Chapter 71

After parting ways with Kasper, I visited my master's place again with Arnold. Today, the conversation mainly revolved around Arnold continuously asking questions, to which my master would respond. Arnold inquired in detail about the treatment methods my master had tried on his granddaughter, Annette, while I took notes diligently by his side.

—When Arnold's questions finally began to settle, it was already past noon. He went out to buy lunch for the three of us, partly as a gesture of gratitude.

Left alone with my master, the silence that naturally fell made me recall Kasper's lonely expression. I didn't feel like asking about my fellow disciple, but I wanted to shake off the lingering unease, so I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind for a while and spoke without much thought.

"Um, Master, may I ask you something unrelated to the self-destruction disease?"

"Oh, what is it?"

My master responded with a slightly tired voice and expression. I hesitated for a moment but then spoke impulsively.

"Why did you take me as a disciple? Just a little girl from a small village..."

It was a question that had been nagging at the back of my mind. Despite rejecting Arnold as a disciple, my master had accepted me. I had wondered if it was just a whim or a way to pass the time, but I wasn't sure. Glancing up at my master, I saw her rubbing her chin, as if in deep thought.

"Calling you just a little girl from a small village doesn't seem quite right... You became the youngest royal alchemist's assistant, after all."

"But, but, I didn't know that when I became a disciple. Did you see my potential at first glance?"

My master looked at me with a teasing smile, and I felt like she was dodging the question, so I pressed on. She replied with a matter-of-fact expression.

"Of course not, that's impossible."

Then, she suddenly lowered her head slightly. A shadow fell on her face, but her lips were curved into a smile.

"I'm not the type to take on disciples, and all the applicants who came to me after I retired mentioned the self-destruction disease."

—I felt like I had stepped on a landmine and bit my lower lip. My master's granddaughter had the self-destruction disease, which wasn't a secret. She had used her position to try various treatments, and it might have been a well-known story among alchemists at the time. If so, it made sense that many aspiring alchemists sought her out for her expertise in treating the disease. However, my master must have disliked that. She had lost everything to the self-destruction disease and moved to the remote village of Eme. Given this, it was understandable why she was hesitant to take on disciples. But Arnold was different. He seemed unaware of my master's past until I told him. Why, then?

As I was about to ask, my master provided the answer.

"Arnold didn't know about Annette, but Mercedes did. When Arnold consulted Mercedes, who was from the same village, she introduced him to me without revealing much. Looking back, it was a terrible thing to do to a young child who came all the way to such a remote place."

—My master spoke casually, but two pieces of new information were revealed. One, Mercedes knew about my master's granddaughter, Annette. The portrait I found in the notebook depicted a girl who looked a lot like Mercedes, so it was likely her. The other, Arnold and Mercedes were from the same village, which suggested they had known each other before becoming master and disciple.

Both were intriguing, but it wasn't the right time to delve deeper. I pulled my chin back and looked at my master. Noticing my gaze, she raised her head and met my eyes, her red eyes narrowing in a nostalgic expression.

"You were quite determined to leave the village. I thought, 'Why not?' and when I saw you and Lukas at the door... I took you in on a whim."

My master's words brought back the day I took the first step to change my profession. She smiled gently, and I felt a warm feeling inside. However, the fact that she mentioned not just me but also Lukas made me sense the existence of the main story. If my master's words were true, the reason she took me in was a whim—intuition, perhaps. It was likely orchestrated by a higher power. Yes, all for the future hero.

But even so, my respect for my master wouldn't waver. She gave me a new path, different from that of a losing heroine. Without her, I would still be struggling in a small village.

"Who would have thought it would come to this... Maybe I'm under a curse that will keep me tied to the self-destruction disease for life."

The word "curse" in my master's voice was filled with sorrow. My master, who hated the self-destruction disease and moved to a remote village to avoid it, now had a disciple who, by a twist of fate, was researching a cure. It might be a path orchestrated by a higher power, but to my master, it was just a series of unfortunate events. Although I hadn't forced her, I couldn't bring myself to ask more questions, and we remained silent until Arnold returned.

***

"I'll be staying in the capital for a while. There's nothing for me to do in Eme. Let me know if there's anything I can help with."

My master's words as we were about to leave the room. Arnold immediately turned around and approached her.

"At least let us prepare a room for you here. We can provide meals in the castle, or at least cover your lodging expenses—"

"That's not necessary. To be honest, I don't need the money. Besides, I want to do some sightseeing freely."

It seemed my master didn't want to stay in the castle. She refused to nod, and it was unclear if it was because she disliked formal settings, had lingering feelings about Kasper, or for another reason. The fact that she didn't need money was true, given her high-paying job as a royal alchemist and her frugal life in Eme. However, since we had asked her to come, we should bear the expenses. Arnold and I exchanged glances, trying to think of a way to convince her, but we couldn't come up with anything and fell silent.

Arnold eventually looked up and, unusually timidly, spoke.

"...I'll be calling Elvira here soon. Will you meet her when she arrives?"

"Of course, I will."

My master smiled happily, with a look of affection for her son—no, granddaughter. Seeing her profile, I vaguely thought she must have been a great grandmother. At the same time, for some reason, she seemed smaller.

We left the room. The door closed, and through the crack, I saw my master smiling.

—I wanted to free her from the "curse" that had given me a different path.

I felt this strongly.

On August 9th, the book version of "I Reincarnated as a Losing Heroine in the Profession of the Hero's Childhood Friend, So I'm Changing My Job to Alchemist" was released! The beautiful cover by Hanakanzarashi is a great identifier, and I would be delighted if you could pick it up. Additionally, I hope you enjoy the original story and the special SS paper included with different bookstore purchases.

Furthermore, the manga adaptation of "I Reincarnated as a Losing Heroine in the Profession of the Hero's Childhood Friend" has been decided! It will be serialized in FLOS COMIC starting this winter. Although it's a bit later, I will provide updates regularly, so please look forward to it. For more details, please check the activity report.