Danmachi- Hell’s Forge

Dilution and potion idea

"I must say lad your reaction to that mana potion was quite unexpected. From what I could tell you were literally overflowing with energy, something that should be impossible." Miach said seriously.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused while giving up on prying my goddess off me since she had me in a death grip.

"Mana potions no matter how good are only supposed to refill the drinkers mana. The leftover effects of the potion are wasted after that. In your case however the small amount of a low mana potion you swallowed not only refilled your energy but also exceeded your maximum amount as well and not by a small amount either. It's just my theory but I think that it has something to do with that skill of yours. Maybe what it actually does is convert any mana in your body to this cursed energy of yours and so the potion kept trying to refill a mana reservoir that was perpetually emptying." he explained seriously.

"If the conversion of mana to cursed energy was efficient enough that might explain why I got so much out of so little as well." I said finding his theory reasonable.

"Indeed, speaking of can you try and guess roughly how much the small amount of the potion you drank gave you so that Naaza and I can try and make a diluted version that would be safe for your consumption?" Miach said and I was surprised by the offer.

"I might be a little off but around twenty times my previous full amount. After that experience however I imagine my magic stat will increase drastically." I said honestly.

Miach nodded before starting to mutter with Naaza over the right amount to dilute a mana potion by to achieve the same effect as a normal low grade potion. To me though it was a bunch of nonsense that I couldn't understand at all. Sounded like chemistry and I flunked that class by a lot. Choosing to stop wasting my time with the two potion makers I turned my attention to the more pressing matter at hand, a certain clingy goddess.

"Uh Hestia could you perhaps let me go now? My headache is going away but you don't exactly weigh nothing you know." I said and I could have sworn that I saw a vein pop on her forehead.

"Are you calling me fat?" she asked with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

I shook my head vigorously "Not at all but I am rather uncomfortable like this." I said honestly.

While she was fairly soft that didn't mean having ninety five pounds of goddess sitting on your chest was fun. She looked a little peeved but still got off me which was a literal weight off my chest and let me finally sit up. As Miach promised my headache was easing up over time and was now much more manageable than say five minutes ago. I remember that something had happened to my cursed energy just before I passed out from mind zero but I wasn't going to risk it by experimenting until I was clear of my current condition.-

"You had me terrified when you burst into flame like that, I thought you were going to die!" Hestia spoke and got teary towards the end.

I reached out and rubbed the top of her head "While I am happy you care so much, have some faith. I am nothing if not stubborn and won't let just anything claim my life you hear me?" I asked with a confident smile.

"Umu, I'll find your soul and torment you for a thousand years if you leave me for no good reason understood?" she asked with her own smile.

"Sounds like a drag, I think I'll pass." I joked and we both laughed.

"Good to see you are back to fine spirits. Naaza and I are done figuring out how much we should dilute a normal mana potion. With the information you gave us this new diluted potion should restore your reservoir and not overflow it by more than a small amount at most which will be fixed as your magic stat increases." Miach said after we finished laughing.

"Thanks for the trouble, just let me know what I owe you and I'll pay you back when I can." I said thankfully. 

I meant it too since it was better for me to have found out about my sensitivity to mana potions in a semi controlled environment rather than by chugging a full undiluted potion in the dungeon and exploding pathetically. I might be wrong but I am pretty sure the only reason I didn't explode from the small amount I drank earlier was because regrowing Naazas arm was just that expensive. by my calculations the amount of energy I used was the same as I would normally have at H rank magic at level two.-

In other words I had used WAY more cursed energy than I had any business with at my current level of progress. It probably wasn't a pointless amount of danger I suffered even if we disregard Naazas new arm as since I had pushed my energy and technique beyond it's current limits my stats were likely to show great improvement on my next update. It may even be enough to be time for me to enter the dungeon for the first time.

Miach interrupted my thoughts with something that caused my brain to short circuit for a second. "Oh no we could never accept your money after you risked so much and gave my child back her arm and I pray her hope as well. All your potions at the blue pharmacy will be free for as long as you come here." he vowed solemnly.

As you can imagine I had trouble accepting this vow as it made no sense logically and could even be considered foolish from a business standpoint.

"Wait! While I appreciate the sentiment that is far too much to accept! How about you give me free mana potions since those should be the cheapest to purchase since they are so heavily diluted? AH! Wait can I request a custom potion as well, one that if you succeed will bring you a great deal of money?" I spoke hurriedly while getting a great idea towards the end as well.

"We can accept the mana potions being given for free since as you said them being so diluted makes them much cheaper. What is this custom potion though and how would it bring us a bunch of money?" Naaza asked before Miach could speak again.

"Have you ever gone through the dungeon square when people are coming from the dungeon?" I asked and they both nodded confused. I continued at this point "Then you are likely familiar with the stench they leave behind as well. My idea is a potion that removes this smell or at least hides it until the adventurer can bath. If you advertise correctly I can't see why this wouldn't immediately become a big hit in the city and perhaps further."