*****

Following Lord Clein’s instructions to create a large quantity of potions, I was filling a tub with lukewarm water and washing the medicinal herbs.

「Is there a need for it to be lukewarm water?」

Despite saying he’d entrust the work from start to finish, Lord Clein was glued to my side. I had thought he was a hands-off type, but it seemed he intended to check everything thoroughly. If so, I wish he had told me from the start.

「Lukewarm water makes it easier to wash off the dirt clinging to the herbs. Strangely, it also prevents the herbs from wilting.」

「It has that effect, does it? But don’t damage the leaves.」

「It’s fine. I’ve always washed them like this.」

I arranged the clean herbs one by one in a sunny spot.

「The process of drying herbs shouldn't be necessary for making healing potions, should it?」

「Letting them sit in the sun for a bit draws out the toxins. That makes the magical process easier, so I always do it this way. It’s probably unnecessary for someone like Lord Clein, who is skilled in mana manipulation.」

I discarded the lukewarm water from the tub, then filled it with fresh water, and plunged the slightly dried herbs in to ‘tighten’ them. After soaking a few of the herbs, the water gradually became murky.

「Something is definitely coming out, it seems. But you didn't do this yesterday.」

Come to think of it, I did the preparation right in front of him when he taught me alchemy.

But that was just for making a practice potion, not one intended for sale. There was no need for thorough preparation just to learn alchemy...

「I was so eager to try alchemy quickly that I cut a few corners.」

「To intentionally cut corners in front of the Court Alchemist—you have nerve.」

「I hope you can overlook it a little. If I know it’s for delivery, I will do the work properly.」

「Just to be clear, I don't usually do that.」

「I know. Judging by your work at the Adventurers Guild, Mia, your earnestness is more pronounced. The last time, you were probably doing it with a sense of play.」

「I won’t deny it. I am aware my mood was strange even to myself.」

Up until now, I had only worked as an alchemy assistant, focusing solely on the meticulous pre-preparation. My hands got dirty with soil, chapped from water, and my spirit was often broken by the delicate handling of herbs. It was simple, tedious work, certainly not enjoyable. But all of this was essential for creating a potion. If I considered preparation to be part of alchemy, it wasn't a hardship.

「By the way, why am I being watched while I work, Lord Clein? I’m getting a little nervous.」

「I didn’t expect you to pre-process a large quantity of herbs all at once. I’m observing because I find what you’re doing intriguing.」

「Is that so? It’s just the result of increasing work efficiency.」

「Normally, this work is done meticulously to improve quality. Seeking efficiency is usually limited to alchemists starting medium to large-scale contracts. Seeing someone else's process is a fresh sight.」

Now that he mentioned it, unless they have an apprentice or assistant, alchemists don't have opportunities to share their processes. Unlike adventurers, they don't take on collaborative quests, and it's a world where they are judged solely by the items they create. Even the pre-processing of the same herbs must vary slightly in method. For Lord Clein, who has always worked alone, my process might be a subject for potion research. No matter that I’m an apprentice alchemist, I've done potion preparation for years, so I have confidence... Wait, why am I the one in the position of demonstrating? Assistant work is definitely not supposed to be like this!

「Um... isn't this the reverse? I was supposed to be the advisor, wasn't I?」

「In the sense of checking the work of an apprentice alchemist, I am not doing anything wrong.」

「That’s a matter of perspective. It’s my own method, so please don't check it with too critical an eye.」

「I’m merely observing with interest. I’ll take a small sample of the murky water coming out of the herbs.」

「Don’t just take a little; take plenty.」

「I’m only analyzing the components. A small amount is fine.」

Lord Clein dipped a cup into the tub, scooped up the murky water, and stared intently at it.

Since the workshop itself was clean, there shouldn't have been many impurities. That meant the toxins from the herbs must have been successfully extracted...

「Is there any meaning in investigating something like that?」

I didn't understand the purpose of analyzing the toxins.

「This might be commonplace for Mia, but it's the first time I've seen it. I’m simply curious about what components are present.」

「That's surprising. Since the materials for making potions are the same, I thought you would have much more detailed data on hand, Lord Clein.」

「Investigating living plants is quite difficult. The components and their ratios often change depending on the region and the season.」

「That's true for food, too, isn't it? Climate and temperature change the taste of vegetables and fruits.」

「That area is the specialty of farmers, but... through alchemy research, we might be able to contribute to those fields as well. That’s why I meticulously analyze the components of anything I don't understand.」

「The way a Court Alchemist thinks is truly different.」

「Though I don't know if the data will be useful.」

Saying just that, Lord Clein headed toward the component analysis machine.

To think he wasn't simply researching potions, but intending to use alchemy to contribute to various fields. I felt like I vaguely understood why he was chosen as the Court Alchemist at such a young age.