It wasn't just Yukino Yukinoshita; Megumi Kato and the others also refused to let Ren Isana add anything weird to the batch. As for making them into different flavors? Forget about it!
"What a pity. I guess I have no choice but to dilute it with water then," Ren said with a hint of regret. He didn't press the issue, instead grabbing the bottled mineral water he had bought earlier and pouring it in.
Yukino and the others watched in speechless disbelief. Witnessing Ren's process firsthand, they finally understood that these potions were literally just watered-down mixtures.
Especially after seeing the liquid turn the exact same shade as the store-bought ones and noticing the herbal scent fade, it dawned on everyone—this was exactly how basic potions were manufactured...
Once the water was mixed in, Ren began packaging the liquid into potion pouches. For his first batch, he produced about 2.5 kilograms of the mixture.
At roughly 100 grams per pouch, it came out to exactly 25 pouches. Staring at the neatly lined-up red potions, Asuna and the others fell into deep thought.
*Are these watered-down potions really okay?* Looking at the leftover liquid Ren had just finished packing, Asuna couldn't help but ask, "Can we test the leftovers?"
Ren had no objections. He gestured for them to go ahead and test it however they liked. After all, these girls were his VIP clients.
The three girls stepped forward, each dipping a finger into the liquid and tasting it. They had actually been taught how to identify the efficacy of medicines.
All they had to do was use their True Qi to sense the medicine's properties. If the quality was good, the medicine would be rapidly absorbed, restoring the True Qi or Magic Power in their bodies.
That was exactly how the three of them tested it. As the liquid entered their mouths, it tasted no different from the store-bought ones—carrying a faint herbal aroma with a slightly sour tang.
The moment their True Qi made contact with the medicine, the sour taste quickly vanished as it was absorbed by their bodies. Realizing this, the three girls exchanged glances.
They nodded in unison. Asuna couldn't hold back her question. "How much are you planning to sell these for? We all want a batch!"
The effects were remarkably good, easily passing the standard. Plus, they had watched Ren brew it with their own eyes, making it completely safe to use. At the very least, they knew Ren hadn't slipped any weird, questionable ingredients into the mix.
"How much are they going for outside right now? Several hundred Valis a bottle, right?" Ren asked, curious about the current market price.
"Basic red and blue potions are currently 300 Valis a bottle. We were actually looking at potions before we came over," Megumi said, revealing the market price.
Hearing this, Ren clicked his tongue and complained, "That's so damn expensive. I definitely can't afford to drink those anyway. Let me be honest with you—the cost to make these 25 pouches was around 1,500 Valis, which averages out to a cost of 60 Valis per pouch."
The basic potions sold outside were mass-produced, meaning their costs were even lower, probably around 20 or 30 Valis. And yet, they sold them for 300 Valis? Ren could only conclude that brewing his own was the superior choice. Selling medicine in this day and age was incredibly lucrative. As for how much to charge these girls? He decided to let them figure it out.
Asuna nodded thoughtfully at Ren's words. After a moment of consideration, she asked, "Then... is 260 Valis per pouch okay?"
Ren froze. *Good heavens, what kind of reverse haggling is this?* He had only planned to make a modest 40 Valis profit per pouch, but Asuna had casually knocked a mere 40 Valis off the market price, handing him a massive 200 Valis profit margin.
After a brief thought, Ren made his decision. A profit was a profit, but he wanted a steady, long-term stream of income. He immediately replied, "No need for it to be that expensive. Let's just make it 200 Valis. I'm not going to scam you guys."
Asuna was slightly taken aback by the price. "Are you sure? Won't you lose money that way? They sell for 300 Valis outside, so selling them for 260 Valis is really fine."
Megumi and Yukino fully agreed with Asuna. Even if Ren sold them for 280 Valis, it wouldn't be an issue—it would still be cheaper than the shops outside.
"There's no need. You guys know the cost, and I'm already making a huge profit at this price. If you ever need any potions in the future, just come to me. Consider this a discount price!" Ren was far more interested in securing their long-term business.
Not to mention, he would eventually move on to brewing intermediate or even advanced potions. Developing these three into his exclusive clients would guarantee him a fortune down the line.
"Is that so? Alright then. Ren, what's your production capacity right now? How many more pouches can you make?" Seeing that Ren had made up his mind, Asuna didn't push the issue further.
Instead, she inquired about his current output. She planned to buy a larger quantity, as these items were always useful and had a long shelf life.
"I bought quite a lot of materials for both types of potions. Based on the consumption rate just now, if I convert everything, I can make about 150 pouches of red potions, and roughly the same amount for blue potions," Ren answered after doing some quick mental math.
"Then I'll take 30 pouches of each!" Asuna made her decision on the spot. Given his total yield, splitting it among the three of them meant 30 pouches each was the perfect amount.
They could always buy more from Ren when they ran out. This was only his first time brewing, so as he grew more proficient, his production speed would naturally increase. Thirty red and thirty blue potions would be more than enough for this upcoming round of dungeon adventuring.
"I'll take the same."
"Me too."
Following Asuna's lead, Megumi and Yukino quickly chimed in, both ordering 30 pouches of red and blue potions respectively.
"Yeah, no problem. That'll still leave me with plenty for my own use. Give me a moment, I should be able to get this all done before evening!" Ren said before diving back into his work.
He was absolutely thrilled. With this single transaction, he was raking in 36,000 Valis! That was several times his initial investment—it felt incredibly satisfying.
Fueled by this newfound motivation, Ren continued extracting the medicinal herbs. Now that the deal was settled, Asuna and the others stepped forward to help him out as assistants.
Thanks to the trio's help, Ren managed to finish all their orders right before dinner. It was a good thing his physical stats were so high now, otherwise, he would have collapsed from exhaustion.
"Finally done!" Ren let out a long breath. Looking at the neatly packed red and blue potions, he could finally relax.
"Let's eat first. You can finish the rest later," Asuna called out to everyone. She had already prepared dinner.
Since Ren had been busy the whole time, he obviously didn't have time to cook, so she took the initiative to prepare a meal for everyone.
"Thanks for the trouble, Asuna." Hearing her call, Ren dropped what he was doing and went over to eat. The four of them shared a simple but satisfying meal in his apartment.
After eating and drinking their fill, Ren began packing away the remaining medicines. The girls' orders were completely finished, so he planned to handle his own personal stash the next day.
"Please make sure to tell me when you can brew intermediate potions!" Yukino said to Ren with utmost seriousness, looking at the neatly packed potions. She had completely come to terms with it—since they were all going to be watered-down mixtures anyway, she might as well buy Ren's watered-down goods!
Power Stones, reviews, and comments— really helps a lot
Want to read ahead? Get access to 50+ extra chapters on my Patreon:
👉 patreon.com/Aragai_Sama