[Lucky Overpowered] — I Became a Background Character Meant to Die in the Game’s Opening, But Now I’m Overpowered and Fighting to Save My All-Time Favorite Alchemist Heroine - Episode 5

“Urgh… Alright then, let’s give it a shot.”

“Okay.”

Rubbing my belly, which was stuffed full of creamy stew, I found myself in Lise’s room. It was my first time stepping in, and to be honest, the place felt rather bare. I mean, it was a cheap inn, so I couldn’t expect much, but still—there wasn’t a single decoration that hinted she was a girl her age. Just alchemy tools like mortars and pestles lying around.

It reminded me of the game’s starting screen. Before Lise gets her own atelier, she has to make do in this tiny room. One of the fun parts of the game was getting to redecorate the place.

For instance, placing a bunny plushie would boost alchemy success rates by 1%. You could aim for a cute, cozy room or go full efficiency and turn the place into chaotic madness. Personally, I belonged to the chaos camp.

“Like I said earlier, let’s start by making a Chili Bomb.”

I pulled out a bright red chili pepper and an egg I’d bought at the market and handed them to Lise.

“Gee? Can I ask why we’re making a Chili Bomb?”

“Ah, sure thing. It’s actually pretty simple. Chili Bombs are easier to make than beginner potions.”

“Really?”

Lise blinked at me in surprise. Damn, she’s adorable. That level of cuteness should be illegal!

“But I’ve never even heard of a Chili Bomb. Are you sure it’ll actually sell?”

“Huh? We’re not selling it.”

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

What’s with that reaction?

“We’re not selling it!? But we went to all the trouble of making it!”

“Exactly, that’s why we’re keeping it. Chili Bombs are super useful in the early game, but you can’t buy them in stores.”

“If they’re that good, wouldn’t they sell for a decent price?”

“Why are you so hung up on selling everything?”

“Because if we don’t sell, we don’t make money. And if we keep spending without earning, even a huge stash of cash will eventually run dry…”

Ah, I see. Lise must be afraid of going broke again after living in poverty for so long.

“But Chili Bombs don’t sell for much anyway. It’s better to keep and use them ourselves. Don’t worry—I’ll show you how to craft items specifically to make money too.”

“Items for making money…?”

“Like beginner potions, for example. They don’t sell for much per unit, but they’re always in demand, so you can make a tidy profit with volume. That’s what we call ‘low margin, high turnover.’”

“Low… what? Gee, what’s gotten into you? You sound like a completely different person with all this knowledge…”

That’s because I am a completely different person.

“Anyway, just trust me for now. Let’s start with the Chili Bomb.”

“Alright…”

Lise tilted her head skeptically, but nodded.

“So, how do you make a Chili Bomb?”

“Let’s see…”

Looks like I didn’t get a recipe flash of inspiration this time.

I tried to recall what I knew from the game. Chili Bombs only needed two ingredients: eggs and chili peppers. Based on the visuals and the flavor text, it seemed like it involved stuffing crushed chili into an eggshell.

“First, poke a small hole in the bottom of the egg and drain the contents. Then let it dry out.”

“Like this?”

Lise gently tapped the egg against the table, making a small hole at the bottom and letting the contents drain out.

“Yeah, just like that.”

She quickly got the hang of it, rhythmically tapping and draining eggs like a pro. We could probably give the egg contents to Mr. Gael and ask him to whip up an omelet or something.

“Alright, next we grind the chili peppers.”

Dreaming of a fancy dinner, I started helping Lise prepare the Chili Bombs.

“Ugh, I’m starting to feel exhausted…”

As we ground the peppers with a pestle, Lise, who’d been full of energy just moments ago, suddenly looked worn out. She must’ve burned through her MP all at once.

Items created through alchemy are infused with magic. That’s because the creator pours their mana into the process, which gives the resulting item magical properties.

“Don’t push yourself. Let’s take a break, okay?”

“Yeah…”

Lise hugged her shoulders like she was freezing.

I wanted to hug her so badly!

But if I tried that, she might hate me… and that’s the last thing I want.

“Here, Lise. If you want, take this.”

I took off my jacket and handed it to her. It felt like the safest possible move I could make.

“Thanks, Gee.”

“Sure.”

She must’ve been really cold—she slipped into my jacket right away.

And that simple act made my heart skip a beat. Honestly, what’s wrong with me?

But can you blame me!? My absolute favorite character is right here, wearing my jacket! Of course I’m going to freak out a little!