Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) by V.A. Lewis (autobiographies to read .TXT) 📕

displays on the side, and some in the middle of the room. But once again, no potions to be seen. Hiding fragile and expensive potions into a back room every single day sounds like a hassle. Unless the back room is right here.

It was simple logic. Stupid logic, even. But coming from a world with an incredibly short attention span because of automation, I knew how to be lazy. Anything to speed up the process was greatly appreciated, no matter how little it was.

I reached underneath the store counter, searching for what I thought was there. Plus, the best way to hide something, is to hide it in plain sight. My hand found what felt like a lever and I pulled it.

I heard the muffled sound of gears turning and pistons moving, then watched as the floor behind the counter opened up. I grinned.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and quietly called back into the hallway. "Pst, Karna, I found it."

The Goblin stepped out of a room, and stared at me blankly. "What?"

I pointed at the hole in the floor that led to a secret basement. "I found the secret room," I whispered excitedly.

His gaze flickered to what I was pointing at, then he frowned. "I see," he said, not bothering to mask his dissatisfaction. "Wait here, I’ll get Sena."

I sighed. Why do I even bother? Literally can’t even please him. But this was more for me, than it was for him. If this ‘bonding time’ didn’t change anything, then there was nothing else I could do. I only wanted to reach a level of understanding with him— which was proving to be more difficult than I thought it would be.

And no matter what happens between him and I, doing this will only help me finally get rid of this stupid mark.

I placed a hand on my face, on the brand by my eye. It was a possibility; if there was a high quality healing potion, then I would have to immediately use it. I couldn’t wait until I got rid of the slave mark.

Karna returned with the other Goblin, Sena, and we made our way down the steps; the two of them were checking every step for traps, while I followed behind them. I did try and look out for anything that seemed off to me, but I did not have night vision nor the expertise in breaking and entering, so I mainly entrusted it to them.

We reached the end of the stairway, and found ourselves in a dimly lit laboratory. Vials of different colored liquids were scattered throughout various tables in the large room, with more potions locked behind shelves around the sides. Now this is more what I expected when I imagined an Alchemist shop.

Karna handed me an empty bag. "Grab only healing potions. And make sure you take the ones that glow— those are more potent."

"Thanks," I said as I took the bag. Healing potions— of course— were red, so I began sorting through all the vials full of red liquid.

I picked up a vial of something that looked reddish in color, but I put it back down. That’s lightish red! It was not pink though. I might have kept it if it was pink.

I also stayed away from the beakers and test tubes full of liquid; those were probably incomplete mixtures and dangerous to use. All in all, I found four vials of reddish liquid— none glowing— that I hoped were healing potions and stuffed it in my bag.

It was then I saw the safe.

"Hey, uh—" I called out to Karna, but he was too busy inspecting a faintly glowing vial to hear me. I turned to the other Goblin. "...Sena?"

"Hm?" The Goblin looked at me disinterestedly.

I recognized him as the other Goblin who tried to leave me behind with Karna. I asked as nicely as I could, "Do you know how to open this?"

Sena eyed the wooden chest covered in metal bands. "Mhm," he mumbled out, as he reached for something on his back.

"Wait, what are you doing?" I stared at the Goblin blankly, as he nocked an arrow.

"That’s a safe," he stated the obvious.

"Uh, yes? But I don’t think you should do that."

"Can’t lockpick it. Just going to break it. Far easier." He ignored my protests and continued with what he was doing.

"But—"

He loosed a piercing shot into the chest. I heard a loud crack as the arrow broke through the thin layer of metal and wood effortlessly, and ducked for cover as splinters flew at me.

"See? It’s open," Sena announced.

I brushed my face with my hands, and stared into the safe. It was indeed open— if a huge hole in the middle of it meant it was open. I saw something move in the corner of my eye, as the Goblin pried the top of the chest off.

"Look, there’s even a—"

"Watch out!" I grabbed Sena and threw him to the ground as a large sword slashed inches past him.

A seven foot tall humanoid figure loomed before us, wielding a greatsword on one hand, and a tower shield on the other. It was not a person attacking us, but a construct. It raised its sword to strike at us again, when an arrow barely pierced through its chest.

"Get back!" Karna yelled from behind us, as he loosed more shots at it.

The arrows were barely staggering the construct! Karna drew another bolt, and this time a magic circle formed at the arrowhead—

When a spear stabbed past the Goblin’s head. Karna barely ducked under the attack, and turned to face the second construct in the room. But I didn’t pay attention to this.

I raised a hand and backed up quickly alongside Sena, who was fumbling for his bow and arrow. He fired a single piercing shot, before the