Chapter 9

When I went up the stairs, I arrived at the warehouse on the third floor.

The warehouse was built the same way as the second floor, and it was the same size.

However, there were only three wooden boxes containing potions, bricks, and wooden branches in the front, and nothing else.

Well, since no one was there, it made sense that the warehouse was empty, but it was still too lonely.

Even I, who am good at being alone, felt this way, so Erika must have had a tough time.

I stored the wooden box full of branches with spatial magic and went down to the second floor.

When I returned to my desk, there was a cup of coffee.

"Did Erika make this?"

"Yes, I made it, so please enjoy it."

"Thank you."

"Not at all!"

She can be considerate too...

"Delicious..."

To be honest, I can't tell the difference in taste, so I couldn't tell the difference from my usual coffee.

But since Erika was looking at me with a smile, I thought I had to give my opinion.

"I'm glad! Making coffee is one of my specialties!"

Phew...

But this girl is great.

She's easy to understand, and for someone like me, who is a beginner in interpersonal relationships, she's easy to handle.

"Hey, Erika, you don't have to use formal language. We're colleagues, right? Besides, you're the senior here."

I'm not picky about hierarchy, so I don't mind.

Moreover, in this world, such formalities are surprisingly relaxed, and I also use informal language with classmates and colleagues, even when dealing with nobles.

"No, Sieg is the senior, and you're a third-class. Besides, that's just the kind of person I am."

Well, if she's okay with it, that's fine.

"Got it. Alright, let's make some graph paper."

"Um, can I watch? I've never done it before, so I want to learn."

She has ambition...

This girl has potential.

"Sure."

"Thank you!"

I took out the wooden box full of branches from spatial magic and placed it at my feet.

Then, I took one branch and placed it on my desk.

"Um, we don't have the equipment to make paper, right?"

"I think it's only available at specialized companies."

I really want to say, "Then just ask the specialized company to do it."

But this isn't about that.

It's for our benefit.

"Making paper isn't that difficult. You do it like this."

I touched the wooden branch and infused it with magic.

Then, the wooden branch began to glow and quickly transformed into several sheets of graph paper.

"Huh? It's over?"

"Yeah."

"Wasn't that fast? And it even has the grid lines..."

"Of course, it's graph paper, so it has grid lines."

What are you talking about?

"In class, we learned to make paper through alchemy and then use alchemy again to draw the grid lines..."

I learned that too.

I thought it was inefficient while listening to the teacher.

However, I understand that it's not appropriate to teach advanced techniques right away.

"It's fine to start with that. But as you get used to it, you'll be able to do it all at once."

I could do it from the beginning.

"Amazing... You really are a third-class."

Rank doesn't matter.

Those who can do it can do it from the start, and those who can't, can't.

"I've been doing it for three years. Erika will be able to do it eventually. But for now, it's better to do one thing carefully and get used to it gradually."

"I understand! I'll do my best!"

"Good, good."

I nodded and immediately looked at Helen.

"Excellent. Being considerate in conversation is important."

This must be the right answer.

I'm glad I didn't say what I was thinking.

"Compared to those with high pride in the headquarters, Erika is honest and not a rival at all."

She's a 10th-class.

"You shouldn't say things like that. You're making a mistake by stating too many facts."

Did I say something wrong?

"Erika, I'm sorry."

"Huh? What for?"

Erika tilted her head with a smile.

"I don't know."

I apologized because I felt I said something bad, but I didn't really understand.

"It's good that you're a nice person..."

I think so too.

"Anyway, can you show me again?"

Erika touched my arm.

"Sure. This time, I'll show you step by step."

I took another branch and quickly turned it into paper.

Then, I transformed the paper into graph paper with grid lines.

"Amazing. It's really instant."

"Speed is important. But we don't have that many requests right now, so take your time."

"Okay. I'll start making potions then."

Erika began making the potions she was responsible for, so I started turning the remaining branches into graph paper.

By noon, I had turned all the branches into graph paper, and Erika finished making the potions just as the lunch bell rang.

"Are we done with the requests?"

"Yes, I think so. I'll check them this afternoon and plan to deliver them tomorrow."

Will you give me more work?

I have nothing to do...

"Alright... Let's have lunch."

"Sure."

Erika nodded, took out a lunch box from her bag, and placed it on her desk. I also took out the bread, water, and supplements I had refilled in the morning from spatial magic.

After swallowing the supplements with water, I started eating the bread.

"Um, what about your meal?"

Erika, holding a sandwich from her lunch box, asked timidly.

"Oh, right... Here, Helen."

I took out Helen's meal from spatial magic and placed it on the desk.

"Wow... Thank you!"

Helen jumped onto the desk and started eating voraciously.

"Is it delicious?"

"Yes, it's really delicious."

Good, good.

Helen's meal is a special cat food I made.

It has an excellent nutritional balance and great taste.

Actually, I found it delicious too.

"Um, Sieg's meal... Just bread?"

"I took the supplements, didn't I?"

"What are supplements?"

Oh, right.

This world doesn't have that concept yet.

"Humans get nutrients from various foods. I'll skip the details, but you've probably been told by your parents to eat a variety of things, right?"

"Yes, I was. I didn't like fish when I was a child."

Not eating fish is not good.

But that was when she was a child.

"Why do I say this? Because I know from experience that a biased diet can harm your health. I studied this and researched the nutrients necessary for human activity."

This is a lie.

It's knowledge from my previous life.

I only ate instant noodles, onigiri, and supplements in my previous life, so I know a lot about it.

"Wow... That's amazing. But isn't just bread a bit lonely? Do you want my sandwich?"

Erika offered her lunch box.

"No, that's yours. Besides, this bread is enough for me."

Yeah, it's delicious.

"I think Sieg should take more interest in your meals."

Leave it alone.

"Do you dislike meals, Sieg?"

"No, not at all. I just find everything delicious, so I don't care what I eat."

This is from my previous life.

I had no likes or dislikes and could enjoy everything.

However, when I went to high-end restaurants with my boss or clients, I found it ridiculous because I had the same reaction to everything.

After all, sushi and convenience store onigiri are the same to me.

"Is that so? Hmm, but I think eating a variety of things enriches your life."

"I agree."

I don't think so.

Alright, that's it... No, maybe this is also wrong.

I have no goals or things I want to do right now.

Life is long, and it might be better to experience various things and find a goal.

"Can I have one then?"

"Sure, I made it!"

Of course, you did.

I thought to myself but didn't say it out loud. I took a sandwich and tried it.

"Yum... Yum."

No reaction.

Sorry.

I can't do food reviews.

"I'm glad!"

"Thanks. How about I give you some supplements instead?"

Vitamins are good for your skin.

"Ah, that's a bit scary, so I'm okay."

Everyone says that...

Even the head of the department, who is my teacher, said, "Is it poison? Are you trying to kill me?"

Thank you for reading.

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