Kays Translations

Chapter 209: The Day They Leave the Nest

The compounding room was filled with royal magic pharmacists wearing expressions that practically said, We did it.

Everyone looked exhausted, but there was pride mixed into that exhaustion.

A few of them had enormous dark circles beneath their eyes.

…Those were definitely the people who hadn't followed the work schedule I made.

I would have to scold them later.

“You successfully completed the Panacea. I'm certain His Majesty the King will be pleased. With this, the task entrusted to me has been completed.”

“Oh, no…!”

“We still need your help, Julius-sensei!”

Everyone crowded towards me as though they were trying to cling on.

No matter how I looked at it, this was not the way adults were supposed to behave towards a ten-year-old child. Anyone who knew nothing about the situation would have found the sight extremely strange.

“It's all right. You already have more than enough skill to make excellent magic potions. From now on, take what I've taught you, expand on it, and use it to improve the potions you've been making until now.”

“I do think we can make better potions based on your teachings, but… they still won't be as good as the ones you taught us.”

“That's right. There are still far too many things we don't know.”

What was I going to do with them?

If I didn't put a stop to this somehow, I would spend my entire stay in the royal capital teaching the royal magic pharmacists how to make magic potions.

And if that happened, a ten-year-old child was going to publicly revolutionise magic pharmacology.

It would be fine if nobody mentioned my name, but they absolutely would.

No—even if everyone here kept quiet, the information would leak from somewhere eventually.

Then people would start asking, “Who is Julius Heine?”

And if the answer somehow turned into “an apostle of God” or something equally ridiculous, people might start worshipping me.

There went my freedom.

I didn't want that.

“Even if you say that, His Majesty the King only asked me to teach you how to make Panacea. I've fulfilled that request. From now on, I also need to concentrate on improving the icehouse, and I have social gatherings to attend with Brother Alex. I may not be able to come here as often anymore.”

“Oh no…”

Despair spread across the faces of the royal magic pharmacists.

Was it really that bad?

How much had they come to depend on me in such a short period of time?

This wasn't good.

If I didn't cut the cord now, the Royal Magic Pharmacists' Corps would never learn to stand on its own.

If they reached the point where they couldn't do anything without me, I really might end up being appointed commander of the Corps.

“It's all right. If you've properly learned what I taught you, you can definitely do this yourselves.”

They still didn't look convinced, but fortunately, I was the son of a margrave. Once I made it clear that the matter was settled, they couldn't keep pressing me forever.

Today was the day the royal magic pharmacists left the nest.

I should celebrate their independence with all my heart.

“So, from now on, you'll be attending swordsmanship training in the mornings?” Axel asked.

“No. He's going to participate in magic training,” Ijidol said.

“Neither.”

The three of us were sitting around our usual table after afternoon training.

Why did they assume I had to choose one?

Brother Alex had been the one who shoved training into my schedule in the first place. I had never intended to participate from the beginning.

Well, thanks to that, I had become friends with Axel and Ijidol, so it hadn't turned out badly.

I had done what I originally came to the royal capital to do—teach the royal magic pharmacists how to make Panacea—so technically I should have been able to return to the territory now.

Unfortunately, there was still the social season.

I really didn't like this.

That said, I couldn't keep spending all my time in the compounding room either. Now that my official teaching assignment was finished, I probably wouldn't be allowed to use the Corps' facilities quite as freely as before.

His Majesty the King had successfully lured me into the royal capital.

“What are you going to do, then?” Axel asked.

“My first goal is to finish improving the icehouse. After that, the rest is up to Brother Alex.”

“Oh, you mean socialising,” Ijidol said. “I'm sure you'll have to attend all the important gatherings.”

“Of course,” Axel added. “Brother Alex is Princess Daniela's prospective fiancé. That's what happens.”

The two of them chuckled.

You two do realise you're going to be dragged into some of that too, right?

You'll be my same-age companions.

I decided not to tell them yet.

There was no need to make them miserable before the suffering actually began.

“So you're going to work on the icehouse now?”

“That depends on whether the rest of the materials have arrived. I couldn't check this morning.”

After the Panacea was completed, I had been tied up with the celebration.

Everyone had been so happy that the commotion continued until lunchtime.

“Lord Julius, Lord Alex has come to see you.”

“Brother Alex? I wonder what happened.”

At the servant's announcement, Axel and Ijidol's expressions immediately tightened.

As expected of Brother Alex.

My brother approached our table wearing his usual dazzling smile.

“Hello, Julius, Axel, Ijidol. It seems the three of you are always together around here at this time. There's been a bit of talk about you lately.”

“Talk…?” I asked. “Is it something dangerous? Should we stop coming here?”

“…No. I think it'll be fine.”

That pause was not reassuring at all.

What kind of rumour was it?

It didn't sound good.

Could there be an assassin targeting us?

I was starting to get scared.

“Is somebody trying to kill Lord Julius?” Ijidol asked anxiously.

“No, no. Something like that isn't going to happen inside the royal castle. It's the young ladies who have their eyes on you.”

Huh?

I looked around.

Sure enough, several girls around our age were stealing glances in our direction.

Don't tell me they were actually targeting us.

Ijidol, the representative innocent lamb among the three of us, went pale.

Axel calmly looked around as though assessing the situation and seemed considerably less disturbed.

Meanwhile, Brother Alex took a seat, and tea was brought to him almost immediately.

Fast as ever.

“Did something happen?” I asked.

“Yes. His Majesty the King wishes to thank you in person.”

I very nearly let my displeasure show on my face, but managed to answer with a smile instead.

Apparently, the matter of giving me another medal had been settled, but His Majesty still wanted to express his thanks personally.

Making it an official ceremony would turn it into a major event, so the audience would be private.

I was grateful for that consideration.

Brother Alex once again warned Axel and Ijidol that they were not to speak about the Panacea or the reason His Majesty was thanking me.

If it was only a private word of thanks from His Majesty the King, refusing would probably cause more trouble than simply going along with it.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter