Even though I say I returned to the imperial capital, not everything is back to normal. If anything, it's only natural that things have changed. After all, I was away for a year.
"Wald, you've kept up with alchemy even while I was away, haven't you?"
"Yes, I have repurchased all the materials I used as much as possible, but was there any inadequacy?"
"Don't worry about that. I've been receiving your reports properly, too. It seems you can already make Essence stably, and I was thinking your skill has reached the point where I'd like you to make my share as well."
His skill was so impressive that I suspected he must have practiced in earnest every day.
As I said this while looking over the Essence, Wald showed a relieved expression.
(I was really surprised. He might even be better than Wearel, who had been helping me.)
(What factor could surpass the years invested?)
Wald's improvement was so certain that even Sephira grew interested.
(Hmm, I'm sure his aptitude plays a part, but I suppose it's motivation?)
It was the result of a year spent honing his craft without being forced.
Wearel is the most dexterous of them all, but since his greatest interest lies in magic, his motivation for anything else inevitably falls short.
Helkov and Ikuto are the type to learn through physical sensation, improving when made to repeat things in a clear, understandable way.
And, after all, they are most passionate about mastering their own fields of expertise.
"Wald, I picked up various minerals from the deployment site. Want to do an experiment together?"
"Is that alright? Would it not be better to do it with your younger brothers? They would surely be delighted."
"Minerals are more dangerous. It's still too early for my brothers. But I think you'd be fine, Wald. What do you say?"
I ask while preparing for the experiment.
The equipment here is complete, so I can do things that weren't possible up on the mountain.
"Which one should I go with? I guess starting with something easy to understand is best, right?"
How about removing rust from metal?
It's a simple thing you could do in middle school science—just let it rust, then remove the rust.
All you need is iron, oxygen, water, and phosphoric acid.
Actually, the phosphate ore needed to make phosphoric acid is something I found and picked up during the deployment.
It is a useful ore that past alchemists also left behind, and depending on its condition, it is a hazardous material that can spontaneously ignite.
(Who'd have thought that matches developed in the past would be forgotten now.)
(They would have been useful for races other than the dragon race—those who cannot use fire magic, would they not?)
Just as Sephira says, they probably fell into disuse because they were developed by humans who could substitute with magic.
Besides, since there are also magical Essences in alchemy, the demand for matches was too low.
Even so, I want to praise them for researching and preserving the applications of phosphate ore.
If someone had thought to use it as fertilizer, perhaps phosphate ore would have gained a bit more recognition?
"Well then, first I'll make this iron plate rust. It takes time, so I'll soak it in water and toss it into the alchemy furnace."
"I have read what is written about the alchemy furnace in books, but does it truly transcend time?"
"I don't really understand the principle either, but it seems you can alter various conditions to speed up the reaction."
Sephira has already investigated it, but it remains a product of alchemy that she hasn't fully unraveled.
I realized it while investigating the Lesser Thunder Lamp, but the alchemy furnace also appears to be a combined technique of magic and alchemy.
However, it is far more advanced than the Lesser Thunder Lamp—so much so that Sephira suggested dismantling it, unable to fully comprehend it through scanning alone.
Of course, I rejected that because there is no guarantee I could reassemble it.
Since there must be an alchemist in Lukiusaria who can build one of these, I'll ask my intellectual curiosity to wait a little longer.
And I took out the rusted iron from the alchemy furnace.
"There, it's rusted. Just imagine I soaked it in ordinary water overnight."
"It's rough. This red substance certainly appears to be rust."
As Wald rubbed his fingers together after touching it, Helkov peered in.
"If metal is left exposed to rain outdoors, it crumbles apart, but it doesn't seem to be at that stage yet."
"Surely it wouldn't deteriorate that much in a single night."
Wearel, who nodded at Ikuto's words, turned his eyes to me.
"And what will you do with this?"
"I'm going to remove the rust. Actually, I suppose you won't really understand without an explanation. First, rust is what's called an oxidation reaction..."
As I spoke of such things, once I placed the rusted iron plate into the phosphoric acid and waited, the rust dissolved into the water and the iron became clean.
Then, if you put it back into water, it's simply rusted iron again.
"Wow, this is nice. Even if you slack on maintenance, it'll be back to normal right away."
"I hardly think one should neglect the maintenance of a weapon they entrust their life to, though."
Ikuto looked exasperated at Helkov, who was cracking wise.
"Didn't you once say that if you were so attached to your weapon that you'd lose your life, you'd rather throw it away and flee?"
I had no idea when he'd said such a thing, but Wearel looked even more exasperated.
When Ikuto was attacked at the cathedral, he had seized the enemy's weapon without hesitation, so I suppose it means he doesn't fuss over them, but that doesn't mean he neglects them?
"Well, if the rust goes too deep, it eats into the metal itself and leaves it pitted. This is still shallow, so it comes out clean, but rust that's been accumulating for years won't return to its original state even if you remove it."
"Still, it's amazing that you can turn picked-up stones into something like this."
Wearel also nodded at Helkov, who kept cracking jokes without a care.
"I saw that you picked up all sorts of things, but did you really think all of them had uses?"
"There are some I haven't finished investigating, so some might truly be ordinary stones."
Ikuto cast a question while glancing at Wald, who was mimicking my procedure to rust the iron and remove the rust.
"Come to think of it, what happened to the plants and such that you picked up alongside the platoon leader?"
"Medicines have expiration dates, so I gave the ones that couldn't be preserved to Celine. It would be nice if we could cultivate the seeds I collected, but I've never done it before, so I wonder what to do?"
"My great-aunt was also delighted, saying Your Highness is most erudite."
At Wald's words—his eyes not leaving the beaker where the rust was being removed—I froze.
Only Wearel, who was half-elf, showed a look of understanding.
"Huh, I didn't mishear that, right? Great-aunt?"
"Did you not know? Strictly speaking, she is apparently the younger sister of my great-grandfather, but since my father calls her his great-aunt, I call her that as well."
As expected of an elf.
Apparently, Celine lives quite a long life indeed.
Even in this world, elves are long-lived; I've heard their lifespan is around three hundred years, but I've seen books describing five hundred years as well.
"How should I put it—do people of that generation have something like faith toward the forest?"
"They do. Even though they live almost entirely in the city, for some reason they revere the plants and trees."
Wearel and Wald nodded at each other as if it were a common elven trait.
But now that they mention it, Celine had happily helped me whenever I was collecting rare plants.
Sometimes she would take me up on my invitations to collect specimens, which got her scolded by General Wagellis.
"Ah, come to think of it. Is the military still pushing back about the budget issue?"
Because of what was done to facilitate my return, Father had already replaced the head of finance.
Finance is moving to settle the situation through personnel changes, but as for how the military is moving, I, who have already lost my authority, have few means of knowing.
"Peculiar budgets were pushed through during the deployment, and both finance and the military immediately cut the person in charge. However, some in the Imperial Guard who lent a hand seem to have protectors. In order to pass judgment on them as well, matters appear to be stalled for now."
According to Wald, finance and the military decided immediately who to cut loose.
But the Imperial Guard does not have such leisure, and due to the rebellion as well, they seem to have gone on the defensive out of fear that the damage would spread further, slowing their response.
Because of this, they reject outside interference with pointless pride, hating for others to meddle.
I hear that my father, the Emperor, is applying pressure over this, but it still seems like it will take time.
"Your Highness, it was said from His Majesty's side that the Imperial Guard who caused the rebellion might receive reduced sentences."
When Helkov spoke as if he had just remembered, Wearel—who is also in Father's employ—shared what he had heard.
"It seems their birth families will shoulder heavy fines in exchange. They appear to have given up on evading guilt in order to prioritize the survival of their houses, but even so, they are still resisting."
In Japan of my previous life, blood relatives would not be punished simply because a family member committed a crime.
But in this world, there is a system of collective punishment that extends penalties even to blood relatives.
Therefore, they first resist in order to prevent criminals from appearing among their kin.
Because affinal families affected by the collective punishment join together in resistance, punishing nobles is an exceedingly difficult matter.
But this time, they cannot escape through power plays or stalling.
Therefore, they acknowledge the guilt of the parties involved, seek reduced sentences to avoid collective punishment, and offer appropriate atonement.
In other words, they've shifted toward resolving it with a large sum of money and somehow aiming for the restoration of their houses.
"That's fine. If we weaken them, that gives Father an opening to capitalize on. Since the dukes might also get caught in the backlash, they won't be able to drag His Majesty's feet for a while either."
"At the very least, this incident has caused turmoil among the factions. Following the failed elimination of Prince Asha, the Emperor's presence has effectively been strengthened, and he has ended up being resented by both the military and the Imperial Guard."
At Ikuto's words, Wald sighed as if exasperated.
And when his eyes met mine, he somehow looked distant, but that expression reminded me strongly of Celine.
Scheduled update
Next time: A Year's Changes, Part 4