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investigation Request 2

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

We began our investigation, moving only as far as we could while keeping one another in sight.

Even with the escort knights keeping a sharp lookout, there was no telling what might happen once you stepped outside the Royal Capital. Prioritizing our safety above all else, we each set about our respective tasks.

There was Master Clein, spreading out his alchemical tools in front of a patch of miasma; Leon, measuring the mana contained within the soil; and then there was me, having no idea what to do for my first-ever geological survey.

Feeling a bit like a space cadet, I could only manage the simple task of puffing out a few sprays of purification potion whenever I spotted miasma.

At this point, I could hardly call what I was doing an "investigation," but given my lack of experience and knowledge, it couldn't be helped.

(This is exactly when an apprentice should be asking Master Clein to teach her the ropes!)

No time like the present. I approached Master Clein, only to find him performing what looked like some sort of suspicious ritual. He had spread out a scroll inscribed with a magic circle and placed a black, light-shielding bottle on top of it.

「What are you doing?」

「I'm about to collect a sample to analyze the components of the miasma.」

As he spoke, Master Clein funneled mana into the magic circle, and the miasma was sucked into the black bottle.

「Whoa... You can do things like that too?」

「Energy bodies that are dangerous to touch are unpredictable. You never know what might happen.」

Once he had sucked up all the miasma, Master Clein capped the bottle and applied a hermetic seal. He then wrapped it tightly in a cloth imbued with mana and placed it carefully into a box.

「I’m surprised. I didn't think you'd go so far as to investigate the components of the miasma, herbs notwithstanding.」

「If we're ever afflicted by miasma toxins, we won't be able to craft an appropriate potion unless we've analyzed the components. In areas where the miasma is dense, this is the highest priority task.」

I see. Since the miasma concentration was low this time, it wasn't strictly a "necessary" task. Given that we weren't even equipped with anti-miasma masks or protective gear, he must have already judged the miasma to be of low toxicity.

「Hearing the details makes sense. I didn't realize there were different types of miasma.」

「The number of people who actually come out to investigate is limited, so it's not surprising you wouldn't know. It's rare to analyze components in a case like this, but... well, let’s just call it a precaution.」

Master Clein trailed off, a solemn look on his face as if he were deep in thought.

Deducing from his earlier conversation with my father, the situation didn't seem particularly peaceful. I'd never heard of miasma being generated artificially, but I wondered...

「The Order’s survey shows that miasma is generating heavily around this area. The knights are ensuring our safety, but please remain extremely careful.」

「Understood. As soon as I spot any miasma, I'll give it a good pssh-pssh with the purifier.」

I had thought this investigation request would be a great chance to build on our mentor-apprentice relationship, but it seemed we didn't have that luxury. He showed no sign of teaching me detailed survey methods and instead told me to prioritize purifying the miasma.

Considering this was a request from the King himself and an emergency situation where even my father was called to the front lines, I wasn't in a position to be selfish. Still, I couldn't help but think he could have taught me something.

Perhaps sensing my feelings, Master Clein flashed me a smile.

「I haven't taught you how to conduct a survey yet, Mia. For this trip, just observing while you purify the miasma is more than enough. If you happen to find any suspicious mana traces, don't hesitate to let me know.」

I understood what he was trying to say, and I knew he was right... but I felt like he was just using smooth words to placate me, and I couldn't help but pout.

「If it’s an abnormality even an apprentice alchemist could spot, I’m sure the knights would have found it already.」

「Physical traces, perhaps, but mana traces are much more difficult. Honestly, I’m actually afraid you might discover something outrageous.」

「You know, they call a remark like that 'setting a flag.'」

「What is that?」

「It's a slang term popular among commoners. It falls under the category of bad omens, so please be careful, Master Clein.」

Since I couldn't really blame him for being considerate, I headed over to Leon, who was measuring mana. He had collected soil into a small bag, added a chemical agent he’d brought along, and was watching the reaction.

「Leon-kun, have you ever been on an investigation like this before?」

「A few times. I did all sorts of things back when I was working under Lady Vanessa. Collecting flowers that grow on sheer cliffs, cultivating Blood Flowers that have to be raised on monster blood... Anything Lady Vanessa felt like doing, I did...」

Leon’s eyes suddenly went dead. The memories of his past work must have flashed through his mind, bringing back some painful times.

Even as someone who wasn't deeply involved, most of my memories of Vanessa-san weren't exactly "good." I decided it was best not to ask just how much she had jerked him around over the years. It seemed that even while active as an alchemist, Vanessa-san had lived a life of boundless, reckless freedom.

「I think I can imagine. You’ve certainly had a rough time of it, Leon-kun...」

「You understand? Lady Vanessa had a real habit of shoving work she didn't want to do onto others...」

「That sounds like her. I'm really glad I'm Master Clein's assistant.」

However, it seemed his memories weren't all bad, as life gradually returned to Leon’s eyes.

「Even so, I count myself as one of the lucky ones. The alchemy Lady Vanessa taught me is a technique that no one else has been able to achieve. If I hadn't become her apprentice, I never could have made the Bracelet of Power.」

Since I didn't know Vanessa-san in her capacity as an alchemist, I didn't really have a grasp of how incredible she actually was. But looking at her legacy—the Necklace of Warding—I was forced to agree.

Now that I was an alchemist myself, I understood just how difficult it was to enchant a necklace designed in a crescent shape. The traces of mana enchantment were so precise it felt as though she had threaded a needle with raw energy. It looked so refined that I couldn't even accept the idea of it being "unfinished."

「I just don't understand Vanessa-san’s way of thinking. Even if she couldn't make Magic Items, she could still make such superior necklaces. She didn't have to retire.」

「By normal standards, you're right, but I suppose Lady Vanessa wasn't satisfied. She proved to herself that she couldn't make anything better than that.」

「I can somewhat understand that feeling, but being entrusted with a relic like that is a bit much...」

I accidentally let my inner thoughts slip out and gasped. I worried I’d been insensitive in front of Leon, who surely would have wanted to inherit it himself... but surprisingly, he didn't seem to take it that way.

After glancing around to check our surroundings, Leon leaned in close to my face.

「I shouldn't say this too loudly, but since you were the one entrusted with the Necklace of Warding, Mia-san, it might be something I should tell you. I'm talking about Lady Vanessa’s alchemy—the technique no one else could master.」

「My lips are sealed. Please, tell me.」

My "Alchemy-Lover Sensor" went ping! and I spoke before I could even think. I was faced with information about a brilliant technique left behind by a former A-rank alchemist—information I would have given my right arm to hear. I couldn't help but be excited. I focused every fiber of my being on listening.

「The truth is, if you deploy an Enchantment Field and a Formation Field simultaneously, you can create a double-layered mana pathway. By doing that, she was able to get closer to creating a true Magic Item.」

...Wait. I’ve heard this story somewhere. If I’m not mistaken—

「I did the same thing when I made the EX-Potions. I found that if you deploy a Compounding Field and a Formation Field at the same time, the quality of the potion improves.」

「Gyah!」 Leon let out a strangled yelp of surprise and suddenly began to panic.

「Wasn't it incredibly difficult? It takes me at least five days just to produce a single Bracelet of Power!」

「It’s ridiculously hard! Even for EX-Potions using low-rank materials, the time and effort required are on a completely different level.」

「I know, right?! The mana manipulation is so punishingly difficult—」

「Ahem! HM-HMM!!」

Master Clein let out a loud, pointed throat-clearing, and both Leon and I jumped. Without realizing it, we’d both gotten so excited that we had started shouting at each other.

Feeling Master Clein’s chilly gaze, we both shrunk back.

「Leon-kun. We can't let anyone hear this talk, so let's pretend it never happened.」

「Right. Shall we get back to the survey?」

Moving away quickly as if nothing had happened, we resumed our investigation.

*****

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