Volume 2 Chapter 13 A Craftsman's Nature
The day after we returned from Cattle Village, we were back to normal business at the workshop.
The biggest change was Belle joining the workshop as a member.
I'm a practical person, so I'm going to have her learn by cutting magic stones right away, but there's an order to things.
For now, she's going to observe my work and I'll explain the process.
"Mr. Ryuuji, are you free now?"
"Huh? Sure, Lene. What's up?"
As I was explaining the process of making magic stones to Belle, Lene walked in.
She looked tired yesterday and a bit pale, but she seemed to be back to her usual self.
"I looked into the ingredients of Sedum's Fruit. The result is... it contains the same ingredients as a hallucination drug. I don't know about the addictive properties, but..."
Ah, that reminds me, Lene had taken one.
She discreetly took it away, but this elf is strong at her core.
"I see, thank you. By the way, can you look into its connection with the Evil God?"
If it grew due to the barrier of the evil cult's altar, then there must be a connection.
My guess is that it has the power to blaspheme gods.
"Yes, I checked that the same way as with the magic crystal. The results show it also possesses the same power as the magic crystal."
"Wow, as expected. You're quick."
Then, I guess it's possible...
"Look, this is just my speculation, but I think this fruit might be one of the ingredients used to create magic crystals. I know that human life is one of the materials for magic crystals, but I think there's more to it than that."
"I think so too. Although it is just a guess, I believe it might be worth conveying to His Excellency Duke Hoffman."
Speaking of which, shall I discuss this with Duke Hoffman?
By the way, I need to properly ask Lene about her involvement with the cult's altar.
For now, His Excellency has overlooked it, but I want to avoid a situation where the inquisitor shows up unannounced.
"Also, I've investigated the Orb that was at the altar."
"I was considering how to bring this up when Lene began talking about something she found in another village, causing me to miss my timing."
"As for the Orb, the identification magic revealed it possesses the power of an Evil God, but I couldn't gather anything more. However──"
"However?"
Lene seemed to hesitate for a moment.
In her expression, I felt not only confusion but also something akin to longing.
"...I felt a sense of nostalgia."
"Nostalgia?"
That's not an emotion one should feel when investigating items from a cult, though.
"...No, it must be my imagination. I'm sorry."
Lene said with a wry smile, but I couldn't shake off a slight unease.
"Could it be that this elf alchemist has an unexpectedly troubled past?"
"Oh? It's a guest! I'll go out!"
"Ah, I'll go too."
As a troubling thought crossed my mind, the doorbell rang, and I hurried after Belle as she dashed into the hallway.
This apprentice just arrived yesterday, so I haven't taught her how to handle guests yet.
I'm glad she's eager to help, but I need her to follow the proper order.
* * *
"Mr. Ryuuji, Ms. Belle has been taken as an apprentice, haven't they?"
"Well, we can't keep up with the production numbers with just the two of us. So, Mr. Thor, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is the request?"
The visitor to the workshop was Mr. Thor, an official from the merchant guild who had come to work as a staff member.
We're not that well-known yet, so the number of requests is modest compared to the big players, but fortunately, the merchant guild has taken an interest in us, and as a result, we often receive direct requests through visits like this.
"Yes, out of the blue, Mr. Ryuuji, do you have any insights regarding the structure of ships?"
"The structure of ships...? Well, I'm supposed to understand the basic mechanisms, even in cases where magic stones are used."
Most ships catch the wind in their sails, determine their direction with the operation of the rudder, and rely on human power for propulsion.
However, recently, it's become common to use magic stones for thrust.
The use of magic stones can drastically reduce the cost associated with human labor, which is a significant advantage.
After all, there's no need to load supplies for the crew, among other things.
Therefore, with the prospect of venturing into the vast ocean, there's a growing expectation for enchanters.
So, I intend to keep up with the trends and study the structure of ships properly.
"Yes, I'd rather not speak out of turn, but actually, this time, in regards to the construction of a new ship, I came to consult with you about combining your Enchant Magic and alchemy to create a magic stone that can provide significant thrust."
"Enchantment magic and alchemy's collaboration, it uses magic stone to propel it, does it not..."
Lene suddenly appeared, surprised by the sudden large workload, but her voice sounded cheerful.
That's how I feel too.
It's just like a craftsman's nature.
"However, propulsion power...making it a bit higher than the current one, it's only possible to increase the size of the magic stone, isn't it? What do you think, Lene?"
"Yes... propulsion power, it might be a bit difficult"
"I see..."
It's obvious that Mr. Thor is disheartened.
Propulsion power is a battle of energy, so the only immediate solution is to increase the size of the magic stone to store more energy.
Besides, even if it gets bigger, it takes time to recharge it again.
"But, if we reduce the weight, I think it's doable. That might eventually lead to increased propulsion power"
"Oh, really? That's great. Isn't that a good idea?"
As expected of genius alchemist Lene.
She gave me a proposal that surpasses my imagination.
To quickly come up with these theories, it's a realm that an ordinary person like me can never catch up to.
"That's great! Can you do it!?"
"Is Mr. Ryuuji alright?"
"Ah, no problem. I'll explain the theory later. So, Mr. Thor, I'll take on that job"
And so, we ended up taking on a new big job from Mr. Thor.
Stampede is concerning, but since I can't tell anyone, there's nothing I can do but continue my daily work for now.
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