Chapter 18

After being treated to dinner at Erika's house, we thanked her and returned to our own homes, took a bath, and went to bed. The next day, I went to the branch office and did the final check on the magic stones.

"How is it?"

Erika asked.

"There shouldn't be any problems. With this, there's nothing to complain about."

Of course, I'm the one who did it. While I may be a bit of a jerk, my skills are top-notch.

"Shall we go to the station?"

"Yeah, thanks for coming with me."

"Understood."

I put the wooden box containing the magic stones into a spatial magic storage and left the branch office with Erika, heading for the station.

"Erika, thanks for coming with me."

"No, I'll come with you."

Actually, I could have done it alone, but I lacked a bit of confidence. Of course, I don't want to be disliked. While it might be inevitable that I'm disliked, considering the current state of the branch, my reputation would directly affect the branch's reputation. I decided it would be better to have Erika, who is calm and good with people, in front.

"Sorry, Erika, can you do the talking? If the lieutenant colonel comes out, I'll talk."

It's fine if I'm disliked. I'm probably already disliked, and he'll probably get angry when I hand over the invoice.

"Understood."

As we were talking, we arrived at the station. Erika led the way inside and headed for the reception desk.

"Rutz-kun!"

Erika called out to Rutz, who was at the reception desk. Rutz, noticing us, came over.

"Hey, Erika and Sieg. What's up? Was the three days too tough?"

"No, Sieg already made them. We're here to deliver them."

"Huh?"

Rutz tilted his head, so I took the wooden box out of the spatial magic storage and placed it on the counter.

"Here's the delivery note. Please check it."

I placed all the wooden boxes and handed the delivery note to Rutz.

"Really? They're already done?"

"Sieg is an excellent alchemist."

That's right, that's right.

"Wow... Anyway, I'll check it."

Rutz looked at the delivery note and checked each magic stone in the wooden boxes.

"Hey, there's an appraisal stamp on this delivery note?"

"I appraised them. I have an appraiser's license."

If I don't appraise and guarantee the quality, I don't know what I might be accused of.

"Wow... Well, there are indeed 100 magic stones... Sorry, can you wait a moment?"

Rutz said and went to the back room.

"Erika, step back. The lieutenant colonel is coming out."

"Understood."

As Erika stepped back, the door to the back opened, and the lieutenant colonel came out with Rutz, approaching us. The lieutenant colonel, as before, had his arms crossed behind his back, but his mood seemed sour. His attitude towards someone who delivered the goods two days ahead of the three-day deadline for an emergency request was inappropriate.

"I heard from Rutz that you came to deliver the goods, but that must be a mistake, right?"

The lieutenant colonel stood in front of me across the reception desk and asked mockingly.

"No, it's true. I'm delivering 100 magic stones as requested."

"That's impossible... It's only been two days since then."

"That's not the case. As you can see, they are all here, and Rutz has confirmed them."

As I answered, the lieutenant colonel's brow furrowed.

"Did you buy them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Considering the three days, you must have bought them from the market, right?"

Is he serious?

"Why would I do something that would result in a huge loss? A magic stone costs around 100,000 El on the market. I would be in a huge deficit."

"That's the only explanation."

"Well... You can think whatever you want. We delivered the goods you requested within the deadline. That's all that matters. Here's the invoice."

I handed the invoice to the lieutenant colonel.

"5 million El...? That's too high!"

The lieutenant colonel slammed the invoice on the counter and shouted. The soldiers and staff in the reception area flinched.

"That's the fair price."

"Are you kidding me! The market price for a magic stone is 10,000 El! So 100 would be 1 million El! Why is it five times that!?"

Is he not listening?

"That's the regular price. It's also a lower price set by the association. This was an emergency request with a three-day deadline, which you yourself considered impossible. Naturally, the price would be higher, and I told you that beforehand."

"Damn you...! Hey, are these really magic stones!?"

The lieutenant colonel shouted at Rutz.

"They are indeed magic stones. Moreover, the delivery note has an appraisal stamp..."

"Show it!"

The lieutenant colonel forcibly took the delivery note from Rutz and read it.

"Hey... The name of the appraiser is yours?"

"I appraised them."

"Are you kidding me! This can be easily forged!"

What?

"Lieutenant colonel, please retract that statement immediately. I have an appraiser's license. It's a national qualification recognized by the king. Insulting it is a serious offense."

An appraiser's license, like an alchemist's license, is a national qualification. It is a proof of skill recognized by the king. It would be unacceptable for a commoner to question it, let alone a noble and a lieutenant colonel.

"! It's a joke, of course! But 5 million El is too high!"

The lieutenant colonel corrected himself. It's not a joke, though...

"You set the deadline without prior consultation. As I said before, it would be even higher in the private sector."

"Damn... How did you prepare them! It's not something a 10th-class alchemist could do! I suspect foul play!"

I did it through foul play. But that's none of your business.

"Lieutenant colonel, I am a 3rd-class national alchemist. This is easy for me."

"3rd-class!? You're lying!"

"I'm not lying."

I took out the necklace, which is my qualification certificate, from the spatial magic storage and showed it to the lieutenant colonel.

"The golden eagle..."

An alchemist's qualification certificate is a necklace with an eagle. From 10th to 7th class, it's bronze; from 6th to 4th class, it's silver; and from 3rd class and above, it's gold.

"Let me make it clear. This is something I received directly from the king. It cannot be questioned."

3rd class and above are directly handed by the king. Therefore, questioning it is questioning the king, which is a serious offense. Perjury is even more serious.

"Why is a 3rd-class alchemist in a nearly defunct branch!?"

I was demoted. I won't say it, though.

"Anyway, I'll leave the invoice here. If you want to request a reduction, go through the proper channels. Have your superior and our branch manager discuss it."

"---There's no need for that."

A voice came from behind, and I turned to see an elderly man in a white military uniform standing at the main entrance. He had a prominent Kaiser beard and looked like a high-ranking official.

"Lieutenant colonel!"

The lieutenant colonel said, and all the soldiers in the room saluted, and the staff who were sitting hurriedly stood up and saluted.

"Yes. You are from the Alchemist Association, right? I am Karlheinz Wieder, a colonel."

A colonel... The top of the Riet army.

"I am Siegfried Alexander from the Riet branch of the Alchemist Association."

"I am Erika Lintner from the same Riet branch."

I introduced myself, and Erika quickly followed.

"Yes. I heard about this request from the branch manager of Langheim."

The branch manager did his job well.

"Is that so? Do you want to request a reduction? I'll inform the branch manager."

"No need. The invoice is fine."

"Lieutenant colonel... But..."

The lieutenant colonel, clearly flustered, tried to stop the colonel.

"Is the magic stone needed urgently? If so, it can't be helped. Rutz, process it and pay the association."

"Yes, sir!"

Rutz saluted.

"But, lieutenant colonel, what's the emergency?"

"What? It's... well..."

"Hmm... Is it something you can't tell the subordinates? Come to my office later."

"Yes, sir..."

Ah... As expected, the colonel is aware. Well, it doesn't matter.

"Erika, our work is done. Let's go home."

"Eh? Ah, yes."

We walked towards the main entrance.

"Wait a moment."

Just as I was about to open the door, the colonel stopped me, and I turned around.

"What is it? We're not free, you know."

As I said this, Helen, who was on my shoulder, tapped my back with her tail, and Erika grabbed my shirt.

"I apologize. Actually, I have a job for you."

Ah, it's a request.

"What kind of request?"

"I want you to make a sword."

"A sword?"

Go to a weapon shop.

"Can't you do it?"

"It's possible, but why not go to the Alchemist Association?"

I'll say it again. Go to a weapon shop.

"I heard that 3rd-class national alchemist Alexander is one of the best in the capital. I'm counting on your skills."

What? Is he kidding?

"One of the best? One finger is enough."

As I said this, Helen tapped my back with her tail again, and Erika pulled on my sleeve.

"You seem very confident..."

"Confidence? It's a fact. Those 2nd and 1st-class alchemists who only talk..."

"Sieg, be quiet."

Helen finally gave me a warning.

"Excuse me. I understand that you want to request a sword. What kind of sword?"

"Hmm... Actually, I have a promotion celebration for a friend in the capital next month. I want you to prepare at least a C-rank magic sword as a gift."

I hate the word "promotion."

"I have one condition."

"What is it?"

"I guarantee the quality and will provide an appraisal certificate. However, I can't do any decorations. I have no sense of aesthetics for that."

Swords are often decorated on the scabbard and hilt. But I'm terrible at that.

"I'll leave the decorations to another craftsman. I want you to make the blade."

"In that case, there's no problem. What's the deadline?"

"I want it in two weeks."

That's plenty of time. I can work on it while taking care of Erika's ingots.

"Understood. Do you need an estimate?"

"No need. The fee is 5 million El."

That's high... I was planning to estimate 3 million El for a C-rank sword.

"5 million El means a C-rank sword, right?"

As I asked, the colonel narrowed his eyes.

"I'll pay 8 million El for a B-rank sword."

"I see..."

So a B-rank sword is fine.

"...10 million... No, 15 million El for an A-rank sword."

"Understood. I'll do it. Excuse me."

"Excuse me..."

We bowed slightly and left the station.

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