Chapter 27: Fatal Flaws (1)
This is the coast of the Duke of Aquitaine. Among the cities and villages of the Almani people, there is a settlement of different styles. The men there have been untrimmed beards and pointed hats and cloaks, which are not common among the Almani people, and they all have yellow badges. This place is more prosperous than the ordinary Almani villages, with merchants and craftsmen everywhere on the streets, and their accents are completely different from those of the nearby Almani people.
"This is a settlement of the ancient church of Abraham. Members of the ancient church of Abraham are distributed in various territories of the Federation of Almani, but in Aquitaine, this group of people is not allowed to live outside the settlement. The yellow badges you see are also the ones that the Duke of Aquitaine forced them to wear to distinguish them from the Almani people."
While walking, Osor introduced the surrounding situation to Graheide:
"The believers of the ancient Abraham church are very good at making and using poisons. I am afraid that their research on poisons is far more than any other nation in the world. If you want to buy poisons, just find them. In addition, when you come here to do business, be especially careful about the money in your pocket."
"Why? Are there many thieves here?" Graheide asked in confusion.
"No, on the contrary, there are few thieves here, and theft is not allowed to be written into the precepts of their church. However, they will 'steal' your money in another way. There are many profiteers among them, much more tragic than the merchants of Almani."
It seemed that this was not the first time he had been here. After turning a few turns on the street, he took Grahead to a remote corner. Standing in front of them was a very ordinary low house with no signboards or even business.
Osor reached out and knocked on the door three times. So a voice came from the door: "Who?"
"Let's stop hudding inside, business is coming." Osor said in a voice, "Please save the dead and help the wounded."
The door opened, and the middle-aged man named "Jean" appeared in front of Grahead. Like all the others Grahead saw on the road, he had a big beard, wearing a pointed hat and a cloak. He turned his eyes and looked Grahead up and down, before turning his body sideways and signaling him to come in and speak.
As soon as Grahead entered the door, the middle-aged man quickly closed the door. There were several containers around the room, filled with a wide range of goods. It seemed that this place was indeed a shop.
"This is the best poison shop nearby. If I didn't take it with you, you won't be able to find it for a year." Osor said in Graheide's ear, "Don't forget to count the introduction fee when checking out."
"I don't understand." Graheide frowned and asked Osor, "If you have poison, can you kill people? Is this a good or bad?"
Hearing Graheide's question, the middle-aged man grinned:
"Guests, the difference is too big. First of all, the toxicity is weak, and the body is strong. Then there is a common level. Too common poisons will be easily discovered and then detoxified. Moreover, the effects of different poisons will be very different. When the cheap poisons are drunk, people die, passers-by can see that they are poisoned; when the precious poisons are drunk, the symptoms can be disguised as common diseases; and when some poisons are drunk, people will die suddenly, and the death will be extremely miserable. They are specially used to deter living people. Whether the corresponding poison can be provided according to the needs of the guests determines the reputation of a shop."
"Then why don't there be shop signs outside?" Grahead asked again, "Will this affect business?"
The middle-aged man laughed again: "Customer, it depends on what you mean by affecting business. If you want to talk about customer flow, it will definitely be much less, but if you want to talk about profit, I will do this more than ten times more than opening a store in a downtown market. To be honest, even if the same goods are bought from me, it will be 20 times more expensive than the stalls outside."
"Twenty times more expensive?" Grahead shook his head, "Then why should I buy things from you without going to another house?"
"Guest, poison is not a valuable thing. Since you can be introduced to me, you should not be interested in this price difference anymore, right? When using these goods, secret is the most important thing, isn't it? This is the unique and additional value of the goods here."
"I don't need such added value." Graheide turned around and was about to leave, "Osol, take me to a normal shop."
"No, no, no, no, we can sell normal value here. It's just this confidentiality... Maybe when will it be spread."
As he said that, the man secretly turned his eyes and glanced at Grahead. Seeing that Grahead was unmoved, he could only sigh:
"Okay, since it's a guest introduced by Osor, I'll sell it to you at an ordinary price. What kind of poison do you want?"
"I want the strongest poison." Graheide turned around, "I want to use it to poison the super-large beasts. As for confidentiality, disguise, and intimidation, I don't need it!"
"In this case, I think this is very suitable." The man picked up a large bottle that looked very exquisite from the shelves. "Poison ginseng juice, a poison that the politicians of the Qiqiu Empire like to use. After drinking this bottle, they will soon become weak and drowsy, and then die of respiratory failure during sleep. How about it?"
Grahead recalled what he learned in the academy and shook his head:
"Although I don't understand poison, I still have basic knowledge. You are just extracts of poisonous plants. The truly powerful poisons are made of alchemy. The Qiqiu Empire has long banned alchemy, and related disciplines have stagnated. Their poisons are probably not much more powerful."
"Guests, you cannot judge the strength of toxicity for this reason. Alchemy is a human skill, so how can you compare to the natural thing created by God..."
The man said while secretly looking at Grahead. Seeing that Grahead was unmoved, he had no choice but to put the big bottle back to the container, and then took down a smaller but equally delicate bottle from a slightly higher place:
"Okay, guest, since you don't like plant extracts, I'll change it to you. This thing is called Tofana Fairy Liquid, a great masterpiece of alchemy. Its toxicity is much higher than that of inherited powder. If you use this medicine, nothing can survive..."
"I know what Tofana Fairy Liquid is," Graheide interrupted the man, "Arsenic plus some miscellaneous things can be mixed. It is very simple to make. Anyone in the same class can do it."
"Student in the same class?" The man rubbed his hands awkwardly, "Guest, have you learned alchemy?"
"Let's stop doing your tricks, we're in a hurry." Osor said impatiently, "Take me out the most intense poison on your side."
"What are you saying?" The man looked at Osol with dissatisfaction, "Tofana Fairy Liquid is already a very strong poison. This amount of weight will make it okay to poison both bears!"
"It's not enough to kill two bears by poisoning them." Graheide said, "The things I want to kill are much larger and more ferocious than the bear."
"Greater than a bear?" the man rubbed his hands and smiled, "Guest, aren't you joking? You're bigger than a bear, aren't that monster?"
"Forget it, let's change the method." Graheide patted Osor's shoulder, "If the toxicity is not enough, it depends on the dose to make up. Buying a cart of arsenic may solve the problem."
"I don't think arsenic can kill dragons." Osol glared at Graheide, "And how do you plan to transport arsenic in a carriage?"
"Wait a minute...wait a minute!"
The man stopped Graheide and looked at him very seriously.
"If you cannot meet your customer's request and spread it out, the reputation of this shop will be greatly affected. Isn't it just a strong poison? I still have a bottle here!"
"You heard it just now?" Grahead had no hope. "Our target is dragon, can your poison really work?"
"I don't know anything about dragons, but I know one thing - this is the most powerful poison in the world, a true masterpiece of alchemy. If it doesn't work, then there's no poison that will satisfy your requirements."
"A true masterpiece of alchemy?" Graheide looked at him with no hope. "The person who made this potion must be very famous, right? Tell me who it is?"
Chapter completed!