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

Chapter 2: I would rather help you

“You are not fit to be a court alchemist, so you must vacate the seat. Don’t worry about it, okay? The brilliant Rivera will take your place.”

“Rivera?”

“Yes, big sister. I, too, have passed the examination to become a court alchemist. I thought I could work with you now… I’m so sorry.”

Then Rivera makes a sad face and a gesture.

It’s an intentional gesture.

It’s an intentional gesture that shows she doesn’t really feel that way.

“She’s very good. She introduced a lot of new potions in the exam. Do you want to see them? I’m sure you’ll understand the difference in talent.”

I looked at the sheet Master Caius had given me.

There were five different potions that Rivera had presented for the test.

They were all new and innovative and would be beneficial to the nation.

But this…

“These are the potions I’ve been working on?”

“Hmm? What are you talking about?”

“These are all things I studied and figured out how to make! I just didn’t have enough time or materials to finish them…”

“Oh, you’re kidding, right? Like Rivera stole your work.”

I felt like I was being told I was pathetically delusional.

Irritated by his attitude, I turned my back on them and rummaged through the jumble of research materials.

“What are you doing?”

“Just a moment, please. I’m about to prove to you that I’m not lying.”

“Prove? How are you going to prove it?

“Here it is!

I break open the stack of documents and pull out a document from the past.

The contents are similar to what I found in Rivera’s template.

No, it’s almost exactly the same.

“Take a look at this.”

“This is …”

Even Master Caius should be able to recognize this.

Rivera had somehow managed to take something I had invented first.

There were many occasions when she could have stolen it.

We lived in the same house and she regularly visited my room because she wanted to learn.

In retrospect, there were times when I left her alone in the room.

Then she must have stolen it.

Master Caius looked at the documents and showed his astonishment.

“Amelia…”

“Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand very well. It seems that I have made the right decision.”

“What?”

Master Caius stares at me.

I know that look when I see it on Rivera.

Why me?

The reason is immediately obvious from his mouth.

“You wanted to take over your sister’s work, didn’t you? You were stupid enough to make a statement yourself.”

“No, no! That wasn’t me, that was Rivera.”

“That’s enough now. Your excuses are tiresome and unbearable to hear. Neither the dissolution of the engagement nor the exclusion from the court will change my decision. On the contrary, it will give me even more reason to recommend them.

“N-No way…”

My actions have backfired and angered Master Caius even more.

None of my words will reach him anymore.

He has denied my previous efforts and even reproached me.

I’m falling flat on my face.

But more than that…

I thought, ‘At last I am free.’

I see. Yes, I see.

I won’t have to work at court anymore.

I won’t have to be Lord Caius’ fiancée anymore?

Wouldn’t that be great?

“Thank you, Master!”

“Huh?”

“Thanks to Master. Caius, I’m finally free from work!”

“What are you talking about? All of a sudden you’re… Have you lost your mind?”

Master Caius is confused.

Rivera, who is standing next to me, is also open-mouthed.

Such a reaction is understandable.

Normally, one would be sad to lose one’s fiancée and be deprived of one’s position.

I was also a bit shocked and sad.

But none of them knew.

How I was treated in that court.

I was chosen as the youngest alchemist of the court.

From an orphan to the adopted daughter of a noble.

Many people envied me for that alone, and many others reviled me.

People around me expected me to do well, but my closer colleagues always talked about me behind my back and accused me of favoritism and injustice.

My superiors hated me, and I had to work almost five times as much as normal people every day….

For this reason, I could not do my own research at all.

And so it was with Master Caius.

I may have been surprised when he first said it. But I had known about his affair for a long time.

I also knew it was Rivera.

I didn’t expect them to get engaged, and that was the only thing that honestly surprised me, but everything else was pretty much what I expected.

He was nice to me at first, but as I got busier and busier with my work, we saw each other less and less, and lately we almost didn’t talk at all.

Even though our relationship had calmed down, he still expected me to act like a ducal bride, and to be honest, it was pretty overwhelming.

I won’t have to put up with either anymore.

Rivera will do it all for me.

What a wonderful thing.

I was angry at her for stealing my work, but I am willing to forgive her for all the misery I have to endure.

“Thank you very much, Master Caius, and I hope you and Rivera will be very happy.”

“O-Oh…”

“And Rivera. I know it will be hard from now on, but do your best for me, okay?”

“Y-yes. Of course, Big Sister.”

Both of them were overwhelmed by these sincere words.

My face, which was usually filled with sadness, must now be filled with a sense of freedom.

The fact that I am no longer a court alchemist from today means that I no longer have to do today’s work either.

No longer do you have to go through the collapsing pile of papers on the table.

“So, should I go now?”

“No, tomorrow is fine too. Pack your things and leave today.”

“Okay.”

I don’t have a lot of stuff, and I can get it done in one day.

With that, I bowed to them and began to clean up.

They watched me for a while longer, but before they knew it, I was gone gone.

A week later…