Chapter 27
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: 5. The Most Beautiful Thing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
On the way back, the three male students were unusually quiet.
They didn't pick any fights with Edin. Instead, they just silently watched as Riley and Edin conversed.
The story they had cooked up went like this.
Earlier, when it had just been Edin and the trio alone, Edin had been the one to start trouble with them.
He was an academy staff member trying to make a move on a female student who had just undergone her coming-of-age ceremony at the tender age of sixteen.
Claiming the trio were obstacles in his way, he had threatened them not to interfere.
On top of that, he had boasted about being an important academy employee, warning that if word got out, they'd all be kicked out.
They planned to spread this tale far and wide.
A man more than ten years her senior—worse, an academy staffer preying on an academy student.
It was the kind of scandal that would draw massive condemnation.
And using the academy as his shield while blabbing about it?
From the academy's perspective, if it were true, severe punishment would be in order.
Otherwise, the academy's reputation would take a huge hit.
Of course, only the trio and Edin had been present, so Edin could always come forward and refute it.
'But we're three against one.'
'Plus, it's true that Riley was always hanging around him and talking during this field exercise. He can't deny that, right?'
Of course, the reality was that they had zero interest in learning anything from Edin, while Riley diligently listened to his lessons and took notes.
Still, it wasn't entirely a lie—just twisted enough to feel plausible.
They had no idea, though.
Even if things blew up, plenty of people at the academy would side with Edin.
Not some flimsy numerical advantage like three of us versus one of him.
The rising star mage Lunarin Brettis and the Adventurer Academy's chairman Mureos Avantredin.
Two figures whose endorsement carried overwhelming credibility.
Unlike the trio's baseless claims, they would conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.
And with their skills, they'd likely succeed.
Even if not, a single confession spell would end it.
Though such magic was typically reserved for the most heinous criminals, raising student rights issues.
That's why they strutted so confidently.
They believed that while truth could be revealed, no one would dare violate their rights as academy students to do it.
And with no witnesses or evidence...
However.
'Let's see if the recording turned out well.'
A short distance from Rasen's leading party, Saella pulled out a recording crystal—modified from a communication crystal—and played it back.
[We didn't even need to talk about this directly from the start.]
[Sending that bastard to rock bottom is no big deal anyway. No matter how solid his backing is, he can't beat public opinion.]
It captured the entire conspiracy conversation among Octo, Ens, and Tom from earlier.
They might have thought there were no witnesses.
Unfortunately for them, there had been one.
And that witness had prepared ironclad proof, using a recording crystal from their magic pouch to capture every word.
Undeniable evidence.
In truth, their plan was doomed before it even began.
But Saella had no intention of exposing it right away to get them disciplined.
'Let's see if they actually go through with it.'
If they really executed that ridiculous scheme.
And public outrage started boiling over.
Then he'd reveal this to the academy students and faculty.
'Edin might be upset at first, but to crush them thoroughly, this is the surefire way.'
Showing it straight to the chairman might end it as a minor infraction—maybe a suspension or expulsion at worst.
But dropping this bomb after the rumors spread everywhere?
The full force of the uproar would turn on the trio, drowning them in backlash.
The scandal would echo through the academy even after expulsion.
And word would reach the Adventurer Guild too, making it impossible for them to find decent work anywhere in Preta.
'Daring to tarnish the pinnacle of beauty I've finally found? Be grateful no arrow's lodged in your temple.'
He burned to kill them on the spot, but held back—for his own sake and to avoid implicating Edin.
"Then I'll be off."
"Good work."
Upon arriving in Preta, Rasen and the students headed to the Adventurer Guild branch to report.
I had no reason to tag along, so I returned straight to the academy.
My steps quickened unconsciously on the way back.
Because... I could finally use the state-of-the-art alchemy equipment in the basement!
Heh heh, I'm really looking forward to this.
Of course, with the limited materials, I could probably only make basic Healing Potions or Antidote Potions at best.
But it should perform leagues beyond my makeshift setup, right?
Eager to try it out, I hurried back to the general store.
"Ah, you're back."
"I'm home."
Waiting there was Teacher Suiven... no, just Suiven now, I suppose?
Anyway, Suiven greeted me warmly.
Not just her—a few students shopping inside glanced curiously at the newcomer she was welcoming.
"I'll head downstairs to do some crafting, then. Take care of the shop."
"Of course."
It felt a bit rude to dash off to the basement right after arriving and leave her in charge.
But this was the plan from the start.
And I'd man the counter once I finished crafting anyway.
I hurried downstairs.
"Ooooh..."
Even though I'd seen it once before, the awe hit me again.
I felt grateful to the chairman all over.
Alright... time to give it a spin?
"Hmm, is this for that? Looks similar."
First things first: familiarize myself with all the equipment.
Some were upgraded versions of familiar tools with enhanced functionality.
Others were completely new designs.
I pored over the included manuals.
The explanations were thorough and user-friendly, so it didn't take long to get the hang of them.
Surprisingly, many features were automated, so despite the added complexity, it actually seemed less hands-on than before?
Let's give it a go.
I lit the mana lamp engraved with a fire spell and started heating the distilled water.
The lamp automatically regulated the temperature, so I set it and forgot it—super convenient.
I tossed in the mashed Krishi grass clump to extract its components.
Then added finely ground Ederium ore powder for extraction.
It hit the precise temperature swiftly and accurately, speeding things up dramatically.
Once separation was complete, the flask moved automatically to the next stage.
Moving it with just a button press.
This is handy.
Normally, you'd need thick gloves to avoid burns, and it was such a hassle.
It shuttled through purification, concentration, and mixing automatically in sequence.
And a Healing Potion was complete.
Wow, this is incredibly convenient.
The time taken was similar to doing it by hand, but the ease was on another level.
With a few tweaks, couldn't this become a full automated factory?
Adjust the mashing intensity for herbs, set precise concentrations for mixing, automate material portions with magic...
"...It'd cost a fortune, though."
Such a machine would be prohibitively expensive.
With all that magic tech, maintenance alone would be insane.
Way too extravagant for personal use.
I'd heard the Alchemist Guild had something like it.
Anyway.
Even those machines required manual fine-tuning via buttons.
At best, they eliminated human tremor.
Ultimately, no matter how automated, alchemy still needed the human touch.
"......"
But why this bland feeling?
I'd used cutting-edge gear for ultimate convenience.
What was it... nothing really clicked.
The materials were top-quality, but the potion felt no different from usual...
My hands itched, like they were protesting.
As if saying, this isn't it.
"Haa... Guess I'm an analog guy at heart."
Is this what I truly wanted?
I stripped out all the magic devices.
The base setup was already high-quality, so I kept the rest.
I lit the lamp manually.
Whoosh—
"Kuh, yes. This is it."
This tactile control over the flame and temperature.
The classic method resonated deep.
Every step under my hands, birthing the final product.
This had real value.
They say handmade craftsmanship gains worth as technology advances.
Machines can't replicate this romance.
Yes, no matter how advanced, this is the true beauty.
Right?