In the apothecary’s mixing chamber, Samuel finally completed the potion preparation.
The liquid shimmered with a faint purple glow as it swirled inside the test tubes—three in total.
“These should be enough for Petilil to learn Toxic...” Samuel exhaled in relief, carefully gathering the leftover ingredients and storing them away for further refinement.
While most of the materials had been distilled into the Toxic Potion, even the remaining residue still held potent venom—enough to cause poisoning if mishandled.
Moreover, he needed to dispose of the residue properly. Reverse-engineering a potion’s formu from leftover materials wasn’t impossible, and he couldn’t risk the recipe leaking.
After tidying up the mixing chamber, Samuel wrapped the three vials of Toxic Potion securely in yers of cloth before carefully pcing them in his backpack.
He stepped out of the apothecary’s chamber, ascending the dimly lit staircase back to the shop’s backroom.
Waiting there were the shopkeeper, Link, and Hawke.
“Samuel, judging by your expression, I’d say things went well,” Link said with a grin.
Samuel nodded. “Thanks for your help this time. If you ever need a favor in return, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Link, clearly pleased with the outcome, gave Samuel a thumbs-up before turning triumphantly toward the shopkeeper.
Hawke, however, ignored Link’s antics. Instead, he approached with a notepad in hand and smiled. “Mr. Samuel, would you be willing to leave your contact information with our shop?”
Samuel hesitated briefly before shaking his head. “I’m currently living outside the city. Once I settle down in town, I’ll leave my contact information.”
“Understood. Feel free to visit our shop whenever you have time. If you’re ever looking for work, you’re welcome to come to me.” Hawke clearly liked having a sensible and competent client like Samuel.
At that moment, Link leaned in again and smirked. “Samuel, this is Apothecary Harn.”
Samuel turned his gaze to the man beside Link—Harn. His first impression? White. From his pristine attire to his gentlemanly demeanor, Harn looked refined and meticulous.
“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harn.”
“At st, I finally meet the famous Apothecary Samuel,” Harn responded.
The two exchanged brief pleasantries, but it became apparent that Harn was quite interested in Samuel. The conversation, though seemingly casual, had an undertone of subtle inquiry.
Few people were as straightforward as Link... Samuel reminded himself. Though he trusted Link to some extent, he never let his guard down completely.
Sensing Harn’s probing nature, Samuel kept his responses vague, offering noncommittal answers. Then, seizing an opportunity, he sighed and muttered, “Potion-making really takes a toll on you.”
Using exhaustion as an excuse, he excused himself. This time, neither Link nor Harn could find a reason to make him stay.
“That was close. I really don’t know much about apothecary work...” Samuel sighed as he exited Hawke’s shop. While he called himself an apothecary, there was still a lot he had to learn.
Adjusting the weight of the bag in his other hand, he allowed a small smile to surface as he set off toward the slums.
...
He hadn’t been walking for long when a Murkrow swooped down from the distance, nding on a nearby rooftop and gring at him with piercing eyes.
That Murkrow again... Samuel tensed. Then he let out a dry chuckle. Look, I wasn’t the one who plucked your feathers, so why are you staring at me like that?
Since there was no expining things to the bird, he ignored it and continued on his way toward Uncle Darby’s house.
The stone-paved streets were mostly deserted, giving the area an eerily empty feel.
As he walked, he noticed wary eyes peering at him from the windows of the rundown homes.
“Hm? It’s been a while since I was st here, but why is everyone still so on edge?” he muttered to himself, arriving at Darby’s home.
He knocked a few times before a cautious voice answered from inside. “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Samuel.”
The door creaked open slightly, and young Andy peeked his head out. Recognizing Samuel, he let out a sigh of relief.
Standing behind him was Aunt Irene, who quickly pulled Samuel inside.
“Aunt Irene, is something wrong?”
“I sensed something was off the moment I stepped into this area.”
At Samuel’s question, Aunt Irene gnced outside before lowering her voice. “The family living over in the Greenway district... they’ve all gone missing.”
Another disappearance—an entire family this time? Samuel’s eyes widened in shock. Until now, only vagrants and solitary individuals had vanished. But now, a whole household?
“Could this be why the city’s security has been so tense?”
“No, that’s different. That’s inside the city. Here in the slums, security has actually gotten worse.”
“Then maybe something happened in the city, which caused the slums to be neglected, leading to these disappearances?”
Samuel pondered the situation. If his theory was correct, then Uncle Darby’s household wasn’t safe either.
Uncle Darby...! A jolt of realization hit him, and he scanned the room.
“Your uncle joined the local militia formed by the slum dwellers,” Aunt Irene said with a worried expression. “Even the city guards can’t protect us anymore. We have to rely on ourselves.”
“The city guards can’t ensure safety?” Samuel’s frown deepened. This wasn’t good.
If people were being kidnapped despite having Pokémon for protection, then it meant the perpetrators also had Pokémon on their side.
He’d seen it before—people using Pokémon for evil. Some even dreamed of conquering the world with their power.
For ordinary citizens, Pokémon could be the greatest shield—or the deadliest weapon.
“What if we move Uncle Darby’s family to the Berlitz Farm?” Samuel thought. “Mr. Berlitz has his Pokémon protecting the area. It would be much safer.”
Samuel recalled the strength of Mr. Berlitz’s Luxray. With the Toxic Potions in his possession, he could y low at the farm until he was strong enough to act.
He voiced his pn to Aunt Irene.
She hesitated, gncing between Andy and their home. It was a good idea, but she was uncertain. Would Mr. Berlitz be willing to take them in? And would there even be space for them on the farm?
“I can talk to Mr. Berlitz about it,” Samuel reassured her. If needed, he could offer a portion of his potion earnings to help smooth things over.
With that decision made, Samuel pced a bag on the table and prepared to head back to the farm.
Aunt Irene nodded. She didn’t want to trouble Samuel, but with Andy’s safety at stake, she knew she had to act.
“Mom, what kind of fruit is this?”
“Oh, that’s an apple.”
“Huh? An apple? Then what was that other fruit I ate before?”
Samuel had barely stepped outside when he overheard Andy’s confused voice, followed by Aunt Irene’s absent-minded response.
He clenched his fists tightly as he walked away.
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