Kays Translations

Chapter 140: A Walk with Mira

After completing the day’s greeting rounds, I immediately collected Mira and headed for Mount Claire. Rosalia wanted to come, but I persuaded her to remain behind until the investigation was entirely complete.

As Father required, several knights accompanied us. I scanned the mountain with Search and found no suspicious reactions.

“Kyu! Kyu!”

Mira bounced around with more excitement than I had seen in a long time.

“Don’t go too far.”

“Kyu!”

Even if they wandered briefly, Search would make them easy to locate.

I asked whether any of the rare potion materials I had commissioned had arrived. The answer was no. So many adventurers had been hired as horse-racing security that few remained available for difficult collection requests.

The additional Panaceas would have to wait until after the racing season. The ingredients were rare enough that completing another batch before the end of the year might be difficult.

Mira demanded another visit the next day, and the day after that. Their round, expectant eyes were impossible to refuse. I spent the remainder of the horse-racing season alternating between formal greetings and walks on Mount Claire.

No more suspicious people appeared. The knights stationed at the border also returned as tension with the Kingdom of Lund Al eased.

Lionel told me that the knight order’s quarters had become livelier since I began combat training there. Competitive practice bouts apparently gave everyone new motivation.

Mira had watched me train, so they should now understand that I could protect myself.

By the end of the racing season, I had greeted countless nobles, helped capture foreign agents and spent many peaceful hours walking with Mira.

The transformation potion was the only new potion I had completed. Unfortunately, a batch targeted to my appearance was useful mainly for deception, crime or pranks. It was hardly something that could benefit the public.

With the racing season over, the social season would begin. I assumed Father, Mother and Cain would travel to the royal capital, leaving me free.

Instead, Father announced at dinner that I would be going as well.

“I would rather not. There’s nothing for me to do there.”

“The royal magic pharmacists attempted to compound the Panacea from your recipe,” Father explained. “They failed badly. The result didn’t reach even ten per cent completion.”

Without Laboratory, the Panacea was extraordinarily difficult. Even with my knowledge, my success rate without the skill would probably be only seventy or eighty per cent. A sub-ten-per-cent result was poor but understandable.

The attempt had nevertheless shifted enemy attention from the Heine Margraviate towards the royal castle, making our territory safer. His Majesty may have intended that effect as well as wanting a usable Panacea.

“They want you to teach the royal magic pharmacists directly.”

I didn’t object to teaching them, but the royal capital remained inconvenient for my work.

I glanced at Rosalia, worried she would be left alone. Her face had already gone pale.

“Amelia and I are remaining in the territory,” Father said.

Grandfather and Grandmother had died the previous year. Custom required Father and Mother to observe a year of mourning, so Alex would represent the family during the social season and strengthen his network, including the prospective engagement with Princess Daniela.

Only then did I understand why Mother had remained behind me during so many horse-racing greetings and why I had been pushed to the front. My parents had minimised their public prominence while still allowing the economically vital races to continue.

I still had much to learn about noble custom.

Whatever my preferences, it appeared I would soon return to the royal capital to teach the Crown’s pharmacists how to compound the Panacea.

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