Chapter 35 The Chosen Path
After evacuating to Anea, it's been 6 days. Emiliana-san and I have been staying in a room provided by the inn as our base, continuing the synthesis of healing potions at the Anea branch.
Basically, from morning till evening, Emiliana-san helps me with my synthesis—like picking designated herbs from the herb garden, preparing the tools needed for synthesis, basically doing odd jobs. After the designated closing time, I keep my promise and teach her synthesis.
"Oh, what's this?"
"Ah, Emiliana-san! Don't panic!"
As the distilled water for boiling the herbs started to overflow, I quickly put out the fire. Emiliana-san, staring intently at the boiling water bubbling with residual heat, looks troubled.
――Teaching Emiliana-san hasn't been going smoothly, to put it bluntly. But it's not because she lacks talent or anything like that. It was clear to everyone that the reason was my poor guidance.
People might think I'm being full of myself, but I'm really good at putting things together in a smart way. I have a natural knack for it.. Therefore, I can't give precise instructions to Emiliana-san. Even when creating examples to teach, I found myself blurting out explanations that were too intuitive like 'I thought it heated up nicely' or 'I felt a slightly different sensation in my hand,' and I was surprised by my overly intuitive explanations. And more than that, I felt sorry for Emiliana-san.
――A teacher like this, I would definitely hate if it were me.
Still, Emiliana-san is trying her best to keep up with my unkind and unclear guidance, but I couldn't help but worry if she ended up disliking me behind my back.
"It's quite complicated, isn't it..."
Shun, Emiliana-san who droops her shoulders.
Every time something similar happens, she apologizes many times for my poor explanations, but each time she denies it with her whole body, leaving me unable to say anything but shake my head. I feel sorry for denying it so many times, and I might come off as annoyingly persistent.
Trying to change the subject somehow, I saw the liquid a few steps away from becoming a healing potion, completely losing its heat. There's still some way to go before reaching the healing potion, but still.
"But you've improved a lot since yesterday! You just made the fire a bit too strong this time, but the amount of pure water and the heating time are perfect! ...I sound so self-important, I'm sorry."
"No! It's only natural for you to be great, Mentor-sama!"
Mentor-sama. I can only wryly smile at the word directed towards me.
I realized this time that I'm really not cut out to be a mentor, so I won't take any more disciples in my lifetime. Emiliana-san is my first and last disciple. ――That being said, I've never thought of her as a disciple in a grand way.
"I'm not a mentor, you know."
I just wanted to help a bit by sharing some wisdom and experience with someone who was kind to me. Being a mentor is not a big deal.
While denying it, a gentle smile appeared on my lips rather than a wry smile. Seeing that, Emiliana-san also relaxed her cheeks.
――It has been a considerable number of days since leaving Platonovena. Still no news, probably in a stalemate. Or maybe the messenger hasn't arrived yet, and at this moment, Arnold and the others might be facing monsters――
Shaking off the ominous delusion that crossed my mind, I shook my head.
Emiliana-san probably cares about Alex-san, even though she doesn't say it out loud. And from her perspective, it should be clear that I'm worried about Arnold and the others. But we both know that if we think too much about them, we'll get too anxious to focus on anything else. That's why we never mention the word "Platonovena" in our conversations.
We were both desperately trying to maintain a calm atmosphere, almost unnaturally so. While keenly feeling that desperation, we pretended not to notice and exchanged smiles.
To add further, we hardly interact with anyone other than each other. We wake up in the morning, go to the branch office, work on synthesis in our assigned rooms, guide Emiliana-san in the evening, and then return to the inn. The people at the Anea branch seemed puzzled about how to handle us, who were suddenly burdened with protection by a letter from Alex-san.
Just the two of us managing to get through each day somehow. Honestly, it's exhausting both mentally and physically."
* * *
"Why did you decide to become an alchemist, Laura-san?"
As we both slipped into our beds at the inn, just about to say goodnight, Emiliana-san unexpectedly brought up a topic. Her tone was like that of a child begging their parents for a bedtime story before sleep.
She was probably feeling drowsy. Yet, the fact that she initiated the conversation meant she had been wanting to ask me something for a while and had been waiting for the right moment.
I hesitated on how to respond. I thought about deceiving her with a little white lie, but the words that slipped out of my mouth were unexpected even to myself.
"...If I tell the truth, Emiliana-san might end up disliking me."
I turned over to face Emiliana-san as I spoke.
The room they prepared for us wasn't exactly spacious, to put it kindly. I'm not complaining though. Thanks to Alex-san's arrangement, I'm staying in a room at the inn without any accommodation fees – they're basically providing shelter for us girls, or so you could say. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. In this compact room, there are two beds placed side by side. Even though I sleep in a different bed, it feels like we're sleeping together.
Emiliana-san seemed to struggle to understand my vague words. Her expression was so cute that I couldn't help but let out a laugh. Seeing Emiliana-san looking even more puzzled, I couldn't help but feel guilty.
"I'm sorry for being mean. I wanted to leave the village... I come from a small village, so I wanted to see the world. I thought I needed a skill for that, so..."
In a fast-paced manner, I quickly blurted out. Trying to catch my breath by taking a deep inhale to replenish the lacking oxygen, I glanced at Emiliana-san to see her wide-eyed with surprise.
A moment of silence. I wondered what Emiliana-san thought when she asked why I became an alchemist. I tried to wrap it in somewhat pretty words, but the reason remained self-centered.
"It's actually quite a selfish reason. Ahaha."
Unable to bear the silence, I deliberately continued in a bright voice, trying to turn it into a joke. However, my hollow laughter was stopped by Emiliana-san's firm voice saying, "No!"
I stared at the girl in front of me in surprise. Her blue eyes were piercing straight through me.
"That day... the day the monsters attacked the city, Laura-san running around the mansion looked very dazzling. I have always walked on a predetermined path since I was born. Everything, from my mother as told by my father... to getting engaged to Alex-sama. That's why I admire Laura-san, who is younger than me but walks a path she decided on her own."
Unexpected words came back, and for a moment, my breath stopped.
Come to think of it, I don't know about Emiliana-san's birth. Since she can be engaged to a noble who rules a territory called Alex-san Platonovena, I can guess she has a certain status. The only other thing I know is that she is from Flaria, where the legend of 'The Drinking Water of the Spirits' is passed down.
However, the words spoken by Emiliana-san had a convincing power that somehow made sense. This is just my impression, but I felt that Emiliana-san must have been a very precious and well-cared-for young lady.
"Of course, I'm not dissatisfied with my current life at all! In fact, I'm very happy... almost too happy, it's scary. I am aware that I have been blessed with a very fortunate life. But..."
"That's a different story altogether, isn't it?"
Emiliana-san's hesitant words were passed on in my own way. As I did so, she let out a sigh of relief and gently narrowed her eyes.
Emiliana-san's current situation could be misunderstood as malicious if she misjudges her conversation partner. She is a privileged individual, likely born into a powerful family and destined to be cherished as a lord's wife in the future. Some may resent her for being in such a position.
Understanding this, Emiliana-san probably found solace in my words.
"I kind of understand a little. I wanted to leave the village because I thought that if I stayed in the Village, I would only be able to walk the predetermined path..."
To escape from a predetermined occupation, I chose this path. What lies ahead on this path has become more than just that now, but I felt like I could understand Emiliana-san's feelings a little bit.
Emiliana-san's face softened with a hint of childishness.
In the past few days, I've been constantly hanging out with Emiliana-san. Naturally, we've gotten closer, and I've started feeling a certain warmth towards her. However, even though we've grown closer, it still feels too early to confess the feelings we've kept in our hearts.
This situation is probably to blame. We've left our close friends in the battlefield, not knowing anything about their well-being, just waiting together for the next orders. The anxieties we carry can only be shared with each other. So, even if it feels like our bond has deepened in leaps and bounds, it might not be so strange.
Despite Emiliana-san's unhappy expression and her sapphire-like blue eyes clouded with worry, I still spoke to her, knowing it wouldn't offer much comfort.
"Even on a predetermined path, you're the one who has to walk it yourself."
There's a set path in front of you, and even if you're walking down that path, it doesn't mean you're being controlled by others. If you have the will to stray from the path in front of you and follow your own path, you can always make it happen.
However, Emiliana-san didn't seem to desire that. She just seemed a bit weakened by the situation, wavering.
I smiled at Emiliana-san. She smiled back at me.
――That night, there were no further conversations, and we both surrendered to sleepiness.
* * *
Around noon, an alchemist from the Anea branch visited us.
"Um, Laura-san."
"...What's the matter?"
I wanted to call out their name instinctively, but it didn't come out.
They seemed to be in charge of taking care of us, but this was only the second time we had a conversation. The first time was when we visited this branch, and now was the second time.
"There's a letter for you from the capital."
The white envelope handed to me made me hold my breath.
"It's from Kasper-san, um, here you go."
I hesitated for a moment, but then quickly accepted it.
It's okay. It's not a letter from Platonovena. There shouldn't be any reason to be so scared. Even if I continue to stay at Anea, I can't move without clear instructions from my boss.
I know that, but my honest heart was beating a bit faster than usual. I laugh at myself for being such a coward.
I open the envelope. Inside was just a single sheet of paper. It had only a few lines, and the scribbled characters were barely readable. I easily imagined that Kasper-san must be pressed for time.
"What... what is this?"
A worried voice came from behind. It was Emiliana-san. I could easily imagine that she was trying to smile but failing, even though I hadn't seen her.
――Please come back to the capital city. If there are others evacuating with you, bring them along too. Don't worry, we will send an alchemist to Anea to meet you. I'm glad to hear that you are safe.
The letter only contained this much.
"...It seems like another alchemist will be coming here soon, so come back to the capital city."
I had a feeling this would happen.
I felt relieved to receive instructions from Kasper-san. Without proper instructions and insufficient information from Platonovena, coupled with the daily confusion of how to handle the Anea branch that suddenly asked for our protection, my mind was slowly being eaten away.
When I return to the capital, I can get clear instructions from Kasper-san, and I won't feel out of place. I should be able to focus more on synthesis than I do now. Besides, being in the capital might make it easier for me to access information. Even though Anea is much closer in distance, all the information will gather in the capital. And when Kasper-san receives information from Arnold and Alex-san, he will surely tell us without hiding anything. In the current situation, it's possible that even though information is reaching us, they might not tell us - two young girls - anything, or the information might be intentionally blocked.
We are being neglected to the point where such thoughts arise.
Anyway, let's break free from the current situation. That should be a cause for celebration.
I turned to Emiliana-san with a modest smile. However, when I looked at her, her expression was completely different from mine; her face was contorted.
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