The basement of the base, which hadn’t seen much use since they moved in, had become quite boisterous.

It was a floor used for storage, but a new resident had moved into one of the vacant rooms.

’Where should I put this?’

’Over here... Ah, be careful. That’s expensive.’

’Geez, everything I pick up is supposedly expensive.’

’I’m telling you, it is all expensive!’

Louise spoke to the members of Anne’s party, who were moving luggage.

Everyone grumbled under their breath, having heard the same warning several times every time they moved, but in the end, they followed her words and walked with careful steps.

Well, what can you do when alchemy equipment really is all pricey?

If they accidentally tripped and broke something, they might have to work for free for several years.

With that thought in mind, their movements naturally became cautious.

’Ah, move that one just a little bit to the side.’

’...Can’t you just do that much yourself?’

’I have to check the ingredients. Only I can do this part.’

Alchemists really are high-maintenance.

Seria grumbled quietly in her heart as she carefully readjusted the positions of the instruments on the desk.

In that noisy basement, the faint sound of someone descending the stairs was heard.

Louise, who had been leisurely scanning a list, looked up and set down her pen.

’Ah, you’re here, Captain.’

The one person who could be even more high-maintenance than a picky alchemist.

The employer who funded the research.

Ian took a brief look around the interior of the lab that was currently under preparation.

’It seems all the deliveries have arrived. Any issues with the facilities?’

’None. Once we finish moving everything in, we can start as early as today.’

Though temporary, a research lab had been established at the Ian Mercenary Group’s base.

The Alchemist’s Workshop, a support facility for the mercenary group.

It was a facility that produced potions at a much lower price than shops using self-sourced materials and supplied rare potions that couldn’t be found in stores through research.

’We have plenty of ingredients as well.’

Louise also looked around the lab that was gradually taking shape.

She had been reluctant to become an exclusive alchemist because it would make it harder to conduct personal research, but after seeing the state of this warehouse, she had no choice but to accept.

’I don’t know how you got these... but there aren’t many workshops equipped with this level of supplies.’

The fact that the physical items were available was more important than the simple price point of the materials.

Ingredients that rarely appeared on the market had to be obtained by issuing direct requests, and high-quality goods were often set aside for major clients, making them hard to find in regular shops.

There were many investors who talked about supporting research funds as much as needed, but even in those cases, it was commonplace to wait a long time to obtain materials, halting research in the meantime.

Even in this Labyrinth, the places that had this many materials prepared in advance could be counted on one hand.

’I was planning to set up a shop first and then find a lab, but the order has been reversed.’

’I intend to open a shop as well. I can’t let an alchemist of your caliber, Louise, just sit idle.’

’Good. Then I’ll look forward to the shop as well.’

Looking at the mercenary group’s building, the shop surely wouldn’t be just a token gesture at a mediocre level.

With that expectation, Louise gave a small smile.

Even though Ian, the investor, would take most of the profits, it would still be much more beneficial than Louise operating clumsily on her own.

Louise looked at Ian and said,

’Now, tell me.’

’Tell you what?’

Ian asked back, but Louise had an expression that suggested she already knew.

’Anyone who approaches an alchemist without a shop to invest in them always has something personal they want to research.’

Louise smiled brightly as she said that.

Ian had even gone so far as to build the lab first without hesitation.

It was obvious he had research he wanted done immediately.

’Seeing how you’re pushing this so urgently... it seems there’s something you absolutely want me to make?’

Ian didn’t deny Louise’s question and nodded.

Since the lab preparations were nearly finished, he intended to start running the lab today, just as Louise said.

Ian held out a pouch he had prepared in advance.

’Please research these.’

The way to develop potion recipes is to research the ingredients.

If you succeed in researching one ingredient, you randomly discover one recipe that uses it as a component.

And as Ian proposed, if you researched the exact matching combination of materials, you were guaranteed to discover that specific recipe.

’You must already have a recipe in mind, don’t you?’

Ian nodded at Louise’s question.

Louise also wore a quite significant expression.

Knowing such an exact combination of ingredients meant there was a high probability it was a recipe leaked from somewhere else.

Of course, this was a common occurrence in the alchemy industry, and it wasn’t Louise’s business. It was the fault of the person who failed to protect the secret of the recipe.

’Wait, is this perhaps...’

Louise’s gaze was fixed on one of the materials Ian had handed over.

The rest were commonly used ingredients, but one was an extremely unusual item.

’It’s a material from the Labyrinth.’

At Ian’s answer, Louise’s eyes sparkled.

As expected, this makes the trouble of moving to the Labyrinth worthwhile.

’It was expensive to obtain, so please use it carefully.’

’Of course.’

Since he couldn’t enter the Labyrinth right away, it was an item he had truly paid a high price to acquire.

To go to the Labyrinth, you need this potion.

And to get this potion, you need materials from the Labyrinth.

In that paradox, he had no choice but to spend a lot of money to buy the first set of ingredients.

’But what is this used for? Can’t you tell me in advance?’

If it even requires materials from the Labyrinth, it won’t be an ordinary item.

Louise asked Ian with that curiosity.

’It’s something necessary for Labyrinth exploration.’

Even if it was Ian, he couldn’t memorize all the countless recipes added by the Item Expansion Mode.

However, among them, he naturally memorized the recipes for potions used so frequently it could be said they were used almost always.

It was the number one reason for hiring an alchemist as a supporter.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Erosion Purifier]

- Consumable Item

- Upon use, immediately [Erosion -20]

- Resists erosion for a certain period after use

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* * *

The numerous preparations he had set in motion were finishing one by one.

Most were in a state where he just had to wait for the results.

And today, Ian came out to handle the most important task.

’Are you done writing?’

’...Not yet.’

Behind Ian, who was moving his pen, all the members of the mercenary group, including Rin, were watching the scene.

Since it was just a matter of submitting simple documents, Ian had intended to go alone.

However, upon hearing the reason the Captain was going to the Guild, the members had all followed him out to watch.

It wasn’t even a matter of passing yet, just submitting an application; he wondered why they wanted to watch that.

With those thoughts, the pen of Ian, who had finished writing, finally stopped.

’There. If you like it that much, go and submit it yourself.’

’Really!’

Lin’s eyes sparkled as she took the documents Ian handed her and proudly presented them at the counter.

It was the Mercenary Group Promotion Application.

Lin nodded with a proud face.

’Finally, we’re C-rank too!’

’The screening hasn’t even started yet.’

’There’s no way we’d fail!’

Lin spoke confidently.

...It wasn’t exactly a wrong statement.

With Lia and Rin present, there was no way they would fail a simple C-rank promotion mission.

’We’ll contact you later with the results.’

’Alright. Everyone, let’s go.’

After being guided by the staff who checked the documents, Ian turned around.

The Ian Mercenary Group trooped out of the Guild behind him, and the staff member who received the documents hurried up to the second floor.

’Um... Examiner? It’s the promotion application for the Ian Mercenary Group.’

’Right. I thought it was about time.’

Camilla accepted the documents with a face that wasn’t surprised at all.

A promotion application, huh.

Screening the qualifications of a mediocre mercenary group was quite a headache, but for a place like the Ian Mercenary Group, there was no need for such worries.

The Ian Mercenary Group was a place Camilla already treated as a C-rank group in practice.

’The screening... let’s just pass it suitably.’

Camilla was famous for strictly vetting conditions, but that was only for groups with ambiguous qualifications.

She didn’t act difficult for no reason against a group that was clearly capable.

Should I send them somewhere they can visit with moderate ease? While thinking that, Camilla suddenly felt something strange about the documents.

’Why are there so many documents?’

’Ah, that is...’

Just as Camilla said, it wasn’t just promotion application documents in there.

Camilla realized this too and unfolded the documents attached behind.

’The Ian Mercenary Group... has submitted an application for Labyrinth Entry Permission along with it.’

’....’

Camilla pondered over the documents for a while, then sighed and sent them up to the Vice Guild Leader.

The staff member holding the documents with Camilla’s signature climbed one more flight of stairs.

’...Vice Guild Leader? There is a document that needs your confirmation.’

The Vice Guild Leader of the Mercenary Guild, Kael, looked up and accepted the documents Camilla had sent up. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

C-rank promotion application. The target is the Ian Mercenary Group.

’It was about time.’

Kael, who had read the first part of the documents, nodded.

He had been waiting, wondering when this mercenary group was actually planning to promote.

Kael briefly flipped the pages to look into the content Camilla had attached.

The practical screening and decision for promotion were Camilla’s responsibility.

The Vice Guild Leader just had to stamp the final approval, but one naturally gets curious about how a mercenary group of interest was handled.

’Huh?’

Kael tilted his head for a moment after seeing the content.

The location for the Ian Mercenary Group’s screening was quite questionable.

’Is there a need to send the test to such a place? There might be some complaints.’

Had something displeased Camilla?

Kael thought so, yet felt something wasn’t quite right.

She wasn’t the type of person to give such an obvious disadvantage for such a simple reason.

At any rate, it wasn’t good for the Vice Guild Leader to interfere this much in something as minor as a C-rank group screening.

Kael left his signature without adding any more personal opinions to what Camilla had decided.

However, the staff member who received the signature slid the documents back toward Kael with a slightly troubled expression.

’Um... excuse me, Vice Guild Leader? You need to check the back part as well.’

’Why? Can’t we just proceed like this?’

’Because there’s something you must see for yourself.’

In the eyes of Kael, who flipped the pages further back, words that gave him a headache appeared.

Labyrinth Entry Permission Application.

’....’

Why do all the useful talents slip away into the Labyrinth?

Kael signed the remaining documents with the exact same expression as Camilla.