She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman

Chapter 191 - 118: The Alchemist (2)

The man glanced at the window again as he asked in a low voice. He seemed wary of something. The curtains were closed, but everyone knew there was a guard posted right on the other side.

He had every possibility of sending a dissimulated signal to alert the guards of the intruders, but Mira doubted he would do that. She had seen something inside his eyes when he strongly denied being a member of Chimera Clauzen.

「How we got here is a secret, but we can guarantee no one will know we're here.」

It was like she had become aware of a window to his soul. So she decided to trust him, while also assuring him that they were safe there, for his sake as well. Everything was silent outside, and there were no signs of guards entering the mansion to look for them. In other words, there was no worry that those supporting Chimera would overhear them talking.

Mira and Sasori knew Worthramble's powers of stillness, so they never doubted their privacy, but rather than trying to explain a foreign power to the alchemist, it was easier to keep it vague. Even though Mira had instructed Worthramble to keep them safe even if one of them screamed loudly.

「My name is Johann, I'm an alchemist being used by Chimera.」

He introduced himself with a sour look, then explained his situation.

It all started when his father, an alchemist he looked up to, accepted a request from the Melville Trading Corporation. They wanted his father to re

「It's funny when you think about it. The mansion is under such a heavy guard, but it's not to deter intruders, but so the owner can't leave. If I try to set one foot outside they'll know instantly.」

Saying that, Johann looked at the curtain in annoyance. Buying food and materials for his job had been fully entrusted to his assistant, and years had passed since the last time he left the mansion.

「That explains the weird feeling I had seeing them outside.」

The guards really had been there to prevent an escapade, rather than watching for those outside the mansion. Mira still remembered the weird feeling she had when they first approached the mansion.

His life had taken a turn for the worst when his father, who willingly helped Chimera Clauzen, passed away. They wanted him to keep the research active, so they robbed him of his freedom and forced him to follow their orders.

It was impossible for anyone else to know just how he felt having his family snatched away like that.

Mira felt truly pitiful about Johann's current situation. Looking at the room again, she could see many vestiges of his missing family. Strewn amongst the research documents were picture books for children, a kitchen apron that presumably belonged to his wife, and a shelf near the desk held the wedding ring he had mentioned in his story.

Some shelves looked dedicated to mementos of his family, which Mira silently observed. He seemed to clean them daily, not a single speck of dust visible on them as opposed to the other shelves with research. That made them stand out all the more, letting his suffering peer through.

「Don't look so sad now.」

Mira picked up the sheep on the table, looking into its eyes that looked somewhat sad and spoke to it. Johann watched that from the side.

「Huh? Is something wrong?」

Sasori raised her voice out of the blue. She had noticed a single tear streaking down Johann's cheek.

「Ah, sorry. It's just… my daughter. She would always talk to that sheep like that, and I was reminded of her.」

Johann forced a smile as he turned away from Mira holding the sheep, trying to hide his tears. 「I see,」 said Sasori, gently looking at his back.