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Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

Chapter 244: Temporary Dwelling 🏠

Published: September 9, 2025

Satou here. Buying a house is said to be one of the three great trials in life, like carrying the heavy burden of a mortgage. It seems that purchasing a home in another world is just as challenging.

“Out of stock on the universal antidote magic potions? Wait a sec, didn’t we just get alchemy materials from the Royal Capital last week?”

“Yes, the guild’s dedicated alchemists have been working hard to brew them, but when the Fangs of the Inferno went to hunt cockatrices, they bought out all of it.”

“Tch, those Iron Badge guys, huh.”

Real cockatrices, huh? I might want to see one up close.

I always thought cockatrices just caused petrification, but they use poison too.

“So, you’ll have to check the city’s apothecaries or alchemy shops…”

“The stores around here are influenced by the prefect, so their prices are twice what the guild pharmacy charges. Hey, isn’t there at least one bottle left?”

The man kept pushing, while the staff lady looked troubled.

“We have magic potions for spider venom and ant venom, but no multi-purpose antidotes at all.”

“I don’t have money to buy several kinds. Fine, give me two spider venom potions and three low-rank healing potions.”

“All right, the antidotes will be two silver coins per bottle, and the low-rank healing potions one silver coin each.”

Pretty cheap.

The explorer man was lining up coins mixed with small change on the counter to pay, and he seemed bad at math.

“Next, please.”

“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t in line.”

I apologized lightly for standing in a confusing spot.

I asked if they buy back potions, but due to coordination with the dedicated apothecaries and alchemists, they only buy small amounts of items that are in short supply.

“But most items are in shortage. There are no medicinal herbs growing around this city, and while some explorers who are also alchemists gather materials from the labyrinth, consumption outpaces supply, causing chronic shortages.”

Apparently, only hemostatic ointments and disinfectant alcohol are stocked in abundance. If the magic potions are of a certain quality or higher, the guild buys them back at 80% of the selling price.

Just to test, I offered a diluted potion for appraisal and was told it was worth four Large Copper Coins.

“The healing effect is just barely average, but the stability is excellent. It won’t spoil or degrade quality while you’re exploring the labyrinth with this.”

Magic potions can spoil?

I’ll have to check the magic potions stored in Arisa’s Treasure Vault (Item Box) and everyone’s fairy Magic Pouches later.

Speaking of which, since I have a lot of Dragon White Stone bought in Seryu City, I asked if they could buy it.

They begged me to sell all of it.

When I went to send a letter to Seryu City recently, merchants told me the shortest northern route is blocked, so the southern route is used instead, causing delays — probably why.

Apparently, a mid-rank demon race ran wild in Lesseu Count’s Domain, wiping out a city, so the logistics are stopped, and it can’t be helped.

“No, that problem has already been solved by the honorable hero--”

“A dragon?”

She said a dragon settled in the pass of Zetz Count’s Domain between Lesseu Count’s Domain and the Royal Capital. Because of that, the kingdom’s northern highway is completely sealed off, halting distribution. What a nuisance.

“The kingdom council will convene in two months, and not only the kingdom knights but also the eight swords of shiga will be deployed to eliminate the dragon, so it’s just a matter of waiting.”

Comparing the black dragon heilong I met in the Duke’s Capital with the two of the eight swords of shiga, I’m convinced the blockade will continue for a while.

Well, putting that aside, back to business.

I took a small vial out of my magic pouch and set it on the counter. It contained about 300 grams of powdered Dragon White Stone. One small vial of this can yield materials for about 30 antidotes.

They offered thirty silver coins for it.