CH 11

After finishing our conversation in the throne room, we leave the room.

As we politely bow and the door closes, Yuren-kun smiles.

“That’s great. Now you’re officially our Transmutation Master.”

“Yeah, thank you, Yuren-kun.”

“I just created the opportunity. You were chosen because you’re an amazing Transmutation Master.”

“D-Do you really think so?”

Yuren-kun praises me several times.

I feel like I’ve been complimented for a lifetime between yesterday and today.

“Don’t underestimate yourself like that.”

“Hisui-san.”

“Neither Yuren nor His Majesty would give you a position in the court out of favoritism. As Yuren said, you were undoubtedly chosen for your skills.”

“Right, so have more confidence.”

Both of them give me kind words.

Over and over.

Thanks to them, I feel like I’m gradually gaining confidence.

We walk through the corridors of the castle.

“Uh, by the way, where are we headed now?”

“This is the royal palace. I thought I’d show you where you work.”

“This place is divided into the royal castle and the royal palace.”

The royal castle is where His Majesty and the royal family live, while the royal palace is where many people, including royalty, work.

Each has its own roles, and it seems like many of the courtiers work in the royal palace.

Among them, the Transmutation Masters were given rooms at the edge of the royal palace.

“There are…seven Transmutation Masters working here now, right?”

“Yeah. Except for the Head Department, everyone else is a new employee hired within the past two years.”

“That’s right. So, you could say that Aria is actually a veteran Transmutation Master.”

“V-Veteran…I only became a courtier about a year ago though?”

Even though I had started studying transmutation long before that.

“But you had enough skills before that, right? We were short on personnel, and the minimum requirement for hiring Transmutation Masters is being able to use the Transmutation Circle.”

“T-That means…”

It’s really the bare minimum requirement.

If you can’t use the Transmutation Circle, you can’t become a Transmutation Master.

On the other hand, if you can use it, you can perform transmutation.

However, in this profession that requires knowledge and experience, it doesn’t mean much to be able to use it.

“That’s right. More than half of them were amateurs, and they didn’t know much about Transmutation Art.”

“That’s why the Head Department-san is the only one teaching them. We couldn’t help, and it seemed tough.”

“I helped, you know? I can use Transmutation Art to a certain extent, and I’ve also been studying it. Actually, I also talked about Aria at that time.”

“R-Really?”

So Head Department-san knows about me too.

It’s better than not knowing them at all, but I’m nervous about meeting them now.

In the previous palace, I was neglected and worked almost alone, so I don’t really understand the relationship between superiors and subordinates.

What if he’s a scary person?

As I thought about the possibility that we might not get along, my walking pace slowed down a bit.

Yuren-kun seemed to notice that too.

“Don’t worry. That person is friendly, so I’m sure you can become friends.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll vouch for him too, though the said person has a bad drinking habit.”

Hisui-san made a gesture of exasperation.

I wonder if he had a bad experience with alcohol before?

Even though Yuren-kun reassured me, I became anxious again when I saw Hisui-san’s reaction.

Then we moved to the royal palace and walked straight down the hallway.

We arrived at a luxurious door with a plaque that read “Imperial Transmutation Master Room” and was framed in gold.

Knock, knock, knock.

We knocked and then opened the door.

“Welcome, oh, it’s Hisui-chan and Your Highness?”

“I will disturb you.”

“Don’t call me ‘chan’…”

When I heard that the person has an alcohol habit, I imagined a man in his thirties.

So I was surprised.

“A woman?”

“Hm? Who’s that cute girl over there? Is she his highness’s girlfriend?”

“Wha…”

“Hahaha! Yuren, you were caught off guard.”

Hisui-san laughs out loud.

Yuren-kun glares at him with a sour look on his face.

As for me, I didn’t know how to react and was frozen in place.

Then——

“Oh yes! She’s the new palace Transmutation Master. See, she’s the amazing one that his highness praised before.”

“Ah! That’s the foreign Transmutation Master his highness was raving about! You finally stole her away!”

“Hold on, don’t say things that sound bad!”

“Well, it’s not entirely inaccurate.”

Hisui-san nods in agreement.

It’s only dawned on me now, but this conversation between a prince and his subordinates doesn’t seem very princely.

Yuren-kun and Hisui-san seem to be good friends, and Head Department-san behaves like a friendly neighborhood sister.

I’m getting a little off kilter.

“Um, if I remember correctly, you’re Aria-chan, right?”

“Y-Yes! I’ll be in your care starting today.”

“Yep, yep! You seem serious like I heard and also a good kid. And you’re cute too.”

“T-Thank you very much.”

Head Department-san was also a beautiful person.

She had long, pale orange hair and her skin was delicate and translucently white.

The words “mature woman” suited her perfectly.

“The potion you made was amazing. That is a miracle potion!”

“M-Miracle, isn’t that an exaggeration?”

“No way~! Thanks to that, tens of thousands of people were saved. You have surpassed what we could ever achieve. Do you understand? You’ve set a goal for us Transmutation Masters.”

“A goal…”

I never thought I’d be someone’s goal.

“It’s an honor to work with someone like you! I’m Laura, the Head Department. Nice to meet you, Aria-chan.”

“Yes!”

As Yuren-kun said, it seems that Head Department-san is a friendly person.

I felt relieved and thought that I could work with this person, just a few minutes after meeting her.