The Alchemist And The Dispatched Devil (3)

One day, about a year after Villa and I had begun running an alchemy shop together with Mitt, the alchemist assigned to us,

“Lept-san! Is it true that if I beat Pallas-san in the Academy’s final exam, Master will make something for you?!”

Mitt, who had gone to the Academy to submit this month’s assignment, came charging up to me with those words the moment she returned.

Whoa… who told Mitt about that?

I held back Mitt as she pressed closer and closer, searching for something that would calm her down.

“Yeah, well, we did make that promise, but it’s only a bonus, so you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself, Mitt. …By the way, who told you?”

I did not like lying if I could help it, so I turned the question back on her, hoping to steer the conversation away from the subject.

Though I already had a pretty good idea who it had been.

“Zaras-san. I happened to run into her at the Academy today, and she cheered me on, saying, ‘I’m sure Lept-sama has something he wants made too, so please do your best!’”

Yep. Just as I thought.

I know I was one to talk, but damn that devil!

There would probably be no point telling Mitt, who genuinely believed Zaras had told her purely out of kindness and had sincerely encouraged her, but this was an attack on her state of mind.

Mitt’s personality was extremely easy to read, and for a veteran devil like Zaras, manipulating her would have been simple.

Zaras could treat someone warmly while still mercilessly knocking them down for the sake of her objective, which made her an extremely proper devil.

I actually felt respect for the female devil named Zaras in addition to friendship.

But right now, she was absolutely the enemy.

At the same time, however, this was proof that the gap between Mitt and Pallas Cook, whom Zaras was assigned to, had narrowed more than I had realized.

If Zaras had thought they held an overwhelming lead only to see that lead steadily shrinking, it was understandable that she would start feeling impatient.

But even if I explained all of that, Mitt probably would not accept it.

“Well, since Zaras is cheering you on too, how about we start today with the Adventurers’ Guild deliveries?”

So I decided on a strategy of starting her off with the easy task of mass-producing low-difficulty medicines, gradually raising her concentration until she forgot about everything unnecessary.

Villa was the one who actually understood the mechanics of alchemy and gave technical advice, so my own role was almost entirely limited to guarding Mitt and managing her.

Guiding Mitt should have been easy enough—or so I thought, but instead of moving at my words, she puffed up her cheeks.

“No, you’re not distracting me! If there’s something you want, Lept-san, then I need to start working on more advanced assignments or I’ll never beat Pallas-san!”

Mitt kept insisting, but I really wished she would stop coming closer with her cheeks puffed out like balloons, because it made me want to laugh.

I did think it was cute, but she acted so childish for her age that it worried me a little.

Mitt was dancing entirely to Zaras’s tune, but there was not much that could be done about that.

The difference in experience between a veteran devil and a young girl was simply too great.

Still, there were a few things about Mitt that even Zaras did not understand.

“You’ll win in the end even if you keep going the way you are, so it’s fine. Besides, you can’t suddenly jump ahead and do advanced work you’re not ready for. There’s no need to rush. Just keep doing what you always do and enjoy yourself.”

Mitt’s clumsiness aside, the reason she panicked and put too much pressure on herself so easily was her lack of confidence.

And as for why she lacked confidence, it was probably because she had received far more rejection than affirmation throughout her life.

But over this past year, Mitt had experienced countless successes and had received gratitude and affirmation from many people.

Those experiences had unquestionably helped Mitt’s heart grow stronger.

The Mitt of today would not be crushed so easily by the burdens placed on her.

“W-Wait, Lept-san… you really think I can beat Pallas-san…?”

I nodded at Mitt, who stared at me in stunned disbelief.

Zaras had probably misjudged this too, but I genuinely believed Mitt would win.

“I won’t say there’s no way you can lose… since it’s a competition and there’s another person involved, that would be going too far. But if you keep doing things the way you have been, I think you’ll probably win. What do you think, Villa?”

That was why I could reassure the anxious Mitt without a single lie.

A little verbal manipulation was nothing to fear… though the next time I saw Zaras, I was still going to get her back for this.

“Yes. My Lord. said that declaring victory certain would be going too far, but Villa shall state unequivocally that Ms. Mitt cannot lose. Considering Ms. Mitt’s growth thus far, along with our presence, victory is already assured. Villa strongly advises that the only matter remaining is how thoroughly we enjoy the process.”

I was the one who had asked her, but Villa’s line sounded much cooler than mine…

I should have just declared it outright too.

Mitt was probably delighted by such strong affirmation.

Seeing huge tears welling up in her eyes, I decided to reduce today’s workload a little.

She probably would not stop crying for a while anyway.

“…By the way, what is it that you want Master to make for you, Lept-san?”

After she finally stopped crying, Mitt suddenly asked me while sipping her dinner soup.

Hmm. Should I really tell her?

I did not want her putting even more pressure on herself after hearing it, but refusing to answer after everything we had just said would feel a little awkward.

Well, it should be fine.

“Mm, a body for Villa. Not being able to move around looks pretty inconvenient, after all. Your master could probably make something like an automaton body, right?”

I tried to say it as casually as possible, but Mitt’s expression still changed in surprise, and even more than that, I felt a wave of astonishment coming from Villa where she sat on the table.

When I had created Villa, my image of Eden from when she had still been an AI had been far too strong, so I had ended up making her into a spherical, inanimate-looking existence, but no matter how I considered it, that was inconvenient.

But if she obtained a high-quality doll as a body, Villa could probably spread roots throughout its interior and completely transform it into her own flesh.

“W-Wow~! Then I definitely can’t lose! Ah, but even if, if I do lose, I’ll make Villa-san’s body myself!”

Mitt’s expression became determined, but she did not look as though she were putting too much pressure on herself.

As expected, little by little, she really did keep growing.

Even what happened today had helped her grow just a little more.

…But,

“No, sorry, Mitt. Even for us, I think it would be a little difficult to raise your design sense to an average level with the time we have left…”

Sometimes there were simply things that could not be helped.

Mitt could make things perfectly normally when their shape had already been decided, but whenever she tried to create something from an original design, she invariably produced something that could only be called avant-garde… or perhaps simply indescribable.

“Yes, Ms. Mitt, please, regarding Villa’s body, please! Do not concern yourself with it! Villa shall leave that matter to My Lord.!”

At my sorrowful shake of the head and Villa’s frantic attempt to stop her, Mitt’s cheeks puffed up once again.