If You Grind Up an Alchemist, There's Nothing That Can't Be Done

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Translator: Ruby

Chapter: 49

Chapter Title: If You Grind Up an Alchemist, There's Nothing That Can't Be Done

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Just one day had passed since I had requested the meeting.

Jephron visited my lodging again.

Knock knock knock.

"Sir Rohan. It's Jephron."

Diaz, who happened to be with me, went out and opened the door for him.

"Ah,  Diaz. Were you together?"

"Yes. Please come in."

"Excuse me."

The first thing Jephron saw as soon as he entered was Pico.

Flap flap! Flap flap!

"......What were you doing?"

I gestured toward Pico with my chin and said,

"He said he was practicing. So I was watching."

"I, I just need a little more! Peep!"

Flutter! Flutter!

The speed of his wing movements seemed to have gotten a bit faster, but......

"I don't think it's going to work......"

Just as Jephron said, his body remained stuck flat to the floor without budging at all.

I looked at Pico and said a word.

"You've been eating too much lately. Haven't you gained weight?"

"N-no! Peep! I'm originally a bit of a plump style! Peep!"

"......Diaz. Reduce this guy's food a bit. You're too soft on him."

"Ah, understood."

"Hiing......peep."

After roughly checking on Pico's condition,

I turned my gaze back to Jephron.

"Looking at your expression, it seems things went well."

"Ah, yes! I was really shocked. It was the first time in my life that the Prime Minister responded this quickly! What kind of magic did you use? Really, I only added that one line about there being an accessory that would appeal to young ladies these days......"

Jephron kept tilting his head, seemingly unable to understand at all.

"Prime Minister Gargent isn't particularly someone who indulges in women......and he doesn't seem like he'd be interested in things like accessories either......"

I smiled slightly.

"Let me give you a small tip. Count Gargent is a terrible granddaughter fool."

"Granddaughter fool? What does that mean? Ah! Does it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠perhaps mean he cherishes his granddaughter tremendously?"

"That's right."

Even so, Jephron still seemed confused.

"However, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠while I did know that the Prime Minister has a granddaughter, he doesn't particularly interact with his son and daughter-in-law, and practically no one has seen him meet with his granddaughter......"

"That doesn't mean he dislikes his granddaughter."

"Yes......that's true. But isn't it also difficult to infer the opposite case?"

"But the conclusion came out."

"Yes. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That's why I think you're amazing. Really, what kind of perspective must one have to reach a level like Sir Rohan's?"

You need to play the original game.

I couldn't say that.

I only showed a smile.

***

"Ah, by the way. What kind of accessory is it exactly?"

I held up one finger to signal him to wait a moment,

And approached Pico.

Pico was in the middle of receiving a lecture from Diaz about controlling his meal portions going forward.

When I appeared in the midst of that, thinking the nagging would stop, he jumped up and approached.

"Oh, Master! What is it? Peep? Is there something you need this one's help with? Peep?"

"Mm. I actually do need some help."

"Peep! Just say anything peep!"

He must have really hated listening to the nagging.

I answered with a smile.

"It'll be over quickly."

"It's okay even if it takes long, peep!"

As I reached out my hand toward Pico,

Pluck!

I pulled out one of his feathers.

"Kyaak! Peep! What are you doing! Peep!"

I gave him a thumbs up.

"P-peep?"

Then he also gave a wing-up in response.

"All good, right?"

"A-all good? Peep?"

"Yeah."

"A-alright. Peep."

And I handed it over to Diaz.

"Go to Marco and ask him to make a necklace with this feather. Ah, and tell him to enchant it with an effect that heals the owner when they're injured."

"Understood. But what's the principle behind that enchant?"

"That's what Marco will have to think about from now on."

"......Pardon?"

"It's a phoenix's feather, so it should at least have that much function. If you grind up an alchemist, there's nothing that can't be done."

"......"

"The deadline is, mm. About two days."

"Two days......you say?"

"Marco has a reputation, so it's plenty."

"......He's still an aspirant, so his reputation is......"

"Don't worry. That guy will do well."

"A-alright."

With that, Diaz disappeared,

And I looked at Jephron again.

"As you heard. Tell them I'll visit in two days."

"Y-yes......Sir Rohan."

And so two days passed,

And Marco came with hollow eyes, bringing a perfect result.

"W-we completed it......"

Marco, who brought the finished product to me,

Collapsed in my room.

According to what he said, he had completed it through all-nighters for two whole days.

As expected of a genius, I suppose.

He actually made it and brought it before my eyes.

'If he couldn't make it, I was planning to just push it as having a beautiful design.'

Thanks to that, I had in my hands a necklace that was truly both pretty in appearance and definite in effect.

The preparations were all finished,

Now it was time to crush it with my eloquence.

Holding this, I headed to the meeting place with a very light heart.

To the residence of one of the highest power holders in this Kingdom of Baltras, the State Prime Minister,

Count Gargent's estate.

***

"Guests, please wait just a moment. We have received word that the Prime Minister is currently returning from the royal palace. He will arrive shortly."

"Understood."

To the head butler who was attending to us,

Jephron responded.

Me and Diaz, and Jephron who was serving as the intermediary for this meeting,

The three of us settled in the reception room and waited for Count Gargent.

At that moment when we were sipping tea and passing the time,

The door opened,

Creak.

An old man with graying white hair and sharp eyes,

Count Gargent revealed himself.

Despite having an extremely small frame, he was someone who exuded a unique aura.

I suppose it's because he's someone who holds the position of a nation's prime minister.

Rather, he felt more weighty than even Mordon, who was part of the Seven Knights and had a much larger build.

He swept his gaze over the three of us,

Then said,

"Pleased to meet you for the first time. I am Gargent, holding the position of Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Baltras."

"A pleasure. I am Jephron, a heretic inquisitor of the Order. And these people here are Sir Rohan, who is both a heretic inquisitor and a member of the Seven Knights, and next to him is his adjutant, Lady Diaz."

Count Gargent's gaze remained fixed on me the entire time.

Even before Jephron had told him who I was.

Does he have good intuition?

After hearing Jephron's introduction, he nodded.

"So you are the one who requested to meet with me."

"That's right."

"Well, why drag this out? Let's get straight to the point."

"I came to make a deal."

"A deal......an accessory that ladies would like, was it? Did you think I would be interested in such a thing?"

"Aren't you interested, since you agreed to create this meeting?"

As I answered, I took out an elegant box and placed it on the table.

Marco had prepared everything perfectly, even the case, filled with style.

Certainly, thanks to that, the necklace inside seemed to come even more to life.

Count Gargent's eyes, which confirmed that, moved away from me for the first time and fixed on one spot.

"......"

"It's a necklace made from a phoenix's feather. In an emergency, you can remove the feather and place it on a wound for light first aid."

"......What is your reason for bringing this to me?"

"Well. I merely posed a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠question. Saying there's an item like this, are you interested? The one who answered was rather your side. Whether it's needed or not isn't for me to decide."

Though I said that, I was confident that he would have great interest in this necklace.

The point at which Count Gargent appeared in the original work was after he had already lost his granddaughter.

He, who continued to live in regret and rage,

Ultimately, not long after appearing, met his death by turning to ashes along with demons through self-destructive alchemy.

He was a character who appeared relatively briefly, but it was all too easy to know how much he cherished his granddaughter.

The words he had boasted, saying it was a bracelet his granddaughter had treasured,

The things he had cultivated, saying they were flowers his granddaughter liked,

In Count Gargent's final life, there was only his granddaughter Liazel.

Even looking at the letters and diaries left throughout his residence, there were only stories about her.

Would such a person really refuse this?

'Absolutely not.'

And fortunately, my certainty did not miss the mark.

"Someone who is the first in history to hold concurrent positions as both a member of the Seven Knights and a heretic inquisitor wouldn't be seeking money. What is it that you want from me that brought you here?"

As expected of a prime minister, it seemed he had already grasped all of my positions in just one day.

Looking at his leisurely expression, it seemed he probably knew everything about what had happened in recent days.

"As a member of the Seven Knights, I'm trying to properly educate one guy who's been neglecting his duties, but one of your nation's high-ranking officials has been interfering and making things troublesome. I'd like you to lend a hand."

"If it's the same industry......mm. I can roughly guess, but is that high-ranking official by any chance Count Soleon?"

"That's right."

"Haha! This will be interesting. Go ahead and continue speaking."

***

The next day at noon.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Someone pounded on my lodging's door roughly.

"This is by order of His Excellency Count Soleon! Sir Rohan, come out immediately and receive Count Soleon's order!"

I cracked open the door and stuck out my face.

The one who had knocked on the door was none other than Mordon's adjutant.

"Who?"

"Count Soleon sent me."

"What's the content that you're making such a commotion?"

At my prickly response, Mordon's adjutant's face also crumpled.

"Sir Rohan has caused disorder by engaging in a dispute with Sir Mordon of the Seven Knights here in Oldrion. To prevent greater disturbance, we request that you leave Oldrion and refrain from entering Oldrion for the next six months."

Two people fought, but only I should leave.

It was obvious.

That was just a simple excuse.

It meant there was already a method for Mordon to kill the Immortal Bird within the next six months.

I looked at the adjutant and asked,

"What if I refuse?"

"Then the Black Iron Knights will personally step forward and forcibly escort you."

"They will? Me?"

"If it's Count Soleon's order, they will move."

"I see."

I turned my head toward the inside of the room and spoke.

"That's what he says, so what should we do now?"

The adjutant didn't know to whom I was speaking and had a face full of question marks.

But the very next moment,

His face hardened completely.

Upon seeing the figure who appeared from behind me.

"What do you mean, what should we do? Go immediately and tell Count Soleon. Tell him to withdraw the message."

"......P-Prime Minister? Why is the Prime Minister coming out from there......."

"Didn't you hear me? I said go immediately and tell him to withdraw it!"

When Count Gargent shouted with his characteristic authority,

Mordon's adjutant backed away hesitantly.

I looked at him and smiled wickedly.

"Go and tell Mordon as well. You picked the wrong person to mess with."