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Trial Production of the Bracelet of Power

Translated by: ME

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*****

The next day, clutching the invitation to the prototype demonstration, I arrived at the knights' training ground alongside Master Clein.

「It’s been so long since I came here for a visit as a little girl.」

Back when my father was retiring as a knight to become an instructor, our family had visited the grounds together.

I was far too young then; the sheer presence of the knights brandishing their weapons had overwhelmed me, leaving me trembling in fear. I vividly remember the tense atmosphere, and the sight of my father giving such stern instructions that anyone watching would have been terrified.

Seeing him now, patrolling with those same sharp eyes, it felt as though nothing had changed since those days.

「You're not ready for plate armor. First, go build enough stamina to actually survive the drills.」

「Y-yes, sir...!」

The only real difference was my memory of him shouting at the top of his lungs to lead the entire battalion. Now, perhaps having mellowed with age, he seemed to be approaching individuals one by one to offer guidance.

Looking at my father again... as expected of the man they call the "Demon Instructor," his expression during training is exceptionally fearsome.

I gathered he hadn't actually become "gentle," given how the knights were practically vibrating with tension as they trained.

As I watched the scene with Master Clein, my alchemy-lover sensor went ping!

「Ah! Look, Master Clein. There are several knights over there wearing the Bracelets of Power.」

Since this was a prototype demonstration, a small-statured knight wearing a bracelet was clashing swords with a knight of significantly larger build.

Even if they were called "knock-off Magic Items," the power they granted was undeniable; the exchange was so fierce it made the difference in physique completely irrelevant.

(Alchemy is amazing...!) My eyes sparkled with wonder, but Master Clein’s eyes looked dead.

「This isn't a field trip. Please don't make such a scene.」

「What are you saying? Don't treat me like a child here. Opportunities like this are incredibly rare.」

「You might not realize it, Mia, but these sorts of events are surprisingly prone to trouble. It’s not an occasion I particularly look forward to.」

「My father is right there, and he hates anything crooked; he’ll handle it if a problem arises. More importantly, let’s observe the work of other alchemists. It should be a nice change of pace.」

「I suppose I understand the sentiment. However, this particular work is...」

Just as I was wondering why Master Clein was uncharacteristically mumbling, the boy I’d seen at Obaba-sama’s shop a few days ago approached us with incredible momentum.

「M-Master Clein!?」

(Oh? Are they acquaintances?) My thought was cut short as Master Clein pressed a hand to his forehead, looking as if he’d just been caught doing something he shouldn't.

「So it was you who produced the Bracelets of Power, Leon.」

「Y-yes. Perfecting a Magic Item is my dream.」

The boy, Leon, stared at Master Clein with shimmering eyes. His heated gaze carried an air of deep respect for Master Clein, who had become a Court Alchemist at such a young age.

「From a glance, I wouldn't call them true Magic Items yet. But if you’ve reached the stage where the Order of Knights is considering adopting them, you seem to be making steady progress.」

「Th-thank you very much...!」

Leon looked absolutely delighted by Master Clein’s words, snapping into an incredibly vigorous bow of gratitude. He looked like a puppy again, wagging an invisible tail.

However, watching this scene, a complicated emotion began to sprout within me.

(Why does their relationship feel so much more like a proper master and apprentice than ours?)

Normally, Master Clein and I should have that kind of dynamic. In reality, we felt more like equals, which was a far cry from a traditional apprenticeship.

My role as his "consultant" likely had a negative impact on that. A disciple reviewing the master’s work is unheard of in a normal master-apprentice relationship.

In the first place, an apprentice alchemist acting as a consultant is absurd... but there was no use dwelling on my frustrations.

Since there was someone new here, I decided to suppress my sulking and put on my noble smile.

「I'm late in introducing her, but this is my assistant, Mia. She’s currently active as an apprentice alchemist.」

「It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Mia Hopewell, and I work under Master Clein’s tutelage.」

With my father watching sharply nearby, I offered a bow befitting a noble lady, which seemed to fluster Leon. Even though he worked at the Royal Castle, he clearly wasn't used to such formal treatment. Since he’d likely have met any nobles of his own age, he was probably a commoner.

「This is Leon; he's the assistant to another Court Alchemist. His experience in alchemy is much longer than his appearance suggests.」

「Pleased to meet you. I’m Leon. I specialize in Enchantment... well, after a fashion...」

I couldn't tell if he was intimidated by dealing with nobility or if he simply lacked confidence. He just seemed strangely bashful.

Perhaps he was just shy. While he had been wagging his invisible tail at Obaba-sama and Master Clein, I felt like his tail was drooping when he faced me.

As I was trying to gauge his reaction, an imposing man approached from behind Leon.

He had bluish hair tied back and radiated the dignified aura of a mature man well over forty, complete with a rugged beard. Looking down from his tall height, he gave off a rather unapproachable impression.

He was the polar opposite of my father, who had mellowed with age.

「This is why people walk all over you.」

「M-Master Segrus...」

Seeing Leon’s invisible tail tuck between his legs, I realized the truth.

(He must be this man’s assistant.)

*****

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