A big grin appeared on Orion's face when he heard Naaza finally admit that she had indeed given him defective potions.
"What I want? Indeed. What could be the prize for me almost dying out there when I realized that my Mana wasn't getting restored fast enough after taking your potion?" There was genuine anger on his face. He was fine, yes. But what about someone else? They would have died if pushed into the same situation.
Does this woman not realize that she was trading adventurers' lives for a small amount of profit?
For once, even Naaza looked a bit guilty, but the look on her face instantly evaporated upon seeing Orion perfectly healthy in front of her. She inevitably thought that he was lying.
Snorting, she didn't bother replying to his accusation. "Just tell me what you want."
'What I want, huh…' Orion stiffened at that. He himself wasn't sure what he was expecting. He was just angry at her. Playing with innocent adventurers' lives like that—however, now what?
It was clear that Miach Familia wasn't in any condition to fulfill any monetary compensation, even if he asked for it. Not that he was here for money; he wasn't lacking money.
A bit of silence stretched between the two before Orion let out a long sigh.
"To be honest, I was expecting a sincere apology and a promise that you wouldn't do it again at best," Orion grumbled.
Naaza blinked at this. She could have sworn she was ready to fight tooth and nail to lower whatever price he was about to ask for. Her Familia was already under huge debts; she couldn't afford to increase that in any shape or form.
'Just an apology and a promise to not do it again? Are you serious?' Naaza pursed her lips. Was the boy telling the truth about almost dying?
"Forget it. There is nothing I want." Orion shook his head. He just needed to show his dissatisfaction. He turned around, ready to leave, but not before saying, "But don't think you're off that easily. If I learn you're still selling diluted potions, then I'll do anything to stop you." He warned and opened the door.
"Wait."
However, that was when Naaza, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
"What?" Orion asked irritably.
"Hmm…" Naaza seemed to hesitate for a moment, her eyes darting away from him for a second, dog ears drooping down.
"I—I'm sorry, okay? I never intended to cause anyone any trouble. I only dilute my potions enough that they will never cost someone their life," she finally said. It turned out the girl was at least somewhat aware of her fault.
Orion didn't reply, but he did remember that the healing potion he had gotten from her worked much better than the mind potion. Surely she diluted the mind potion more. But in her defense, she did take into consideration that a healing potion is much more crucial than a mind potion.
"Well, that is the only reason I didn't immediately report you," Orion snorted.
"Just stop doing all that and we're good." Orion waved his hand, as if saying let bygones be bygones.
"I don't wanna do that either, okay? It's just that I have to," the girl said nervously and, with her intact hand, cradled her prosthetic arm in a way to hide it.
Orion observed her keenly. There certainly was a story behind it. Perhaps he would have known if he had seen the anime.
Going against his instincts, which told him to 'Do not butt in where it doesn't belong,' he asked why she did it. You know, sometimes even he feels daring in life.
The girl seemed to hesitate for a while. It was no secret that her Familia had gone under huge debts; everyone seemed to know about it recently.
"I-I lost my arm in the dungeon. My god, Miach-Sama, didn't give up on me, but instead took huge loans to provide me with an expensive prosthesis so I could continue my work. The Familia, because of me, is under huge debts. I have to clear it. I can't let my god suffer for my own selfishness."
After a long silence, the dog girl finally decided to say what was on her mind.
Orion knew that there was a story behind it. 'But a traditional debt trap, huh. Quite unoriginal.'
"Well, it's none of my business, but I'm still curious. Just how much is that debt for you to go to this length?" Orion asked curiously.
"Of course, you don't have to say if you don't want to."
Naaza didn't reply immediately. To be honest, she herself wasn't certain why she had even told this much to the boy, but she just felt like talking to him. Today he felt different somehow.
Why? Both were unaware. But there was indeed something different about Orion since he had last met her.
After a long pause, she finally revealed the amount, which made Orion's eyes pop.
"That much? Does this prosthesis really cost that much?" Orion's eyes locked onto her mechanical arm, glaring at it with intense focus.
His mind went through hoops, thinking about how much money he could make if he could recreate this kind of artificial arm.
But then his eyes went toward his own flask. He seemed to realize just what he could accomplish—just what he could earn—if he could help people regenerate their lost limbs and help them continue their adventures.
'It has to work first…' Orion muttered to himself, and then his eyes once more darted toward Naaza. He had planned to test it out on Naaza once he came back after leveling up. But what had happened in the USJ dungeon made him dissatisfied with her.
'Should I?' he pondered.
"I might have a way to help you out. As I told you, I might have a way to heal your hand."
"You—well, as for whether it will work, I'm uncertain. However, if it does, then it won't only help you pay off your debt, but also help countless adventurers who lost their limbs like you or got injured."
Naaza looked uncertain. How was it even possible for someone to heal a cut-off limb? She had mostly thought that he was faking it last time.
"Are you for real?!"
Orion nodded. He was clear about his own claim. He didn't know whether his crimson flasks would work on others; it could be that only he could use them since they were related to the system. He didn't wish to provide any false hope to her.
However, if it did work, then he would have a very strong hold in Orario. Both money and connections would follow. And with them would follow trouble when people learned about what he could do.
What he planned was to make Naaza an intermediary.
Naaza, under the name of Miach Pharmacy, could take orders, and he could provide his crimson flasks to heal others while keeping his identity private—for a small fee.
Selling that expensive prosthesis and adding this fee should be enough to pay whatever debt her Familia had, while he could earn good money from this.
"Think about it. I just need a willing person to test out my hypothesis. If it doesn't work, then forget it. But if it does, then it would solve a lot of problems," he said with a shrug.
He, of course, didn't need Naaza particularly for this, but as explained, Naaza was in a position where she could help him out in return as well.
Naaza, on the other hand, just kept staring at him, uncertain whether to believe him.
Her eyes went back to her lost limb, recalling the days when she used to be an archer, adventuring inside the dungeon.
Those lost days seemed to be decades old by now. And then she recalled how much she had pleaded with her god not to purchase this prosthesis for her back then—but he never listened. He took loans and went into huge debt for her.
At that thought, determination surged inside her, and her eyes sharpened.
"What do I have to do?"
xXx
A/N : Yup, I planned this for a while now. Just thing what is possible if he can restore lost limbs for adventurers. Would be pretty awesome right.
I also intent for MC to make more connection and interact with more named characters now on since he has level up.
Tell me if you find any mistake, I'll fix it asap !
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