Chapter 54

"Ah, it's also ranked in the weekly charts. Thank you all very much. I still have a lot of backlog, so I'll continue with daily updates. ...Actually, I've already finished writing the Alchemy Academy section. So I'm steadily building up my stock. I'll do my best to keep up with daily updates as much as possible. The number of characters displayed also counts the reserved posts, so I think it's less than you might expect. Just think of it as that much backlog. Good morning from the completely seasonless underground. The underground is neither cold nor warm, you know. I'm Herman. Today is March 10th, the day of the Fertility Meeting. Since then, I've tried hard and wasted a lot of materials, but it didn't work out. I think it was wrong to use everyday items and food as materials instead of attribute materials. I decided to think of the red claw polish as beginner's luck. Well, from April, the class content will change once a month, so I'm looking forward to that. ...The Iron Welcome faction's combat training is done every day, so they have two lectures. I think it would be good to have more of the others too. In the first year, they do the basics, and in the second and third years, they go through seminars and then fly. Some people who have research topics left stay for one or two more years, while others settle down. I plan to leave after three years. I don't plan to settle down. I don't even plan to study immortality.

So, I came to the seminar. This time it's room 0304 in building 5, probably the designated room. I don't know. Well, today I'm using black claw polish. Anyone who knows will notice it's quite striking. I arrived 10 minutes early and am waiting, but the men haven't shown any signs of noticing. Well, women are more sensitive to these things. Gabriela, a half-elf with very long hair, is staring at my nails. The former nobles haven't arrived yet, so I don't know, but nobles are more sensitive to such things and would notice immediately. So, when everyone except Kevin was present, Bruce declared the start of the Fertility Meeting as usual.

'Well, let's start this month's Fertility Meeting. I don't have anything special to say this time. However, the evaluation of the report Kevin submitted has come back. It's a 10-piece improvement worth 10 large gold coins, so I wanted to give half to the Fertility Meeting and the rest to Kevin, but he's not here. For now, I'll keep this matter on my side, so if anyone else has a report, please submit it.'

'Hey, I have a question, is that okay?'

'I have no problem with it. Anyone else—no. What is it, Gabriela?'

'Herman, where did you get that red claw polish? And it's a color I don't know.'

'!! Black?? Wait a minute. I thought it was only red!'

'That's right! And I thought it was only sold by the large gold coin! Herman, do you... have the previous 25 pieces? You can buy it... but there was no black, right? Melanie, do you know about claw polish? I only know that it's very expensive.'

'It's a secret technique of one of the ducal families. I only know that it's only sold by the large gold coin and that only red can be made. Black? What did you do?'

'Wait, Melanie, Elena. Calm down. Manuela, who is speechless, I'm not very knowledgeable about this. Please explain in detail.'

'...Okay. Claw polish is a decorative item applied to the nails. One of the ducal families says they can't make many and the supply is irregular, so they sell it at a high price. It's hard to wash off with water, but it can be removed with oak oil. There's a rumor that the ducal family that makes it is surrounded by a fire attribute magic forest, and the materials are so rare that even knights and mages have to go out to get them. It turns red because of the fire attribute, so it was said that only red exists, but Herman's is black? Did you develop a dark attribute version?'

'I was curious too, so I asked. Red claw polish is known even to commoners. I only know that it's an extremely expensive decorative item, but it's strange that Herman is wearing it. Even if black exists, there's no way to buy it.'

'...That's true. Commoners don't have connections to ducal families. ...You're not a noble, are you?'

'No, I'm a genuine commoner. Today's submission is this. I don't know how claw polish is made, but this is something I made with alchemy.'

'Wait! That's even stranger! Herman, you only used alchemy properly at the last Fertility Meeting, right? Is it possible to succeed in high-level alchemy like this?!'

'Herman, tell me what the most expensive material you have is.'

'? The full moon mushroom...?'

'Full moon mushroom?! ...I see, as a commoner, you can go around sacred sites. ...Have you been to a dark sacred site?'

'Yes. In fact, I'm from a village near that sacred site.'

'Then it's not strange that you have expensive dark attribute materials. ...By the way, is the method established?'

'The method is established without any problems. I've made 10 colors in total.'

'Wait, wait! That's too much information! 10 colors? If attributes are involved, the limit is 6, right!'

'...In other words, did you make the new claw polish without involving attributes?'

'Yes, Mr. Bruce. Attributes are not involved.'

'...Can you show me what you made? If there are various colors, I'd like to see them. Ladies, calm down. Since Herman is relaxed, I don't think he used very expensive materials.'

'Ah, Mr. Bruce, you're right. I didn't use valuable materials; at most, I used medium silver coins. And—this is the claw polish I made.'

'Indeed, there are various colors. Black, white, blue, red, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and light blue—there are indeed 10 colors.'

Since then, I've also collected liquids from flowers of different colors. ...I couldn't find any more of those flowers.

'Is there a reason you used potion bottles instead of storage bottles?'

'When I collected the materials, potion bottles were just the right size. With storage bottles, I would need a lot of materials.'

'...Do you need a lot of materials? Can you write a report? If someone writes it for you, you have to teach them the recipe, but of course, you don't have to submit it. It's not an obligation. In fact, it's better not to submit it this time. If you want to fight with the ducal family, you can submit it.'

'Ah, I wrote a report. ...But I don't plan to make it public. Fighting with the ducal family would only lead to being crushed.'

'Wise. For a commoner, it might not last seven days after making it public.'

'Yeah. ...Is it okay to show the ladies here?'

'If Herman is okay with it, it should be fine. If it remains a secret within this seminar, the value won't drop from the large gold coin.'

'Ah, and here's the recipe.'

'Let me see, hmm. ...It's well-written. It should be fine as a report. ...However, this is too cheap and mass production is possible. I wonder if other alchemists would even think to mix these materials... Well, in our seminar, we might mix them. However, red is easy to make.'

'Because the faction makes seeds for crops. That's right. Red is easy to make.'

'Easy to make? What do you mean?! ...Bruce is looking, so can we see it too?'

'It's fine, but keep it a secret within this seminar. I still want to live.'

'Leave it to us. ...Elena and Manuela, is it okay?'

'Of course.'

'Ah, that's unfair! I noticed it first, so I want to see it too!'

'Gabriela, that's unfair! Let me see, let me see.'

'Ufufu. Herman, can I try this green color on my nails?'

'Ah, sure, sure. Here's a brush.'

'Thank you. ————It's nice. It feels like handling a luxury item, ufufufu.'

'...It doesn't suit beastfolk. Their nails are usually hidden.'

'That's true. But the smell is good. ...I can guess the materials by the smell, and I'm familiar with the smell of red.'

'I didn't expect that you could make the same thing as the large gold coin using life-saving grass... If the ducal family used the same recipe, they must have been making a fortune.'

'You're right. Beastfolk noses can't be fooled. The recipe requires dye, but I used flowers. Red is from life-saving grass.'

'Such a recipe can't be released... I didn't expect that it doesn't use any attribute materials...'

'Can any liquid be used as dye? However, 100 flowers... Life-saving grass is indeed very easy to get and cheap.'

'However, you did a good job collecting so many colors. ...Where did you find them?'

'In the Illusionary Sect's weed field.'

'Such common weeds are fine... This would stand out at a tea party, wouldn't it?'

'Red can be obtained without arousing suspicion. ...The problem is the eggs.'

'If you buy them at the market and mix in other vegetables, it shouldn't be noticed. ...It's unlikely that eggs would be noticed as a material.'

'Hey, hey, don't start a fight with the ducal family. Herman's life is at stake.'

'Yes, I'll only brag at the tea party.'

'I haven't even bragged about my hair yet. If I do both at once, it might be less noticeable. ...The Fertility Meeting will definitely notice, but that hasn't changed.'

'That's true. Various things you've made. Look, look, it applied beautifully.'

'What?! Selena, it's unfair to use it first.'

'Herman, can I use it too?'

'Sure, sure, go ahead.'

'Gabriela!'

After that, it took some time for the other ladies to apply the colors to their nails, but the Fertility Meeting had just started. Is it okay to rush like this? ...The men seem to have given up. Mr. Bruce is also maintaining a waiting stance.

'However, Herman, you have an interesting idea. I never thought of mixing magic iron with eggs.'

'I used what was nearby. I made a lot of mistakes, and this is the only one that turned out.'

'What, it's great that you got results. However, it might be closer to talent showing the recipe rather than choosing it.'

'Teo, is that possible?'

'It's rare, but it happens. If something is nearby, you might intuitively know that adding it will succeed. That's why I also put unrelated materials around the alchemy cauldron.'

'Teo's is correct, Albert. Herman's hair wash was exactly like that. Herman already had the idea that something could be made with water bubble mushrooms and seed oil. Talent sometimes tells you something.'

'...I see, that's why the area around the alchemy cauldron is wide. I'll try putting various things there.'

'I'll try putting various things there too. ...It might be interesting to put things that people wouldn't think of?'

'You never know what can be used in alchemy. Few alchemists mix eggs.'

'...They do exist, though.'

'Everyone has their own way of placing things that normal people wouldn't.'

'...I see.'

'Well, they should calm down soon. Let's focus on the seminar.'

The noisy ladies calmed down, and the report session continued. Who will be the next to present?

'Ufufu. Can I present? I tried grinding various things at the mill Kevin improved, and I got a liquid that tastes like candy. I called it water candy because it's sweet like candy.'

'What did you grind to get water candy? It's not a powder like sugar, is it?'

'That's right. It's sweet water. I improved a crop from a cold region to grow in warm places. Of course, it can be harvested all year round. When eaten normally, it's a strong, sweet taste, but when ground, it became just sweet water.'

'Grinding is more like squeezing, isn't it?'

'It might turn into sugar if boiled.'

'If it turns into sugar when boiled, it must be sugar from the southern kingdom, right?'

'I think it's just water with sugar dissolved in it. So, I thought it might turn into sugar if boiled.'

'Let's try it with the slime fuel.'

A white liquid in a storage bottle was heated directly with slime fuel. It's quite bold. ...After about an hour of chatting, sugar-like substances started to adhere to the storage bottle. By the two-hour mark, the sugar had started to crystallize. The chat was about other people's flood control and the structure of new waterways, which I didn't understand at all. Flood control is too difficult.

'Oh, it's turning into powder. Please check if this is sugar.'

'Should I scoop it up with a spoon? ...Yes, it's sugar. So, this is how sugar is made.'

'The taste is a bit different from sugar candy, but it's definitely sugar. ...This might be a matter for the ducal family, especially the royal family. What do you think, Bruce?'

'If sugar can be produced in our country, it could change the way trade is conducted. It's definitely a matter for the royal family. Even incompetent people who underestimate alchemy would lend their territory if they could get something they rely on imports for.'

'Wouldn't it be more certain to wait for Kevin to do it?'

'No, Mark, the monopoly on sugar would be bad even for a baron. It would make the seven dukes enemies. It's best to submit this to the royal family.'

'I see, if that's the decision, there's no choice. Can I leave the report to Lady Selena? If it's better to go through a former noble, Bruce should do it.'

'...That might be the case. Lady Selena, would you be willing to co-sign?'

'Of course. I'm sorry for the trouble.'

'Well, that's the job of the seminar leader. Please send the report to me when it's ready.'

'I'll finish it before the next seminar.'

'Thank you. Well, are all the reports in? ————Then, we'll adjourn for this session. I'll put up the notice for the next one. ...Aim for April 10th.'

Despite all the commotion, the Fertility Meeting has concluded. Well, let's see if I can make something before the next Fertility Meeting. I think it's about time to start using attribute materials, but can I make something interesting?

Whether you found it interesting or not, I don't mind. I would appreciate it if you could include an evaluation. If you could point out things in your comments, I think I can reflect them in my writing, even as a layman reader.

...Probably."