Trigger-Happy Potioneer

I'm too Weak!

Quest Completed!

Winter's Pesky Problem has been solved!

You are now good friends and benefactor of Arwin.

That's all they have to say? That's just sad. I cleaned up and stored my tools, then quickly headed back to the front.

"Oy, Nio...!" Winter called me out as I was leaving. "Aren't ya forgettin' something?"

"Huh?" I looked at him blankly, then realized what he meant. "Oh, the cauldron!" I didn't buy it earlier since he asked me about my wares!

Winter smirked. "As some return to that last favor, I'll give you on the house." He bent down and placed it on the counter. "Blast-resistant, so yer friend can't break it next time."

"Really? Just for free?" I asked, eyeing the cauldron. I can't say I didn't want it, but it seemed like a huge return for such a small task.

"Well, of 'course. And tell you what, I'll include a large cauldron for 150 gold. Huge deal, just for you."

"Why would I need a large cauldron?" I wondered aloud.

"I've a feeling you'll soon find out." He gave me a small wink.

Okay, maybe I'm overthinking it here, but I feel like NPCs have Future Sight since they're directly connected to the system. However, could the system also predict player actions? I have no evidence to support it, but it's likely they have some figment of what's about to go down. I won't take a chance; if an NPC is telling me to buy something at a heavily discounted price, I'll buy.

... Or so I would, until I remembered that I had only 100 gold from the last time. Unless my position of Guardian grants me a fraction of the wealth of the adventurers I "punished", I can't buy. Let me check my money.

Wealth: 100 gold

At least I hoped. "Sorry, Winter, I don't have 150 gold."

"Don't have it?" He arched a bushy eyebrow. "Why, seeing yer selection, I'd think you be rolling in gold by now!"

"I've never sold a potion. Quite frankly, I haven't been in town since the release... Best said that I haven't been in town at all. I was here a month or so ago to buy basic materials, then left to explore and experiment."

"Well, I'll be. I'm yer first customer, then! Tell you what. Give me five samples of yer mixtures, and I'll give you the pot." He leaned over the counter with his hand spread flat on the worn wood.

Let me think. Five samples out of my current selection isn't a lot, but I still haven't a clue to why a large pot is necessary. Yet the trade appeals to me. A large cauldron cannot be some cheap item. If I'm getting it for just 5 bottles, I'll jump at the opportunity. "Sure, then." I pulled out of number of things. "Do you want poisons or potions?"

"Potions would be nice. Poisons are bad for business." Winter scratched his beard thoughtfully.

"Alright, then. A trade it is." I passed him five of my completed mixtures. He looked at them with a jeweler's eye.

"My, my, the consistency is simply divine... The hue of the green here suggests the use of Elkthorn, while the ribbed particles in this one asserts the crushing of Citrona Heart leaves..."

I shivered. This guy... he's a monster. He just correctly identified the ingredients by sight alone... these developers are crazy; they must be making all the NPCs like this.

Winter bent down once more, then heaved. "Hup!" A gigantic cauldron revealed itself from behind the counter. Just how he was able to hide it despite its size, I may never know. "There ya go. It should be able to fit in yer inventory or whatever they call it. It's about ten times the size of the standard, so just multiply your ratios by ten for a full result." Good to know that last tidbit.

"You know what an inventory is?" I asked.

"Not really. I've just been seein' other young'uns like you talking about an inventory and pulling stuff like swords outta nowhere, and talkin' bout having unlimited space. Sounds real nice, in my opinion..."

"Oh." I felt kind of bad that I was about to be using that "free space" in front of him, but I brushed it off. There's probably a reason why NPCs don't have the feature. Like a built-in limit on availability or something. I shrugged, then gripped the cauldron and tried to lift it up. It wouldn't budge. "Uh oh. I might have a problem."