Chapter 73 – The Alchemist (2)

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 73 – The Alchemist (2)

The bubbling sound came from the cauldron in front of the fireplace.

A green liquid was boiling, releasing bubbles and filling the room with a peculiar scent.

Various catalysts, which seemed to be alchemy ingredients, hung on the wall.

“Hmm.”

In the center of the room sat a beautiful woman with brown hair.

Arkamis spoke with a shy expression.

“...Sorry.”

“No, it’s alright. It happens.”

Ketal, sitting across from her, said with a familiar face.

“It’s common for people to be scared when they see me. Although, your reaction was quite extreme.”

When Arkamis first recognized Ketal, she screamed and ran away.

She hurriedly took out a few catalysts and mysterious colored beads to confront Ketal.

If Milena hadn’t quickly intervened, she might have actually used them.

People who saw him for the first time were usually frightened and terrified.

But that was just a normal fear of his appearance and being a stranger.

Arkamis’s fear was more profound.

It was a fear of his very existence, a prey’s reaction when exposed to a predator.

“Have you calmed down a bit now?”

“Ah, yes.”

Arkamis nodded.

“So, what brings you here?”

“This gentleman wanted to meet you. He has a request.”

“Me?”

Arkamis’s face showed fear at these words.

It was an instinctive fear.

“What do you want from me?”

“I am interested in alchemy.”

At Ketal’s words, Arkamis’s face twisted as if she had heard a lion talk about eating plants.

“...Interested in alchemy?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then there should be no issue. I heard about your achievements and became quite interested. They say you made the prince superhuman. Is that true?”

“It is true.”

Ketal was impressed.

“That’s amazing. Is such a thing really possible?”

A pure compliment and admiration.

Feeling a bit better, Arkamis’s scared expression softened a bit.

Ketal turned his gaze to the boiling cauldron.

“What are you making in that cauldron?”

“A catalyst.”

“A catalyst?”

“A catalyst that reacts and responds to applied force. It’s a fundamental alchemy catalyst.”

“Oh, I see. What are the ingredients?”

“Papuchia fruit, Cartridge root, the life water from Mamusi swamp, and fairy wing powder....”

Arkamis listed dozens of ingredients.

Ketal was amazed.

“There are so many. Can all these ingredients make such a catalyst?”

“Papuchia fruit stabilizes the form. Albroom makes it respond to external impacts.”

Arkamis began explaining.

Ketal listened intently.

“I see. Does the mixture also have a significant impact?”

“Of course. If mixed incorrectly, it becomes a sphere that repels all forces applied to it. So....”

Energized by Ketal’s reaction, Arkamis continued to explain more passionately.

Watching this, Milena was surprised.

She was a merchant.

She was accustomed to flattering and entertaining business partners to secure deals and outdo competitors.

Because of this experience, she could tell.

What Ketal was doing was perfect and impeccable hospitality, something even she couldn’t easily achieve.

He was picking out exactly the parts Arkamis wanted to explain and responding in the way she wanted.

This was hospitality, she was sure of it.

Otherwise, no one would listen to such a highly specialized and hard-to-understand explanation without getting bored.

Of course, contrary to Milena’s assumption, Ketal was genuinely interested and enjoyed listening.

‘These things aren’t something you can know without learning from someone.’

What on earth has he been doing?

Milena thought to herself.

Arkamis, thrilled, continued explaining.

For thirty minutes, she didn’t stop talking, and Milena’s face started showing signs of boredom.

But Ketal was still listening with an interested expression.

“And that’s how the catalyst is completed.”

“I see. Interesting.”

Ketal, stroking his chin, spoke.

So, he was worried about how to get her to teach him alchemy, but fortunately, Arkamis readily accepted his request.

Ketal’s expression was very satisfied.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be learning alchemy. Very good.”

“As long as you’re satisfied, Ketal....”

“But I didn’t expect her to be an elf.”

Ketal was surprised when he first heard Milena’s story.

After all, this was the Kingdom of Denian.

“I thought other races would be excluded as much as possible.”

“There are people like that, but the country doesn’t discriminate. Too much time has passed for that now.”

Quite a few non-human races resided in the Kingdom of Denian.

Except for a handful of pure-blood fanatics, most people didn’t mind.

“I see.”

Whatever the case, it was good news for him.

Starting tomorrow, he could begin learning alchemy.

As Ketal reveled in the thought, he suddenly remembered something: the elves.

They were afraid of him, terrified even.

The Elf Queen had once said that his presence felt like a predator to them.

That’s why he couldn’t stay long in the first elf village he encountered.

The elves were too frightened of him.

Arkamis had also been very scared when she first saw him.

‘Will this be okay?’

Thinking for a moment, Ketal quickly changed his thoughts.

‘It should be fine.’

If she really disliked the idea, she would have refused.

The fact that she accepted meant that she wasn’t too afraid of him.

‘It seems that even elves stop being scared once they get used to it.’

Ketal smiled contentedly.

Meanwhile, at the same time...

“Aaaaah!”

Left alone, Arkamis sat down, clutching her head in frustration.

* * *

“What have you done, Arkamis!”

Arkamis yelled at herself.

To agree to teach alchemy to a barbarian!

That meant she would have to spend time with such a terrifying being.

If it were her usual self, she would have immediately refused.

But Ketal had skillfully praised her.

Feeling elated, she impulsively decided it would be fine.

Now, she was paying the price for that decision.

“What should I do?”

She bit her lip.

Should she now tell him it was a lie and refuse?

No, she couldn’t.

If she did, he would turn against her.

He would be angry and take up his axe, furious that she had deceived him.

As if imagining her head being split, she shuddered.

‘No, that won’t do.’

She had to accept the barbarian for now.

But having to stay with him while teaching him alchemy?

That was even worse.

It wasn’t the fact that he was a barbarian that bothered her.

A regular barbarian couldn’t harm her.

But Ketal was different.

‘He’s not just a barbarian!’

The aura emanating from Ketal was beyond mere strength.

It wasn’t just about being strong; his very essence was different.

Milena, a human, hadn’t noticed, but Arkamis, as an elf, could tell.

She was a being of nature, an elf.

Ketal only appeared to be a barbarian.

His true nature was something else entirely.

“Why would such a formidable being want to learn alchemy...?”

After much contemplation, she came to a conclusion.

‘Right.’

The barbarian was interested in alchemy.

But that didn’t mean he knew much about it.

He was probably just dazzled by its flashy appearance.

Ultimately, it would just be a lighthearted amusement for him.

A being of his caliber wouldn’t seriously learn alchemy.

When the boring and tedious parts came up, he’d quickly lose interest and leave.

Then she would be free again.

“Yes, that’s it.”

It had to be.

She clung to that hope.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]