Novice Alchemist 5-27 part 2

 

Chapter 5-27 : Taking Measures For The Future Ⅰ (part 2)

 

The next morning, Iris-san went to the Lotze Family’s mansion as planned to explain the situation to her father and asked his permission to let Madison-san and his men hide in his territory for a while.

Since Iris-san was running with body-strengthening magic, it didn’t take long for her to come back.

After explaining everything to her father, Adelbert-san, she got his permission to guide Madison-san and his men to the Lotze Family’s territory.

Knowing how kind Adelbert-san is, he probably couldn’t ignore these poor soldiers.

After spending another night in the camp, Iris-san and Kate-san decided to go to the Lotze Family’s territory with Madison-san and his men, while Lorea-chan and I decided to go back to the village.

「Well then, we’ll head to my parent’s home… Store Owner-dono, are you sure you’ll be alright?」(Iris)

「We’ll be fine. Look. We’re not even carrying much stuff. It won’t take long for us to reach the village.」(Sarasa)

By the way, to kill time while waiting for Iris-san in the camp, I processed some of the materials we got from the Giant Snow Centipede we killed.

I threw away the useless parts and kept the rest. After that, I asked Madison-san and his men to transport some of them to the Lotze Family’s mansion.

Materials from Giant Snow Centipedes can’t be sold at a high price but they are useful to make various things like medicines or even weapons.

By the way, the materials I will bring back to the village are only the ones that can’t be processed without proper tools, so I need to be in my workshop to process them.

Therefore, Lorea-chan and I don’t carry much stuff unlike Iris-san and the others.

「That’s great, but that’s not what I’m concerned about.」(Iris)

「Ah, are you worried that Baronet Kirk will send more men to my store?」(Sarasa)

「Yeah. He probably won’t stop messing with you.」(Iris)

「Don’t worry. You know that I can fight, right? I will protect Lorea-chan no matter what. If he sends thugs like before, I’m sure I’ll be able to handle it easily… But… Wait a minute… I doubt it will happen but, what if he hired strong mercenaries…?」(Sarasa)

Veteran mercenaries who are actually good at fighting usually gather in the royal capital and some big cities. They rarely come to the countryside such as this region.

However, what if they happened to have business here and Baronet Kirk found them by coincidence?

He is rich, so I think he would be able to hire veteran mercenaries no matter how expensive their service was.

「…I should have realized this possibility sooner… Perhaps I should make some powerful offensive artifacts or something to help me defeat them!」(Sarasa)

While I was wondering what kind of artifacts I should make, Iris-san shook her head and waved her hands.

「Hold on, hold on! This country is not so dreadful that you can easily find people who can win against you in a fight!」(Iris)

「You think so? But I don’t think I can win against royal knights. They are strong, you know?」(Sarasa)

「Y, Yeah, they may be strong. ーNo, that’s not what I’m talking about! I don’t think you will lose to Baronet Kirk’s men whoever they are. I’m not worried about that. What I’m worried about is that you’ll snap and ended up killing him without thinking!」(Iris)

「Me? Snap? No way~ I’m a mild-mannered person after all~ Fufu.」(Sarasa)

I put my hand on my mouth and giggled like a good lady, trying to show that I’m not an emotional person.

However, the surrounding people thought the exact opposite thing.

「（Oi, you heard that? She said she’s a mild-mannered person. She’s joking, right?）」
「（I remember how her face looked like when she slaughtered a pack of wolves by herself last night…）」
「（Ahh… She killed them all before we could even prepare our weapons…）」
「（She’s far from a mild-mannered person I know.）」
「（Uhh, did we misunderstand the meaning of the word “mild-mannered” from the beginning…?）」(soldiers)

Ugh… I wish they would whisper to each other quieter so that I couldn’t hear them…

By the way, it’s been a few days since I treated their injuries. They are getting better little by little.

Now, most of them are able to walk on their own, except the vice-captain, Lloyd, who has the worst injuries.

Even so, only about half of them are able to fight.

That’s why I dealt with the pack of wolves that attacked us last night by myself and killed them quickly so that none of the soldiers had to fight.

However, it seemed that my act made them even more convinced that I’m a monster or something…

No, I’m not mad. I’m not mad at all.

I’m a mild-mannered person with a gentle heart after all!

「Store Owner-dono, I know that you are a gentle and kind person.」(Iris)

「Iris-san! I knew you would understand!」(Sarasa)

「However! You can be merciless sometimes. Don’t you realize that?」(Iris)

「Eh…?」(Sarasa)

「She’s right. Store Owner-san, what would you do if you found your shop had been burned down by Baronet Kirk’s men when you reached the village?」(Kate)

「U, Umm…」(Sarasa)

The small herb field in the backyard and the small garden in the front yard that I take care of…

The well-built fences that Geberg-san and the other villagers worked so hard to make for me…

The fancy exterior walls and roof that I like…

The stylish sign and the interior that was arranged to my liking…

The calming atmosphere of the shop floor when the four of us have tea at the small rounded table…

Imagining all of those were burned down to the ground by someone, I couldn’t help but grit my teeth and clench my fists really hard.

「I would…」(Sarasa)

「My guess is that you would get overwhelmed by anger, lose control, and end up killing Baronet Kirk.」(Iris)

Khh…!! I can’t let my emotions control me!

「I would….」(Sarasa)

Howeverー

「I would……. not… kill him…………….. Perhaps…」(Sarasa)

「Perhaps!?」(Iris)

「Calm down, Store Owner-san!」(Kate)

「W, What do you mean? I’m totally calm. My head is as cool as an ice block. Ahahaha!」(Sarasa)

「But, Sarasa-san, your face looks kinda scary…」(Lorea)

Whoops… I have to calm down…

I don’t want to make Lorea-chan worry…

「Store Owner-dono, you may be an alchemist, but you’re just a normal alchemist, not a master-class one. Moreover, you’re still a novice, right? You will be in big trouble if you kill a noble.」(Iris)

「Y, You worry too much! I can control myself, okay?」(Sarasa)

I may be an alchemist, but as long as I’m not a master-class alchemist, I’m the same as a commoner.

If a commoner kills a noble, they will be executed even if they have a good reason to kill that noble.

It can’t be avoided even if you have connections with great people in this kingdom.

However, it will be different if you’re also a noble even if you are in a lower rank.

If you’re a noble, there’s a way to kill another noble without getting punished, and that way is through a duel.

Duels between nobles are sometimes born from disputes or power struggles.

In duels, you won’t be responsible for the death of your opponents.

「Store Owner-san, if you can’t control yourself and end up killing that bastard, you have to deal with the witnesses.」(Kate)

「That’s right. You have to kill all the witnesses and leave no evidence behind. But, can you even do that?」(Iris)

「Geez! I won’t kill that man!」(Sarasa)

Hahh… They worry too much…

 

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