Published: July 5, 2025
The day after Ryo was introduced to the former king Stafford, in the king's office.
As usual, Abel was signing documents.
As usual, Ryo was sprawled on the sofa, lazily reading a book.
Nothing had changed.
"I’m always watching whether Abel strays from the path of being a king."
"…I haven't said anything though?"
"I know! You’re thinking that Ryo is just lazing around and not working today as well!"
"I wasn’t thinking that at all, but is it true?"
"Ugh… you cowardly King Abel!"
Nothing had changed; the usual scene between the two unfolded.
"Next week, I'm going to Whitnash. Ryo will go too, right?"
"Huh? M-me? I'm busy with alchemy..."
"Well, I'm not saying you have to go... but I think it would be the most appropriate for you to go."
"Really?"
Ryo tilted his head at Abel's words.
Is it appropriate for Ryo to go? Is there such a thing?
However, the king wouldn’t wait.
"That aside, they should be arriving soon, so listen together…"
Before Abel could finish his sentence, there was a knock on the door.
The chamberlain who entered announced,
"Your Majesty, Viscount Kenneth Hayward is here."
"Oh, I've been waiting."
Then, the chief researcher of the Royal Alchemy Workshop, Viscount Kenneth Hayward, entered.
"Huh? Kenneth?"
"Oh, Ryo-san is here too. That's just perfect."
Kenneth bowed to Abel and then turned to Ryo, who was sitting on the sofa.
"Kenneth is also a victim of King Abel's tyranny, isn't he? He must have forced you to come to the castle using his status and power, despite your busy research."
"Well, if we put it that way, it’s true... but I can't help but feel like I'm being told something unreasonable."
"That's because Abel's small conscience is hurting. Kenneth should join the Association of Abel Victims and denounce King Abel's tyranny!"
"Yeah, don't incite them, first duke."
Of course, an Association of Abel Victims did not exist.
Nobles who are troubled about how to act between the powerful… Kenneth was in such a position, but seeing him laugh, it seemed he understood it was a joke.
"These three were brought back by Ryo-san, right?"
Kenneth said as he placed the items he had brought on the table.
A bracelet.
A brooch.
A tube about the size of a juice can.
"Yes, yes. They are harvests from the Western Nations."
Ryo nodded.
They were obtained during a battle with the terrifying bishops of the Western Church.
The Bracelet of Concealment.
The fusion magic brooch.
And the magic nullification tube.
All of them were alchemy tools.
Indeed, they were things he had brought back, but... he didn't understand why Kenneth had them.
He should have had them packed in his bag as usual.
When he was teleported to the ‘Archipelago Sea Region’ due to the magical rampage of the demon Garwin, the bag was gone.
He confirmed that the seasonings he had in the bag were missing on the beach where he was teleported, so there was no doubt about it.
Conversely, when he was transported to the battlefield by the demon Marlin from the Western Nations, the bag was there.
"I think I placed my bag on the ground before the battle with Garwin."
"Yes. After you two disappeared, the bag containing these items was left on the battlefield."
Ryo's words made Kenneth nod.
Kenneth had collected them and analyzed them while the two were returning from the Eastern Nations.
"All of them are surprisingly advanced and complex alchemy tools... I only recently finished the analysis."
"For Kenneth to struggle that much..."
Viscount Kenneth Hayward was a genius alchemist representing the Central Nations.
No, he would likely become a renowned alchemist in history.
Such a person struggling with alchemy tools?
Certainly, they were made by Cardinal Sakarias, who was said to be the best alchemist in the history of the Western Church.
Perhaps there are significant differences in doctrine, thinking, and direction between the Central Nations and the Western Nations.
If that's the case, it's understandable that the analysis would take time.
"In particular, this magic nullification tube... honestly, I still don't understand it."