Are You Going to Break off the Engagement and Expel Me at the Same Time? ~I’m an Alchemist Who’s End

Chapter 18: Let’s explore the forest

In the morning we started to collect stones.

Everyone was very cooperative and we collected a lot of stones.

Thomas and I joined in.

“Amelia, are you tired?”

“No, I don’t have any problem with it. It’s nothing compared to my work at the Court! In fact, I enjoy it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Am I reacting too strongly to the fact that I’m picking up rocks?

But it really is fun.

I’m working with Thomas and everyone else toward a common goal.

I’ve come to realize that there’s a purpose of its own in doing something with someone rather than alone.

That’s what I really feel…

“Big Sister Lia! I’m back.”

“Welcome home, Iru-chan.”

Iru-chan walks up to me.

I ask her.

“How was it?”

“I did exactly what you asked me to do! We just had to bring them to the warehouse in town, right?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“That’s what I was supposed to do!”

She put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest self-consciously.

I asked her to explain the situation to the people in the houses.

She also asked them to give her all the ironware they were no longer using.

After stones, we need a lot of Iron Filings.

Apparently, the request was successful.

“Can I help you with the stones now when I’m done?”

“Yes. Hmm …”

I look around.

The stone gathering is going well.

Everyone seems to be volunteering and being flexible.

Will it go well?

While I’m thinking about it, Mr. Shun appears behind Iru-chan.

“Thomas, Amelia-chan, go and get the other materials. I’ll take care of this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. As you can see, they’re working hard. And it’s more efficient to gather the materials at the same time, isn’t it? Iru, why don’t you give them a hand?

“Yes!

Iru-chan replied, raising her right arm in the air.

“She’ll do it. Amelia-chan, do you agree with this?”

“Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. Shun.”

“Good, this will be harder for you. And Iru, you watch Thomas so he doesn’t do anything weird to her.”

“I got it! If he does, I’ll kick him as hard as I can.”

“I wouldn’t do that! Just how much do you not trust me?”

Thomas was taken aback.

Iru-chan smiled and Mr. Shun seemed amused.

The three of them always look like friends, and that makes me smile.

I want to be able to mingle with the three of them as soon as possible.

I thought.

◇◇◇

We left the town to Mr. Shun and went into the forest.

The forest is huge and covers most of the area.

We chose a safe area with no monsters and close to the Town.

The forest has been affected by the daily heavy storms.

Trees have fallen, flowers have blown off the ground, and the ground is so muddy that you have to be careful not to get stuck.

“So what are we supposed to do now?”

“We’ve already talked about this, right? We’re going to get some Sticky Plants and Resin from the trees.”

“I know what to do! I just wanted to know how to find them!”

“A—ah, I guess that’s what you mean. I don’t know much about it, so we’ll leave it all up to Amelia.”

I walked in front of them.

I hear voices and turn around.

My eyes fall on Thomas’ right shoulder.

“Thomas, isn’t that basket too heavy?”

“This one?”

He is carrying a woven bamboo basket on his right shoulder.

It’s slightly narrower than his shoulders and reaches from his shoulder to his waist.

“There’s nothing in it, I’m fine. I mean, is this enough?”

“Yes. The basket will be full of Sticky Plants. And for the Resin…”

I take a clear bottle out of my bag, which I carry over my shoulder.

“It’s enough to fill this jar. We don’t need much of either.”

Indeed, we need more of Drake’s Skin.

For the rest, we are in the process of gathering information about Drakes.

Our task now is to collect two materials in this forest.

“Hey Big Sister Lia, I’ve never heard of a Sticky Plant, what kind of plant is it?”

“It looks like a small flower. It is characterized by a white liquid that comes out when the stem breaks and sticks to things.”

“Wow, that sounds really useful!

“Yes, it is very useful. But few people know about it because there are many alternatives.”

It is also used as a material for Alchemy.

But there are other adhesives, and it is not necessary to use sticky plants.

The Layer Coating is essential in this case, because it can only be melted with Sticky Plants.

“Look at your feet and tell me if you see plants on the roots of the trees. If the flowers are white and the tendrils grow like a web, it’s a Sticky Plant.”

“Yes!”

We walked on for a while.

And then…

“Ah! Big Sister Lia Could it be that!?”

Iru-chan points energetically with her finger.

I look up and see a vine wrapped around the roots of a fallen tree.

A white liquid is oozing from part of the partially torn stem, hardening.

There is no doubt about it.

“Yes. That’s the Sticky Plant.”

“I’ve got it! What do you say, Lord? I found it first!”

“It’s not like we’re competing with each other…”

“I’m much more useful than you! Lord, you’re — pathetic.”

“Damn it… This girl… All right, all right. I’ll find the next one.”

Has Thomas’ temper gotten the better of him?

And so the two competed to find more and more Sticky Plants.

Before we knew it, the sun had set.