Chapter 8 — The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs

Chapter 8 — The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs

Heavy, muffled footsteps echoed across the ground — something was approaching from where the trees stood in the distance, dark against the grass. At first, he saw only a vague silhouette, but with each step it became clearer. Beside the giant walked another figure, smaller — human.

He glanced nervously at Sherial. She noticed his reaction and, without turning from the fire, said calmly:

— Don’t worry. It’s not a monster.

He nodded, but couldn’t take his eyes off the approaching figures. They were coming across the open plain, straight from the edge of the nearby forest.

— Hey, idiot, you finally woke up? — a voice called out. It was Rem.

The dark-haired girl stepped into the clearing, carrying a bundle of firewood. She walked past him and dropped the wood a short distance from the campfire. Her voice held its usual sharpness, but no real malice.

Alisar looked past her — and there, a few steps away from the camp, stood the golem. The same four-meter stone giant that had crushed the rabbit monsters earlier, like bugs underfoot.

It stood completely still, like a statue. But its presence was undeniable — solid, heavy, imposing. Its body was made of unshaped boulders, its arms like giant hammers, its legs like stone pillars. Something ancient, alive, and immensely strong.

— Don’t worry, — said Rem, noticing his gaze. — He won’t touch you. He’s my summon. I have a skill — Golem Summon.

— He’ll guard us tonight, — she added. — So you don’t need to worry. No monster will get close.

She must have mistaken his awestruck stare for fear. But Alisar wasn’t afraid — he was in awe.

> If only I had a skill like that... But I got Alchemy. It’s useful, yeah — just not as impressive.

Then his nose caught the smell — roasting meat. His stomach let out a loud growl. The girls turned.

— Oh, — Sherial chuckled. — Come closer. Don’t be shy. It’ll be ready soon.

Alisar sat down by the fire. The warmth felt good, and the smell of the meat was almost hypnotic.

— So, — Sherial said, — how did you end up out there? Alone. No gear?

— It’s... hard to explain, — he said, looking away.

> How can I tell them I came from another world?

— I can’t really say, — he added. — It’s just… complicated.

Sherial nodded without pressing him.

— Alright. If you don’t want to talk, don’t. That’s fine.

— You can at least say where you’re from? — Rem asked.

— I’m… from a small village, — Alisar lied.

—"And you don't remember how you got here ? — she asked again.

— I don’t know exactly, — he replied honestly. — All I remember is going to bed in my home… and then waking up here.

Rem blinked.

— So… you don’t remember how you got here? Nothing at all?

— I told you, it’s complicated. I really don’t remember anything.

Rem looked at him for a moment in silence.

— Alright, — she finally said. — Let me ask you something else. Do you have an inventory skill?

— No, — Alisar replied, shaking his head.

— No? Why not? We clearly saw you summon a potion into the air before you lost consciousness. What else could that be, if not inventory?

— I told you, I don’t have that skill. But… I do have a skill called Alchemy. With it, I can create potions.

— Create potions? — Rem repeated, intrigued. — Like in the stories? From herbs and rare ingredients?

— No, — Alisar said. — As far as I know, this skill doesn’t need any ingredients at all. Potions are created purely using mana. Just mana.

Rem leaned closer, frowning slightly.

— You’re saying… just mana?

— Yes. I can show you right now, — he said, glancing at his mana. It was almost full.

He activated the skill, selecting a health potion. In an instant, a small vial appeared before him in the air. He caught it calmly and handed it to Rem.

She took it carefully, examined it for a few seconds, then asked:

— Can I drink this?

— If you want. — he said with a smile.

— Alright, — she replied, and downed the potion in one motion. She stood silent for a few seconds, then said:
— Yeah… it’s real.

— You doubted it was real? — Alisar asked.

— Of course I did, — Rem said with a smirk. — Who in their right mind would believe someone can create real potions out of nothing?

— What if it had been poisoned? — Alisar asked cautiously.

— I already had an antidote ready, — she said casually. She held up another vial — one that looked identical to the health potion.

— Well, it certainly looks like a health potion, — Alisar muttered.

— It is, — Rem confirmed. — Health potions help even with poison. They restore health, and the rest is up to your body.

— I thought health potions were useless against poison, — Alisar said.

— Yes and no, — she replied. — It’s a universal item. If you’re poisoned, it’ll restore health. The rest depends on your body. You just need enough potions.

— Well, I heard — I think Sherial mentioned it — that you shouldn’t drink too many potions in a short period of time.

— Yeah, you shouldn’t drink too many potions in a short amount of time, — she explained. — That’s why mine are Rank Four. The higher the potion’s rank, the greater the effect. For stronger poisons, low-rank potions might not be enough. But Rank Four should be powerful enough to give your body time to fight the poison.

Alisar nodded slowly.

— So if you give the body enough time and resources, it can overcome even the deadliest poisons?

— In most cases, yeah, — Rem agreed. — Unless it’s something truly monstrous.

Alisar was silent for a moment. Then he asked:

— Is there a limit to how many potions I can drink?

— You don’t know? — she looked at him in surprise.

— No… not really.

— So you don’t know how many potions you can drink in one day, — she said thoughtfully. — But you have a skill that creates them?

— I only got the skill recently, — Alisar admitted. — And honestly, I don’t know much about this world yet.

— Damn, where did you crawl out from… — Rem muttered under her breath — but it was clear she didn’t expect an answer.

— Well, I’ll explain, — she said. — Potions are usually only found in dungeons. That’s why your skill is really valuable. How many potions can you create per day?

— Four, maybe five, — Alisar replied.

— And what do you need to create them? What does your skill require?

— Almost nothing, — he said. — Just mana. If I have enough of it, I think I could make them endlessly.

Rem stared at him.

— Then this is a very, very valuable skill, — she said seriously.

Alisar couldn’t help but feel a little proud when he heard that.

— Well, it’s not as cool as yours, — he said, glancing toward the stone golem still standing nearby.

Rem followed his gaze.

— Yeah, summoning a golem is rare… but I’ve never heard of a skill like yours. Creating potions from pure mana? That’s crazy. And probably… something you should hide, — she said with a calm but serious tone.

— Why? — Alisar asked.

— Think about it. Right now, you can make five potions. But later, when your skill grows, you might be able to create more. Higher-ranked potions, in greater quantity. That kind of ability… is worth a lot of money.

She paused, then continued:

— But it’s not a combat skill. You can’t protect yourself with it. You’re like a goose — a goose that lays golden eggs.

She leaned back, her voice still calm.

— People with enough power and greed… they’ll want you. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll give you a nice room, good food, and keep you safe — while you make potions for them every day.

She looked him in the eyes.

— But if you’re not lucky… they’ll put you in a cage. Or a basement. And you’ll spend the rest of your life making potions. Until you die.

Alisar went pale. He imagined it for a second — and the thought terrified him.

> Yes… I definitely need to keep this skill secret, he thought.

> I won’t tell anyone, he promised himself.

He looked over at Rem.

But she seemed to understand his thoughts.

— Don’t worry, — she said. — We won’t tell anyone.

— Thanks, — he replied quietly.

— No problem.

At that moment, the smell of cooked meat reached his nose. Apparently, dinner was ready. The girls had grilled meat over the fire — just meat and some fruits. But it smelled wonderful.

He sat down and joined them. The food was simple, but the meat was delicious.

They talked a little while they ate, though not too much. When dinner was over, Alisar had many questions. He wanted to learn more about the world.

He asked. And they answered.

Later that night, when it was time to sleep, one of the girls gave him a blanket. The grass was soft, and there was plenty of it. He made a mattress out of it and lay down.

As he closed his eyes, he reflected on everything he had learned that day.