CH 14

“What is this?”

Sheila looks curiously at the work desk lined with flasks and beakers. The wooden shelves are crammed with boxes for storing various materials. They are still empty, though.

This place resembles the alchemy workshop of the royal alchemist I saw so long ago.

An alchemy workshop where potions are made from the remains of plants and monsters. This is the third relic artifact, the Alchemy Workshop.

I considered choosing relics related to fields and stables for my livelihood. However, I could get meat by hunting beast-type monsters. And I also wanted some way to make money, so I chose this.

“It’s an …… extractor. According to this book…. it extracts the properties of the material in high purity.”

The author of the book is a person of the Aepha called “La Clikara”. This book also came with the relic artifact when I chose it as a reward.

It seems that La Clikara was a great alchemist, and the contents of the book support that. The book contains detailed instructions on everything from extracting materials to refining potions. Incidentally, in the afterword, there are several pages of angry words about Le Cain.

“It’s amazing. It’s more impressive than the equipment used by the village pharmacist….”

Sheila picks up one of the flasks and looks at it. I don’t know much about alchemy either, but I can tell that this is something above the average level.

“So who’s going to use this workshop? I hope we can find some talent in one of the towns….”

It’s good that we have an alchemy workshop, but none of us have any knowledge of alchemy, to begin with.

We are planning to recruit people with alchemy knowledge in some towns and have them work here, but we have no idea when we can start production.

If we go out into the town, we might be attacked by my brother and the others’ assassins, so it’s difficult for us to move around the town freely.

“Onii-san…… if you don’t mind….”

Sheila clutches her shabby skirt with both hands, trying to say something.

Speaking of which, her clothes are still the same as they were when the girls got kidnapped. I hadn’t had time to pay attention to it before, but looking at it like this, it looks a little shabby.

I wonder if I should allocate some money for their clothing when I get the money. I feel a little sorry for her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Please let me use this alchemy workshop!”

Sheila’s eyes wells up with tears as she says her request.

“But Sheila, you don’t know anything about alchemy, do you?”

“It’s true that I don’t know anything…… but I’ll study the book that onii-san has and I’ll be able to make potions!”

It’s an unexpected request. There’s no need for Sheila to be in a hurry to find a job. I’m not going to be so devilish as to throw her out on the meadow just because she’s useless.

“There’s no need to rush. There’s plenty of work to be done, like cooking and laundry, so just do that.”

“No, it’s not like that!”

Sheila is staring at me. I wonder what her anxious eyes are about.

“I… I’m not very good at anything. I’m hiding behind my sister who can do anything…”

Sheila’s story begins, and I listen in silence.

According to her, her life has always been together with her twin sister, Thor. She is the younger sister whose only talent is her seriousness, always hidden behind the active and genius older sister. That is her self-evaluation.

When the village she lived in burned down, Sheila only escaped with her sister’s hand in hers.

She said with tears in her eyes that she hated herself for being helpless, just grieving and looking to others for help, and she wants to change.

She admired her sister and had seen a lot of death in the attack on the village. That must have triggered her thoughts.

“That’s what alchemy is for.”

“……Yes. I want to be able to learn alchemy so that I can be of use to you.”

Fortunately, this is an alchemy facility designed by the people of Aepha. Even an amateur could become an alchemist.

“Then I want you to make me a healing potion within a week from this moment. If you can do it, this alchemy studio will be Sheila’s.”

I’m going for a pretty harsh request. It’s also to test her commitment.

I’ve already gotten some of the materials from the dungeon rewards. We can have Golemus bring them in later.

“……! Yes, please!”

Sheila bows her head deeply. She’s a really polite and thoughtful girl.

All I can think about is how I’m going to put a ballista in my territory, but Sheila is seriously thinking about what kind of person she wants to be and is trying to do it.

“I’ll give you this book then.”

I hand her the alchemy book. When Sheila receives the thick book, she stumbles a little under its weight.

“Onii-san….”

Sheila holds the book to her chest and stares at me.

“Thank you.”

As I’m about to reply to Sheila, who bowed her head, I hear a knock at the front door. Without waiting for my reply, the visitor opens the door and comes inside.

“That house is awesome, Henry! It got all the furniture and a kitchen and everything!”

Thor, with Gabriel by her side, comes up to me in high spirits. It’s obvious from her face how much she likes the house.

“And you know what? There’s also a bedroom… Sheila?”

Thor stares at Sheila with a questioning look on her face.

“I’m not sure if you’ve been crying or not. There are tear marks on her face. Hey…… Henry, what’s going on?”

Oh no. Thor questions us with a smile, but her eyes aren’t smiling at all.

“It’s…… that. She’s been through a lot.”

It’s still too early to tell Thor about Sheila’s feelings. I couldn’t divulge it here, so my reply is ambiguous.

“Well …… various things happened. You seem unusually fast about forming a relationship with her.”

She misunderstands me in multiple ways.

For the sake of my honor as a lord, I explain to Thor, obscuring the details, but all of them were taken as excuses.

I’m probably the most disgraceful lord on the continent, being taken away by Thor like some livestock.