I Became an Illegal Cheat User

53 – Alchemy Workshop (2) (Revised)

The Alchemy Workshop.

An institution for alchemists, by alchemists, and for the benefit of alchemists.

With its headquarters in Korea, this institution has branches established in various countries under the name “Alchemy Guild,” and it is a place that every alchemist must join.

Of course, it’s not “mandatory,” and there are no disadvantages or pressures associated with it, so if you don’t want to join, you don’t have to.

However, most alchemists around the world are affiliated with the Alchemy Workshop.

And it’s easy to see why.

They handle copyright registration and protection, client and business referrals, consignment sales, loans (with an annual interest rate of 1%), and even identity protection upon request.

So, could alchemists who are holed up in their rooms, tirelessly crafting alchemical items, really afford to skip out on joining?

“Welcome to the Alchemy Workshop.”

As soon as I stepped inside the building, a hologram appeared beside me.

The hologram, resembling a guide, bowed slightly and inquired about the reason for my visit.

“I’d like to register as a member and register my copyright.”

“Do you have any other matters to attend to?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then I will guide you to the department responsible for ‘membership registration and copyright registration’ as you mentioned.”

As the holographic guide spoke, a blue line appeared at my feet, extending somewhere ahead.

“This is the guidance line to the department you mentioned. If you follow this line, you will arrive at your destination.”

With that, the customer service interaction seemed to conclude, and the holographic guide vanished as if the computer had powered down.

“…Does the academy not implement such technology?”

Or perhaps they create it.

I walked along the guidance line, recalling the large and spacious main building of the academy.

The main building, composed of many rooms such as the staff room, the instructor’s office, and the storage room.

It was as complicated as a subway map.

How wonderful it would be if such technology existed in that building.

‘I should suggest it the next time I meet with the chairman.’

He has an unusually large amount of money and is very interested in employee welfare, so he would likely think positively about it.

Ding.

[3rd floor.]

As I took the elevator down following the guidance line, the ‘Registration Department’ came into view.

Upon opening the door and stepping inside, the guidance line disappeared, and a real person—not a hologram—welcomed me.

“Welcome! How can I assist you today?”

“I’m here to register as a member and for copyright registration.”

“Oh, you’ve come for membership registration and copyright registration.”

The receptionist nodded with a business smile.

Then, she pulled out two forms from beneath the reception desk and handed them to me along with a pen.

“Could you please fill out these two forms?”

[Membership Application for the Pension Workshop], [Copyright Registration Application]

The contents written on the two forms were nothing special.

The Membership Application for the Pension Workshop only required ‘Name’, ‘Phone Number’, and ‘Address’.

The Copyright Registration Application required ‘Detailed description of the efficacy and effects, side effects of the item to be registered’ and ‘Detailed recipe of the item’.

However, there was a problem.

I immediately raised my head and spoke to the staff.

“Excuse me, there’s an issue with the forms.”

“Yes? You say there’s a problem with the forms? That can’t be…?”

The staff, looking slightly flustered, pulled out the same forms she had handed me from beneath the reception desk to check.

“Sir, the forms I’m looking at have no issues… Could you tell me what the problem is?”

“There isn’t enough space to write on the copyright registration application.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You need to give me more application forms.”

“…You need more application forms?”

The employee looked at me with a face that momentarily showed confusion.

Then, they lowered their head to check the application form they were holding.

“…This should be more than enough, right?”

As the employee muttered to themselves, the top of the application only had the format for filling out, which was sufficient to write down about five or six recipes.

But that was just a general assumption.

Although I hadn’t formally studied alchemy, I knew hundreds of alchemical recipes.

Of course, I didn’t plan to write down all of those recipes.

For now, I would just register the recipes for the recovery potions that I had shown to the Fallen Cultist.

As for the other recipes, I intended to gradually reveal them after assessing the meager state of the alchemical world.

Still, the number of potion recipes I planned to register today was over twenty.

Given that, a single sheet of paper wouldn’t suffice.

“Could you give me about eight sheets?”

I felt like eight sheets might not be enough, but if I ran out, I could just ask for more.

“E-eight sheets?”

The employee looked at me in shock.

From that expression, I could roughly gauge the level of the alchemists here.

But since I wasn’t entirely sure, I asked the employee.

“Don’t other alchemists register many copyrights?”

The employee handed me the eight application sheets and replied.

“Generally, that’s the case. Most alchemists only register about two or three copyrights on average.”

“Is that all they register, and then they don’t register again?”

“There are some who do, but they’re very few.”

“What about the majority of alchemists?”

“For them, registering two or three copyrights is enough to make a living, so they don’t register again. They’re just content with that.”

“…….”

I found it.

The reason reality differs from the game.

‘…This is more serious than I thought.’

I want to be better than that person.

I want to earn more than that person.

I want to become more famous than that person.

Of course, I don’t possess the ambition to advance the field of alchemy or the desire to uncover the truth.

As if such desires are not permitted for an alchemist.

‘At this point, it’s merely a matter of keeping the lineage alive…’

Why on earth?

For what reason?

‘…I have no idea.’

Is this also a variable caused by a random encounter?

But the scope is just too vast for that…

My head throbbed with thoughts that spiraled endlessly.

To clear my mind for a moment, I asked an employee about the person who has registered the most copyrights.

I hoped that this person would be someone I knew.

That way, I could elevate the woefully inadequate, if not the worst, standard of the alchemy field.

“It’s Midas. She registered again not long ago, and now she has a total of 30 copyrights.”

The employee answered my question with a lively voice, as if talking about a favorite star.

“Midas….”

Thank goodness.

This part is no different from the game.

I let out a sigh of relief and thought about Midas, her.

Midas.

A woman who would later be called a master of alchemy.

Or perhaps she is already being called that now.

Unlike the alchemists who settle for creating just two or three alchemical items, she seems to delve into alchemy consistently.

‘Well, an S-rank talent is indeed impressive.’

Still, without ambition, that S-rank talent is useless.

So, Midas must undoubtedly possess a higher ambition and thirst for knowledge than anyone else, based on that talent.

‘Now I feel a bit reassured….’

The state of the alchemy field was so dire that I thought I might have to grab it by the collar and pull it up.

But with Midas around, there’s no problem.

No, even if there is a problem, it doesn’t matter.

Teaching one person is easier than teaching a hundred.

‘I should contact her later and share all the recipes I know.’

As for the money, I can just get it from her.

She owns a leading potion company in Greece.

And given her personality, she’ll generously provide me with royalties every month without envy.

Still, since I’m already at the alchemy workshop, I’ll register the potion recipes as planned.

For now, I can’t meet Midas, so I’ll have to settle for the royalties.

“Looks like I can’t write standing up; is there anywhere to sit?”

“…Ah, yes! If you go down the left path, there’s a break room; you can write there.”

“Okay, I’ll be back shortly.”

&

In the break room, I wrote down a total of 21 recovery potion recipes, then returned to where the staff was and submitted eight sheets of documents.

The staff member looked at the densely written papers and then at me with a face full of astonishment, just like before.

But that was only for a moment.

The staff member quickly regained composure, gathered my documents, and headed somewhere.

Before long, the staff member returned empty-handed and gestured for me to follow, leading me somewhere.

“You have all the materials, right?”

“Ah, are we being evaluated right away?”

“Yes, as it happens, the examiners are present today, so you can be evaluated immediately.”

What luck.

In the game, examiners were rarely around, so registering copyrights usually took a few days (game time).

“Can I just go in?”

“Yes, you can go in.”

With the staff member’s assurance, I knocked on the door and carefully opened it.

As I stepped inside,

“Welcome.”

“Ah, I didn’t expect such a young person.”

“Indeed, a new comet has appeared in the alchemy field.”

I was greeted by a stern-looking middle-aged woman and two kindly old men.

“Candidate, is it correct that all the recipes written in this document belong to you?”

A middle-aged woman, Examiner A, lifted the documents I had submitted and asked.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“…Impressive. To know so many recipes, it’s the first time since Midas.”

“Indeed, aside from Midas, there has been no progress, and I thought the alchemy field was at an end.”

“Such a blessing, indeed.”

“Elders, we still don’t know. We need to verify if the effects and benefits listed in the applicant’s documents are accurate.”

“That’s true.”

“Um, um.”

The elder examiners nodded in agreement with Examiner A’s words.

“Therefore, applicant. Are you able to produce it right now?”

I nodded immediately.

“Yes, I can.”

“Then please proceed with the production.”

At those words, I approached the large table where the alchemy kit was set up.

I opened my inventory and placed the materials I had brought onto the table.

Then, following the memory in my mind and the talent I had purchased for this moment, ‘High Alchemy of the Alchemist (A),’ I began to demonstrate alchemy.

&

&

&

A total of 21 potion recipes were registered without any issues.

The registered copyright was for the ‘Delicious’ recovery potion.

It was registered in various flavors, such as strawberry, chocolate, banana, and so on.

The era of bitter, sour, and spicy recovery potions was over.

Ah, and I did not register the mint flavor.

I left that for the original creator who would accidentally make the delicious recovery potion in the future.

After all, the first recovery potion I created was the mint-flavored one.

…It’s definitely not because I dislike mint flavor.

Anyway, with the copyright registration complete.

I should buy some tanghulu or juice to bring back for Asuka and Lee Seoyeon.

Just as I thought that, I stepped out of the alchemy workshop.

KWA-aaaNG!

The sound of an explosion echoed from afar.

WEEEEEEEEEEENG!

At the same time, sirens blared.

– Terrorist attack! Terrorist attack!

– Currently, a terrorist incident is occurring on Alchemy Workshop Street! Citizens are advised to evacuate quickly according to the emergency evacuation manual! Once again, we repeat! Currently, on Alchemy Workshop Street…

“…Hah.”

Another random encounter had triggered in the alchemy workshop.

“Is it a terrorist attack this time?”

I needed to come to Alchemy Workshop Street often, especially for special materials.

But if random encounters keep happening like this, it’s going to be a problem.

“I should resolve this and see if I can place a delivery order afterward.”

Still, this was an opportunity to test the talents I had just acquired.

Ding-dong.

[Infinite Items ON / OFF]

I decided to think positively.