. Although it still couldn’t completely soothe the sting of the loss, it did make him feel slightly better.

He gently shifted his body into a more comfortable position, pondering his next steps in his mind. The top priority was undoubtedly getting the Medicinal Garden running again and pulling it back on track to guarantee its revenue. Additionally, he could maintain contact with Pierre Grocery Store. Although the business of fixing Extraordinary Items wasn’t as stable as the Magic Potion trade, it could serve as a source of extra income.

Next was finding a way to open the Magic wooden box left behind by Mage Seda. Finally, he needed to focus on his own cultivation. This took an even higher priority than learning new Magic or relying on Wind Spirit Moon Shadow for Enhancing Magic. After all, no matter how many powerful spells he mastered, without enough Mana, they would be nothing more than castles in the air—completely meaningless.

Spring Bud Moon, the fifth day.

All traces belonging to Mage Seda in the Medicinal Garden had been thoroughly scrubbed away. Gaode’s injuries had also healed significantly. They were only superficial wounds to begin with, without any damage to his bones or sinews. Moreover, thanks to the existence of Magic Power, the medicinal herbs in this world were incredibly effective compared to those in his past life.

During his days of convalescence, Gaode had also reviewed the current state of the Medicinal Garden. Before he arrived in this world, there were twelve people in the Medicinal Garden, which was considered the period with the highest population here. Since his arrival, he had killed Elan and Mage Seda. Coupled with the two apprentices lost during the Earth Vein Creatures’ night ambush last month, this meant that, including Gaode, there were currently eight people left in the garden.

His roommate Amy, the apprentice-turned-chef Ramos, and Aitch and Raymond—the only two besides Gaode who could brew Magic Potions. The other seven besides him were all First Class apprentices. However, even among First Class apprentices, there were disparities. They had only barely mastered a single Trick, either the Mage’s Hand or the Repair Skill. Calling them Mage Apprentices was almost flattery.

What was more awkward was that although Aitch and Raymond could brew Magic Potions, their success rate was low. On average, it took them two portions of ingredients to successfully brew one potion. It was important to note that Zero Tier Magic Potions didn’t have high profit margins to begin with. They were fundamentally "low-end" products, winning out only through production volume and success rate.

For Magic Potions of the Same Tier, once an Alchemist became proficient, they could basically guarantee a 100% success rate. In fact, Low Tier Alchemists who couldn’t guarantee this success rate simply couldn’t survive. Moreover, the Magic Potion that Aitch and Raymond had mastered wasn’t the Basic Spider Venom Potion, but the Brief Rest Potion.

The effect of this Magic Potion was rapidly Guiding the drinker into a short but deep sleep, leaving their Spirits refreshed upon waking. However, it couldn’t be used long-term, otherwise, it would lose its efficacy and cause sleep disorders. Its target audience generally consisted of couriers and porters who used it for emergencies while rushing on journeys.

It was practical, in a sense, but its applicability was narrow. Coupled with the fact that it couldn’t be used long-term, its market was quite limited. Phil’s Magic Pharmacy didn’t have a high demand for the Brief Rest Potion. They would only place orders when occasionally needed, unlike the Basic Spider Venom Potion and the Basic Endurance Potion, which they purchased continuously without limit.

In other words, Aitch and Raymond were two unqualified Alchemists who couldn’t even be counted as productive labor. Looking at it this way, Gaode was actually the only person in the Medicinal Garden capable of generating a stable income. It was no wonder the apprentices in the Medicinal Garden insisted on nominating Gaode to be the Medicine Garden Master. He truly was the only one with the ability to do so.