189: When entering a room, knocking is absolutely mandatory, right?
I got everyone glaring at me, but the teacher sighed deeply once more.
"Anyway, on this matter, no need to tell anyone else. I'll leave the report to King and Lord Kyle to Leifan."
"Yeah. Got it."
Leifan gave a thumbs-up in reply.
"Continue asking the Adventurer's Guild to collect and investigate the 'black plant'."
"Got it."
Raidock nodded lightly and took on the task.
"For now, I'll be thoroughly investigating it myself. Craft. Don't hand out work to others."
"Yes!...Wait, what!?"
That meant the workload was skyrocketing!?
"Leave it to me, my beloved disciple."
That tone's cheating, teacher!
"Ugh... I'll do my best."
"Yeah, and you too—find time to do some research yourself."
A black plant was shoved into my hands.
"Are you trying to kill me with work!?"
"Research is the alchemist's true calling."
"I know that, but—!?"
It's no exaggeration to say that the Golden Dune only keeps turning thanks to my teacher's help.
And now that hellish pace is coming back!?
"Hard work should be done while you're young."
"You look younger than me, teacher!"
"……What was that you said?"
"N-nothing! Nothing at all! I'll devote myself wholeheartedly to research!"
Gyahhh!
I just blurted out something stupid!
There's no turning back now.
I slumped my shoulders. My teacher crossed his arms, as if giving his approval.
"……Hmph. You're on."
And so we parted ways.
Everyone started leaving the room—except Eva, who muttered something under her breath and stayed put.
I was about to call out, thinking she’d just grown bored with the meeting, when I caught part of her mutter.
“World Tree’s… mystery? Could this really be why we’re scattered across the world?”
“Hey?”
I touched Eva’s shoulder, and she flinched.
“Ah… sorry. Just spaced out for a sec.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it.”
She stood up quick, moving toward Raidock and the others waiting by the door.
“Hey— if you’ve got something on your mind, come talk to me!”
“Huh?”
Eva turned, surprised.
“None of your business, right?”
“I’m not part of the party, but I’m still your teammate.”
A teammate’s troubles are mine. I said it like it was obvious. Eva just stared, eyes wide.
“…Yeah. Maybe I’ll talk to you… if I feel like it.”
No need to hold back, we’re pals, right?
“W-what?! What kind of pals are you talking about?!”
“Huh? I mean, friends…”
“Ugh! You’re always getting ahead of yourself! It was just dinner! Nothing more!”
Dinner?
What are you even talking about? You mean that camp meal we had on the way?
I was about to ask what the hell she meant when I felt a light thud on my foot.
Looking down, Maina was already there—kicking me repeatedly.
“…! …!”
“Huh? Hey, Maina?”
“You really are such a guy…”
Persia, who’d somehow ended up beside her, sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head.
“Wha—? What? What’s going on?!”
Maina was glaring, eyes narrowed, delivering kick after kick that didn’t even hurt—just relentless.
What the hell is this?!
I just don’t get it…
By the time I noticed, Eva and the others were gone.
Wait! Aren’t they my friends!? Help!
Let me just say plainly—my heart’s scream reached no one.
◆
With work piling up, I started the research on the black plant as ordered by my master.
Cutting tiny slivers, soaking them in various reagents, casting鉴定 magic over and over.
Most of it was pointless, but still, I learned a few things. Like how it burns just like any ordinary plant. Or that though it’s black, it’s not charred.
Slowly, bit by bit, I began to understand the black plant—when suddenly, the knowledge of the seal flooded in.
The seal whispered it to me. The truth shook me so hard I could only tremble.
“…You’re kidding, right?”
Must be because the world tree’s gone twisted. That’s the only reason the seal would tell me this.
I’d wrestled with it for ages, kept it from Kyle, and decided to talk to Professor Jabir.
The professor’s room was one of the chambers in my manor.
When I moved to Goldendown, I gave him the room that was left over—plenty of space, really—and that sealed the deal. Plus, my estate had two alchemy chambers.
So I burst into his room.
"Professor! Professor! Professor! Something insane—"
The door swung open to reveal him.
In nothing but pants.
"..."
"..."
Time froze.
"Ah… uh…"
"K… k… k…"
Should I scream?
Kinda want to see that cute side of him, actually.
"DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT A NOCK IS, YOU LOUT!?"
"Sorry! Sorry! I’m so sorry! Please forgive me!"
"Get out of my room faster than you can apologize!"
I shot out of the room at the speed of light.
…….
"Oops. I messed up. Tee hee ★"
"Tee hee ★? You think this is funny!? AAAAAAHHHHH!"
It took until deep night for the teacher’s rage to finally settle.
◆
I’m currently kneeling in the teacher’s room. On stone floor.
At least let me kneel on a rug… no, never mind. Yes.
The teacher sat in a chair, glaring down at me with eyes like ice.
"…You need more than knowledge of alchemy. You need common sense."
"Um, uh, I’m really, really sorry."
I shifted from kneeling to a full prostration—how many times now, I’d lost count.
I’d been apologizing for so long, my sense of time had completely numbed. My legs were numb too.
"Hmph… Honestly. I’ll deal with this later."
Still not satisfied, are we!?
I’d screamed it in my head, but still got a sharp glare from the teacher.
“W-what is it, sir?”
“Think on it. Now, what’s the big problem?”
Seems like I finally got him to listen.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“Um, well, I’ve been researching black plants—”
“Anything confirmed!?”
“N-no, not exactly about that, but I heard the sigil whispering, and learned something new about alchemical formulas.”
“Hmm?”
The teacher said nothing. Just waited.
“Normally I should’ve told Kyle first, but… well, the matter’s urgent. I had to talk to someone sooner.”
“What’s with all the rush? What exactly did you manage to make?”
“That’s….”
I glanced around the room.
Even though my house is right next to Kyle’s estate and has high security, I still can’t help but be on edge.
You get it now, huh? The seriousness of it. I stand up and close every window's curtain.
"Can't make it right now... materials aren't on hand."
"Spit it out already."
Need something ultra-rare. Don't even know where to get it. Just imagining what happens if we do? Makes my blood run cold.
"I learned alchemy... because..."
My throat shakes.
"Yggdrasil-Soma....It's a resurrection drug."
My teacher flipped over and passed out.
◆
I exhale, stop writing in the seventh memoir. Still not full yet.
That was all about going back in time. Now comes the continuation of the sixth.
Right.
"News spread across the Mizoho Shrine Nation—small country south of Mizoho was wiped out in one night by a monster stampede." The rest of that story.
Well then, sorry to keep you waiting. From here on, we pick up where we left off—after the monster invasion of the Mizoho Shrine Nation.
Back then, I had no idea the world would shift so drastically from this moment on.
Dropped a bomb, and next time, we continue with chapter six.