I got up properly this morning and walked through town with Mizera.
We trained late last night, so I was honestly still sleepy, but today’s errands probably had to be done in the morning, so I forced myself to go even though I was tired.
「…So, are you going to wear that?」
“That” was the hat Mizera wore as she walked beside me.
Uh… what do you call it again. A Russian-style hat with ear flaps? A pilot cap? I can’t recall the formal name, but you know the one.
That hat, with its thin lines and fair color, suited Mizera’s pale skin and pretty blonde hair perfectly. By the way, I made it myself.
I plan to use my sewing skill more and level it up, so I’ve been starting with small accessories like this.
「B-because if I hide my ears, it’ll be harder to tell I’m a Half-Elf, right? That way it won’t stir up unnecessary trouble」
Mizera pulled down the flaps on both sides and wore it deeper. It was cute, but after running all over town like she did yesterday, it felt a little late to be hiding her ears… Oh well.
「By the way, you put that brooch on the hat」
The brooch on the hat was the Snowdrop brooch I gave her. The little ornament on the plain hat gave it a charming touch, and it made the whole thing look much more stylish.
「Yes… was that bad?」
「No, it suits you. It’s good」
「…Yeah. Actually, I like both of them」
「Oh…」
When she honestly says she likes them, there’s nothing more to say.
「So, where are we headed today?」
「It’s a place we can’t avoid if I’m going to grant your request」
No matter what, we had to go see that person.
I’d rather not, and if possible I’d postpone it, but the risk of being found out made the return on delaying not worth it, so I shouldered the duty and left early.
Also, I suddenly remembered because of a dream.
In a way the dream might have helped, but waking up was terrible.
「Alright, we’re here…」
「Is this… the Alchemists’ Guild?」
「Yeah. If I’m going to teach alchemy, we should come here」
「I see… If you’re going to teach me alchemy, that makes sense」
Mizera looked tense.
The other day she had declared, 『I want you to teach me the Alchemy skill.』
Her reason was that she wanted me to be the very first one to teach her. Heh.
My alchemy level is currently the highest, level 9, and it’s probably the only skill I can actually teach. When I first heard it, I was stunned, but honestly, I was really happy.
During our nightly combat training I kept thinking about it and got blown away by Freed.
I was distracted, wondering where to start, or recalling what tools and materials I had on hand.
It was way too rude to zone out after she had asked me, so I made sure to focus properly afterward. Switching gears is important.
Ah, but when I told Freed about Mizera, he seemed pleased.
He said, “Now I can rest easy”.
Way too soon for that.
「Well then, shall we go?」
「Yes… I wonder if this will be alright…」
I could understand Mizera’s worry, though she was probably worried about something different from me.
Whether or not they would accept her as a Half-Elf didn’t matter. Even if they didn’t, I’d still teach her.
If Reinrich had something to say, there was no doubt the target would be me.
-0-
When we stepped through the doors, we found the same scene as usual: Riito-san standing at the reception desk.
The guild looked as quiet as ever. Not a single other person in sight.
「Ah, Newbie. Welcome」
「Hello. Good morning」
「Yes, good morning. Oh, by the way, I’ve finished the new batch of medicine I gave you last time」
「Oh, really?」
「Yes. This time it strengthens worn-out fibers all the way from the root」
「Ohh. Then I’ll take the usual, and twenty bottles of that as well」
「Of course. Thanks as always. Thanks to you buying my beauty serum, my meals have become quite fancy lately」
Well, that’s because Riito-san’s beauty serums are really effective, and she always makes them with the exact texture and effect I want. They’re invaluable.
I thought about making them myself, but honestly, I have no idea how to deal with beauty products. I decided it was better to rely on a specialist.
「So, is this young lady… someone new? She’s very beautiful」
「Ah, um, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Mizera」
「Ufufu. How polite. I’m Riito, receptionist here at the Alchemists’ Guild. So, are you introducing her today?」
「No, we need to see Reinrich. Is she in right now?」
「Yes, she’s here as usual. I’ll call her for you」
While Riito-san went to fetch Reinrich from the back room, I glanced around.
The place was as quiet as ever, completely different from the Adventurers’ Guild.
Maybe the senior alchemists were still asleep? Well, considering their lifestyles, it was probably more accurate to say they had just gone to bed at dawn.
「Suu… haa…」
「Nervous?」
「We’re about to meet the Guildmaster, aren’t we? Of course I’m nervous…」
「No need to be so stiff. Reinrich is my master. If anything’s said, it’ll be aimed at me」
「At least you understand that much」
There it was, the Demon King of Einzheil.
Ahh… I want to run away.
Those eyes… she was clearly looking forward to tormenting me.
「Um, nice to meet you. I’m Mizera….」
「Oh? A Half-Elf, eh」
「Eh…」
She hadn’t even removed her hat, yet Reinrich spotted it instantly.
Did she use Appraisal? No, more likely she just saw through it naturally. That was exactly the kind of old woman she was.
「So, what business do you have? If you’re here to introduce me to another one of your girls, spare me. Honestly, how many more are you planning to add?」
「That’s not it… I’m going to be teaching her alchemy, so I just came to report that…」
「Hoooh. Still just a fledgling, and already you’re taking on disciples. How grand you’ve become」
Grr… I knew this would happen, but still, did she have to look so amused?
Sure, I hadn’t even been here a year, so she wasn’t wrong, but still…
「So, I was wondering… would it be better to issue her a guild card before I start teaching? That’s why I came to ask…」
「I see… Hmm. Let’s have a look…」
Reinrich began staring at Mizera, studying her carefully from head to toe.
「Talent… isn’t absent. She’ll be able to learn the skill. But how far she can grow, I can’t say」
「R-really!? Does that mean I can learn alchemy?」
「Yes. I can’t say how quickly, but you’ll be able to use it」
「With Reinrich’s word, that’s reassuring」
I didn’t know how she did it, but Reinrich had also seen through Hayato’s and my talents, so I knew she wasn’t lying.
Maybe we didn’t know how far Mizera would advance, but she could obtain the skill. That much was clear.
「Ano… I’m a Half-Elf, though. Is that really alright?」
「Hm? And what of it? Is that supposed to be a problem?」
「But, I…」
「You’re willing to work hard, aren’t you?」
「Y-yes! I am」
「Then there’s no problem. Besides, if you’re learning from my disciple, you’ll be just fine」
Oh, looks like I got a better evaluation than expected.
If it’s praise coming from my master Reinrich, it really does feel good.
Alright. I should raise Mizera up with praise too.
「Yeah, yeah. She’s cute, full of motivation, and as a Half-Elf she’s got longevity and stays youthful… so how about the next receptionist candidate?」
「Ahh… in that case, maybe people would actually start visiting this empty guild」
「…Newbie? Are you saying ‘I’m’ not enough?」
「W-wait, that’s not what I…!」
「Ufufufu. Oh, by the way… the price of beauty serum ingredients has been going up lately」
「…I’ll pay twenty percent extra!!」
「Alright. Then let’s forget this whole thing」
「Thank you so much!!」
「Quit fooling around and hurry up. Let’s get this girl’s guild card made. Have 5,000 Nohl ready」
I paid Reinrich the registration fee and also handed Riito-san the money for the beauty serum, plus the extra I just promised.
Words are dangerous… And honestly, Riito-san’s gorgeous herself, so the reason no one comes here has to be something else entirely. But if I say any more, I’ll be digging my own grave.
「While you’re at it, why not update your status too?」
「Yeah… might as well」
I’ve been training a lot recently, so the numbers should have gone up.
Still, I felt a little nervous. I already knew I had no real talent, but if I’d been working this hard and nothing improved, that’d be rough.
———————————–
Guild Card
Shinomiya Itsuki: Alchemist Lv.24
HP 750/750 → 1250/1250
MP 5200/5200 → 5800/5800
STR (Strength): G → F
VIT (Vitality): G → F
INT (Intelligence): B
MND (Mind): B
AGI (Agility): F
DEX (Dexterity): A
Active Skills:
Space Magic Lv.5
・Input
・Output
・Invisible Jail
・Area Pointing
・Point Gate
Alchemy Lv.9
・Handing
・Multi-Copy
・Experience Circle
Appraisal Lv.3
Passive Skills:
Farming Lv.1
Cooking Lv.1
Sewing Lv.1
Active Auto Skill:
Madness Lv.1
??? Skill Lv.4
Title:
Creationist
Guild Card Registrants:
Hayato
Meira
Iris
———————————–
Ohh, being able to clearly see growth, even if it’s little by little, really makes me happy.
Of course, it’s not on the level of DEX when I was doing alchemy, but with STR and VIT going up too, I’ll just keep this up until I hit a ceiling.
「…Ho」
「Oh」
Reinrich and Riito-san peered into my guild card without a hint of restraint. Not that I really mind, but still…
「Huh? You have a title」
「Ah, yeah, the goddess gave it to me… but what exactly are titles?」
I got one, sure, but never received any explanation.
「What, you ask? Think of it like recognition from the gods」
「…Does it have any effects?」
「Not none, but… there’s no real way to check. For reference, Hayato’s title of ‘Hero’ is one, but there are also titles like ‘Good at Cleaning’, so it’s all over the place」
「That’s true. I don’t have one myself, but if I recall, Reinrich-sama, right?」
「Yeah, I do. Mine is ‘Supernatural’」
Now that I think about it, ages ago Yasis called her “Reinrich the Supernatural”. Maybe that was about her title.
Still, ‘Supernatural’… Going beyond common sense. A word tailor-made for Reinrich.
「Heh… So what kind of effect does it give?」
「Who knows. You can’t check it with Appraisal, and I haven’t felt anything tangible」
「Eh, really? But there were times when you succeeded at making things I couldn’t, even when I gave you the exact same ingredients」
「That’s just skill. When it comes to poisons, I’m still ahead of you」
「Mmm… I ‘am’ good with poisons, but I want to specialize in beauty products anyway, so that’s fine」
Hmm… sounds like it doesn’t bring any major change.
Well, it’s nothing troublesome either, so I’ll take it as added prestige and accept it with gratitude.
…Still, better be careful who I talk about it with.
「Alright, I’m ready. Now then, young lady, put your hand out」
「Y-yes」
Even while chatting, she’d been preparing the work.
Reinrich placed a piece of paper on the back of Mizera’s hand and gripped her wrist firmly. Huh, she holds tighter than I expected. Probably so it won’t shift.
「…」
「Don’t move. It’ll be over soon」
Well, yeah, if a piece of paper suddenly bursts into flame on your hand, you’d be startled.
It isn’t hot, but reflexes kick in.
「There, done. Say ‘Guild Card Open’ and it’ll appear. Ask him for the details」
「Yes. Thank you very much…」
Mizera stared intently at the three red lines that appeared on the back of her hand, then gripped that hand tightly with the other.
「Now then, do you want to do it here? Or back at home?」
「Let’s go home. Everyone’s waiting」
「I see. Well then, give it your best」
「Do your best!」
「Yes, I’ll do my best!」
Riito-san, acting girlish despite her age, clenched her fists and struck a fighting pose. Mizera, caught up in the moment, copied her.
Alright, now comes the real work of teaching Mizera alchemy.
First, I’ll take it slow and steady until she can obtain the skill.
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