Chapter 55

A few days after greeting Wake and Flor.

I unexpectedly came face to face with an NPC who had been taken over by the Demon King in "Last Brave," but to be honest, these past few days have been spent rushing to mix potions, and I barely managed to send a letter to Eme's village introducing Wake and the others. Because I was given my own private mixing room, I often got so absorbed that I missed the sound of the clock striking the hour, and before I knew it, it was pitch dark outside—this kept happening over and over again.

Before I knew it, the day had come for Wake and the others to leave the capital.

(…Even if I try to come up with some kind of plan, there’s nothing I can do…)

The anxiety that had been gnawing at my heart grew larger the more I thought about it. On the other hand, a feeling similar to resignation began to well up, telling me that there was nothing I could do about this matter. The only thing I could do was to subtly warn Lucash. However, if I wanted the events of "Last Brave" to unfold as they did, perhaps the best course of action was to do nothing and simply observe.

I recalled how Flor Vylneulf had been taken over by the Demon King in "Last Brave."

The party of heroes, who had failed to stop the Demon King's resurrection and were plunged into despair, still tried to do what they could, wandering the streets and protecting people from monster attacks. During this time, they met a young mage in a certain town. That was Flor. He was an excellent mage traveling for similar reasons as the heroes, but by the time they met, his mind had already been taken over by the Demon King—

I held my head in my hands. After several event battles, the Demon King left Flor's body, but the game never explained where or how Flor was taken over. After confirming Flor's safety, the heroes, who were in a hurry, left the town before he woke up. When they tried to ask him later, Flor only replied, "I don't remember…"

(…I’ve been thinking so much, and now it’s already this late. I need to go see them off.)

I quickly finished my morning preparations and didn't forget to take the letter I planned to entrust to Wake. I had already sent a letter to Eme's village introducing Wake and the others, but this was more like a letter of introduction just in case.

I glanced at Chelsea, who had also finished her preparations. It seemed she was also going to see Wake and the others off. That's because,

"Are Wake and the others going to Richel's village too?"

"Yes, they are!"

Chelsea nodded with a bright expression. From what I understood, Wake and Flor were planning to visit Chelsea's hometown, Richel's village, to reinforce the barrier magic.

Richel's village had not yet been attacked by monsters, but there was no guarantee that it wouldn't happen tomorrow. Seeing Chelsea smile with relief, I also felt a sense of relief.

We headed to the city gate together. When we arrived, Wake and Flor were already about to board the prepared carriage. I hurriedly approached them and handed over the letter I was holding.

"Oh, young lady."

"Mr. Wake, Mr. Flor, here. I've already sent a letter to Eme's village about you two, but since it's a remote village… This is a letter of introduction, just in case. Please take it with you."

Wake smiled kindly. Flor, standing slightly behind him, also smiled gently.

Our eyes met, and Flor narrowed his eyes even further,

"We'll be back. Leave it to us."

He left those reassuring words and boarded the carriage.

"Please be safe, and have a good journey." I bowed my head, wishing them well as the carriage moved away. Even after the carriage was out of sight, Chelsea and I stood there for a while, looking down the road where it had disappeared.

***

A letter from Lucash arrived about ten days after seeing off Wake and the others. I opened it, expecting it to be a report that the barrier magic had been successfully reinforced.

The letter indeed stated that the barrier magic had been successfully reinforced and that I should rest assured. It also mentioned that Lucash had been practicing swordsmanship with Wake and felt he was making progress. I smiled secretly at the excitement I could sense from his words.

However, my eyes were drawn to the last few lines.

Wake said they would stop by the capital once. They plan to restock on supplies and then set off again, but they invited me to come with them to the capital.

Taking them up on their offer, I will leave Eme's village tomorrow. The promise to accompany you to Flaria, which we discussed earlier, can finally be fulfilled.

—To be honest, I didn't expect them to take action so quickly after reinforcing the barrier magic.

The barrier magic must be working properly. With Wake and Flor by their side, there's no need to worry. Since they are with him, Lucash doesn't need to rely on the hero's power and can have some freedom. I imagine he is trying to fulfill my wish as soon as possible by following Wake to the capital—however, to be honest, it's a bit too soon.

I looked at the wooden box at my feet. It was filled with the recovery potions I had been repeatedly mixing.

The preparation of recovery potions for the attacks on the two towns was finally nearing completion. Even if this matter is resolved, I can't just go to Flaria. Investigating the spirit's drinking water in Flaria would take a considerable amount of time, which means I would need a considerable amount of leave. However, after recently taking a ten-day sudden leave, it's not easy to ask for more—

(I can't free up my schedule immediately…)

However, I can't afford to waste time. I should consult with Arnold or perhaps talk directly to Casper.

If the spirit's drinking water really exists, its discovery would cause a significant impact in the alchemist community. The scope of alchemy would expand greatly. There is an old man who claims to have been cured of a serious illness by drinking it, so the legend, though unverified, has some credibility.

I took a few deep breaths, determined to act quickly, and headed to Casper's laboratory. I hesitated for a moment at the door but steeled myself and knocked.

"Who is it?"

"Sorry to bother you, it's Laura."

"…Laura? The door is unlocked, so feel free to come in."

Casper, sounding a bit puzzled, welcomed me despite my sudden visit. I straightened my back and opened the door.

Casper, who looked a bit surprised by my sudden visit, smiled gently and asked, "What brings you here?" There were no dark circles under his eyes, which I had grown accustomed to seeing recently. Perhaps he had been getting more rest these past few days. I hoped so.

I began, "Actually, I have something I'd like to discuss."

"…To be honest, I'm here to ask for permission for an expedition. It doesn't have to be immediately. I will follow the proper procedures, and if it's not possible, I will accept it. I want to go to Flaria for a training expedition. The purpose is to discover a new alchemy ingredient called the spirit's drinking water."

I spoke quickly, afraid of being rejected, and realized I was gripping the hem of my uniform with my hands.

Casper suddenly said, "Ah," in a much brighter tone than I expected. I relaxed a bit and slowly raised my gaze. Then,

"I've already heard from Arnold. You can go on the expedition whenever you're ready. Just fill out this form with the necessary information."

—The permission was granted much more easily than I expected.

It seemed Arnold had already taken the initiative. Or rather, he had done it for me. It appeared that all my thoughts and actions were transparent to Arnold.

I took the paper Casper handed me. It was labeled "Expedition Application" and had simple fields for destination, purpose, supervisor, and companions.

"By the way, there's one condition. I want Rina and Chelsea to come along as well. It's a training expedition, after all."

I was taken aback by Casper's words but quickly nodded.

Going to Flaria with Rina and Chelsea under the guise of a training expedition was a dream come true. I trusted their knowledge and skills, and it would be fun to enjoy some sightseeing as well. The only downside was that Emilianna couldn't come.

"By the way, you know this, right? You will be the supervisor."

As I was about to leave his room, feeling elated that everything had been settled, Casper's usual voice stopped me. I turned around, puzzled by what he meant. Casper smiled wryly and said,

"Since it's a training expedition with two apprentice royal alchemists and one assistant, you are the one in the highest position. I expect you to guide them well."

I was completely taken aback by Casper's words.