Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6.
“...A person?”
Was my sudden declaration that I needed a person so startling?
Solpis Aureum looked at me blankly as she asked in return.
Despite that vacant expression, I kept the smile on my face as I spoke to her.
“Yes, a person. Not a mana stone.”
“...Is House Nordiar short on manpower?”
“Manpower, hmm... if you ask whether we are lacking, then yes, we are.”
“I was under the impression that the knightly forces under your command were formidable, given that you defend the North. So when you say you lack manpower...”
Perhaps she still could not believe what I was saying, because suspicion had yet to leave her face.
“...I nearly gave you the wrong idea. We do have plenty of manpower in that regard, but not many truly exceptional talents. Certainly not an alchemical genius capable of advancing history by a hundred years.”
“A genius who could advance history by a hundred years...? House Aureum does not have anyone of that caliber. I think you must have mistaken us for some other house.”
“I am not mistaken.”
Was it firmness? Or confidence?
She did not seem completely convinced yet, but the daughter of House Aureum had already begun entertaining the possibility in her mind—what if what I said were true?
“I cannot even begin to guess who you mean.... But do you want that genius?”
“Needless to say. I do.”
“Then what do we receive in return?”
Perhaps she had already started running the numbers in her head, because the blank look was gone, and her tone turned businesslike.
“...I would rather not haggle over this, but if we are being precise, we would be the ones uncovering that talent for you. Would it not be us who should receive compensation instead?”
“You are saying that you intend to take away the talent we discovered.”
“......”
If possible, I would have preferred to bring him over.
But as expected, that was not going to happen for free.
“If not for my information network, you would not even know such a talent existed. To be blunt, if we simply decided to take him without a word, your house would not even realize what had happened.”
“Then why did you not do that? I do not see why you came to me to discuss it.”
“...Because House Nordiar is not such a shameless house.”
...Though I said that, the genius alchemist in question had devoted his entire life to Aureum.
Count House Maron had tried to entice him away with generous treatment, but he had refused to leave Aureum, saying he preferred his homeland.
And now I was supposed to make someone like that abandon Aureum and come to Nordiar, a place with no ties to alchemy whatsoever?
“I have to assume it is impossible. He was obsessed with Aureum.”
That meant the thing I had to do now was make Solpis believe that the alchemist was not particularly attached to Aureum.
“I do not think this has anything to do with conscience. If you wish to find that person in our territory, then your house will require our help, will it not?”
“Not required, no. It would simply be faster. We already have as much information on him as we need. We are merely short on time.”
“...Short on time?”
“There are reasons. And one more thing. What if you invested in him early? What if you provided him with the finest teachers, the finest equipment, and the finest resources?”
I offered the most tempting condition possible.
“Are you not tired of bowing your head to Count House Maron by now?”
There were many mana stone mines.
But few houses possessed alchemical infrastructure on the level of Count House Maron.
For now, Aureum was leading the contract on the strength of its high-quality mana stones...
But another mine with equally fine mana stones could emerge at any time.
Put simply, Aureum was replaceable to Maron, but Maron had no equal as a trading partner for Aureum.
“There could not be a more tempting offer than this.”
Perhaps my words had struck home, because I could see Solpis’s eyes waver.
“...To be honest, I still do not fully believe you. A genius who could advance history by a hundred years—that is absurd.”
“......”
“But if what you say is truly the truth.... Then let us do this.”
“And how, exactly...?”
“He is still a talent from our side, so I cannot yield on that point. But I do agree that if he is supported early, he will become an even greater talent. Therefore, we will keep the alchemical theory he uncovers on our side, but we will share the final products.”
“No, the core theory must be shared as well. You are not trying to take only the sweetest part and leave, are you?”
At my outrageous stance, I could feel Solpis’s brow crease.
“Since it has come to this, I may as well be shameless.”
“...You are asking too much.”
“He is a talent you would never find without me. Is that not true? I would think you would like House Aureum to become a house capable of standing proudly against Count House Maron.”
The elixir I needed had to be potent enough to raise my mana heart to the level of a Grand Master—not all at once, perhaps, but close enough.
And to produce something of that caliber, Count House Maron of the present could not do it. Perhaps the Maron of a few years from now could, but not the current one.
In that case, staking everything on that genius alchemist was the wiser option.
“Very well.”
Perhaps she had decided to raise the white flag, because Solpis let out a sigh and smacked her lips in reluctant resignation.
For now, I decided to be satisfied with this much.
“Good. Then I look forward to working with you.”
As I nodded and extended my hand, Solpis answered it with a handshake.
***
A few days later.
The sight of Solpis in Aureum territory beneath the slowly fading sunset was rather unusual.
Was it because our first meeting had been in high society, and I had grown used to seeing her in extravagant dresses?
In a simple one-piece dress, she looked far removed from nobility.
“What? Why are you staring?”
“...It is nothing. More importantly, is this definitely the house where that boy lives?”
“Well, if the information you gave me was not false.”
Speaking primly, Solpis drew a sheet of paper from her clothes and recited the details.
“Name: Hadin. Status: commoner. Age: currently fifteen. Only child, living with both parents. No matter how I look at it, he seems ordinary. ...But where, exactly, did you get information like this? You know everything else, but not where he lives?”
“That is a secret.”
“Honestly. You are a man with far too many secrets. In any case, if you are asking whether this is the house where Hadin lives, then yes, this is the one.”
“I see.”
I had seen him a few times in my previous life, if not often.
After all, we had belonged to the same death squad.
“...He was quite eccentric.”
I stepped forward and knocked gently on the small house’s door.
“Is anyone there?”
“Just a moment—”
With that reply, the rough wooden door opened.
Perhaps because it was so strange to see a man and a woman—both far younger than himself, and both complete strangers—standing at his door, the man who emerged looked suspicious rather than welcoming.
“Who are you...?”
“My name is Kairun Nordiar, the fourth son of House Nordiar. And this young lady beside me is Solpis Aureum, the second child of House Aureum.”
At our formal introduction, the man—Hadin’s father—went pale with surprise.
“Nobles? What business would nobles have with our house...?”
“It is nothing serious. May we see your son for a moment?”
“Some guards came to investigate our house not long ago... would this happen to be related to that?”
“If you mean the guards, then yes, I was the one who sent them.”
Perhaps Solpis’s answer made him realize this might be something bad, because the color drained from his face.
“...Has my son done something wrong? He has been spending nights outside these days, wandering who knows where. Could he be involved in a crime...?”
“It is not that sort of matter. May we speak inside? I would like to meet your son.”
At the very least, I ought to see the expensive face for myself.
***
Hadin’s first impression was rather... how should I put it?
If I had to describe it in a single phrase, he already looked like an eccentric.
“Mm, so.... I’m Hadin.”
“You little— They are nobles! Use proper speech!”
“Argh!”
After getting smacked across the back, Hadin shot his father a resentful look.
His speech was awkward.
His eyes darted about without pause.
“So this brat had already been slightly off even when he was young. Is that a trait common to geniuses?”
“I’m busy, you know! I was already on my way back from debating with my teacher! I need to verify something!”
“You insolent boy...!”
I caught Hadin’s father by the arm as he moved to smack him across the back again and stopped him.
“Haha... it is quite all right. We do, in fact, have business with your son.”
“...A noble has business with me? What business? What?”
Fifteen years old—the age of storms and defiance.
Perhaps because he was still young, Hadin’s manners were all but nonexistent, but for now, that was acceptable.
I was not particularly fond of formality myself.
“...Are you sure we found the right person? He does not look the part at all.”
Solpis whispered quietly.
Ignoring her, I addressed Hadin.
“I heard rumors that you are quite skilled at alchemy...?”
“Mm?”
At fifteen, he was still too young to hide his feelings properly.
The moment he heard the word alchemy, Hadin visibly jolted.
Then, when he heard that there were rumors saying he was skilled, he puffed out his shoulders.
“...Well, I’m definitely better than that quack of a teacher. Better than those so-called clever fools who never listen to what I say and just keep memorizing that damned textbook over and over.”
“Oh? To that extent?”
“Of course. I can say that with confidence.”
“Then shall we make a deal? We need your knowledge.”
“A deal?”
“That is right. We will support everything you need for your alchemical research. In return, you will share the results of that research with us.”
“...Everything I need?”
At the words everything you need, Hadin’s eyes widened.
“Naturally, his mouth would water at that. He was the sort who would live and die for alchemy.”
Even during our time in the death squad, he had cared more for alchemical research than for the mission of facing the Emperor.
It seemed that, even now, while still young, that part of him had not changed at all.
“...Fine. But I have a condition.”
“...A condition?”