“Thank you so much, Grandma—erm, Brewer Bawu.” I opened my arms wide. “I’d hug you if I wanted to, but I don’t. Your hand-me-downs are way better than Mehu—than the Big M’s.” Mentioning Mehubanarath could be problematic given that Healer Gula told me to keep my Ancestral Flame Arts a secret from her sister.

I was thinking the other day about buying gear with Sense to cobble together a set specifically for brewing.

It wasn’t uncommon to have different loadouts for different purposes.

Tanks usually had at least two armor sets—one for PvP and one for PvE. More specialized sets were possible, especially if the tank was wealthy. Could even have different loadouts for small-scale and large-scale battles.

With a sort of ‘crafting garb,’ I could use higher-tier cauldrons and alchemy equipment required for more complex brews. Better cauldrons had benefits even for basic concoctions like [Morabodry], affecting the crafting success rate. [Nitrilus Chemical Gloves] also boosted success rate, with one stat line specifically for poisons and another probably for any kind of crafting.

More successful brews meant more crafting Gli to level my Akhos Ocadule and fewer wasted ingredients.

Recalling Arakmad’s items for sale, the next step above [Bronze Cauldron] was the [Magic Slag Cauldron]. It required a player’s level to be twenty and fifty points in Sense. [Nitrilus Chemical Gloves] gave thirty—adding that to my inherent fifteen, I’d be lacking five Sense points.

Meal buffs could supply the deficiency. I bet Clement had Sense foods for sale.

“That’s the plan for level twenty for the brewing front,” I said, snapping my fingers.

“Dear youngling… would you be so kind as to fetch me more samples? I sorely need them at this vital stage of my project.”

[ Quest: Scraping for Samples II ]

Mad Brewer Bawu’s experiments progress at a rapid pace thanks to your help collecting the materials she requires. But the work is far from over. Collect four hundred (400) [Toxic Goop] and six (6) [Concentrated Fulguris Extract], and bring them to her as soon as possible. Exercise extreme caution when collecting [Concentrated Fulguris Extract] from premium subjects.

“Premium subjects, huh? That’s what the Blighted quest bosses are in your eyes?” A possible problem drew my attention. “Four hundred Toxic Goop? Where the hell am I going to get that many?”

“A burdensome and perilous job,” Bawu said. “But you have shown your capabilities. Thusly, I trust you’ll accomplish this task in a timely manner.”

“Bah! Accept quest, accept quest. I’ll figure out to collect the materials you want, on the word of Herald Stone!”

The previous Scraping for Samples required half the amount, and I gathered that much because I roamed the tunnels doing other things. I couldn't have done it if I had rushed to complete Clearing Operations II. And it seemed Clearing Operations III was the last in the serial—would it have enough Blighted monsters for the [Toxic Goop] Bawu needed?

“Maybe I should put off fixing the Blighted problem first so I can farm Toxic Goop?” My forehead wrinkled. “Why do you need so many Toxic Goop?”

“Come along, youngling.” Bawu headed to another tunnel, followed by the Chimera Borpillar. “I’ll show you what I’ve busied myself with. It’ll certainly be of interest to you.”

“You’re not going to feed me to your pet, are you?”

“My precious Melasbo will accompany us for protection. Some of those… mistakes… romp about in these parts.

I trotted after her. “Right. I’ll quickly get on that clearing quest thing.” After I’ve gathered all the ingredients you need.

She’d probably show me more of her chimerical creations. Since she was brewing something dangerous, I also wouldn’t be surprised if she presented piles of corpses. If Bawu could come up with a surefire way to kill the Mountain Guardian, I’ll be on board with it—that could be our ticket off this mountain.

“Uh… I’m not sure if I’m on board with this.”

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Giggling Bawu was terrifying, second only to the experiments she revealed. “They’re coming along nicely, and the chemicals you gathered will help them reach their ultimate form much faster.”

I had my answer why Bawu was taking so long to transfer residences.

In the center of a cavern, far larger than any I had entered, stood six enormous vats pumped with yellowish-green liquid from pipes of various sizes. Each held a gargantuan mutated abomination, a head or two taller than Ladambor, the Carrion Golem. Glowing magical runes coiled like blown-up strands of DNA floating in the air.

Like Bawu’s other creations, these were a horrifying mishmash of body parts from different monsters. Though it was still apparent the creatures they once were. Despite the swapped-out limbs and forced growth through arcane magic, there was no mistaking the base form of a centaur. And the dried magma skin of Mardukryons, as well as our cozy fur were noticeable here and there.

“The guards!” I exclaimed. Whoopsie, I forgot about them. Not saying I had concrete plans to get them out, but I had wanted to try and be a hero. Now, there truly was no saving them. “Huh… six? Six of them?” I had only three village guards with me when Bawu captured us.

“Test subjects are so generous to willfully present themselves to help my cause.”

“I don’t think any of them came here voluntarily,” I said. Bawu kidnapping villagers in the tunnels? Was this my fault? Possible. If I had promptly dealt with the Blight, other village guards wouldn’t have had any reason to wander near Bawu’s territory.

This was getting more out of hand. And feet, and legs, and every part of the body.

Should I let her do this? This didn’t feel right for Herald Stone to look past. But if I tried to stop this whole thing, what about other quests connected to her? I was also supposed to be her student. I was too invested in being her ally—wow, I was behaving like multi-national corporations when confronted with moral issues regarding business practices.

“These children are going to be essential additions to my wonderful family,” said Bawu. “They’ll grow big and strong… and rip apart the Mountain Guardian.” She finished her sentence in a chilly whisper while maintaining a jovial expression.

“The six Concentrated Fulguris Extracts you want,” I said. “That’s for all of them.” Fulguris… Fulgurian?

I had encountered a Fulgurian Boarlet, and heard of the Fulgurian Mammoths that show up during the Great Hunt. During the poison challenge with Bawu, one poison had ‘Fulgurian’ in its name. Other than its Damage-over-Time, that particular poison affected Lightning damage and resistance. Did it mean ‘lightning’ or ‘electricity’?

When capturing the village guards and me, Bawu buffed the Carrion Golem with a substance that gave it electric powers. There was also that Blighted Crabore who gained electric powers. That could be Bawu’s intention with her new creations in looking for the [Concentrated Fulguris Exctract].

“Brewer Bawu. I have something else to give you,” I said, handing her [Healer Gula's Handwritten Letter]—one of the tasks given by Gula.

[ Quest: Rekindling Sisterly Connection ]

Healer Gula wishes that her sister, Mad Brewer Bawu, forget her crusade for revenge. Gula's trust in you is growing. Now is the time to prove yourself further by delivering an essential letter to Bawu. Help the two sisters mend their broken ties; they might give you future aid to show gratitude.

“A message from little Gula?” Bawu affectionately unfurled the piece of paper. “How lovely.”

[ Quest Completed: Rekindling Sisterly Connection ]

Gula wanted to convince Bawu to rebuild her lost Lodge, hoping that’d distract her from obsessing over revenge on the Mountain Guardian that killed her fellow Arcane Brewers. A plausible plan. A couple hundred years had passed—surely Bawu had calmed down a bit and might be more open to other things.

But, no.

Bawu was building an army to take on the Mountain Guardian.

And she was turning villagers into mutant super soldiers.

The ‘Quest Completed’ notification was for delivering the letter. The mending relationship part wasn’t going to happen anytime soon because of Bawu’s shenanigans. Healer Gula wouldn’t take this lightly… that was if she knew about it.

She wouldn’t if I didn’t tell her. Then, perhaps, I could continue the storyline of reconnecting these two sisters until we’d get discovered, which shouldn’t happen if I tread carefully. I’d deal with these experiments on my own, though I was uncertain how to stop Bawu without making her an enemy. There was no turning back for these villager guards.

Should I just pick a side to simplify things? Go full-on evil mad scientist with Bawu?

What about the other side? Fight her? Stop the experiments for good, and be the hero of the village. I couldn’t do it on my own, but perhaps with my party mates, we could succeed. Too many branching possibilities.

“Rebuild the Lodge? My dream… second dream.” Bawu stowed the letter in her robes. “I promised myself to fulfill only when the Mountain Guardian no longer breathes. Wondering why little Gula is interested in my old Lodge…”

“Because she cares about—"

“Why is she expressing support only after decades have passed?” Bawu paced, talking more to herself than me. The Chimera Borpilla clicked its mandibles and slithered by her side. “Over the years, she’d grown from ambivalent to despising the Arcane Brewers Arts—that could mostly be attributed to my experiments to find the Mountain Guardian’s bane. She learned only a fraction of my work and was horrified of it… and its results.”

“You can chill a bit nowadays,” I said. Bawu must be referring to the villagers that died because of her experiments—and she was at it again. “Busy yourself with cultivating the next generation of Arcane Brewers, you know?”

Bawu shook her head. “I discern little Gula’s ploy. She’s diverting me from the path of revenge!” She balled her gnarled fingers into a fist and raised her arm. I wasn’t sure if she was shaking it or if it was trembling uncontrollably. “Annoying little Gula,” she said with a grating growl that made me wonder if this was still Good Grandma Bawu. Her posture told me she hadn’t switched, but her face was full of hatred.

“Your sister’s just worried about you.” This story thread seemed already cut. “I’m sure she means no harm.”

“A line in the letter… Little Gula suggested I take you in as a fledgling Arcane Brewer when rebuilding my Lodge. You’re not a formal apprentice after the ancient rituals and procedures, but you are my student in some fashion. Haven’t you told her that?”

“No. I wanted to ask your permission first. And she might disagree that I’m learning about poisons.”

“A bright mind you have, youngling.” She walked back to me. The Chimera Borpillar loomed high behind her. “Little Gula would throw a fit if she knew I was teaching you to make Akhos poisons. Too prissy and cautious. Even before I’ve come of age, I’ve already killed a pack of Mirdabons, tricking them into eating poisonous paste I made from wild berries.”

“Remarkable, though my way of killing those murderous furballs is more impressive,” I said. “Going back to your sister. You don’t want her to bother you further, do you? Let’s pretend I’m an actual apprentice Arcane Brewer. I’m sure she’ll be delighted. She might even send you more meat pie.” Trying to salvage this quest, even if just on Healer Gula’s end. As for Bawu’s insane experiments, I’d have to figure that out later. “Good plan, right?”

“Quick thinking on your hooves! I do love meat pie.” Bawu clapped her hands, completely missing the point.

“But I need something to show Healer Gula as proof. Maybe you can write her a letter too?” I wasn’t going back empty-handed.

“Letter? No need. The proof is already in your hands. This is what you’ll do…”