Wizard: I am a goblin

Chapter 40 The old lady is extremely wicked!

"Tell me, goblin. Where did these potions come from?" the old elven woman asked with a forced smile.

Oh no, this is a killer question!

Gebu's little brain started working quickly.

While the old shaman might think he could get away with just a few flattery, this old elf woman in front of him was not so easily fooled.

Gebu had heard of the lifespan of elves—four or five hundred years, which in elven society was only the beginning of old age.

This little old lady in front of me has lived for hundreds of years! She's more cunning than the hairs on my head!

Moreover, she can summon and dismiss members of the Gray Raven Society at will. That's immense power; perhaps she herself is one of the leaders of the Gray Raven Society.

How could you possibly fool such a seasoned veteran?!

The old elf squinted, waiting for the goblin's answer.

He couldn't lie completely, nor could he tell the whole truth. Geb thought to himself.

If it was stolen—the old lady wouldn't be unable to distinguish it from the medicine she made herself; she would have seen through it at a glance.

Once she finds out that you're not being honest, nothing you say after that will make a difference.

However, one cannot say that they made the medicine themselves—that would be tantamount to admitting that they are her competitor.

If this person has the same temper as the old shaman, then both I and Tongtong will die here today.

"Peacock...Lady Peacock, this potion was made by our tribe's old shaman..."

Geb could only come up with this one lie... Let's just take it one step at a time.

"Old shaman? You're saying this potion was made by goblins?"

Lady Peacock smiled, then smiled not. Her expression was subtle and unfathomable.

"Yes...yes, our old shamans are really good at making herbal medicine, especially their dog-skin plaster, which is exceptional...of course, it's far inferior to the medicines from your Seven Seas Pharmacy—"

"That's not necessarily true," Madam Peacock interrupted Gebu. "I think this counterfeit potion is no worse than the ones I sell in my shop."

Unable to respond to that, Gebu could only smile awkwardly.

"In this wanderer's market, only merchants permitted by the Gray Raven Society are allowed to sell potions, alchemical tools, scrolls, and magical items. Don't you understand this rule?"

"...Is that so? This is our first time at the market, and we don't know the rules. We've offended you, please forgive us..."

"I'm just holding a grudge against you, so what, goblin?"

"That's what Lady Peacock said lightly."

The old woman was being aggressive, and Gebu felt a little annoyed when he heard this, but he could only hold back for now.

"I can't do anything about it, Lady Peacock. We'll obey your orders."

Lady Peacock glanced down at the goblin, then picked up the empty potion bottle from the table, played with it in her hand, and held it up to the light to look at the sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

"The person who made this potion has a real talent for herbalism. This potion... hardly seems like something a goblin would concoct on his own in the forest."

Gebu gritted his teeth, not daring to utter a single word.

"This formula is a little too refined. It sacrifices the precision of the finished product for the sake of reaction efficiency—which reminds me of an old friend."

"Do you...know our tribe's old shaman?"

Gebu forced a smile, his face contorted in pain; it looked worse than crying.

"The 'old shaman'?"

Lady Peacock suddenly stood up, walked up to Geb, and casually shoved the potion bottle against Geb's cheek, making the goblin's gums ache.

Poo Poo stood by, seething with impotent rage, while the goblin maggots wriggled wildly.

"I think you were sent by that old hag Harden to disrupt the market, weren't you?"

Lady Peacock raised her eyebrows, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her eyes!

"You think you can take this shop back with such petty tricks? That old man is dreaming. And of all people to send, a goblin? Is he looking down on the Gray Raven Society? Or is he looking down on me, the Peacock Society?"

Wait a minute? What kind of development is this?

Geb's heart tightened. Who was this half-human Harden?

This name sounds familiar...

Wait a minute, Harden the Halfling, isn't that...?

The author of "Outline of Herbalism"!

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He learned the formula, but it backfired! His competitor caught him red-handed!

Geb cursed the halfling Harden a hundred times in his mind—what does it have to do with me that you have a grudge against this old elf lady! Why should I take the blame for you!

The old elf woman removed the potion from Geb's face and threw it on the ground. The glass shattered with a crash, and the potion splashed everywhere.

Gebu was startled and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Lady Peacock had produced a crescent-shaped dagger.

"Looks like I'll have to teach Harden a lesson... Kill the goblins to warn the halflings."

Lady Peacock twirled the dagger halfway in her palm, her gaze fixed on Gebu's neck.

Good heavens! Gebu's hair stood on end.

"No! Lady Peacock! My dear Lady Peacock! I really don't know any halfling Harden! I just saw the recipe in his book! 'Introduction to Herbalism,' page 35, Primary Healing Potion... Five young branches of deer vine, squeezed dry to extract the juice, mixed with half a part... half a part refined salt..."

Geb spoke rapidly, his tongue darting around and saliva flying everywhere.

In critical moments, the little goblin's mind is especially clear. He can't worry about being exposed now; survival is the priority!

He had stayed up all night yesterday making twelve bottles of potions and memorized the formula perfectly—now it had become his lifeline.

After repeating the medicine's formula, Gebu quickly added:

"Madam, Madam... to be honest, I made these potions. I read Harden's book... I just wanted to earn some gold coins, I would never dare to disrupt your business!"

Hearing the goblin's rapid-fire words, Lady Peacock slightly raised her chin, lowered her eyes, and sized up the little guy in front of her who was covered in cold sweat.

"You, you made this potion? A filthy goblin?" She stepped forward and held the dagger to Geb's neck, the sharp metal radiating a chilling aura.

Gebu remained motionless, not daring to breathe.

After a moment's thought, the woman scoffed:

"No matter how simple or clumsy Harden's recipe is, no goblin can make it."

"This goblin is something they could make."

Gebu suddenly blurted it out.

When he said those words, Gebu was stunned. He didn't know where he found the courage.

The old elf was also taken aback; for the first time since she saw Gebu, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

Since the words had already been spoken, Gebu had no choice but to stick to his guns, so he gritted his teeth and pretended to be confident.

"I... as you've heard, I've memorized the recipe. If you don't believe me, I can make it for you right now—to prove that I have absolutely nothing to do with that Harden."

Gebu turned his eyes and stared at the herbal tools on the old woman's table.

silence.

The dagger was placed against Geb's throat, and he remained motionless.

Gebu swallowed hard.

The old elf squinted—her gaze fell on Geb's face, then shifted to the table, and finally to the liquid spilled on the ground.

She chuckled.

"Alright, this is something new. Let me see what you're all about, you goblin herbalist."

Geb felt the dagger leave his neck and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Lady Peacock summoned the guards from the Gray Raven Society, untied Gebu, and then ordered the guards to stay and watch over him while she sat down in an armchair in the corner of the room.

Tongtong lay on the floor at the foot of the armchair, looking at Gebu with pleading eyes, her expression full of grievance.

Geb gave him a reassuring look to calm him down, then walked to the oak table and rubbed his numb wrist.

Young branches of deer vine, salt, dew... the materials are all there.

Gebu took a deep breath, raised his head, looked at the guard beside him, and then looked through the guard to meet the eyes of the old elven woman.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity... Lady Peacock, I... I'll make you a basic healing potion right now... How long do I have?"

"Well, that depends on how long your goblin companion can hold out."

Lady Peacock gave Geb a cold smile, then plunged the dagger into Tongtong's bare back!