Chapter 64

"Riana-sama, are you going outside the city?"

"Yes... I received a special request because the materials from monsters that only I can supply are running low. I plan to go to the forest only in the morning tomorrow."

"That's quite sudden... Is everything alright with the artificial magic stone delivery? You've been so busy lately."

Fredo was checking his adventurer equipment late at night, when Anna came to him. It was understandable for her to be curious, as he hadn't been able to return home for dinner for a while and had been receiving his meals at the workshop. Although he made sure to maintain his health by exercising regularly due to the long hours at his desk, he didn't have the time to go on adventures. Since it had been a while since he last used his equipment, he needed to inspect it.

Just when I thought I could finally take care of Kohaku, who had just re-registered as an adventurer, I couldn't even spend time with her. We could only do morning exercises together, which we had been doing since we lived at home. I had decided to take her as my apprentice, but I ended up relying on the orphanage and Fredo.

I explained the situation to Kohaku, and she understood. When I came home late at night, she would wake up startled, saying, "I can do this now," while wagging her fox ears excitedly. I felt guilty because I really wanted to spend more time with her and teach her various things.

"...It's an emergency because the materials are needed for medicine to treat heart disease. There's no choice."

"I know Riana-sama is kind, but it seems like all the burden is falling on you..."

"I'm not doing it out of kindness and intentionally losing out. It's true that the patient is a small child, and I thought it would be pitiful if the medicine didn't arrive in time. But I am receiving appropriate compensation for the emergency request."

"There was also an intruder who tried to break into the workshop, so I'm worried."

"That's true, but nothing has happened since then, and the security has been strengthened, so it's fine."

Anna seemed unconvinced. I felt bad for worrying her, but I couldn't find a good solution. In the first place, special requests can't be refused unless there's a valid reason, such as injury or illness. The fine isn't much, but it would affect my evaluation in the Adventurer's Guild and have consequences in the future. I had issued a wide-area request for the purchase of scrap magic stones, which are the materials for artificial magic stones, through the Adventurer's Guild, including the Betametal territory, so I wanted to avoid any trouble.

The workshop's barrier has been strengthened, and without a key, it would be impossible to break in without destroying the entire workshop. There have been no strange signs since then, so I think it's fine.

"Riana, are you going to the forest tomorrow?! Kohaku will go too! Kohaku will go!"

"Sure, let's go on an adventure together for the first time in a while."

"Riana has been spacing out a lot lately. Don't worry, Kohaku will be on her best behavior tomorrow to make sure nothing happens."

"Thank you, Kohaku. Be careful not to get hurt, and I'll be careful too."

I felt guilty for worrying Kohaku, but I was also proud of her growth. When I pet her head as usual, her tail wagged against my legs, and I couldn't help but smile.

I want to... work more efficiently and return to my previous lifestyle. I want to spend more relaxed time with everyone. I haven't taught math at the orphanage for a while. But to do that... I need to get the new alchemists I'm training to a level where they can join the production line and hire more people. I think the employment conditions are better than other workshops, but moving is not easy, so it won't be easy to gather people. Apprentices usually become independent in the fall, so there aren't many new people looking for workshops right now. But once that's done, I'll be able to take a break, and I renewed my determination.

"Ah... I received a reply from Prince Rhinold."

After finishing the inspection, I took out the long-distance resonator in my bedroom, and there were words that weren't mine displayed on the screen. Prince Rhinold must have written the message on the resonator that matched mine. Anything written on this screen, whether text or images, is shared directly, but no record is kept. Before replying, I had to copy the message displayed on the screen into a notebook and think about it. The resonator itself is about the size of a dictionary, but the writing area is only about the size of a palm, so I had to proofread the message beforehand to make sure it fit.

The screen read, "Reinvestigation results: It has been proven that Professor Amado made false reports to the academy before the hunting event. Punishment will be decided by the disciplinary committee. Investigation of the involvement of the three students is ongoing." The wording was simple, but it had to be to fit on the screen. Since I had no clue about being the main culprit, it was as I had suspected from the beginning that Professor Amado had planned the incident. Prince Rhinold believed my words and started investigating from the beginning, which is why the truth is gradually coming to light. Even though I had thought, "It doesn't matter how much bad reputation spreads in a place I can never return to," I felt relieved that the truth was revealed.

I recalled the image of Professor Amado, a teacher I had no direct interaction with before the hunting event. I didn't know him well since I hadn't taken his classes, but he was a young male teacher at the academy. I remember my friends saying he was handsome, mature, and great. Professor Amado is a valuable light attribute teacher, but his magic power is not particularly strong. He only taught light attribute students, so I think he only had one or two students each year. His main role was as a researcher, but he hadn't produced any notable results. I had read his papers, but... well, I don't have a light attribute, so I couldn't understand the significance or differences from previous research.

However, research is about the future, and we don't know how it will be useful, so it should be conducted broadly and comprehensively. I believe it will be useful in the future, even if we don't know when. But research funds are not infinite.

I had heard the motive before, with Prince Rhinold's speculation, and it seemed to be roughly correct. He wanted to force Nina to achieve results to advance his research. Thinking about how I was severely injured because of this, even after so much time has passed, I still feel angry.

Moreover, to avoid being held responsible, he had already reported to the academy that "Miss Lilianna of the Agget family took responsibility and forced Nina, who was under her guardianship, to participate in the hunting event." I was unconscious and had almost all the responsibility pushed onto me. My friends, who were on the same team during the hunting event, had seen Nina trying to act alone and me trying to stop her, but they didn't even tell the truth. All the memories of studying together, having tea at the academy café, and lending and discussing favorite books were overshadowed by this unpleasant memory. But I thought of them as friends, while they didn't. They had even planned to spend their vacation together at a villa... Ah, I shouldn't think about it anymore.

Now, I am living happily in a new environment. That's good enough. I shouldn't dwell on what I couldn't have.

...If Nina had listened to my warning and not pushed me away and gone deep into the forest on her own, this incident wouldn't have happened. But at that time, it would have gone as Professor Amado had hoped. Nina would have a record of successfully defeating a monster with light magic in a real combat situation, and on paper, it would have been recorded that I had forced her to participate. And I would have continued to envy Nina, always wanting praise that I could never receive.

So, I think it was for the best that I left home after the incident.

"The Agget family will pursue responsibility from Professor Amado..."

While copying the last sentence, which was written in smaller letters at the bottom of the screen, I felt a heavy sensation in my hand, as if it were an illusion. I could imagine that Professor Amado would be blamed for everything. My injury, my family believing Nina's lies, my being blamed for those lies, and my leaving home... all of it would be blamed on Professor Amado. ...I didn't know what had happened, and when I woke up from my injuries after the hunting event, I was told that it was all my fault. I imagine he is being blamed in the same way. Unlike me... Professor Amado is not innocent, but I hope he doesn't bear more responsibility than he actually committed.

I thought about my reply to Prince Rhinold, glancing at the notes of our previous conversations.

...I know I should be grateful for being raised without any hardship. So... I plan to send a letter to check on their well-being someday. I don't know when that will be.

That night, after being scolded by Anna for spacing out with my hair half-dry after a shower, I ended up getting a thorough treatment, including my hair, for the first time in a while.