AN: Thank you for waiting!
Chapter Eight begins!
It continues right after Chapter Seven.
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Herbs were ground down with a gritty sound.
The extracted essence was thinned with water while magic power was poured in, urging the change that would turn it into a healing potion.
A faint light accompanied its completion, and Mizera turned to look back at me with a small sigh.
「Haa… as I thought, three out of ten is the best I can manage…」
「Looks like it. But compared to when you first started, it’s become much more stable, hasn’t it?」
In the first few days after she acquired the skill, it was unstable, only one or two out of ten succeeded. But lately it had become steady.
For the past several days I had made her brew ten healing potions each day to check her progress.
Even though Mizera had gained the skill, she sometimes failed regardless of her magic power or how perfectly she ground the herbs.
As a result, even under ideal conditions, her success rate had settled at three out of ten.
「But when you make them, it’s always ten out of ten, right? I’ve still got a long way to go…」
「The difference in level can’t be helped. Besides, even if you fail, these are still useful, aren’t they?」
Instead of diluting with water, the liquid made from failed herb extracts could be used to add bonus effects or increase the success rate of other potions. So failures weren’t truly wasted.
「Alchemy really doesn’t waste anything. It’s convenient.」
「Good profession, isn’t it? As long as adventurers, soldiers, and monsters exist, the demand will never disappear. Even regular households need healing potions. Stability like this is wonderful.」
「That’s true… after that, it’s just a matter of magic power. You’re going today too?」
「Yeah. You as well, Mizera.」
「I know… I want to see how people react when they use it. I’d hate it if something went wrong.」
「I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. I checked the effects with Appraisal, there’s no problem.」
「I know that… but I can’t help worrying anyway.」
Hard to say who she takes after, but she really is a worrier.
We had already started distributing Mizera’s potions to the Adventurer’s Guild, but she seemed anxious about whether they truly worked well.
When I asked the guildmaster and adventurers, they said there was no issue at all, and during inspection the effects were also confirmed with Appraisal. Even so, she couldn’t shake her unease.
「Then let’s keep at it, both to increase our supply for deliveries and to raise your skill level.」
「Yes. Please, sensei.」
Smiling happily, Mizera bowed her head.
And once again today, I taught her alchemy.
Lately, my mornings had become a routine of teaching Mizera.
Strike while the iron is hot, as they say, and her motivation burned hotter by the day.
Watching Mizera refuse to give up even after repeated failures made me want to give my best as well.
Once Mizera finished making enough potions to deliver to the Adventurer’s Guild, the next practice was accessory crafting. I took out some iron ore for her to start with.
「Take it slow… that’s fine.」
This time, the lesson began with breaking down the ore.
That was where I had started as well, and since the basics of alchemy were Decomposition, Synthesis, and Reconstruction, the fundamentals could not be neglected.
Once decomposition succeeded, the next step was ingot-making.
With this, iron ore could be turned into an easy-to-handle block of iron.
The metal might change, but the process was the same, and it served as practice for the simplest form of Reconstruction.
「How about this?」
When Mizera pulled back her hands, a fine iron ingot sat neatly on the table.
「Yeah. That’s well done. You should know that if you wanted to sell it as it is, the Blacksmith Guild would buy it. Be sure to remember that.」
「‘Would’, you say…」
「Well, accessories are a lot more efficient to make and sell.」
「I see. That’s why you said ‘would.’」
The effort required was minimal, but the profit margin was thin.
Compared to that, accessories were far more lucrative.
Of course, if the Blacksmith Guild ever requested it, Reinrich would tell us to start from raw ore, but otherwise there was no real point.
「All right. Then that’s the goal for today.」
「The twisted iron necklace… I hope I can make it today.」
「The time limit is until noon. First, get a solid grasp of the shape.」
What alchemy demanded was magic power and imagination.
So the first step was to have her handle the twisted iron necklace thoroughly, to build a firm image of it.
「Don’t forget the clasp part.」
「Yes.」
Mizera repeatedly attached and detached the clasp, imprinting the structure firmly into her mind.
The sensation when it fastened, the weight, the coldness of the metal, the twisted pattern running through it, she focused on every detail with her eyes wide, giving herself plenty of time.
Meanwhile, I prepared some tea mixed with a little magic power potion.
I tried to keep it quiet, but the small clink of the tea set still sounded.
Even so, Mizera didn’t lose her focus, her attention completely absorbed by the necklace in front of her.
「That should be enough.」
「Yes. Then… Alchemy.」
The ingot before her melted into a molten form, reshaping itself anew.
It stretched into a long, thin shape, with grooves spiraling from one end to the other in a twisted design.
The process was slow, but the evenness of the result made it clear how precise her image of it was.
And then…
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「So, you’re going to the Adventurer’s Guild with Mizera again today, right?」
「Yeah. Are Sorte and the others heading there in the afternoon?」
「Yeah. Then let’s go together.」
While having lunch, everyone shared their plans for the day. Afterward, we relaxed over tea before heading out at a leisurely pace.
Wendy and Shiro went shopping, while I set off for the Adventurer’s Guild with Mizera and the three members of the Red Line.
「Mizera’s potions are pretty popular.」
「Really…? I hope no problems have come up…」
「No worriesssu! We’ve used them ourselves, and the effects are the same as master’s.」
The two walking behind encouraged Mizera, who still looked uneasy.
「Still worried? Don’t be. We’re not lying, and they’re actually selling well.」
Sorte, walking beside me, glanced up at my expression with a sly smile.
「I know. I’ve heard how well they’re selling, and I’ve checked them myself with Appraisal. I’m not worried.」
「Oh? Since you’ve been glued to Mizera lately, I thought our worrywart lord might be fretting.」
「Hm? Are you lonely?」
「Lonely… maybe not completely.」
「Then we’re together right now, so just be honest and lean on me.」
「You’re right. Maybe I will.」
Sorte took my hand and intertwined her fingers with mine.
Her cheeks loosened on their own, though she tried to resist it, without success.
「To think something this small makes me happy… you’re such a sinful man.」
「It just means you’re a wonderful woman. I’m grateful.」
「…Honestly. Do you think sweet words are all it takes?」
Truthfully, mornings had been spent with Mizera, afternoons on work or training, and nights sleeping… and continuing that training. Lately there hadn’t been much time together.
And during training I was too serious for the mood to ever turn like this.
「Hold that side down!」「Hey, we’re short on planks!」「Huh? Then go get some!」「You go! Can’t you see my hands are full!?」
…Really now. Just when things were getting good.
The streets were especially noisy today.
「What’s going on? Everyone looks busy…」
「Aah, that’s… 」
「Sorte really is the queen of stealing a marchssu. Somehow she’s always next to master before we know itssu」
「Ara, noticing only now? I’m a wolf, after all. Wolves are greedy when they see an opening.」
「I’m a wolf too, you know. Maybe it’s time for a turf warssu.」
Come on, not in the middle of the street….
Before I could protest, my other hand was seized by Aina, who hugged my arm close against her.
「Fufu. Got you.」
「Aina’s not one to let chances slip either, huh…」
「That one I’ll give you. But this side is mine.」
「I’d say we should settle it by force, but I’ll let it slide this time… Looks like the two of them haven’t noticed yetssu.」
Hm?
Not noticing… noticing what?
I honestly have no idea what they’re talking about…
「By the way, my liege. After we visit the Adventurer’s Guild today, there’s somewhere I’d like everyone to stop by together. Would that be alright?」
「All of us? It’s rare for you to ask for something, Aina. I don’t mind.」
「Thank you. It’s not that big of a request, but… it is a little troublesome…」
「Aah, the orphanage, rightssu?」
「Yes. The Sister is away today, so we were asked to handle the meal…」
The orphanage, huh. That would be the one Aina donates to.
In Einzheil, there’s one particularly large building that serves as an orphanage.
I’ve visited it a few times myself, and honestly, it’s almost on the scale of a school, packed with children.
The nation provides subsidies, but the amount is capped, so even with the maximum support it’s still not enough. Because of that, they often need to raise additional donations.
Aina gives a great deal of money to that orphanage for the children who have no family.
As an A-Rank adventurer, the reason she couldn’t repay her debt to me was because she had just donated a large sum there.
Even in relatively peaceful Einzheil, many people come and go, and among them are children abandoned here.
Some parents only leave their kids during the day while they work. In that sense it also functions as a daycare. But sometimes those parents never come back…
Part of me thinks if they’re going to abandon them, then maybe selling them as slaves would be better… but both slavery and orphanages have their own pros and cons.
Slavery is cruel. If a child ends up with the wrong master, their life is basically set in misery.
By contrast, being raised as an orphan in a stable city might actually be better for the child.
I can’t understand what it’s like to give up your own flesh and blood, and I don’t want to.
At least, the children in Einzheil are said to be growing up healthy and upright.
Still, because Aina sometimes visits to teach swordsmanship, a lot of them want to become adventurers. That seems to be the latest problem.
「I see… then maybe we should bring some sweets as a gift.」
「That would be appreciated… but if possible, please buy something from the market. If the children get used to your sweets… they might lose their taste for ordinary meals.」
「That’s true… Your pastries are too good, milord … I’ve already gained weight because of them… it’s frightening.」
No, Mizera, you haven’t gained anything. You’re still too thin, if anything.
Not skin and bones, but your waist is slim as ever.
Even when I reward you for your hard work in alchemy, all you ever ask for is porridge. You know you can ask for something more extravagant, right?
Lately we’ve saved up plenty of miso with those pocket money stamps, and even soy sauce isn’t scarce anymore, so aside from the cost of rice, we hardly spend anything.
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