Chapter 207 - Chapter 206: The Alchemist's Secret Pact
The First Month of Fire, the Third Week, Day of Fire.
Mika was spacing out during the academy's class time.
He had succeeded in creating "Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum]," and for the moment, he had nothing left to do.
Since he had entrusted the investigation of the cause of the malfunction to Adelriese, he would create the improved version only after the results came back.
Since he had created it once himself, perhaps he should entrust the creation of the magic tool to Adelriese from now on.
Mika rested his elbows on the desk and propped his cheek on his hand.
Everyone in the Leventein Group had not yet mastered [Rockfall] or [Faith].
Rimliche was at the stage where she was saying she might as well start mastering via All-In soon.
He glanced at Cleiria.
Cleiria and he had been a bit awkward for a while, but now they were almost back to their original relationship.
However, they had not discussed the engagement at all, nor the deception regarding the breaking of the engagement.
This was because they could not be alone together.
Since they could not discuss such matters in front of the escort knights, the issue remained shelved.
But, the Marquis [Old Man] was likely in Sarbengeal, steadily making preparations.
It was infuriating, but...
Looking toward Rimliche, he saw her standing and chanting a spell.
She claimed that standing somehow made her feel more focused.
Rimliche seemed to be switching to All-In for [God's Miracle] soon, and appeared to be practicing magic diligently as well.
Although, it seemed she was doing the magic secretly after returning to the dormitory.
Apparently, she had succeeded in creating ice, but she still could not create hot water.
What was the difference?
Well, it depended on her own image, so she would likely be able to make hot water eventually.
(Maybe I should show her [Fireball] next.)
If she could create water and start fires, survival life would truly become easier.
(Well, the best thing would be if she didn't need such things at all.)
It would be difficult to practice, but once she could do it, it would be convenient when the time came.
However, it would be a disaster if the girls' dorm caught fire.
Should he offer to consult on the practice location and methods?
Mika gazed at the Leventein Group in the seat in front of him.
Everyone was striving to master [God's Miracle] in their own way.
(...I really need to find something to do next.)
After rare metals.
Eternal youth and immortality?
(I don't need it.)
Mika made a dejected face at his own imagination.
He did not think even a fragment about wanting to live forever.
Such an existence would only be harmful.
Generations would cycle, and the old would die first.
This principle [truth] alone must absolutely not be broken.
If everyone became immortal, the population would eventually saturate.
He could not imagine at all what kind of actions humans who had forgotten how to die would take.
Eternal youth and immortality should be kept as an eternal dream.
Mika looked up at the ceiling.
(Really, what should I do next...)
Thinking such things, he spent the day.
After school, Paraleira's room.
The small crystals attached to the component analyzer blinked on and off.
(Could it be that those aren't crystals but Spaelements?)
Probably cheap items with limited uses, but considering the number, the cost must be considerable.
Just for the Spaelements, it must have cost over a million Rats.
Paraleira stared fixedly at the blinking Spaelements.
Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes seemed to be glaring.
"...No way."
She muttered as if groaning, and took out a black stone from the component analyzer.
It was the "Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum]" he had made the other day.
"How are the results?"
Mika asked while vigorously poking the stem into his black spicy drink.
It seemed this stem contained stimulating ingredients, and one could adjust the degree of stimulation themselves.
Someone had bitten this before, but if you tried to imitate them, you would be in big trouble.
"How did you make it...?"
Paraleira glared at Mika with her sharp eyes.
Mika stirred the drink and took a small sip.
Was it a bit too stimulating?
"I would like to hear the results first, though."
"...Measurement impossible."
Paraleira muttered as if groaning.
"This component analyzer [this thing] cannot measure anything beyond a purity of over ninety-nine point nine percent. There is a minimum amount required to detect fluctuations, and anything less than that cannot be detected even if mixed in."
"I see."
Previously, he had heard that weapons and armor made of pure rare metals were discovered in ruins, and it seemed those were called 'pure' even though appraisal results showed over ninety-something percent.
It meant the actual purity was unknown even to Paraleira.
Still, knowing the purity was that high was enough.
Mika drank the drink in one gulp.
"Guuu..."
He felt strong stimulation in his throat and involuntarily groaned.
It seemed he was getting addicted to it little by little.
Mika was also getting used to the stimulation of the drink often served in Paraleira's room.
"So, how did you make it?"
"Do you want a hint? Or the answer?"
"What...?"
At Mika's words, confusion appeared in Paraleira's eyes, which had been glaring.
Mika thought he could tell Paraleira.
He did not intend to say something like "I made it on my own."
Thanks to Paraleira, he had been able to acquire alchemy knowledge very efficiently, and she had generously provided valuable ruin information.
Introducing him to Adelriese's shop was also a major turning point for progress.
Without those, Mika would not have reached the answer of copper isotopes, and the creation of the necessary magic tool would not have proceeded smoothly.
He believed the achievement of being able to rush through rare metal generation from scratch in the shortest time should be shared with Paraleira.
Of course, there were parts only Mika could notice.
Considering those, disclosing everything from one to ten felt a bit suspicious.
"...If I tell you to teach me the answer, will you?"
"Yes. I think that is fine."
However, he would not explain.
Paraleira had no knowledge of physics or similar fields.
She had no knowledge of magic other than [God's Miracle].
Even if only the answer was presented, she could not understand without the intermediate formulas, and even with formulas, she could not understand without explanation.
He felt a bit mean, but Mika had no intention of easily giving up his own advantage.
Since Mika said it so easily, Paraleira looked suspicious, wondering if he really intended to teach him.
To such Paraleira, Mika simply presented a hint.
"Paraleira-san, you have been watching what I was making, haven't you?"
"You were making something? ...That magic tool with nothing inside?"
Mika nodded honestly.
He had shown the circuit diagram to consult on where to obtain the materials.
"That was eventually scrapped, though. Basically, I made it from a development of that."
"From something like that!?"
Paraleira was surprised and raised her voice.
That was rude to call it "something like that."
"From the method of concealing magic power, I do not think you would reach the answer. You need knowledge that is deeply involved in the composition of matter itself."
"The composition of matter..."
Mika put down the cup and stood up.
"Thank you for the meal. Oh, I will give you the black stone [that] as a sample. It seems it would sell for a huge amount of money."
Saying that, he slung his bag over his shoulder.
Paraleira looked surprised and looked at the black stone [Orichalcum] in her hand.
"If you want to hear the answer, call me. That's all."
"A, ah..."
Mika headed for the room door, but Paraleira did not particularly stop him, just seeing him off.
Rather than seeing him off, she was likely confused because her thoughts could not keep up.
She needed time to think slowly.
Mika left the dormitory as is.
He had not told her to keep quiet, but he did not think Paraleira would chatter outside and talk unnecessarily.
If she had such a personality, she would not have been kicked out of the Court Magic Institute and shoved into the boys' dormitory of the Magic Academy in the first place.
"Well... I should move around a bit here too."
Muttering such things, Mika walked while turning his thoughts over.
■■■■■■
The First Month of Fire, the Fifth Week, Day of Wind.
A dilapidated house in District 3.
A house with a creepy lack of people around it, close to the house borrowed from the Assassin Guild Master.
Yaroibarov, Ozendorwa, the blacksmith's master, and Adelriese sat around the table, slightly confused.
The meeting was held in District 3 because Adelriese did not want to go to District 2.
"...Calling me to a place like this, what is it, boy? Moreover, I don't know the members well."
Yaroibarov did not seem to know Adelriese.
In fact, it seemed no one except Mika had met Adelriese.
"Everyone gathered here has promised to keep what happened today a secret. I judged that they would not leak anything they saw or heard, nor would they misuse any information they learned."
"Misuse?"
At Mika's explanation, Ozendorwa made a somewhat suspicious face.
Mika took out a rod of "Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum]" from his Magic Bag and placed it on the table.
The rod [that], far heavier than it looked, made a thud sound, and the expressions of Yaroibarov, the master, and Adelriese changed.
Ozendorwa seemed to not know what this was.
"Hey, hey, boy. Wait a minute. Could that be...!?"
"It is high-purity 'Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum].' Exact measurement is impossible, but it is quite close to one hundred percent."
"One hundred percent!?"
Following the master, Adelriese leaned forward, staring intently at the rod of "Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum]."
"I will lend one rod each to the two of you. You may use it freely for research on processing and usage methods without lowering the purity. However, the ownership belongs to me. ...Provided, of course, that you are interested as craftsmen or technicians."
Of course, he had already confirmed they were interested.
The two had said they would work even without reward if there was a phantom item like high-purity rare metal.
They would surely get excited over such ultra-rare materials.
"...I thought you were asking something strange, but you were hiding something like this."
Adelriese said in an exasperated tone.
"I want Adelriese-san to make a magic armlet for magic stabilization using this. The previous one broke in the blink of an eye."
"Make that again?"
Mika nodded.
"Please make a high-output one that can be stabilized even more than the previous one."
"More than that...?"
When Mika said that, Adelriese widened her eyes, then sighed.
"Good heavens... What a terrible boy."
She said that with her mouth, but she seemed eager to accept.
Her mouth was smiling.
When he handed a rod each to the master and Adelriese, they happily gazed at it and stroked it.
Adelriese-san, please don't get hurt.
It is heavy, after all.
"So, Mika-kun. What was the intention behind calling us?"
After their conversation settled down, Ozendorwa asked.
"I intend to give the same thing to the two of you as well."
"What!?"
At Mika's answer, Yaroibarov made a surprised face.
"The two of you came to help me regardless of loss or gain. Above all, I can trust that you will absolutely not misuse it. So, I am giving it to you as a thank you. What kind of things you can make depends on future research, but perhaps making armlets first would be good."
When Mika said that, Yaroibarov and Ozendorwa looked stunned.
"There are currently a limited number, but if mass production becomes possible in the future, let's have you make weapons using 'Rare Copper-Type Metal [this]' as well."
"No, no, no, wait! How can I accept this!? Moreover, mass production!?"
Yaroibarov frantically refused, and Ozendorwa nodded.
But Mika had a cool face.
"I really want the two of you to have it. It seems some scoundrels are acting in the shadows."
"...Those two, you mean."
Humus and Aquu.
At Ozendorwa's mutter, Mika nodded and added.
"There is also a young man with reddish-brown hair."
"Yes, that's right."
Ozendorwa nodded, but Yaroibarov made a strange face.
He had spoken about the young man with reddish-brown hair in relation to the Chimera, but had not mentioned Humus and Aquu.
Well, since it was not something he could talk about freely, Mika could not say it.
"There are definitely scoundrels wandering within the kingdom. It is unknown if they are in the capital, but they are certainly not doing nothing."
"Probably so."
Ozendorwa seemed to have no objection to Mika's opinion.
"It would be good if all the knights could have them, but if you ask if they are that trustworthy... well... Considering the risk of them being stolen by bad guys and misused..."
"That risk is naturally something to consider."
There were few who could take from Ozendorwa or Yaroibarov.
But what about ordinary knights?
"I leave it to the two of you whether to extend your strengths or compensate for your weaknesses, but I would feel reassured if you could become stronger than you are now."
Yes, Mika smiled at Yaroibarov.
Yaroibarov made a slightly troubled face.
"...You are the first boy to tell me to become stronger."
"Ahaha. That might be true."
Mika involuntarily laughed at Yaroibarov's mutter.
Normally, one would not seek more from Yaroibarov, whose strength was already outside the realm of humans.
"...But, we do not know what kind of strength the opponent has. So, I want you to prepare for that time. For the two of you."
When Mika said that, the two nodded.
"If you say so, I will gratefully accept it. I will think about what to make."
"Yes. Thank you, Mika-kun."
Good.
There was still anxiety regarding the defense of the capital, but at least the place where these two were would not fall easily.
Having reliable combat power when the time came was reassuring for Mika as well.
"So, about that earlier..."
Yaroibarov raised one eyebrow and made a suspicious face.
"What do you mean by mass production?"
At those words, all eyes turned to Mika.
Everyone probably had some idea.
They looked somewhat tense.
Mika also put on a serious face and looked around at the four faces.
"Of course, I made them."
"...No way."
"Alchemy...?"
Such mutters could be heard.
"I do not think it is necessary to confirm at this point, but please keep it to yourself. Unless you want to play more with 'Rare Copper-Type Metal [toy]'."
When Mika said that, the master and Adelriese nodded.
Mika had the materials, but there were inevitably limits to how he could use them.
Therefore, it was essential to bring in reliable blacksmiths and magic tool technicians.
If he said he found an ore deposit somewhere, the lie would be exposed immediately.
So, he had no choice but to tie their fate together.
"The master and Adelriese-san, I would like to hold meetings about once a week from now on. Please report on research results and issues."
Saying that, Mika looked at Adelriese.
"Please forgive me if you get so engrossed in research that you forget to show up."
"What does that mean, boy?"
Adelriese looked at Mika with a sharp gaze.
It seemed she had an image of forgetting everything when she got too engrossed.
Well, the cause of that image was probably Paraleira.
The decision to hold a report session gathering the two, rather than Mika listening to reports individually, was based on the judgment that it was better for both parties to hear each other's research results.
When things did not go as planned, hints might be hidden in the other party's research results.
Especially at the beginning, both would be feeling their way.
If the other person did something Mika could not think of, there was a possibility of thinking of something further developed from that.
Creating new ideas from ideas.
The basics of brainstorming.
"Actually, starting to work on the two of you's equipment will be a little later. Until then, please visualize your ideal self carefully. And also 'something' necessary to reach that."
When Mika said that, Yaroibarov and Ozendorwa nodded.
The rare metal known as "Rare Copper-Type Metal [Orichalcum]" was to be utilized effectively.
A group bound by a secret pact had been formed here for that purpose.
Even though the smuggler [Adelriese] and the police [Ozendorwa] are sitting together, it is not a problem at all.
Whatever happens in this meeting, everything is a secret.