That really shocked Rishe to the core.
âWhatâs wrong?â
âI-Is that alright? What I have in my room are books on medicine. Iâm the only one who uses it, and it would be inconvenient for you to open a room.â
Alchemists were always seen as âjust spending money and time, but rarely produced resultsâ.
Koyor invited Michel not because of the need for knowledge in alchemy, but because he was expected to be knowledgeable in various fields, including pharmacology.
Kyle essentially neednât respect Rishe and the others as âalchemistsâ.
But he said it without hesitation. With a serious face that straightforwardly conveyed his intentions.
âItâs my duty to support you, but I absolutely donât want any compromises on your own behavior.â
âPrince Kyle â¦â
As he said, Kyle had helped Rishe and Michel many times.
âAre you guys immersed in research and not eating againâ¦?! Wait, okay, donât move, donât move. Just watch the flask and immediately take this bread to your mouth. Drink water first.â
âIâll talk to my father for the research funding. â I know youâll definitely get results. Iâll make him nod his head.â
âDid it work?? ⦠Great, congratulations.â
âAbove, Iâm really happy that all your hard work has paid off.â
In a room in the Garkhain Imperial Castle, Rishe quietly pondered.
⦠Prince Kyle has been so good to me in every life Iâve had. Thatâs why I amâ¦
âRisheâ¦â
She raised her head up when Michel called out before her.
In the morning, Arnold allowed her to continue her training. And in the afternoon she visited the tower where the Koyor scholars were staying.
âIâve read through it.. The points of view are very good and interesting. Iâm interested in the results myself.â
âThank you, Dr. Michel.â
Lined up on the tabletop were the research drafts she had written out in the days since her reunion with Michel.
These were the ones that had ended up being only aspirations in her alchemistâs life. She wanted to get Michelâs opinion, as some of them could be used for her future plans to avoid war.
âAll of them have been tested to some extent, havenât they?â
âWhen I was at home, I did some as a hobby. I had to interrupt it because of my marriage to this country.â
Rishe mixed the truth with lies. In fact, it was because she died in the middle of her research.
âFor reference, have you ever experimented with this material?â
âI did. Thatâs why Iâve been wondering about the proportions here. The chemical solution is too strong with the materialâ¦â
While her knight guards were on the lookout, Rishe asked Michel a lot of things.
One of the weapons that Koyor has in its arsenal right now is the product of a scholar named Dr. Michel⦠His Royal Highness Arnold will be interested in this, but it wonât bridge the friendship between the two countries. Dr. Michel isnât going to be part of Koyor for the foreseeable future.
Besides, she thought.
There was another reason why she didnât want Michel and Arnold to be close to each other. Remembering when she once parted company with Michel, she clenched her hands together.
âHey, Risheâ¦â
Michel smiled softly, stopping her arguments.
âDo you like studying?â
âYes, very much!â
She nodded sincerely at the question.
âLearning something new is always exciting. The world just keeps expanding and once you get to know the different perspectives, youâll see things differently.â
âFufufu, yeah. Itâs fun to learn, and itâs also fun to put it into practiceâ
âYes. I jump for joy when I can prove in an experiment a theory Iâve built on my desk.â
âI get you. And youâre definitely right.â
Michel propped his cheeks up on the table and said with a bewitching smile.
ââ Youâre not fit to be a queen.â
ââ¦â
The knight guards were about to say something, but Rishe deterred them with a glance.
Though it was riddled with elements of misunderstanding, Michel meant no offense at all. He continued in a clear voice.
âBecause, you know what?ãThe freedom to go anywhere and try anything you want anytime suits you better. Youâre much better suited to that way of life.â
â⦠Teacher.â
â I wish you could come with me.â
When he craned his neck, his golden hair spilled out in the breeze.
âThen youâll discover a lot of things you donât know. Iâll teach you everything you need to know, how about it?â
âThank you so much for the invitation ⦠but what concerns me most right now is â¦â
Rishe looked out the window.
In the distance, she could see the detached palace where her room and the othersâ were located. Arnold should be back in his office and conducting official business in that one room.
âArnold Hein?â
â!â
She stiffened.
When Michel looked down, the shadow of his long lashes fell on his cheeks.
âIâm interested in him too. I heard that he refused Kyleâs request, but his refusal was very much suited to my experiments, you know? Iâd like to know what would happen if I gave him a certain drug.â
âAhâ¦â¦â
She felt an unpleasant sweat trickle down her face.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âIâve named it Gunpowder. If itâs your husband, phewâ¦â
Michel said, looking at Rishe with somewhat dark eyes.
ââ I have a feeling its use would be very effective.â