Chapter 67

After getting out of the bath, while relaxing in the room with Helen, Adelheid came to call me, so I headed to Erica's room.

In Erica's room, Erica was singing a little tune while cooking, and Leonora, who wasn't wearing a hat, was sitting at the table.

"Oh, Sieg, that hairdryer was amazing. It dried my hair in just a little over 10 minutes."

"Really...?"

So it works that fast even on Leonora's long hair.

"Isn't it amazing that your hair dries in 10 minutes?"

Adelheid was surprised.

"It's amazing. It's so smooth."

Leonora spread her hair with both hands.

"Hmm, Sieg can make amazing things, huh?"

Adelheid looked at me with admiration.

"No, it just generates heat with a firestone and sends air with a windstone. I can make as many as you want if you want them."

I can make them in a few dozen minutes.

"Really?"

"Sieg is so kind."

Does my popularity go up just for this?

The pickup books say that giving gifts is effective, but it's really true.

No wonder bribes never disappear from this world.

"It's not really that big of a deal... Erica, do you want one too?"

I asked Erica, who was cooking in the kitchen.

"Thank you. I want one."

Everyone wants one.

It must be tough being a woman with long hair...

We continued talking about convenient gadgets, and then Erica brought us some acqua pazza, so we all ate it.

Of course, it was delicious, and the revived Helen also ate it happily, which was cute.

Today was a good day off; we had fun fishing, and Helen seemed very satisfied.

The next day, as I opened the door to go to work, I found the three girls gathered in front of the apartment.

Well, it's alchemy under the blue sky today.

However, what caught my attention was Erica spreading out a newspaper, with Leonora and Adelheid looking at it from both sides.

"What are you doing?"

I asked, curious.

"Oh, good morning. Look, it's the article from the other day. The one where we did the interview at the town hall."

Ah, that one.

It's already in the newspaper.

"Do you get the newspaper?"

"No, my mother brought it over first thing this morning. Do you want to see it?"

When Erica said that, I glanced at it and saw a photo of me, the mayor, and Erica with Helen on her head.

"My mother will probably keep the newspaper."

Considering she came over first thing in the morning.

"Probably. The interview is also well-documented, and it says a lot of good things."

"What does it say?"

"It says things like 'Genius alchemist from the capital comes to this town!' and 'Top mage in the country extinguished the fire in no time!' Plus, the content of the interview. Sieg said a lot of good things."

Hmm...

Well, that's about right.

"The title of a state alchemist is a qualification recognized by His Majesty the King, a profession dedicated to the state. And the state exists to protect the lives and culture of its citizens. We intend to protect the lives and culture of the citizens under the name of His Majesty the King... Sieg, you said such wonderful things. I'm moved that you thought about these things."

"Yes, it's very admirable."

Leonora and Adelheid praised me.

However, from their grinning faces, it seemed they knew I was just reciting.

"That's something the chief said to a minister in the past."

I copied it verbatim.

"Wow... Did the disciple inherit the master's thoughts?"

"Yeah. The chief also read it out like a script."

"I see... Can we, as disciples, also read it out like a script?"

"Sure. Whether it's for the state or for others doesn't matter. Work for yourself and earn money. In the end, that benefits the state and others."

We have our own lives to live.

"Got it."

"Well, it's only natural. I'm a noble, so I think about the state, but I won't do free service."

That's true for everyone.

"Anyway, it's good to take pride in your work. The things we make are truly useful to someone."

"That's true."

"Right. Let's work hard today."

Leonora and Adelheid nodded.

"Sieg, can I ask you something?"

Erica, who had folded the newspaper, asked.

"What is it?"

"I heard from my mother this morning that there was another fire."

Huh?

"Fire? Where?"

"At a warehouse in the port. It belongs to a different merchant guild from the last one. We might get another request."

Seriously...

"Sieg, shouldn't we hurry with the Wednesday stones?"

"You're right. If there are two fires in a row, they might request us to hurry with the Wednesday stones."

They will, not might...

"How many Wednesday stones do we have?"

I looked at Erica.

"Um, Sieg said 10 E-rank stones are okay. And we have 5 D-rank stones."

Huh? D-rank?

"Did we have D-rank stones?"

"Ah, we made them in the bath the night before last and last night."

Ah, the ones you mentioned.

You really made them in the bath.

"Leonora, are they really D-rank?"

You must have appraised them, right?

"Really. Do you want to check?"

"No, if you say they're D-rank, they're D-rank."

Leonora's appraisal is reliable.

"Thanks for the trust."

"I don't ask impossible things of people who can't do them. Get your appraiser's license soon."

"I'll sign up for the next exam."

Do that.

"So, we have 15 Wednesday stones. Let's make 5 more in the morning and deliver a nice round 20. You two can make one E-rank each. I'll make the remaining 2."

When I said that, the three of them looked at each other.

"What should we do? We can make D-rank stones in the morning, right?"

"In that case, we don't want to fail and get wet, so we'll use the bathroom."

"But we can't leave Sieg alone, right?"

No, I'm fine alone.

Helen is here, so I'm not alone.

"Should I stay behind?"

"Sure. Erica, stay behind. We'll make the D-rank stones."

"That's right. Mr. Rübele or someone from the military might come, so it's better if Erica stays."

I said E-rank is fine...

"Got it. I'll stay behind."

"Thanks."

"Then, we'll go make the D-rank Wednesday stones."

Leonora and Adelheid went back to the apartment.

"Sieg, let's work hard."

"Do you think I'm a kid?"

"No, it's just lonely to be alone."

No, the ones who will be alone are the ones making Wednesday stones in the bathroom.

Thank you for reading.

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