Chapter 55 Expedition Training
A few days after greeting Vake and Flor...
I had an unexpected meeting with an NPC whose body had been taken over by the demon king in "Last Brave", but it had been a busy few days with synthesis work and sending an introduction letter to Vake and the others in Emme Village. Lost in concentration in my personal synthesis room, I often missed the sound of the bell signaling the end of the day, finding myself in complete darkness repeatedly.
Before I knew it, it was already the day Vake and the others were leaving for the royal capital.
(...Even if I try to come up with a plan, there's nothing I can do...)
The anxiety nesting in my chest grew as I thought about it. On the other hand, a feeling similar to resignation crept in, telling me there was nothing I could do about this situation.
The only thing I could do was subtly alert Lukas to be cautious. But as someone who hoped for a development like in "Last Brave," perhaps it was best to just watch and wait without doing anything.
I recalled how Flor Vilnorf from "Last Brave" had been taken over by the demon king.
The Hero party, unable to stop the demon king's revival, had wandered the city protecting people from monster attacks. In one town, they met a young magician named Flor, who, like the Hero party, was a skilled magician traveling for similar reasons. However, when they met him, his mind was already taken over by the demon king...
Oh, I sighed. After a few event battles, the demon king left Flor's body, but the story never revealed how Flor was possessed by the demon king. After confirming Flor's safety, the Heroes left the town before he woke up. Even if they tried to ask him later, Flor would just say, "I don't remember..."
(Well, it's already this late from thinking too much. I should go see them off.)
I quickly finished getting ready in the morning and picked up the letter I was going to entrust to Vake. Although I had already sent a letter about Vake and the others to Emme Village, this was more like an introduction just in case.
I noticed Chelsea had also finished getting ready. It seemed she was also heading to see off Vake and the others.
"Vake-san and the others are going to Richele village, right?"
"Yes!"
Chelsea nodded brightly. It seemed that Vake and Flor were going to Chelsea's hometown, Richele village, to strengthen the barrier magic there.
Richele village had not been attacked by monsters yet, but there was no guarantee it would stay that way tomorrow. I smiled in relief at Chelsea's reassurance.
We headed towards the castle gate, where Vake and Flor were already getting into the prepared carriage. I hurried over to them and handed the letter to them.
"Oh, young lady."
"Vake-san, Flor-san, here. I've already sent a letter about you two to Emme Village, but it's a small place... So, this is an introduction letter for you both, please take it."
Vake smiled kindly as I spoke. Behind him, Flor also smiled gently.
Their eyes met, and Flor narrowed his eyes even further, saying,
"Leave it to us."
With those reassuring words, they boarded the carriage.
I bowed my head, wishing them a safe journey. Even after the carriage disappeared from view, Chelsea and I stood there for a while, gazing at the road where the carriage had vanished.
* * *
About ten days after seeing off Vake and the others, a letter arrived from Lukas. I opened it, expecting it to be a report on the successful reinforcement of the barrier magic.
The letter indeed confirmed the completion of the magic reinforcement and urged me to rest assured. It seemed Vake had also teach him swordsmanship and was showing progress. Reading about the excitement of my childhood friend through the words, I couldn't help but smile.
--However, my attention was caught by the last few lines of the letter.
'Vake-san mentioned that they will stop by the royal capital once. They plan to quickly prepare supplies like food in the royal capital and then depart again. They invited me to join them on the way to the royal capital.
Taking advantage of that offer, I will leave Emme Village tomorrow. It seems like I can fulfill the promise of accompanying you to Flaria, a city we discussed before.'
--It was honestly unexpected that he would act so quickly after the barrier magic was strengthened.
Probably, the barrier magic is working properly. With Vake and Flor accompanying me, there is no need to worry. This means Lukas won't have to rely on his Hero's power as much, giving him some freedom. So, it's imaginable that he is trying to fulfill my wish as soon as possible by coming to the royal capital with Vake, but honestly, it's a bit too soon.
I glanced at the wooden box at my feet. It was filled with healing potions that I had been synthesizing repeatedly.
The synthesis of healing potions for the attacks on the two cities is finally coming to an end. Even if this matter comes to a close, it doesn't mean I can go to Flaria. It would take a considerable amount of time to go to Flaria and investigate The Drinking Water of the Spirits. I would need to take a significant break for that. However, having just received a sudden 10-day break recently, it's not an easy topic to bring up.
(But there's no time to waste...)
I should boldly consult Arnold about this. Or should I directly appeal to Kasper-san?
If The Drinking Water of the Spirits truly exists, it would have a significant impact even in the alchemist community. The scope of synthesis would greatly expand. Since there are testimonies of elderly people claiming to have been cured of serious illnesses by drinking it, there is some credibility to the unclear legends circulating in the city.
Taking a few deep breaths, I thought about how to persuade them and headed to Kasper-san's synthesis room as if to hurry things along. I hesitated for a moment in front of the door but gathered my courage and knocked on it.
"Who is it?"
"Sorry for the sudden visit, it's Laura."
"...Laura-chan? The door is unlocked, feel free to come in."
Despite the doubtful tone in his voice, Kasper-san welcomed me into the room despite the sudden visit. I straightened my shoulders and opened the door.
Though slightly surprised by the unexpected visit, Kasper-san smiled gently and asked, "What's the matter?" There were no signs of fatigue around his eyes. While I had gotten used to seeing Kasper-san with dark circles under his eyes, he seemed to have been resting relatively well these past few days. If that was the case, it was good.
I started by saying, "I actually have something to discuss."
"...I would like to request permission for an expedition training. Um, it doesn't have to be immediate. I will follow the proper procedures, and if it's not possible, I will give up. I want to go on a training expedition to Flaria. The purpose is to discover a new synthesis material called The Drinking Water of the Spirits."
I spoke quickly, fearing rejection. Unconsciously, I had grabbed the hem of my uniform tightly with my hands pressed against my side.
Kasper-san suddenly exclaimed, "Yeah." His voice was much brighter than I had anticipated, and I relaxed a bit, slowly raising my gaze. Then, he said,
"I've heard about it from Arnold. If it's an expedition training, you can go right away. Oh, but please fill in the necessary details on this form."
--The approval came surprisingly easily.
It seemed like Arnold had already taken the initiative. No, perhaps I should say he had taken care of it. It felt like all my thoughts and actions were transparent to Arnold.
I took the paper that Kasper-san handed me. It was labeled "Expedition Request." It was a simple form with fields for destination, purpose, chaperone, and companions.
"Oh, and as a condition, I'd like Lina-san and Chelsea-chan to accompany you. It's strictly for training purposes."
I was momentarily surprised by Kasper-san's words, but then I nodded enthusiastically.
Going to Flaria with Lina-senpai and Chelsea for training is like a dream come true. I trust their knowledge and skills, so it's reassuring, and we might even have fun sightseeing despite being a bit unserious. It's just a shame that Emiliana-san can't come.
"By the way, I think you already know, but you're the chaperone, Laura-chan."
As I was about to leave Kasper-san's room in high spirits after our discussion, I was stopped by the usual voice of my boss. I didn't understand what he meant, so I turned around with a puzzled look. Kasper-san then chuckled and said, "Well, that's how it is." And he continued,
"We have two Royal Alchemist trainees and one Royal Alchemist assistant for the training. Laura-chan has the highest position. Please guide the two of them."
I was completely frozen by Kasper-san's words.
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