Kays Translations

Chapter 26- Laboratory

After parting with His Highness Grayson, I immediately headed to the laboratory, where I was currently surrounded by ──── a large number of flame spirit plants ・・・・・・.

Silas-sensei's laboratory, which smelled of chemicals and medicinal herbs, was a little cramped, to be honest, with potted plants of fire spirit herbs everywhere. Also, beakers and flasks for experiments were lined up on the table.

I was sitting on a chair facing Silas-sensei in a room that lacked any semblance of tidiness.

I had somehow expected this, but it's really dirty. Not to say it's unsanitary, but the whole place is a mess. But what bothers me more ──── is, after all, this large amount of flame spirit grass that has been placed here. Where in the world did he  get them from?

Staring at the nearly 30 potted flame spirit plants, I tilt my head to the side.

While I was twisting my head at this bizarre sight, he offered me a cup of freshly brewed tea. I reflexively accepted the steaming cup of tea and then I exclaimed to myself, "Haa...?” I shouted in a crazy voice.

“I really don’t understand so I’m going to ask sir. Why do you have tea in a ──── beaker ・・・・?"

I first put it on the table as I looked at the beaker, which was giving off a nice aroma of tea leaves, with a puzzled glance at it.

Silas-sensei, sitting in front of me, regarded my question, "Hmm?” He tilted his head and sipped from a beaker with a nonchalant look on his face.

“Huh…!” I turned pale with a gasp and let out a small scream.

Ah… is he going to be alright ......! The chemicals that are still on the beaker haven't leached out into the tea have they!? Is he washing it properly....!?

Knowing Silas-sensei's slovenly nature, I was anxious. But the person in question didn’t think deeply about it and swallowed the tea.

“Oh, my bad. I don't have any teacups or any other tableware in my lab. So I usually use a beaker as a cup. Of course, for safety reasons, I use brand-new ones, so you don't have to worry.

“I see.....”

I look at him with a faraway look in my eyes as I swallow the question, “Is it really safe to say that?”

I told myself, “It's better that it's still brand new,” as Silas-sensei's lab lacked the bare minimum of supplies to entertain guests.

Abandoning my thoughts early, I moved the beaker away from me and looked ahead.

Let's get down to business. I don’t want to stay too long.

“Silas-sensei, I heard you wanted to talk to me about the flame spirit plant.”

I asked the question as calmly as I could and hoped that it was a good development.

Silas Sensei's mouth slowly turned up at the corner in front of me as he tried to hide the uneasiness that was spreading in his chest. He propped his elbows on the table and folded his hands, resting his chin on them.

“There's been ──── progress. I have some idea of what the flame spirit plant is. But I can't talk about it because it's not confirmed yet.”

“Huh? You can't talk about it?"

“Yeah."

Silas-sensei nodded with a nice smile and added, “As for the results report, you'll have to wait a little longer.”

I tilted my head in a confused manner in front of him, smiling good-humoredly.

What? Then why did he call me? What’s the point of coming all the way here....! You didn't call me just to report that you've made progress did you!?

“That's exactly what a message should do!" I scream in my mind and take a deep breath once.

I let out a breath, 'Phew...' as I calm my raging feelings.

“I see, progress has been made. So why was I called here? And what's with this large amount of flame spirit grass....?"

I put my hand gently on my chin, pointing out something that had been bothering me ever since I entered the room.

The amount of fire spirit herbs was too much for a single researcher to obtain, and I wondered, "Did he use some kind of illegal acquisition route?" I frowned.

While eagerly hoping not to get involved in any trouble, Silas-sensei touched a nearby fire spirit plant through a leather glove.

“All of these fire spirit plants were given to me by the emperor. I asked him to give them to me because I needed them for my research."

“I see. You asked the emperor to give you a gift ...... haaa?”

The unexpected route to obtain the product made me shout out loud.

I was so surprised to hear Silas-sensei say, "I asked the emperor for it," as if it were a matter of course, that I held my head in my hands. “How could you not be killed?” I swallowed the words.

No, but if you think about it, it's not strange if it was the emperor who gave him the flame spirit plant that mutated. Well, I still think that Silas-sensei is a daredevil for begging the emperor to give it to him...... But the route of acquisition itself is not strange. It's just ──── what in the world is this amount! Flame Spirit Grass is a precious plant, in case you were wondering and the emperor gave so much of it away...! Sure, Silas-sensei is a brilliant researcher, but I think this amount is crazy....!

I couldn't help but hold my eyes at the generosity of His Majesty the Emperor, who can be summed up in the word "abundant”.

There were so many things I wanted to get into that I didn't know where to begin, when suddenly Silas-sensei stood up from his seat.

“So, about the important thing──── the reason I asked you to come here today is because I want you to help me with my research.”

"Help you with your research?”

“Yeah, this is something only you can do."

With that, Silas-sensei smiles as he pulls a spare pair of leather gloves from a nearby shelf.

In front of the gloves, which were offered to me in a fluid motion, I muttered, 'No way....’

I was aware of the trouble I was about to get into, but Silas-sensei narrowed his eyes happily at me.

“The only thing I want you to do, Charlotte-san is to inject magic power into all the flame spirit plants we have here and I want you to mutate them just like you did during the competency test."

Silas-sensei laughs as he utters his expected request, 'For the sake of research, please’.

I sighed and hung my head in despair.

Injecting magic power into nearly 30 flame spirit plants is a tedious process..... but if it would help the research, I had no choice but to do it. I’m the source of all this and I can't allow myself to be thrown out of this research.

"I understand..... I’ll help you. But please don't complain if I doesn't mutate like last time. I’ll not take any responsibility if I fail."

“Yes, of course. I take full responsibility."

I nodded at Silas-sensei, who smiled at me and said, "So don't worry”.

“Then that's fine. By the way...... are you sure you want to infuse all of them with magic power? Wouldn't it be better to leave a few out for comparison?"

“Oh, that won't be a problem. I've got another fire spirit plant in storage in the other room. You can have everything in here.”

I nodded, 'I see,' to Silas-sensei, who is not skimpy when it comes to plant-related matters.

“I wish I could be this witty in everyday life," I chuckled as I put on the leather gloves he handed me.

Then, tucking the sideburns behind my ear, I reached for the nearest potted plant of flame spirit grass.

“Well then, let's get started, shall we?”

After saying a few words, I began to inject the flame spirit plant with magic power.

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