The building Pamidoor led Rei and Seto to was about a twenty-minute walk from his shop.
Like Pamidoor’s establishment, it was tucked away in a back street, but the surrounding structures were significantly older, showing no signs of life.
“...Hey, I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this.”
Could the reason no one lives around here be because of this alchemist?
Rei asked the question with an unpleasant premonition gnawing at him, but Pamidoor merely averted his eyes.
Since Pamidoor looked like nothing so much as a vicious thief, the subtle gesture was almost comical.
“He’s a master of his craft, no doubt about that. Don’t worry about the rest.”
“...Are you really, truly sure? If he’s all talk, I’m going to be pissed.”
“Yeah, rest easy on that front. As far as his skill is concerned, there’s no problem. As far as his skill goes, anyway.”
He said it twice because it was important. As Pamidoor exuded that dubious atmosphere, the bad feeling in Rei’s gut only continued to swell.
Maybe I should just turn back and not get involved? Rei wondered. However, he also understood that the power of an alchemist was essential to repair Noise’s Magic Sword, which currently rested within the Misty Ring.
That was why there was no point in retreating; in fact, he told himself that backing out now would be a complete loss. He steeled himself and spoke.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
“Right. Well, he’s not quite as terrible a guy as you’re imagining, so I don't think you need to sweat it. Here goes.”
With those words, Pamidoor struck the door of the house where the alchemist supposedly lived.
...Yes, the word ‘pounding’ was far more appropriate than ‘knocking.’
He swung his fist as if he didn't care if the door shattered, sending a violent roar echoing through the quiet neighborhood.
At first, Rei thought the door might break, but he soon realized his concern was misplaced.
The door didn't creak, nor did a single splinter of wood fly off.
(What is that door? Is it not actually made of wood?)
To the eye, it appeared to be a standard wooden door.
However, considering Pamidoor’s class as a blacksmith granted him strength far exceeding the average adventurer, a door that showed absolutely no sign of stress when struck by him could hardly be called wooden in any traditional sense.
Rei pondered it for a moment before the realization hit him.
(Alchemy, right.)
Since this was the home of an alchemist, a feat of this level wasn't strange at all.
While Rei watched with silent admiration, Pamidoor continued to batter the entrance.
“Hey, Asimov! I know you’re in there! Get out here!”
To an uninformed observer, the scene looked exactly like a debt collector coming to call.
(If so, I guess that makes me the henchman.)
An unamusing thought crossed his mind, causing Rei to reflexively scan their surroundings.
The houses on either side of Asimov’s residence were vacant, and no one emerged to protest the noise. A few people passed by in the distance, but none of them showed any interest in Rei or Pamidoor.
Rei tilted his head in wonder.
Normally, the sight of a man like Pamidoor violently pounding on someone's front door would prompt a call to the guards.
Yet, right now, none of the locals seemed to consider it. On the contrary, upon seeing that it was Pamidoor doing the pounding, several passersby even cast looks of genuine sympathy in his direction.
A few minutes passed. Pamidoor’s strikes grew even more forceful, to the point where Rei thought even a door as sturdy as this one might give way.
Finally, the stubborn portal swung open.
“What is it... who’s there? Hm? Oh, Pamidoor. Good grief, I only fell asleep a few hours ago. Don't just show up out of the blue like this.”
The man who appeared was in his thirties or forties, roughly the same age as Pamidoor.
However, while Pamidoor was a sturdy large man, the one called Asimov was exceptionally thin. To Rei’s eyes, he was a scrawny man who looked like he might weigh only half as much as the blacksmith.
Despite his frail appearance, there was no fear in his eyes as he looked at Pamidoor. Instead, they were clouded with annoyance.
“Listen here. Why the hell are you still sleeping at this hour? Do you have any idea what time it is?”
“Ngh? Ah—... it's before noon, I can tell that much.”
“Then why are you still— ugh, forget it. Anyway, we’re coming in.”
“Tsk, do whatever you want.”
Spitting out curses, Asimov was about to let Pamidoor into his home without further fuss... when he finally noticed Rei.
And then he saw Seto, who was watching the exchange from Rei's side with a curious expression.
Asimov froze as if he had been subjected to petrification. Then, his neck moved with a jerky motion that practically creaked as he turned back to Pamidoor.
“H-Hey. Pamidoor. That Gryphon...”
“Hm? Oh, Seto?”
Pamidoor replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but Asimov couldn't simply overlook it.
“‘Oh, Seto?’ my foot! Why is there a Gryphon in a place like this? That’s an A-rank monster!”
Asimov shouted with a voice that transcended mere shock, but Pamidoor only turned an exasperated look toward him.
“Look, Seto’s been in Gilm since last year. You really didn't notice? Even though he’s always walking around outside with Rei?”
“Last year!? ...Damn it, damn it, damn it! I didn't notice at all!”
“Sigh. You really need to take an interest in things other than your own alchemy.”
“Guh, th-that is true...”
For Asimov, paying attention to anything outside of alchemy was a massive chore. Normally, he would have simply brushed off Pamidoor’s nagging.
However, with a Gryphon standing right before his eyes, he couldn't find a way to complain.
Asimov quickly regained his composure and sidled up to Rei.
“You, I assume you’re the master of this Gryphon? How about it—would you be willing to give me some Gryphon materials?”
Rei’s cheek twitched the moment he heard the request.
Noticing Rei’s reaction, Pamidoor tried to physically restrain Asimov.
However, the alchemist himself didn't seem to care as he pressed on.
“How about it? I’ll pay a suitable reward, of course. I could even trade you a magic item I made.”
“Rejected.”
Rei refused flatly, but Asimov didn't back down.
“Why? You’re an adventurer, aren't you? Don’t you want a magic item?”
“I won't deny that. I have a hobby of collecting magic items, after all. But even so, I’m not interested if it means sacrificing my partner, Seto.”
“...Hm?”
It was then that Asimov finally seemed to come to his senses. He realized that his understanding and Rei’s were misaligned.
“I should clarify: I’m not asking for this Gryphon’s... Seto, was it? I’m not asking for his eyeballs or internal organs or anything like that. What I want are things like his shed feathers or hair; that would be more than enough. Or perhaps something a bit more unusual, like Gryphon saliva.”
Rei’s expression softened into one of slight surprise.
He had assumed Asimov was demanding Seto himself, just as the Azoth Firm had in the past.
(That was an overreaction.)
Feeling a bit of self-reproach, Rei reached out and stroked Seto, who was standing beside him.
“Guruuu?”
What’s wrong? Seto looked at him, and Rei continued while turning his gaze back to Asimov.
“Hey, Seto. That guy says he wants a few of your feathers or some hair. What do you think?”
“Grurururuuu...”
Seto let out a trill, appearing a bit troubled. He was likely recalling the alchemists they had encountered in the forests of the Bestia Empire.
Time passed as Asimov waited tensely... until an idea occurred to Rei.
“Hey, is it okay if Seto’s hair and feathers aren't freshly plucked?”
“Hm? I’d prefer them fresh if possible, but ones that have been shed for a while have their uses as well.”
“In that case, if you come to the Dusk Wheat Inn, I think you can find some in the stables.”
“...What? No, wait, are you serious?”
Asimov asked, clearly taken aback by the unexpected offer. Rei nodded, confirming it wasn't a problem.
“I consider it an apology for suspecting you, and besides, you’ll need a reward for what you’re about to do, right?”
“A reward?”
What was he being rewarded for? As Asimov repeated the word, Pamidoor finally spoke up.
“The truth is, I brought Rei here because there’s something we need you to do.”
“Something you want me to do? You want me to process some materials? Well, if I get Gryphon materials in exchange, I won't refuse. So?”
“Rei.”
Prompted by Pamidoor, Rei reached into his Misty Ring and held out the magic sword toward Asimov.
The blade was snapped cleanly in two; it was undeniably useless in its current state.
But what surprised Asimov wasn't the magic sword... it was the Misty Ring on Rei’s finger.
“Whoa! Hey, Rei, was it? Is that... by any chance, an Item Box? Or is it an inferior version?”
“Inferior version? Oh, I see. No, in that sense, it’s a genuine Item Box.”
Rei understood that ‘inferior version’ referred to pseudo-item boxes like the one Elena possessed. Upon hearing his confirmation, Asimov fixed Rei with a piercing gaze.
Despite his scrawny frame, a strange, intense pressure emanated from the alchemist now.
“Those boots, the bracelet on your left hand... that robe is a magic item too, isn't it?”
“...Correct. I see, you certainly seem to be a skilled alchemist.”
Rei had had his equipped magic items seen through before, but he hadn't expected to run into someone so perceptive here.
While shrugging, Rei turned a gaze of admiration toward Asimov, who began to walk in a circle around him, inspecting him from every angle.
“That ring is a magic item too. And a considerably advanced one at that, isn't it? ...Good heavens, how on earth did you manage to get your hands on so many magic items?”
“Well, I think you’re the amazing one for spotting them all. ...At any rate, the job I have for you is the repair of this magic sword.”
“Ho. This magic sword is quite the piece of work itself. But it’s snapped right through the blade. ...Where did you get it?”
“In the Bestia Empire, when I clashed with Noise the Immovable.”
At the mention of that name, Asimov’s expression shifted to one of shock once again.
“Noise the Immovable? As in, the S-Rank Adventurer of the Bestia Empire? Hah... just how many times are you going to surprise me today?”
Despite his words, Asimov’s face showed more understanding than pure shock.
“Since you’ve got an A-rank monster with you, I suppose you managed somehow... but even so, you’re something else. Your opponent was an S-Rank Adventurer, you know?”
“Listen, Rei here is a titled adventurer himself. Seriously, you should learn to go outside once in a while instead of just shutting yourself in this house. Even I knew Rei’s name.”
“Hmph, I’d rather spend my time on experiments than go out and deal with pointless noise.”
Asimov declared his innocence in response to Pamidoor’s exasperated comment.
Watching the eccentric alchemist, Rei felt a sudden spark of curiosity.
“If you're that reluctant to go into town, how do you handle things like food?”
If he set foot in Gilm, there was a very high chance he would hear the names of Rei and Seto, yet he claimed to have been entirely ignorant of them.
Asimov replied to Rei’s question as if it were a trivial matter.
“Oh, I hire someone to handle the meals and shopping. I leave all those tedious chores to them. That way, I can focus entirely on my alchemy.”
“...I see.”
Rei nodded, realizing that the person before him wasn't plotting anything suspicious—he was simply an Alchemy Nut who had no interest in the rest of the world.
(Will this be okay? No, wait, if he’s that obsessed with alchemy, I’m almost more worried he might try to experiment on Seto.)
As Rei debated how to evaluate the man, Asimov spoke up, cutting off his train of thought.
“Well, anyway, just standing out here talking is cold. Come inside. I’ll hear the details there.”
With that, he prompted Rei and Pamidoor to enter the house.