Volume 4 - CH 27.1

Chapter 4-27 : Career Counseling Ⅲ (part 1)

「Lorea-chan, before I start teaching you alchemy, there’s something I need to tell you.」(Sarasa)

「Alright, I’m listening.」(Lorea)

「First of all, as you know… I’m not that good at teaching people.」(Sarasa)

I can say that I was one of the best students in my grade in the Alchemist Training School back then, but none of my classmates ever asked me to teach them something.

There were sometimes self-study sessions when the teacher was absent, and outside of class we usually studied on our own too.

Well, all students in the Alchemist Training School were smart from the beginning. After all, they passed the super difficult entrance exam. Therefore, they prefer to study on their own rather than ask other people to teach them.

「Honestly, I’m not sure if I will be able to train and teach you well, but I’ll try my best.」(Sarasa)

「Thank you, Sarasa-san!」(Lorea)

「Ah, there’s one more thing you need to know. Lorea-chan, you don’t have much magical power, so even if you learn everything from me, the chance for you to be a successful alchemist is very slim.」(Sarasa)

Unlike magicians who need a lot of magical power to cast spells, alchemists don’t need much magical power. The most important thing alchemists need is the ability to manipulate magical power precisely.

However, it doesn’t mean that having a small amount of magical power won’t hinder your job as an alchemist.

If you don’t have much magical power, there will be a limit to the number of times you can perform alchemical transmutation. Moreover, you won’t be able to make artifacts or potions that require a lot of magical power to make.

You still can open a store and work as an alchemist but there’s a chance that you won’t be able to make all the things listed in the Encyclopedia of Alchemy and you won’t be able to raise your rank because of that.

「Even if it’s slim, as long as I still have a chance, then I won’t give up! Besides…」(Lorea)

Saying that, Lorea-chan blushed a little for some reason.

「Umm… My feeling of wanting to help you is strong, so… I think if I learn alchemy, I will be able to help you with your work.」(Lorea)

「I, I see…」(Sarasa)

She… She’s an angel!

What a kind-hearted girl…

Seeing Lorea-chan frankly say something that made me happy with a slightly red face, I couldn’t hold myself from smiling.

She works at the counter, but when the store is not busy, she usually spends her time just sitting at the counter, waiting for customers.

At times like that, she must feel bad for just sitting without being able to do anything to help me.

I’ll be grateful if she can help me with my alchemy-related work whenever she is free.

「I’m happy if you want to help me, but learning alchemy is not easy.」(Sarasa)

「Sarasa-san, I’m aware of that. But I promise I won’t stop halfway. I will keep learning and I will show you that I’m a good disciple!」(Lorea)

Saying that, Lorea-chan looked at me with eyes full of determination.

「Alright. I can’t guarantee that you will definitely become an alchemist under my guidance, but I will train you real hard. I hope you’re prepared for that.」(Sarasa)

「Understood, Master!」(Lorea)

Lorea-chan suddenly gave me a salute and called me “Master”.

「Ma, Master…?」(Sarasa)

「Yes. You’re officially my master now.」(Lorea)

「Y, Yeah, but… Ugh, that’s too heavy for me now, and… It’s a bit embarrassing…」(Sarasa)

「Then, should I call you “Master Sarasa” instead~?」(Lorea)

「Stop it! that’s even worse!」(Sarasa)

I flusteredly waved my hands and shook my head as Lorea-chan called me that while smiling mischievously.

Even though I’m an alchemist, it hasn’t even been two years since I graduated, so I think it’s too soon for me to be called “Master”.

If my master saw me being called “Master” by Lorea-chan, she would definitely laugh.

「Fufu. Alright, I will keep calling you “Sarasa-san” then.」(Lorea)

「Yeah, please.」(Sarasa)

◇　　　　◇　　　　◇

With Lorea-chan becoming my disciple, it doesn’t mean that everything will change all of a sudden.

She is still my store clerk, and because most of the knowledge she needs as a store clerk of an alchemy store is also the knowledge she needs to become an alchemist, for now, I just continue to teach her basic things like usual but with some additions.

When I teach her about various alchemy materials, normally, I only tell her about their prices to help her work as a clerk, and where they can be collected so that she can tell Collectors. However, now I also teach her about their utilities and how to transmute them with other materials to make things.

Learning alchemy is mostly about acquiring knowledge at first. Without it, you won’t be able to move forward after all.

You can put everything you have learned into practice later when you have enough knowledge.

Neglecting your studies and performing alchemy transmutation without enough knowledge will only lead you to an accident.

By the way, if you study at the Alchemist Training School, there will be teachers who can protect you and high-quality safety equipment that will prevent you from getting hurt in case an accident occurs during practice.

I may be able to protect Lorea-chan, but I think it’s better to practice without risk at all. I don’t want Lorea-chan to get hurt after all.

Therefore, I decided to just give her lectures about alchemy for a while, and for that purpose, I asked my master to send me alchemy textbooks.

When I was at school, all the textbooks, reference books, and encyclopedias that I used to study were owned by the school. They were very expensive but the school lent them to the students for free.

Students from rich families brought their own textbooks but there’s no way an orphan like me could afford them. That’s why I don’t have them now.

However, now I have enough money to buy them, so I asked Master.

I still have my notebook I wrote myself when I was at school, but I doubt it will help Lorea-chan study because I didn’t write much information in it. I memorized most of the information I got during lectures at school after all.

I think Lorea-chan needs some textbooks so that she can study by herself anytime even while she is waiting for customers at the counter.

While waiting for Master to send the textbooks, for now, I keep teaching Lorea-chan as usual.