"Miach?"
"Are you here to buy something too?" Orsted asked, surprised to see Miach in Babel.
Miach lived a frugal life.
Apart from attending Denatus, he rarely had any business in Babel.
Orsted hadn't expected to run into Miach here.
"I was actually planning to find you tonight to tell you something."
"Naaza has agreed to go to the Dungeon."
"So, I came to buy some better herbs to make stronger potions for her," Miach explained gently.
"Oh, has Naaza overcome her psychological trauma?" Orsted was pleasantly surprised.
"Yes, thanks to you."
"Ultimately, Naaza's trauma stemmed from having her arm bitten off by a monster. Even with a prosthetic, she couldn't feel the presence of her arm."
"Now, with the magic item you gave her, Naza can fully sense her arm again, and her fear of monsters has diminished."
"That's why she's willing to give it a try," Miach elaborated.
"If that's the case, let Naaza join us. We'll take care of her," Orsted offered warmly.
"Of course. Even if you hadn't suggested it, Naaza was planning to find you," Miach replied with a nod.
"By the way, what are you here to buy?"
"I'm planning to make something, so I came to gather some materials," Orsted answered honestly.
"In that case, let's go together," Miach suggested.
Orsted had no objections.
The two walked side by side through Babel.
Miach quickly found the herbs he needed.
Orsted, however, wasn't as fortunate.
"Didn't you find the materials you were looking for?" Miach asked, noticing Orsted's disappointed expression.
"No, I thought all the materials would be here, but I'm missing a few," Orsted admitted.
"What materials are you looking for? Tell me."
"I'm more familiar with Orario than you are. Maybe I can help," Miach offered enthusiastically.
"It's a few medicinal herbs."
"Moonlight Orchid, Deerheart Grass, Painted Lotus, and the last one, Wisteria," Orsted listed the herbs he needed.
"Hmm? Orsted, are you looking for these?" Miach's eyes widened in surprise.
"Is there a problem?" Orsted asked, puzzled by Miach's reaction.
"No, nothing."
"But these herbs are only available at Wheat Manor," Miach explained with a smile.
"Huh?"
---
Outside Orario, Orsted and Miach walked along the road.
"There's a Demeter Familia shop in Babel."
"Why don't they sell these herbs there?" Orsted asked, confused.
"Although I don't know what you need those herbs for, Orsted, they're materials used to craft Grimoires."
"They're extremely expensive and difficult to cultivate."
"Wheat Manor doesn't have much of them. Most are reserved by mages from Altena."
"A small portion is allocated to mages in Orario who study Grimoires."
"It's quite troublesome to acquire them."
"But let's go and see what we can find," Miach explained gently.
"..."
Orsted hadn't expected crafting a Grimoire to be so complicated.
He hadn't realized these materials were exclusively grown by Demeter Familia.
He wasn't sure if he'd be able to obtain them.
If he couldn't, it would be like a skilled chef without ingredients.
As he thought this, an image of Demeter appeared in his mind.
'Uh, she's more… endowed than Hestia and Tifa.'
"Hey, Orsted, tell me the truth. Can you craft a Grimoire?" Miach asked, unaware of Orsted's internal struggle.
Miach had been pondering something and finally spoke up after a moment of silence.
Although he had only known Orsted for about ten days, Orsted was clearly full of mysteries.
He could even create magic items.
Miach had a feeling Orsted might even be capable of crafting a Grimoire.
Orsted: "…"
"Is it that obvious?"
"Even if I need these materials, it doesn't necessarily mean I'm crafting a Grimoire," Orsted replied, a bit exasperated.
He didn't mind Miach knowing.
After all, Naaza would soon adventure with him.
There was no need to hide his plans to craft a Grimoire from Miach.
Miach would find out eventually.
And Miach wasn't a malicious god—he wouldn't harm Orsted.
"It's not that obvious."
"These herbs are so expensive that they have no other use besides crafting Grimoires."
"Who would waste money on them if they weren't making a Grimoire?" Miach replied with a wry smile.
No one except those crafting Grimoires would buy the herbs Orsted needed.
If Orsted purchased them, anyone with half a brain would assume he was making a Grimoire.
Of course, buying them didn't necessarily mean he was the one crafting it.
Only Miach, knowing Orsted could create magic items and sensing his mysterious nature, would suspect Orsted himself was the one crafting the Grimoire.
Others probably wouldn't dare to think that.
After all, crafting a Grimoire required two specific Development Abilities.
Orsted was a new adventurer, yet he could already craft magic items.
That alone was mysterious enough to make Miach suspect the truth.
"If you ever need one, you can come to me to buy it," Orsted said with a smile, subtly advertising his skills.
Hearing this, Miach's eyes lit up.
"Then I'll have to make more potions. Otherwise, I won't be able to afford it."
---
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