The Novice Alchemist's Store

"Salamander, is it"

"Yeah. There is, isn't there? Near here. The habitat."

"... yes, but you're not already here, are you? 'Cause I killed him and made him into a material."

I know it's inevitable that you'll find out more about it than you've flushed the material, but on the contrary, you'll also know that you've already been killed. There's no way I can investigate ecology.

Or are you talking about giving me the material?

Mr. Nord waves patterned at me with a surprising frown.

"Oh, that's okay. In other habitats, some surveys have already been completed. Complementary, I'd like to do a survey of the caves where Salamander lived."

"Really? If so, I wish I had continued my research there..."

I don't know where you're from, but I don't know what it means to come all the way to a country like this.

Mr. Nord smiled badly and scratched his head at me for smelling the matter.

"No, that's who you were asking for an escort to get hurt. I also looked for a replacement escort, but around there, there was no one to take care of it."

"Oh, that's..."

Doesn't that mean something went wrong?

Even though the request for escorts isn't the original gatherer's job, if it's attractive as a job, there's got to be someone to take it on.

Behind my brain, the phrase "you don't have to ask me if I'm unscrupulous" was written in a letter from Leonora.

"Oh, no, I was well paid, and I didn't say anything unscrupulous, did I? But, look, we need equipment or something to get to where the salamander is, so we can't do it normally, can we? Exactly, because I'm not rich enough to afford all my gear."

"That's... right"

Without the smelter (artifact) that protects itself from heat, as we did when we headed for the crusade, it is the habitat of Salamander that we cannot even get close.

It is difficult to align those smelters (artifacts) anew on a daily allowance of somewhat better proportions.

"Besides, in the sense of a thorough survey of habitats, it's more convenient not to have a salamander. But you're not the easiest person to kill, are you?

"So you came to me? Salamander's already been shot here, and if I killed Salamander, I'd already have the gear I needed."

"Yes. Even so, I know it's hard to get you out, Sarasa, an alchemist. So I was wondering if you could introduce me to your collaborators. He's here, isn't he? A collector who helped me."

"For once, I'm here..."

Although I have never told Mr. Leonora more about how Salamander crusaded and how he did it, there is no way in common sense that he would do the Salamander crusade alone.

It is inevitable to assume that someone has collaborators, and it is also inevitable to predict that it is the gatherer of this village.

In fact, Mr. Iris and the others who confronted Salamander directly are here, and that prediction is not incorrect.

"I understand. I can only take steps for the interview. However, depending on whether or not they request an escort, I don't particularly care, do I?

Even without Salamander, that neighborhood is by no means an easy place to say, and to be honest, it's not much of a place I'd like Mr. Iris to go.

Whatever the lava lizard is, the odds are low, so the herd of Hell Flame Grizzlies may be returning.

But even if you refuse here, find out about Mr. Iris and the others.

Then it would be better if I listened with you.

"Of course I don't mind. It's only natural to negotiate around there as a researcher."

I was a little anxious for Nord, who smiled and nodded confidently.

◇ ◇ ◇

After Mr. Nord returned, I tried to get confirmation from Mr. Leonora in the symphony box, and the references he brought were certainly genuine and definite.

Ms Leonora asked me to 'cooperate because it is good to the extent that it is impossible' on top of each other, and at the same time to say 'when it comes to research, he is the one who will not be able to see around you, so if you say something that is impossible, you can say no clearly, and if you do something strange, you can do everything you can to sanction him'.

Now you can rest assured - you can't!

The anxiety material is reinforced, and no matter what you think, it only smells like trouble.

I didn't have to be told by Mr. Leonora, he was someone with such an atmosphere, but where he was allowed, 'sanctions' or whatever to do about it......

The next day after dawn while worrying like that.

I was with Mr Iris and Mr Kate in a reception room recently built in our shop, waiting for Mr Nord to come.

Even when it came to the new building, I didn't build more stores, I just remodeled the warehouse behind the store space into the reception room and attached a door that I would put in directly from the store.

The other day, when Adelbert and the others visited, there was no room to respond, which led them to the dining room in the back, and I realized that this was a bad idea.

Dear Adelbert and his master are still good because they are inside him, but there is just something I hesitate to put a customer like Mr. Nord in the dining room, which is our living space, for example, this time.

Previously, for a little business talk, a response over the counter.

If it were a little longer, it could have been handled with a set of tables placed in store space (mostly, used for our tee time).

But I can't talk about things there that I don't want others to hear.

That's why I built the reception room.

Today is the first time I have actually used it.

"But is it demonic ecology? Someone was doing that kind of research."

"I've never heard that before, either. Mr. Store Manager, what was he like?

"Right... in a way, typical researcher, is it?"

Research comes first, the type that leans twice as passionate about it, but doesn't pay attention to anything else.

So my hair and clothes were appropriate, and I don't care if I dress wild.

There were a certain number of professors and lecturers of that type in the Alchemist Training School.

It was school, so no one was just unclean.

...... hmm? Can't you talk about people?

No, no, that's just me, too, I was pretty careful when I went outside - because I meant to.

Most of the time, I didn't think about fine coordination, and I wore the set that my senior chose, including up and down.

I didn't have enough clothes or taste to change the combination!

"This is Leonora's introduction, so I don't think he's that crazy..."

But from Mr. Leonora's story, I don't even think he's going to be a glimmer no matter what he thinks...

Wait while I get a little nervous.

The three of us were face-to-face with Mr. Nord, who had visited us again.

I should have stayed at the inn yesterday, but no change in outfit.

Bossy's hair stayed the same, and he's traveled a long time, so it doesn't mean he happened to be grassy yesterday.

But it doesn't feel unclean, so maybe you have more than one of the same clothes?

"Nice to meet you. It's Nordrad Evans. I want you to call me Nord. Sarasa, are these two the people who took part in the Salamander crusade?

"Yes, I got help"

"It's Iris. I'm telling you, we almost just followed the manager, didn't we? I have trouble expecting you to be wrong, be able to counter salamanders, etc."

"It's Kate. Mostly, you just followed me, didn't you? Us"

Warriorly, Mr. Nord shook his head saying he had no problem, either because he would have trouble expecting excessive expectations or putting up a line of prevention.

"Of course, I'm not going to tell you to fight Salamander. Besides, escort me perfectly so that I don't even get slightly hurt, and I'm not going to say anything. I'm building muscles, too. I don't even seem to be able to beat the demons coming out on the road, but that's just fine, right?

"I think we'll be fine if we don't get attacked in the herd or something... do we need an escort? Looks pretty well trained though......"

"Oh, you know what?

To Iris's point, Nord laughed happily, his hands together and said, "Huh!," he put his strength into it.

Mucky uplifted muscles are quite brilliant.

But I want you to stop because it's hot and painful.

Because I'm not a muscle fetish.

Whether such a wish of mine arrived or a reminder of common sense, Mr. Nord immediately loosens his strength and shakes his head.

"But I'm confident in escape and endurance, except for combat technology. Besides, I can't do a detailed investigation with vigilance around me."

"I see. That makes sense."

If you concentrate on the investigation, your attention to your surroundings will be really scattered.

It doesn't make any sense to have a leg to escape, but not realize it until the moment it's attacked.

Given that, peace of mind would be different, even if there were just people nearby who would be vigilant.

"Hmm. Then it depends on the reward whether or not you can contract it."

"Right, I can't get that much out of you, because it's two of us..."

In response to Mr. Iris' inquiry, Mr. Nord puts his hand on his chin and thinks a little.

Salamander's investigation alone doesn't give us that material.

Research doesn't seem so profitable, so it seems pretty hard on the budget......

"How about 20 gold coins per person per day until you get back from the village?

"Oh, my God!