Chapter 7: Townsman A Becomes an Alchemist at a Suspicious Shop

I kept grinding away at the gutter-cleaning, balancing my busy days between training, school, and my reselling side-hustle. Before I knew it, I’d turned eleven.

One day, the balance in my Guild account finally hit the 15-million-Cent mark.

With my target reached, I set off for the Lulu Store. I’d already scouted the location beforehand.

I took Central Street from the Guild, cut through the bustling downtown district, and headed toward the Higher Academy. After passing through a residential neighborhood, I reached a small shopping street. Tucked away in an alley just past that was a district that looked... less than reputable.

Down a narrow backstreet in that neighborhood, I found a set of dark stairs plunging underground. This was it—the entrance to the Lulu Store.

Naturally, I had my 【Stealth】 skill active, so I didn't have to worry about any local thugs bothering me.

The Lulu Store was only open for a two-hour window, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. I reached the entrance at five sharp.

Shady.

That was the first word that came to mind when I saw the entrance.

The alley was practically pitch black. The stairs were tucked away in a spot where they couldn't be seen from the main road. There wasn't a single light at the top or bottom of the landing; it hardly looked like a place of business.

Talk about a red flag.

Still, I wouldn't get what I came for if I didn't move forward. I steeled my resolve and descended the stairs.

The stairs had two landings on the way down, ending in a single door at the bottom.

『Lulu Store』

The name was written on a faded, weather-worn sign, but the place gave off absolutely no vibe of being open for business.

Taking a deep breath, I deactivated my 【Stealth】 skill and rapped on the door knocker.

A moment later, a raspy, elderly voice drifted from within.

"Who’s there?"

I used my 【Appraisal】 skill on the door. Entering the Lulu Store required a passphrase that changed every single day. If you couldn't provide the right countersign, you weren't getting in. In the game, this part had always triggered automatically, so I’d never given it much thought, but having to do it for real was a massive pain.

I repeated the phrase the 【Appraisal】 skill fed me, word for word.

"A rabbit hopped in the East Forest today. It moves south tomorrow, but it wants to eat before then."

Click.

The lock turned. I slipped inside.

There it was—the Lulu Store exactly as I remembered it from the game.

The shop was tiny, barely the size of a six-mat room, and packed to the rafters with suspicious junk. Skeletons, lizard tails, old books, dried flowers... I didn't have the slightest clue what half of this stuff was for.

A wizened, wrinkled old woman sat behind the counter at the far end of the room.

"Welcome," she said. "What can I do for you?"

"I’m looking for a Scroll of Alchemy."

The old woman's eyebrows twitched. Then, she let out a low, muffled chuckle.

"Straight to the point. I like you, kid. How does fourteen million sound?"

"Yeah, that works for me."

She flashed a toothless grin. "Wait here a moment," she said, hobbling toward the back of the store.

She returned shortly with a scroll and a small stone.

"Here’s your Scroll of Alchemy. And this here's a Goblin’s Magic Stone. I'll throw in three as a bonus."

I immediately checked the item with 【Appraisal】.

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Name: Just a Scroll

Description: A scroll with "Alchemy" written on it. Can be used for various purposes such as taking notes or practicing calligraphy.

Grade: Common

Price: 1,000 Cent

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I clicked my tongue and shoved the scroll back across the counter.

"Quit messing around. Do you actually have it or not? Which is it?"

Her eyes widened in surprise for a split second before she broke into a wide grin.

"Passed with flying colors. You've got a sharp eye, boy. This one is the real deal."

She reached under the counter and pulled out a different scroll.

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Name: Scroll of Alchemy

Description: A scroll that allows the user to learn the 【Alchemy】 skill. Disappears after a single use.

Grade: Epic

Price: 13,000,000 Cent

────

This time, it looked like the real thing. I decided to appraise the "bonus" magic stones while I was at it.

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Name: Goblin’s Magic Stone (Large)

Description: The magic stone of a Goblin that has lived long and grown large.

Grade: Uncommon

Price: 30,000 Cent

────

Okay, she's not lying about these. The scroll was a bit pricier than I’d hoped, but it was still within my budget. I could live with this.

"Fine. We have a deal. Put it on my Guild Card."

I finished the payment with my card and accepted the scroll and the magic stones.

I unfurled the scroll right there on the counter and pressed my right hand against it. It flared with a brilliant light for a heartbeat, then vanished into thin air.

I checked my status on the Guild Card.

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Name: Allen

Rank: G

Age: 11

Divine Protection:

Skills: 【Stealth】【Appraisal】【Alchemy】

Residence: Luluden

Money on Hand: 1,028,005

────

"Yep, that was definitely a Scroll of Alchemy."

"Pleasure doing business," the old woman cackled, her laughter echoing through the dark shop.