Chapter 63

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As I was about to launch the artificial magic stones as a product, I had a meeting with the town's lord, Viscount Betametal, and the deputy master of the Adventurers' Guild. After the meeting, I had a lot to do, but I returned home with a plan in mind. However, during that evening's usual dinner with the four of us, I felt a sense of unease.

Everything seemed the same as usual, yet something felt different. Specifically, Fred seemed a bit distant.

"Hey, Anna, did anything unusual happen today?"

"Oh, is something bothering you? Is there something on your mind?"

"Fred seemed... I can't quite put it into words, but he felt different somehow..."

After Fred put Amber to bed and returned to the room, I couldn't shake the feeling, so I decided to ask Anna. Fred was supposed to be at home today, taking a break from adventuring. Since he usually reads here on his days off, Anna might have noticed something.

"Really? I didn't notice anything."

"His eyes... hmm, maybe it was just my imagination."

I almost said that he seemed to avoid eye contact more than usual but stopped myself, feeling a bit embarrassed. If I said that, it would sound like I was always watching Fred.

No, I'm not always watching him, right? I shouldn't be.

Why did this bother me so much? I couldn't understand why it was so significant to me. The rest of the conversation with Anna left me feeling restless, and I barely remember what we talked about.

"Good morning, Adolph."

"Good morning, Liana."

Yesterday, while taking a shower and drying my hair, I kept thinking, "Why did it bother me so much?" I was so distracted during breakfast that Anna even expressed concern. I need to be more careful; it's dangerous to be inattentive while performing alchemy.

As I approached the workshop, I tried to focus. I greeted Adolph, who arrives the earliest, but then I stopped, still holding the key.

"This... something's wrong..."

"What's the matter?"

"There are... signs that someone tried to break in, I think..."

"Really?!"

"What should we do... Should we call the patrol team to check it out before we open it?"

There were several faint scratches on the keyhole that weren't there yesterday. They looked like marks made by a thin metal tool, probably a lock-picking device.

It seems someone without a key tried to break in.

"!! It wasn't me, I swear!"

"Of course, I know that. An alchemist would know that the workshop's 'lock' isn't just a physical lock, so they wouldn't try to pick it."

Besides, I had given Adolph the key because he wanted to stay late to practice magic manipulation.

Adolph dramatically sighed in relief, and I couldn't help but laugh, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease. Calming down, I held the key again and touched the door. There were no signs of forced entry, and the workshop's protective barrier, which is triggered by the 'lock,' was still intact. There was also an alarm that would sound if someone entered, but it hadn't been activated.

There were no signs of any malicious third party entering the workshop. I confirmed that the barrier I set up after work last night had functioned properly until I deactivated it.

While it's possible that someone could break through the workshop's security barriers and tamper with things without leaving obvious traces, it's unlikely that such a person would leave marks on the keyhole. It's more natural to assume that someone tried to enter but couldn't and gave up.

"Even though no one got in, someone definitely tried to break in, so I want to report this to the patrol team. Adolph, can you explain this to the others when they arrive?"

"Sure. ...Do you think it's about the artificial magic stones?"

"I think so. After all, that's the only thing we make here..."

Fortunately, the artificial magic stones are generating much more profit than I expected. We're receiving more orders for even the lower grades, and we're already considering hiring more alchemists. However, while I've created magic tools to assist with magic manipulation, they aren't a complete solution, and the alchemists themselves need a certain level of skill. Considering the time it takes to train someone to produce goods, it's clear that we need to increase our staff soon, but I need to ensure we have the time to train new people properly.

With so much to do already, this incident is just an additional hassle. I had anticipated that if the artificial magic stones became popular, there might be industrial spies, but it's happening sooner than expected. I thought we were safe for a while, but now I need to start working on additional security systems.

I thought about the patrol team members I had met and helped with a kidnapping case by drawing a sketch. Since this isn't a criminal case, it will be more of a consultation.

It won't take long, but I was planning to do a lot today, and this is a significant time loss. I felt disheartened.

"Even though it was an attempt, it's still scary. As an adventurer, Liana, you're stronger than most men, but please be careful and don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it."

"Thank you for listening, even though it was just a scratch on the key."

"No problem, that's our job. We'll increase patrols around the workshop, and if anything else happens, please don't hesitate to contact us, no matter how small."

"Understood. I hope nothing else happens, but if it does, I'll reach out."

After thanking them and leaving the patrol team headquarters, I checked the time. Today, I planned to create grade 10 artificial magic stones, which only I can make, improve the magic tools for magic manipulation, and experiment with different approaches to create grade 15 artificial magic stones.

Making the required number of artificial magic stones will likely take me until dinner. I'll think about how to create higher-grade stones at home. On my way back, I need to stop by the Alchemists' Guild before it closes. I want to check out some past literature that might be helpful, so I need to ask if they have a lending service. I jotted this down in my mental notebook and hurried to the workshop.