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AFTER I sat down for breakfast, I explained the situation to Dad, who was awake and joining me at the table in the dining hall. He was pretty flustered. Of course he’d be flustered, what with Lico sitting next to me. Despite me only being awake for two hours longer than him, there was already a lot to fill him in on.
“I mean, after everything you said, I can see why you’d want to go study how to control the Stella,” he said. “But will you be coming back from the, uh…divine realm, was it?”
“Well, yes, that’s what the teleportation slime is for.” I pointed at the navy-blue-colored slime, which was jiggling on the table. Its beady eyes reminded me I had torn it in half just a while ago. “Air taught me how to use it, though I haven’t tried it yet. By the way,” I changed the topic, “how are things going between you two?”
“Huh?!” Lico and Dad both tensed up.
As his daughter, I thought now would be a good time to ask. Lico was giving up her noble status, meaning she was free to marry! And if they were going to get married, they could hold the ceremony in Deshmel’s dance hall. Everyone would work hard to prepare meals and presents, and Nakona and I had to work on Dad’s groom outfit. Things were going to get busy!
“W-Well, hm, once L-Lico’s affairs are in order, I thought, well…” Dad mumbled and trailed off.
“Speaking of, Marcus, where are you living right now?” Lico asked. “I’ve heard you’re going between Rofola and Deshmel.”
“Y-Yeah, I’m assuming I’ll spend more time in Deshmel going forward, what with the development project to set up a large town here…”
“Really? Is there a proposal for it already?” Lico asked.
“I’ll let you see it when we’re done talking. It’ll probably take years to make it happen, and we’ll need to gather settlers,” Dad explained.
“Interesting.” Lico nodded.
Huh, I thought the atmosphere was right a second ago, but now it’s all gone.
They discussed the plan, talking about hiring accountants, getting nobles to pay money in exchange for rights in the new town, and hiring scribes to get in touch with high nobles from other countries. Lico was giving Dad advice from a noble’s perspective.
That’s a world I’m not familiar with at all…
“So, it’s not like we can just build all those facilities and get them to start working…” Dad pondered.
“If you’re going to set up a buffer zone in the middle of the continent like this, every country in the human continent will have to get involved. We’ll have to send letters to the demi-human continent and other wealthy individuals to ensure they don’t complain about being left out. We should also demand equal amounts of materials, personnel, and money from each to develop their zones. Will the Mythical continent get involved with this too?” Lico asked.
“Yeah, I’ve been in talks with Renge about it,” Dad said.
Oh, right… Renge is the Great Curalius’ representative. I was hoping he’d come with me to the divine realm, but…I guess he’s got his hands full here…
“Oh, so that means you and Lico will both be staying at Deshmel together for a while,” I pointed out.
Both of them stiffened and looked away from each other bashfully.
…Dorks.
“I…I suppose,” Dad mumbled.
“Yes, I suppose I’ll be imposing on you for a while. Tinaris, could you arrange a room for me?” Lico asked.
My eyes widened. She was actually going to stay in Deshmel! A former state alchemist from a large country like De Marl would be living in the same place as me! Under the same roof as me!
So that means…!
“Let’s renovate!” I exclaimed.
“But why?” Dad and Lico asked as one.
“I want to make an alchemy laboratory for Lico and me!” I said enthusiastically.
Lico got to her feet, her chair screeching against the floor. Dad, Jiril, and Mirage all looked at her, baffled.
“Let’s do it!” Lico cheered.
“Hey, Lico—” Dad tried to protest.
“Yeah, let’s do it!” I nodded, jumping to join her. “We can make the walls thick to withstand any explosions, set up large cauldrons and a garden for harvesting alchemical reagents at any time…”
“Yes, thick walls are a good idea!” Lico agreed wholeheartedly. “That way we won’t have to worry about explosions. If I can work with you by my side, even if I blow things up, you’ll always be there to heal me. It’s perfect! Mm, if that’s the case, I’d like an underground laboratory. It’d be perfect if it’s as large as this dining hall.”
“What’s perfect about that?! Cut that out, Lico! What are you even going to work on in that lab? Don’t do anything dangerous!” Dad tried to stop our glee from spiraling out of control.
“That sounds wonderful!” I kept going, ignoring him. “Having a medicine cabinet and drying room next door would be useful. Ah, and we can set up a reference room! With bookshelves from wall to wall, full of alchemy books from all over the world…”
“Yes…! That sounds perfectly ideal!”
“A drying room for drying herbs, and a fermentation room for fermenting them. And a vast underground cellar for storing chemicals, and another room for prepared medicine. And a vault for ingredients would be nice, too…” I said, listing the ideas off one after the other.
Lico’s research would allow me to access all sorts of ingredients I’d never run into myself. The type of alchemy she deals with is different from what an apothecary like me deals with, so I could gain a lot of new and different alchemical knowledge!
“Let’s incorporate all that into the blueprints,” Lico said.
“Hey,” Dad tried to butt in.
“Yes! Please!” I nodded enthusiastically.
“Hey!” Dad raised his voice in frustration, still completely ignored by the women in his life.
Lico and I sharing an alchemy lab together… I can’t wait for the day that happens!