Theo and Tresk spent the rest of the day distilling the [Marsh Tuber] and [Swamplight Spider Silk] into their respective essences. The spider silk was incredibly easy to prepare into a mash, while the tubers required quite a lot of work. They looked and smelled like slightly rotten potatoes, but didn’t break apart easily. Each one needed to be diced into small chunks before mashed with the heavy “mashing stick”, as Tresk called it. The alchemist gained another character level, hitting 4 and dumping his point into [Wisdom] without a second thought. He felt a tangible surge in his mind, tipping over the 20 mark.

“I can think faster,” Theo said, laughing. “20 must be a threshold…”

“That’s what I’ve heard,” Tresk said with a shrug. “I’ve been pumping [Dexterity], mostly.”

Theo wiped the sweat from his brow, inspecting his dwindling stamina bar. He suspected that his companion was also feeling exhausted, but she’d never show it. Dusk was a few hours off, but the alchemist’s stomach was rumbling. He inspected both of his flasks of essence before they departed for the tavern.

[Preserving Essence]

[Essence]

Common

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Great Quality

5 units (liquid)

Concentrated essence of preservation.

[Supple Essence]

[Essence]

Common

Created by: Belgar

Grade: Great Quality

5 units (liquid)

Concentrated essence of supple.

The [Supple Essence] had the silliest name of anything he’d seen so far, but if he could get the two ingredients to play nice, it’d make the perfect tanning solution. As Theo made for the door, he noticed 15 new lines in his [Perpetual Ledger]. Various townsfolk put money in the honor box, and the pair went out to investigate. The people of Broken Tusk were apparently as honorable as they seemed. 15 potions were missing, and 15 copper coins sat in the unlocked box. Theo split the money between him and Tresk before they left for the tavern.

“How much do the tanners sell their finished work for?” Theo asked.

“I’m not much into leatherworking myself,” Tresk said, shrugging. “Luras might know.”

“I’ll ask him,” Theo said. “If the next step of the tanning process works as fast as the first, we’re going to reduce their work time by about a year.”

Tresk laughed, slapping her knobbly knees. “That’s insane.”

Miana wasn’t at her house to glower at them as they passed, which was a welcome sight. They entered the tavern and greeted the familiar faces. It was still fairly empty because of the early hour of the evening. Xam had no more Karatan steaks tonight, and the pair settled for more mystery stew. Theo suspected that whatever meat the tavern claimed was in the soup was a guess‌. It all tasted the same and had the same texture. He ordered two bowls of “wolf meat stew” and retreated with his companion to their regular table.

“Did you have wolves in your world?” Tresk asked, noisily slurping her stew.

Theo found the way she ate funny. Back on Earth, the loud lip smacking would have annoyed him. He couldn’t tell if it was his new circumstances, or whether Tresk was his Tara’hek, but the noise didn’t bother him. He found it silly.

“Oddly, we do. I’ve only really seen three different ‌creatures here, and we have all of them in some form,” Theo said. “Our turtles are a lot smaller, and we don’t have giant insects… But the wolves seem like the same ‌wolf.”

“That’s weird,” Tresk said, gnawing on a gristly piece of meat.

“Mind if I join you?” Perg asked, approaching with a bowl of stew.

Theo went to hold his breath, but caught the familiar scent of berries as she approached. She must have been one of the townsfolk who bought the scrub. It was incredibly potent stuff if it could wash away the smell of the tannery. He gestured for her to sit down. “Of course.”

“We’ve made a lot of progress on the tannery project,” Tresk said, grinning.

“Makes sense. I’ve heard of Marshlings who take the Tara’hek. They become far more focused,” Perg said, taking her seat.

“We have a potion that will strip the hair from a hide in a few minutes,” Theo said, finally taking a moment to taste his stew. It tasted exactly like all the stews he’d tried before, reinforcing his mystery meat theory.

“What?” Perg said, sputtering. “You work fast, don’t you?”

“No sense wasting time,” Theo said, waving a dismissive hand. “We have a lot of things to improve in this town.”

“How much do you sell your leather for?” Tresk asked. She could be quite rude, but Perg seemed accustomed to curt people.

“Marsh Wolves are actually pretty rare,” Perg said with a shrug. “They produce a ‌very soft leather for what they are. Most people in the north are used to the Karatan leathers, but even after treatment those can be rough. Broken Tusk leather is soft. Very soft. We can get up to a silver per leather, depending on the buyer. Typically, between 50 copper and 1 silver.”

“Wow, that’s awesome,” Tresk said, gawking.

“Except it takes a year to make a single leather,” Theo said.

He understood the delicate nature of their work. They had to sit on a batch of leathers for over a year, considering that traders didn’t visit Broken Tusk often. They ate the cost year-round and prayed that someone showed up with enough coin to buy what they had. His alchemical process for the trade would give them flexibility, and he weighed the price he should claim for this luxury.

“That’s the biggest problem of our industry,” Perg said, letting out a heavy sigh. “I suppose those Karatan leather makers in the capital have access to fine alchemists, such as yourself.”

“Wait until they see what Broken Tusk can do with their new alchemist,” Tresk said. “How much hide do you decline to process every year?”

“Tons,” Perg said. “We have a deal with a few hunters in the area, but my warehouse is only so big.”

Money created money in this situation. He’d streamline the tannery’s process, and ‌the hunters of Broken Tusk could sell more hides to the tanner. The tanner could sell more leather, and the hunters could sell more hides. Theo sought to create cycles like these within the town, things that only improved the lives of the townsfolk.

“We’ll turn it into a volume game,” Theo said. “You’ll be putting out more leather than you ever thought possible when we’re done.”

“I look forward to it,” Perg said.

The group settled on idle chatter for a while as the tavern filled up. Luras found his way in eventually, surprised to see his friends already seated with Perg. He bought a bowl of the stew and sauntered over, pulling up a chair. They chatted for a time before the tanner needed to leave.

“You’re always making connections,” Luras said. “I’m headed up north tomorrow, so you won’t see me.”

“Off to Qavell?” Tresk asked.

“Not quite. I’m going to visit Rivers and Daub,” Luras said. “I have a friend up there that I like to check on.”

Theo thought about the idea of traveling outside of Broken Tusk. He had no interest in leaving the muddy confines of the town, finding everything about it to be comforting. He’d live his entire life here if he could, never venturing further than he needed to. It was another thing that drove him to turn the alchemy lab into a shop. A constant flow of coin meant that he could afford hirelings to do the running around, leaving him to focus on experimentation.

Even the debt that hung over his head was nothing. Once he worked out a deal with the tannery, the coin would flow. Since Miana agreed ‌he could make regular payments, it would be a simple thing. His primary concern was upgrading his lab, and the town. Something in his heart told him that the fast progress he was making with the tannery job was beyond his aptitude. The legacy of Drogramath ran through his veins, and the [Drogramath Alchemy Core] was likely a driving force in his progress. There was an innate knowledge in his mind that let him see a clear path forward in all things alchemy.

“I hate Rivers and Daub,” Tresk said, scoffing. “Pompous folk there.”

Luras smiled, shrugging. “I think most of the southlands hate them. They’re not nearly north enough to be city folk, but they act like it.”

“If you’re going to wallow in the mud, you may as well go all in,” Theo said.

“Actually, that gives me an idea,” Tresk said, knitting her scaly brow. “Theo, what do you think about making a double batch of [Cleansing Scrub] tomorrow?”

“Oh, people up in Rivers will pay an arm and a leg for that,” Luras said, scoffing. “I’ll gladly hawk your wares.”

“Works for me,” Theo said, grinning. “You can have half the take, of course.”

“You’re too generous,” Luras said, shaking his head. “How do you expect to make a profit working like this?”

“I’m only generous to my friends,” Theo said. “Everyone else gets fair rates, but that’s it. Nothing wild like half my total profit. If you can sell them for over two copper, it’s more than I can get here.”

“Good point,” Luras said. “Plus, I have to carry 100 vials of a potion up a dangerous road.”

Luras excused himself for the evening after more light conversation. Theo and Tresk only lingered for a while before departing, heading out as dusk gave way to night. The alchemist couldn’t stop thinking about how nice the city would be to walk if not for the muddy roads. Once he had more money, he’d focus a lot of effort on upgrading the town.

Don’t look now, but my father is giving you the eye, Tresk said.

Theo’s head instantly snapped to the smithy, Throk’s gaze meeting his with fiery conviction. The Marshling stomped across the muddy square, beckoning for the alchemist to bend to his level. Without thinking about it, he obliged. Throk had the same piercing gaze as his daughter, those ruby eyes boring a hole into his soul.

After a moment, the blacksmith nodded. “The Tara’hek took. Despite my best advice, I knew the girl was too much to handle.”

I’m panicking. What should I do? Theo said.

I dunno! I never expected him to accept you as my partner, Tresk said. Even through the mental link he could hear the panic in her voice.

“You’re talking to her with the Tara’hek core, aren’t you?” Throk said, smiling. “Those tools are only going to get more powerful as you grow closer. The system wouldn’t have allowed this to happen if you weren’t meant to grow together.”

“We could feel it right away,” Theo said. “I just knew that she’d make me better at everything.”

“Well, if you’re willing to give up your life of romance to take the bond, you’re worth keeping around,” Throk said. “You’re welcome to come home, Tresk, but I doubt you’ll take me up on the offer.”

“Thanks, dad,” Tresk said, grinning. “I knew you’d understand once you saw us together.”

“You’re two sides of a blade,” Throk said, nodding. He always seemed so sage-like. “The things you two will accomplish… It’s going to be grand.”

Tresk waddled through the mud to give her father a hug before departing. Theo was stunned by the exchange. The connection that the Tara’hek created was absurdly deep, and as he reflected ‌on the process, he knew ‌another Marshling would understand. While it was rare, it seemed deeply rooted in their culture.

“I knew he’d come around,” Tresk said, scoffing. “He’s such a blowhard.”

“Seems kind of poetic,” Theo said, unlocking the lab, stepping inside, and lighting the candles. He still had a portion of his stamina bar and assumed that Tresk did too.

“How do you figure?” Tresk said, locking the door and settling in on the ground near the burnt-out fire.

Theo grinned. “A blacksmith as hard as iron? Come on.”

Tresk laughed, slapping her knees and doubling over. Theo came to sit next to her and leaned in to press his forehead against hers. They stayed there for some time before coming apart.

[Tara’hek Core] received experience (5%).

“We got experience,” Tresk said, chuckling.

“I guess we get experience points for bonding,” Theo said, scoffing. “Seems kinda silly.”

“Yeah, we gotta level the [Tara’hek Core] just like our other cores,” Tresk said.

Theo settled in on the ground, leaning his back against the wall and looking around the lab. It could use some additional seating, but it was crowded as it was. The space required for making potions was greater than the need to be comfortable. There was also the issue that they wanted to turn it into a store, which would consume a fair amount of floor space. Assuming that the expansions on the lab were uniform, they’d need at least 3 more levels until it could be used as a shop.

The three rows of tables dominated the space, but the junk that littered every corner wasn’t helping. They lacked shelf space, and storage areas. The crowded space got more crowded with every new project they took on, adding to the mess. Theo let out a heavy sigh, casting his gaze over the lab. The ownership was still solely in his name, which didn’t sit right with him. He thought for a moment, mentally adding Tresk to the list of owners. To his surprise, it worked.

[Tresk is now an owner of [Alchemy Lab]]

A key appeared in Tresk’s hands, and she shrieked in delight. She wiggled on the spot for a moment before concentrating.

[Tresk has named [Alchemy Lab] [The Newt and Demon]]

“I didn’t want to push the issue,” Tresk said. “I knew you’d make me a co-owner in time. Hey, it says you have two names here.”

“The system gave me a name when I came here, Belgar. That’s why all my potions say it was made by ‘Belgar’.”

“Theo Spencer. Yeah, Belgar sounds a lot cooler,” Tresk said. “Sounds a lot more like a Dronon name for that matter.”

Theo smiled, his mind drifting back to his demonic heritage. “I imagine there’s people in this world that might not like me. Since I’m a Dronon.”

“Maybe somewhere in the world, but there’s so many races that no one really cares,” Tresk said. “Some people seek ‌demon-born folk, but they’re very knowledgeable on the subject. The Order of the Burning Eye handles all the demon lords—keeps them in check.”

“Are they going to come for me?” Theo asked, grimacing.

“Maybe one day,” Tresk said. “But come on… What demon would undertake the Tara’hek? They’ll take one look at us and be like ‘Oh, nevermind. This lovely little Marshling can vouch for him’. I heard they can test to see if you’re terrible or not.”

“That’s comforting. Hopefully, we’ll have made a name for ourselves when they come knocking,” Theo said.

Theo’s mind wandered again, tiredness slowing his thoughts. Every turn in Broken Tusk seemed to open a gateway to more opportunities and more work. They’d have to rise early the next morning to make more of the [Cleansing Scrub] before experimenting with their new essences. Fortunately, Tresk harvested enough motes to last them a while. They could easily craft enough for Luras to make a killing in Rivers and Daub, and complete the tanner’s job.

“We’ll need to get up early tomorrow,” Theo said. “Seems like a rude thing to keep Luras waiting.”

“I agree. It’s a day or so journey north, for Luras—he’s a fast guy—so he’ll want to go early,” Tresk said. “Hey, why don’t we make the vials now?”

Theo shrugged. This is exactly why he needed a partner. He had enough stamina to keep going for an hour and didn’t even consider the concept of getting a head start on the next day. “Brilliant idea.”

The pair spent the next hour creating the [Cleansing Scrub] vials and arranging them neatly on the table. They had more than enough [Cleansing Essence] for the job, as it was a 0.1 to 5 ratio of essence to water. They’d distribute the 5 unit result in 1 unit bottles, stretching it even further. If Luras really could get a decent price in Rivers and Daub, this would be their lowest effort money-maker.

“That’ll do it,” Tresk said, wiping her brow and producing her [Cleansing Scrub] from a satchel. “Time for a bath.”

Theo retrieved his vial and did the same, placing one drop on his forearm, one on his clothes, and two on either moccasin. The white light filled the lab, followed by the pleasant smell of berries. He instantly felt clean, as though he’d just gotten out of the shower. Tresk beamed, nodding toward the bedroom. The alchemist extinguished the candles and followed her in, pressing his forehead against hers before crawling into bed.

Goodnight, Theo said.

Sleep came quickly that night. The allure of adventure tomorrow doing nothing to stave off his slumber.