CH 16

Upon arriving at my workshop, I laid out the request documents that Laura-san had given me on the table.

There were three request papers.

All three were about alchemy involving plants.

At first glance, all of them seemed to have a high level of difficulty, but no deadlines were set.

If I prioritized personally, then…

“Is this it? Development of a new species of wheat.”

Wheat is a common grain that everyone from commoners to nobles knows.

It is not only used as food but also as a versatile material, including straw.

I also used it as a material for transmutation.

It is a material for potions that instantly closes wounds.

From this perspective too, wheat shortage can be seen as a serious problem.

Yes, wheat production is currently decreasing in this country.

To be accurate, it is just a decrease compared to the previous year, and the amount of wheat extracted was not originally large.

The cause lies in the environment.

There are days when there is a continuous downpour of rain like a flood, and then the next day no rain falls at all.

There are days when exposed to fierce winds, and also days with nearly no wind.

This kind of sudden change in environment usually causes most crops to wither before they can grow.

It seems that the royal palace has an indoor cultivation facility under management, but it requires extensive equipment and is expensive.

In addition to wheat, there are other necessary crops, but it was not enough to cover the consumption of the entire kingdom.

So His Majesty personally commissioned the Court Transmutation Master to develop a new species.

It was handled by the Head Department Laura-san but…

“Laura-san, seemed busy.”

I could tell by her busy appearance in the morning that, as the Head Department, she had to think about things other than transmutation.

I heard that the other members of her subordinates were almost amateurs and she was doing the guidance alone.

I think that there is nothing as deep and requiring knowledge and experience as the Transmutation Art.

I had been studying it on my own since I was little.

Learning it now and teaching it seemed to be much more difficult than I had imagined.

“By the way, she said she was going to introduce me to the others today…”

But she seemed to be too busy to do so.

There’s no need to rush.

Even if there’s free time, I could introduce myself to everyone.

If it seems too late, I’ll go and greet them myself.

These people here are surely not going to give a negative reaction.

“Well then.”

I’ve organized my thoughts and information.

Putting aside two request forms, I first put the request form for wheat production in a noticeable place.

“Okay. Let’s try making it with the materials we have now.”

Laura-san shared some materials that could be used for transmutation.

Common wheat seeds, grown wheat, and medicinal materials.

Also, nuts and plants were put in the same box for transmutation.

“I know almost all of these materials. Yes, I can use these.”

I check the characteristics and structures of each material.

In order to succeed in transmutation, it’s important to understand the quality and quantity of the material, as well as how to use it.

The quality of the transmuted object is determined by the quality of the original material.

If you use inferior materials in transmutation, the end result will also be inferior.

Furthermore, sometimes transmutation fails.

Most of the time, it’s because the materials are not right, but even if you attempt transmutation without understanding the materials, you won’t be able to get what you want.

It’s similar to cooking in that sense.

If you don’t know the taste of the ingredients, you won’t know the taste of the finished dish either.

Only by understanding the quality and structure of the materials can you achieve the transmutation you want.

And then——

“Plant transmutation, huh? It’s been a while.”

The first time I attempted it was one year after I started learning Transmutation Art.

Since becoming court-appointed, my main focus had been on potion-making, so I hadn’t had the opportunity to try plant transmutation.

Plant transmutation is more difficult than inorganic substances.

The level of difficulty in transmutation increases as the entity becomes more alive.

It may not be accurate to say that it’s alive like animals, but plants do have life.

To manipulate and create living things is beyond the boundaries of life itself.

In the past, the world used to call Transmutation Art the work of God, and I can’t say that’s entirely wrong.

The difficulty is especially high this time.

Because…

“You can transmute wheat and use it as a material to transmute seeds… but the important thing is the growing process.”

As I said it aloud, I started to think about the necessary elements.

The wheat that needs to be made should be a variety that can grow in harsh conditions without compromising on quality or taste.

If I only want to make delicious wheat, it’s possible to do it right away.

It’s also possible to make seeds using it.

However, the problem is that whether the planted seeds will grow properly can only be determined by trying it out in practice.

It’s no problem to grow it under normal conditions.

However, if it’s grown in an unexpectedly harsh environment, it’s uncertain whether it’ll become the type of wheat I’m looking for.

Transmutation Art is the power that produces results.

It cannot recreate the process that led to the results.

“That’s why I need to start with types that grow quickly and increase durability… and then use some for experimentation.”

As I think, more and more things need to be done.

It looks like it will be quite busy from the first day.

It’s not that I dislike it, though.

I actually feel a sense of fulfillment from the difficulty.