《The Discount Alchemist: Wait, Why Are My Failed Potions Making Heroes?》


 One Final Attempt at Sales

    Act 1 ¨C "One Final Attempt at Sales"


    Hiroto Arakawa sat behind the counter in his quiet alchemy shop, staring at the lone bottle in front of him. His face was blank. *Zutto*¡ªhe¡¯d checked out hours ago.


    Outside, the adventurer¡¯s district hummed with noise. *Klang*¡ªswords clanged in practice duels. Merchants shouted, *bada-bada*, about rare weapons, and adventurers gathered to chat about dungeon raids. No one glanced at Arakawa Alchemy, his little shop wedged between a blacksmith¡¯s forge and a bakery.


    A gust of wind rattled the sign above the door. The N in "No Refunds" flapped weakly, *pita-pita*, and was half-peeled off.


    "...I should just close up," Hiroto muttered to himself.


    His last few customers hadn¡¯t been happy. His Healing Potion (Extra Cheap Ver.) healed wounds but left people unable to blink for three hours. His Mana Boost Elixir had a 1% chance of causing *puka-puka* hiccups that sounded like explosions. And his Strength Tonic? Well, it worked... kind of. It boosted strength¡ªbut only if the person happened to be in the middle of a dramatic monologue.


    His potions worked. They just weren¡¯t... practical.


    As he got ready to pack up, the shop bell went *ting-ling-ling*. Hiroto looked up in mild surprise. A customer?


    A young adventurer¡ªbarely out of his teens¡ªstepped inside. His leather armor was worn, and a rusty sword hung from his belt. He had the look of a complete rookie.


    "Hey there," the boy mumbled, scratching the back of his neck, *gacha-gacha*. "I, um, heard this place is cheap?"


    Hiroto¡¯s face went flat. "Yes. Cheap. Not refundable."


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    "Right. I need a stamina potion," the kid said. "I have a guild exam tomorrow, and my stats are bad, so I thought¡­"


    Hiroto didn¡¯t hear the rest. His brain had already processed two things:


    The kid was desperate.


    He had exactly one stamina potion left.


    With the *haku-haku* energy of someone who¡¯d given up, Hiroto reached under the counter and placed the Failed Stamina Potion (Clearance Ver.) in front of the boy.


    The liquid inside was an unsettling shade of grayish-green. *Bura-bura*¡ªit swirled in the bottle.


    "...What¡¯s wrong with it?" the boy asked, squinting at the potion.


    "Nothing," Hiroto lied. "It works. Probably. It''s just, uh, fast-acting."


    That was an understatement. The potion did boost stamina¡ªbut only for five minutes. After that, *gura-gura*¡ªit made you shake uncontrollably for an hour.


    The boy squinted at the label. "Why does it say WARNING: SIDE EFFECTS UNKNOWN?"


    "Legal reasons."


    ¡°¡­And why does it say Do Not Sue underneath?"


    Hiroto slid the potion closer. "It¡¯s 80% off."


    The boy hesitated, then sighed, *fuuu*. "...Fine. How much?"


    Hiroto forced a smile. "One silver."


    The kid handed over the coin with a *chink*, grabbed the bottle, and left without another word.


    Hiroto slumped in his chair, rubbing his temples. *Haa*... "That¡¯s it. No more customers. Ever."


    He had no idea that by morning, that rookie adventurer would unlock a rare skill, pass his exam with ease, and set off a chain of events that would turn his life upside down.


    But for now, he stared at the two silver coins left in his cash box. *Chink-chink*...


    "...I should¡¯ve charged two silver..."