Chapter 15 The Knight Order'S Magician (Temporary)
It's been a few days since I became a "trainee" under Lina-senpai's guidance as a Royal Alchemist. We were undergoing training in a small synthesis room for trainees when Arnold suddenly showed up.
"Oh, Arnold. What's up?"
"Don't bother me... Ampère."
Ignoring my refusal, Arnold entered the synthesis room. Without any hesitation, he approached me.
"Arnold-san, good work."
I forced a smile. Without even attempting to respond, Arnold took the container of healing potion I was synthesizing. And then, he chugged it down in one go.
Surprised by his sudden action, I instinctively reached for the container in Arnold's hand. But before I could even touch it, he drank it all up without even shaking off my hand.
After drinking, he coolly adjusted his glasses with a pointless gesture. And then, to my surprise - not just to me, but also to Chelsea and Lina-senpai - he blurted out "those words."
"...You're still as annoying as ever, aren't you?"
――You, you're annoying.
The voice that resurfaced in my mind reminded me of a few years ago. Somehow, I couldn't help but notice that this person hadn't changed at all, and unknowingly, a smile crept onto my face.
"...Arnold-san, you're still the same as ever."
"What do you mean?"
"No, it's just something I thought of."
I was teased for my slip of the tongue, but I brushed it off with a smile. I was starting to feel less intimidated by Arnold's rough language - or rather, a feeling akin to resignation was beginning to well up inside me, accepting that this was just how he was.
Unfriendly - According to Marcedes-san, Arnold is shy around people, speaks rudely, has a high pride, but actually has age-appropriate emotions. Due to not being able to read emotions, he sometimes does things that seem unreasonable to me.
That's the kind of person Arnold is.
Just as I was alone understanding this, the bell rang to signal the scheduled time. It was already evening - time to end the training.
"I'll guide you through the herb garden inside the castle."
After hearing the bell, Arnold brought up such a thing. Another sudden statement.
Without paying any attention to my surprised expression, Arnold grabbed my wrist. Before I knew it, he forcefully pulled me and made me walk ahead as if stumbling.
Different from Lukas, that warmth made me momentarily startled - rather than feeling excited, I felt more dissatisfied with Arnold's much rougher way of pulling my hand.
Before I could voice my dissatisfaction, Arnold tried to leave the synthesis room. So, I reluctantly swallowed my complaints and managed to greet Chelsea and Lina-senpai, who were watching us in astonishment.
"Good work!"
I managed to muster a greeting with a strained voice.
As Arnold walked out of the synthesis room, he slowed his pace, and his wrists relaxed accordingly.
I stole a glance at Arnold's profile as he walked a few steps ahead. He was the youngest "genius" to become a Royal Alchemist, but did he really have time to guide trainees to the herb garden? I didn't mean to belittle him; I was simply curious, so I voiced my thoughts.
"Do you have plenty of time?"
"Well, sort of."
He lightly nodded at my words. It wasn't a firm nod but rather a distracted one, as if he was brushing off the topic. Judging from his reaction, maybe he didn't have as much time as I thought.
But why is he going out of his way to guide me through the medicinal herb garden? Even if Arnold didn't show me, I'd end up going there a lot during my training anyway.
This question also slipped out of my mouth before I realized it.
"Why are you taking the trouble to show me around?"
This time, Arnold stopped walking.
Oops, I spoke without thinking. It might have sounded arrogant, like I was assuming Arnold was doing this just for me.
I hurried to stand next to Arnold to correct myself. When I looked at his face, he had a very serious, almost pained expression. It wasn't anger, but deep sadness.
Seeing his expression, I stopped in surprise.
"...In the near future, I want to rely on your talent."
He said it clearly.
I didn't know when this "near future" would be or how he wanted to use my talent. But I realized that Arnold had a clear "purpose," and he was approaching me to achieve it.
No matter his intention, I was simply grateful for the tour of the herb garden. I didn't know his "purpose," but for now, I'd just accept his kindness. When the "near future" comes, I'll do my best to repay his kindness.
――After that, Arnold often came to see me in the evenings after training. He would take me to the herb garden. Sometimes, he even took me to the capital to see how recovery potions were sold.
――In the near future, I want to rely on your talent.
Arnold's words and voice are etched in my memory. I don't know what he's hiding in his heart.
But I do know one thing: Arnold is the one who recognizes my talent more than anyone else.
* * *
It's been a few months since I became a "trainee" at the Royal Alchemist.
Finally getting used to life at the royal palace and making good progress in my training, one day after finishing my training, I was called out by Lina-senpai.
"Laura, you're close with Arnold, aren't you?"
I stopped my hands that were tidying up the tools.
Lina-senpai had been very dedicated in guiding me. Acknowledging that my skills were sufficient, she patiently taught me the very basics that my Mentor, who was laissez-faire, had neglected to teach me – such as the correct way to clean synthesis tools – without making a displeased face.
When I think back to that powerful smile she showed me when we first met, I can't help but react nervously when I hear the name 'Arnold' from her. It's clear that she has some kind of feelings towards Arnold — but I couldn't quite say it's affection, I sensed an unnaturalness in it.
The voice directed at me is always the same, clear and yet with a soft tone that shows consideration for her junior.
"Perhaps because our mentor had a mentor-disciple relationship, you care about me... Arnold-senpai's mentor is a very kind person, so maybe you mentioned me out of concern."
Almost reflexively, I put up a barrier by saying that I'm not that close with Arnold — how pathetic.
Lina-senpai seemed to ponder my words for a few seconds. Then she looked around busily. And said,
"Chelsea, sorry to bother you, but could you pick some of the same herbs for me in a small amount?"
I handed Chelsea, who was helping me clean the synthesis room, some random herbs and a basket.
Despite receiving the medicinal herbs from senpai, Chelsea tilts her head to the side.
"Um, here..."
"I'm sorry, I forgot that Kasper-san asked for this. I'll take care of your part of the cleanup, Chelsea."
Since she mentioned that Kasper-san asked for it, Chelsea couldn't refuse. She nodded vigorously and hurriedly left the synthesis room.
The sound of her cute footsteps faded away. After confirming that, Lina-senpai quickly approached me.
"...I think it's cowardly to pry like this."
Lina-senpai whispered with a preamble. Frowning, her expression seemed very apologetic.
――The situation seemed to be deviating from what I had expected.
When Lina-senpai chased Chelsea away, I couldn't help but wonder if she might harshly question me about Arnold. However, I couldn't sense any hostility from Lina-senpai's voice or expression; on the contrary, she was getting closer to me. I could guess that her actions were to prevent our conversation from being overheard outside, but it was not something one would do to someone they dislike.
"Have you heard about Arnold's... magic powers?"
Arnold's... magic powers?
The topic Lina-senpai brought up was completely different from what I had imagined.
Feeling puzzled, I honestly shook my head a few times and said, "I don't know." Senpai then put a hand to her mouth and seemed to ponder the matter again.
"I thought he might have told Laura something... Sorry if I asked something strange."
She directed her usual kind smile towards me.
While I replied with "No problem," I couldn't help but be curious this time. What on earth was this talk about Arnold's magic powers?
I hesitated for a moment whether it was okay to ask, but I couldn't resist and voiced my question.
"Um, what's the deal with magic... what kind of stories are they?"
Without any hesitation, Lina-senpai answered my question, but she spoke even softer than before.
"Arnold has very strong magic power... there are rumors that he might join the knight order as a magician."
――I was so surprised that I almost dropped the container I was holding.
Arnold has strong magic power?
I see, that could be possible. He's an elf. Elves are known to possess stronger magic power than us. They are one of the future heroes, and his sister, the genius magician Elvira, is at the top of that list.
I can understand that much. But what does it mean to join the knight order as a magician? I remember hearing in "Last Brave" that Savila Knight Order also has magicians, but now we're not discussing whether magicians can join the knight order.
"Before Laura and the others joined, Arnold was summoned by the knight order leader. It seemed like it was not just an ordinary matter."
Ignoring my stunned silence, Lina-senpai continues.
The knight order leader is Vake. He is also one of the future heroes.
"That guy became a regular Royal Alchemist from a trainee at the youngest age, right? Since he joined, Arnold has been the center of attention, always compared to me... And isn't he so arrogant? I'm always feeling frustrated because of him!"
At the end, she raised her voice out of frustration. But soon, Lina-senpai regained her composure.
It seems Lina-senpai doesn't have feelings for Arnold - in fact, she seems to view him as an enemy. However, considering her position, it's understandable why she feels that way.
He was called a genius since he joined, becoming a full-fledged Royal Alchemist at the youngest age from a trainee. If such a person was her peer - being compared to him and sometimes being labeled as incompetent might have happened.
On top of that, Arnold's personality. Honestly, when it comes to his personality, the only words that come to mind are that he's not a bad person, even though he's hard to deal with.
"So, when he was summoned by the Knight Commander and everyone was making a fuss about how she's a genius... that alone wouldn't be so bad, but when people asked what the summons was for, all he said was 'nothing special...'! That's so annoying! It's frustrating!"
With a sharp gaze and raised eyebrows, Lina-senpai glares into the empty space. She's probably imagining Arnold's arrogant face there.
I had only seen the elegant and mature side of Lina-senpai, so I was surprised to see her emotions laid bare, but I couldn't help but find it endearing. Despite her composure, she's still only 16 years old.
And finally, after several months, the mystery was solved.
When we first met, she had come to confirm the truth of the rumors while exuding an unsettling atmosphere. It wasn't because she was jealous of me, who was rumored to be with Arnold, but rather because she harbored a sense of rivalry towards him. Perhaps there were also feelings of sizing up what kind of girl the man she disliked was with.
Moreover, from what I heard; their meeting was right after Arnold was called to the knighthood. It must have been a time when their rivalry was at its peak.
"Refusing to be separated any further, I stubbornly searched for the reason why he was called out, even though I thought I was being foolish."
Lina-senpai lowered her voice once again. I nodded, waiting for her next words.
"Then, I heard rumors circulating among the knights. It seems that the knight commander directly asked the renowned alchemist Arnold Rocco to join the knights as a magician."
――Arnold said he wants to use my talent, but isn't it me who is overflowing with talent? I never thought I had talent in magic as well. Well, it's still just a rumor.
Beyond surprise, a dry laughter escaped me. "I can't help but laugh," I honestly expressed my current feelings, to which Lina-senpai nodded vigorously, saying, "God is unfair, isn't He?"
Even without thinking too deeply, it was quite plausible that Arnold, the brother of the genius magician Elvira and an elf by race, possessed strong magic powers. However, it seemed that unconsciously "I" had doubts about his talent in magic, considering that he had left his parents at a young age to become an apprentice to Marcedes-san. Honestly, I was very surprised by the story told by Lina-senpai.
Arnold is a character that does not exist in my memory. When I thought about what path he would take in the future, I suddenly realized.
The same goes for Lina-senpai, my colleague Chelsea, and my boss Kasper-san.
Lina-senpai and "I" are truly meeting for the first time, and I have no idea what kind of personalities she has, what she thinks of me, Laura, and how we will interact in the future.
"In the future, there will be more 'unknowns' than ever before. But that 'unknown' is exactly what I wanted.
"Oh, this rumor is just a secret between us. It's not very convincing if I blabber about it."
Lina-senpai showed a smile that was somewhat more childish than usual, like that of a girl her age. She had always been seen as someone who acted more mature than her age, but today she also showed her age-appropriate side. I nodded vigorously at Lina's words and eagerly resumed tidying up.
But still, the youngest Royal Alchemist and talented knight's magician (temporary) - Arnold was given quite an impressive role.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)