CH 18

“Helping me, Princess?”

“Yes! Onii-sama has taught me about Transmutation Art. If I’m bothering you, then please forget about it…”

Once again, the Princess looks downcast.

Her sad expression is so unfair.

“N-No, that’s not it. It’s not a bother, and I’d be delighted to have your help.”

“Really?”

“Yes. However, Princess is…”

She is the Princess of this country.

It’s frightening enough just to speak with someone so noble, let alone ask her to help with my work.

What would happen if His Majesty or other important people found out?

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

“N-No, I can’t let the Princess help me with my work.”

“I don’t mind! Onii-sama and Otoo-sama have given their permission as well.”

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Yes!”

She answered clearly.

I can’t see any indication that she’s lying.

If it’s true, then when did this happen?

So, you wanted to help, not just observe from the beginning?

I didn’t really understand, but I could feel that she was serious.

That’s why I was curious.

“Why did the Princess want to help me?”

“Well… because Aria-oneesama is my benefactor.”

“Benefactor? Is that about the potion?”

The princess nodded.

She had a serious illness called Congenital Mana Circulation Disorder.

There was no known cure, and it was a terrible disease that gradually weakened the body when it flared up.

But a potion with an effective treatment was developed.

By my own hands.

Thanks to it, many people were saved, as Yuren-kun told me.

Among those saved was also Princess Irina, Yuren-kun’s sister.

“That’s not all.”

“Huh?”

“Aria-oneesama also helped my brother.”

“Me? Help Yuren-kun?”

I don’t remember helping him, in fact, I feel like I was the one who was helped.

How much his existence was a support for me.

Even now, I cannot measure it.

“Onii-sama was working so hard all alone. To cure my illness, to help everyone in the country… every day was so hard for him.”

“Yuren-kun…”

She is probably talking about the time when he and I met in the forest.

I remember that time well.

Yuren-kun always seemed to be having fun.

If that smile was something he forced himself to show… It makes me depressed.

“But, Onee-sama made a potion for me! I got better, and everyone got better too! And then Onii-sama smiled with happiness!”

Princess, speaking of Yuren-kun, smiles as happily as the words that come out of her mouth.

You can tell how much he is loved just by looking at that expression.

I really love him.

“It was Onee-sama who brought back Onii-sama’s smile. And my body too… So! I want to return the favor!”

“Princess…”

“Now that I’m feeling better, I can do anything! There are so many things I want to do. But the first thing I want to do is help Onee-sama.”

She had thought of it that way.

When I heard her sincere thoughts, I almost couldn’t help but cry with gratitude for being saved.

I’m proud that I was able to protect Yuren-kun and the Princess’s smiles.

“Okay. Well then, can you help me?”

“Yes! What do I need to do?”

“Well, I want to grind the material, so let’s get the tools ready together.

“Okay!”

Together with her small hands, we investigate the materials we create through alchemy.

Teaching and talking to each other.

We had a pleasant time.

At times like this, I suddenly think of my sister…Celica.

If we were born in different places…

I wonder if we could have become close sisters?

Without positions or titles, like me and the Princess now.

Were there days when we could laugh together?

❂❂❂❂❂❂

In a room of the royal research laboratory, Celica was showing signs of impatience.

She wasn’t hot, but sweat was pouring down her forehead.

She looked at the pile of papers in front of her, trying to avoid them with her eyes, but they wouldn’t decrease.

All the requests were assigned to her.

“What is this amount? What’s going on?!”

It wasn’t the amount that could be piled up in just two days.

Contents that would take other Transmutation Masters several weeks to complete were being collected and sent to her all at once.

All because of expectations.

The receptacle for her own expectations couldn’t bear the expectations that were placed on her as a true genius.

Then, a man appeared.

“Oh? You seem to be in trouble.”

“Your Highness Laurus!”

When Laurus entered the laboratory, he laughed as he saw the pile of papers.

“Expectations are high, aren’t they?”

“Y-Yes, they are. Expectations that are too much for someone of my background…”

“Really?”

“Huh?”

Laurus let slip her cold thoughts.

For a moment, his expression was stern, but he quickly returned to his usual self and smiled.

“It’s nothing. Just don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Saying that, Laurus left the laboratory.

On the other side of the closed door, he had a wicked smile.

“…Should I retrieve her after all?”

While Aria was working hard in her new environment,

A bad wind had begun to blow.