Academy (14)

As usual, I walked down the street with Helena, who was wearing a mask and sunglasses. Workshops lined the road that stretched out on both sides. This was a special district where alchemy workshops clustered together. It was packed with alchemists who were supposedly quite skilled. Almost all custom-made alchemy artifacts were produced here.

"Is this the Alchemy Street?"

"Yes. I did some thinking... but I think she's still the best choice."

"Who is she?"

For something like the portable teleportation magic circle, I couldn't just hand over knowledge from the future to anyone. I needed someone who was trustworthy and, of course, highly skilled.

"Well... to be honest, her personality isn't great. She tends to push people away, like a hedgehog."

"Really...?"

I was a little surprised, but she must have had a reason for choosing someone like that.

"Still, she's trustworthy. And since she hasn't learned much relative to her talent, giving her just a little knowledge will make her grow tremendously. Actually, this theory is a result of her own research in the future."

"Oh..."

I imagined what kind of person she must be like as I listened to Helena's explanation. A gloomy and eccentric alchemist came to mind.

'Well... as long as her skills are good.'

"We're here."

The place where Helena stopped was an old-fashioned building. Honestly, it looked shabby compared to the ultra-modern building right next to it. Plus, that other place was bustling with people, while this building didn't have a single customer. Still, it was clear it was well-maintained.

"Shall we go in?"

"Yeah."

I saw Helena let out a small sigh. Just how bad was her personality?

Jingle. The door opened with the sound of a chime.

"Welcome! This is Lapis Alchemy Workshop!"

"Uh..."

A woman in her early thirties smiled brightly and gave a polite bow. Her face-sized breasts swayed, asserting their presence.

'Is she a part-timer?'

Her voice was cheerful and kind. It was quite different from the description. But seeing Helena's flustered expression, it seemed she was the right person.

I continued talking to her via telepathy while pretending to look around the workshop.

The woman was looking our way with a bright smile. She seemed like a friendly owner who was even hesitant about being a burden.

Helena's expression was complicated.

'Hmm...'

People change when they go through major events. That friendly owner might not become the talented woman from the future.

Diana, the owner of Lapis Workshop and an alchemist, was a married woman. On top of that, she apparently had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a daughter around Si-woo's age.

'Just how old is she?'

Si-woo looked her over. She was a voluptuous beauty who suited her wavy hair well. Her chest was especially huge. Her plump mounds were the size of her head. Her body was absurdly proportioned compared to her narrow waist. She was a beauty who looked to be in her early thirties at most. It was hard to believe she had a twenty-year-old child.

"Excuse me...?"

Diana was a little flustered. Just by flinching slightly, her massive chest shook dynamically.

"Uh... you're asking me to go to the Northern Barrier?"

"Ultimately, yes. We'll set up an alchemy workshop for you there and train you in the latest theories as well."

Diana froze for a few seconds at the sudden proposal. But then she shook her head.

"I really appreciate the offer, and I'm grateful that you would think to... but I'm sorry. I don't want to leave this place."

Helena, who had been hesitating at those words, nodded.

"Then, I'd like to commission an artifact. Is that possible?"

"Ah! Of course! This way, please!"

"This is the magic circle I'd like to commission."

"A space transfer...? Uh... it's a bit different. Give me a moment."

Diana's brow furrowed deeper and deeper as she looked over the blueprint. Her expression was that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of someone seeing something incomprehensible.

"No, how is this possible...? This would cause spatial interference... uh... oh? It works?"

Seeing the two women talking about complex magical theories, Si-woo got up from his seat and looked around the workshop. It was about ten pyeong in size. Various artifacts were displayed on shelves that lined the walls. There was even a cleaning artifact in the form of a ring.

'Oh... it's smaller than mine?'

The one he had found and was using was in the shape of a pole. If it was a ring, it would be perfect to give as a gift to the women in other worlds. There was quite a lot worth buying.

'Hm...?'

As he was looking around, he saw a photo on the counter. It was a family picture. A younger-looking Diana was smiling brightly. The short man beside her and the little girl appeared to be her husband and daughter.

'I feel like I've seen this somewhere before.'

The daughter's face between the couple looked familiar. He was wondering where he had seen it when—

Jingle. The bell on the door rang as someone entered. She was a woman who looked exactly like Diana, except for her small height. She was wearing a bright smile.

"Mom, I'm home! Oh, you have custo...!"

Her lively smile vanished as her eyes widened. She covered her mouth with her finger as she pointed at him.

They had met before.

'What was her name?'

She was quite short. She looked under 160cm, but she had an enormous bust. She seemed to take after her mother. She was the alchemist he had saved during the rift field trip. He remembered her throwing a potion that made lightning spread among the zombies.

"Si, Si-woo? Wow...! You're here as a customer?!"

"That..."

It was a passing acquaintance, so he couldn't remember her name. As he trailed off, she smiled brightly and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

"I'm so grateful for what you did back then. I'm alive thanks to you."

Diana came out from the room where she had been ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠talking with Helena.

"Sara, you're here?"

Thanks to Diana's words, he remembered her name.

'Ah, right. It was Sara.'

"Mom, mom! You can't take money from this person! He's the one who helped me! I almost died, I'm telling you!"

Sara chattered on about what had happened during the rift field trip. How she had almost gotten into big trouble because of the suddenly powerful zombies. Diana's face stiffened as she listened.

"Wait... what do you mean? You almost died? I thought the academy break was for facility construction?"

Sara gave an awkward smile and muttered.

"Ah... right. It was supposed to be a secret... haha..."

Sara got three smacks on the head and was locked in her room upstairs. Diana followed them out of the workshop, fidgeting nervously.

"Ugh... thank you so much. If it hadn't been for her, I...!"

Diana trembled as if the mere thought was horrifying. Was the reason she was unhappy in the future because of her daughter's death? He looked at Helena, but she also shook her head.

Fair enough. Even she wouldn't know everything about everyone's personal circumstances. Especially if she tried not to get attached to people.

Diana bowed once more and said,

"Thank you so much... I'll make the artifact you commissioned as quickly as possible. And you don't need to pay me. I could never."

Usually, artifact crafting fees are one to ten percent of the material cost. It wasn't a small amount of money. But he wasn't lacking money, so he had no reason not to pay. Besides, seeing how she had almost no customers, her circumstances didn't seem very good.

"No, you should take the money."

"How could I take money after you saved my daughter's life? I'm sorry I can only offer this much despite how hard up we are."

Diana grabbed his sleeve and wouldn't let go. He gently pried her hand free and said,

"It's really fine. Anyway, I should come back in three days, right?"

The manufacturing period for the portable teleport artifact. The time, which originally took a week, had been drastically shortened.

"Yes. I'll make sure to have it done in three days."

"Then we'll be going now."

Diana's face was full of regret.

"Don't go without having a meal at least..."

"No, it's late, so we should head back."

"Hoo... I'm so disappointed."

She was so regretful that she was still holding onto his sleeve, refusing to let go. Having a beautiful woman with massive breasts cling to him was nice, but Helena was there. His heightened senses allowed him to feel Helena's brow furrowing.

Fortunately, her gaze wasn't directed this way. She was watching a pot-bellied middle-aged man come running over, panting.

"Diana! What do you think you're doing right now! A married woman shouldn't act like that!"

Diana's expression soured at the sight of him.

"Haa... Mr. Rotton. Don't say strange things. It's not what you think."

"What do you mean, not what I think! I just saw you linking arms with him! My friend, who's lying in a hospital bed, would be so upset!"

"Mr. Rotton! That's enough! He is the benefactor who saved my daughter's life!"

"S-Sara's benefactor...?"

Upon hearing that he had greatly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠helped her daughter, the pot-bellied man chuckled awkwardly and scratched his head.

"I-Is that so? S-Sorry. I have a bit of a short temper..."

Diana let out a deep sigh and whispered to Si-woo.

"He's my husband's friend, and he's quite meddlesome. I'm so sorry. When you come next time, I'll treat you properly. Thank you so much for saving my daughter."

As they were about to leave, Rotton grabbed them this time.

"Hey, are you two maybe here to buy something? As an apology, I'll give them all to you for free. Come to my shop."

"...No thanks."

"Ah, come on, don't be like that. I feel bad."

He offered to give them everything for free without even asking what they were buying. That was a statement you couldn't make unless you were incredibly wealthy. But he wasn't interested. They parted ways, and he asked Helena. Her expression still wasn't good.

"What's wrong? Do you know him?"

"Ah... it's nothing. I just saw some trash that needs to be taken care of."

After returning from the Alchemy District, Si-woo arrived at the academy dormitory. His dorm had changed as a reward for his rank rising to A-grade. It was no longer the small, goshiwon-like side room he had before, but a proper three-room officetel. It was surprisingly spacious, making it hard to believe it was on the academy grounds.

Pudding was to be raised alternately by him and Helena. For now, it was his turn.

'Hm...?'

There was someone in the living room. Two soft, cute creatures were dozing on the sofa. No, they were asleep. It was Amelia and Pudding, dressed in animal suits.

'A cow...?'

Wherever she had gotten the idea, she was wearing a fluffy fur pajama set. It looked like a cow cosplay, but it wasn't a bikini, just regular pajamas.

"Amelia?"

"Uung...? Hah...!"

As she woke up, the Pudding in her arms wobbled. The chick, which had been sound asleep, peeped weakly without even opening its eyes. Amelia carefully placed Pudding on the cushion, then ran to him and hugged him with her arms wide open.

"Si-woo!"

Amelia rubbed against him like an affectionate puppy and hummed happily.

"Hueung... nice...! Why are you so late!"

"Sorry. I should have called. What's with the outfit?"

She usually wore normal pajamas, but now she was wearing a fur suit. Amelia, dressed as a cow, spun around and beamed.

"An event! Hee hee... how is it? Do you like...?"

Her huge chest bounced. Despite the baggy clothes, it couldn't hide her voluptuous ass and breasts. But a cow cosplay requires a micro bikini. That's the rule.

He rummaged through his inventory and found a proper outfit.