Chapter 24 The Distillation Furnace And Paracelsus'S Laboratory
"So, I had a different request for Mr. Theophrastus."
"Huh, yes!? What is it?"
The guild representatives, starting with Theophrastus, had become flustered every time Sara spoke up.
'Did I go too far?'
"I won't eat Mr. Theophrastus or anything, so it's okay if you don't worry about it, thank you."
"I-I apologize!"
Theophrastus was sweating coldly, but there was no point in getting worked up, so he decided to move the conversation forward.
"Can you introduce me to a craftsman who can make a distillation furnace and an alchemist who can assist with my experiment?"
"Is this an experiment with distillation? Does Lady Sara also dabble in alchemy?"
Then, Rebecca, the governess, interrupted.
"Lady Sara is still 8 years old. I think you're aware, but it's unusual for a noblewoman of this age to study alchemy."
"""What!?"""
"I-I apologize for the rudeness."
Not just Theophrastus, but all the guild representatives were shocked by Sara's age. The bureaucrats and maids, who had gone through similar experiences, felt a sympathetic "oh, I can relate" sentiment.
"I apologize for surprising you, but can you still introduce me?"
"Yes. Both are possible, but what size of distillation furnace do you need?"
"First, I want one that can distill a single barrel's worth. Later, I'd like to make a bigger one, but are there any craftsmen who can assist with the trial and error process?"
Theophrastus thought for a moment, tapping his chin, and then looked at Sara with a sudden idea.
"Would you accept a young female apprentice, Lady Sara?"
"If they have the skills and knowledge, I don't care about age or gender. As I always say, I myself was an 8-year-old girl, so it's not a problem."
"Actually, my daughter is an alchemist. Even though she's a woman, she can't attend the Academy, and she's not officially registered with the Guild. However, she's been learning alchemy by my side since she was a child, and I guarantee her skills are far superior to those of other alchemists."
"If Guildmaster Theofrastos guarantees her skills, then I'm fine with it."
"And about the distillation furnace, could I ask my friend to make?"
"Is your friend also a woman?"
"Yes. She's the daughter of a blacksmith and has inherited her father's skills as a blacksmith. However, the Blacksmith Guild doesn't accept female craftsmen either. Until now, she's been taking on requests under the guise of helping her father, but her father passed away last year. Now, she's making a living by helping out on a farm."
"How's her skill level?"
"In the few years before her father's death, she took over his work and received good reviews. Moreover, the distillation furnace my daughter uses was probably made by her."
Sara thought for a moment about Theofrastos's proposal.
'In other words, they're unregistered alchemists and blacksmiths, but their skills are guaranteed.'
"Uncle, is there a problem with hiring unregistered craftsmen?"
"No, Sara, if you want to hire them, go ahead. They're not breaking any laws."
Robert replied with a smile.
"What's the benefit of belonging to a Guild, anyway?"
"As I mentioned earlier, you can purchase materials at a lower price through the Guild. You can also receive requests through the Guild, and access information that's only available within the Guild."
Theofrastos answered, and Alexander from the Pharmacist Guild nodded in agreement.
"I see, then it's not a problem at all. Then, Mr. Theofrastos, could you please convey my wishes to your daughter and her friend? I'd like to meet them as soon as possible."
"Understood."
"Um...Lady Sara, aren't you interested in having a female pharmacist assist you? She might be able to help with experiments."
Alexander, who had been watching the exchange between Theofrastos and me, timidly asked a question.
"Do you have a daughter, Mr. Alexander?"
"No, I'm single. There's a girl who lives nearby, and since she was poor and started gathering herbs from a young age, she would sell them directly to my house. Eventually, she started watching me make medicine from the side and even helped me out."
"Isn't she your direct disciple, then?"
"That's because, according to the rules of the Pharmacist Guild, you can't take on a disciple unless they've completed the pharmacy course at the Academy with excellent grades. Since she didn't, she can't be more than just a helper."
"You're going out of your way to recommend her, so she must be very talented, right?"
"She's more talented than other disciples who graduated from the Academy. If she were a man, I'd even pay for her tuition to attend the Academy."
'What a waste! With an alchemist and a pharmacist around, we could make cosmetics too! It's like a cheat item from isekai!'
"I would her like to join us, Mr. Alexander. She has such a talented assistant, after all."
"Even if she's by my side, she can't be more than just an assistant. Considering her abilities, it would be a waste if she stayed that way."
Rebecca, who was standing nearby, reacted to this.
"Ms. Sara, there are many women who give up on their dreams just because they're women. If she's really passionate about it, shouldn't we lend her a hand?"
"Just as Miss Rebecca said. If someone like her, who's not very capable, can be of help, then please let her join us."
"I deeply thank you, kind lady, for your generosity."
'Ugh, I got called kind and generous! But deep down, I'm just consumed by desire...'
Sara's conscience hurt just a little. But only a little.
"By the way, I've been wondering... In the town I used to live in, there were pharmacists who didn't belong to the Pharmacist Guild. Is that illegal?"
"No, it's not illegal, but there's a rule that says a pharmacist who's not a member of the Pharmacists' Guild can't sell their medicine to the Guild."
"Then doesn't that mean they can't sell the medicine they make?"
"It's not illegal for a pharmacist to sell their medicine directly. However, they have a duty to inform the buyer that they're not registered with the Guild."
"I see, I understand now."
'Hmm, come to think of it, the category of 'medicine' in this world is pretty vague, isn't it? Are there things like over-the-counter meds? Ah, never mind. We can talk about it when I figure something out.'
"And, Uncle, I want to secure a place in the castle where I can conduct alchemy experiments."
"There's a tower on the east side of the castle where they used to do alchemy experiments. The building itself is over 100 years old, and the equipment is a bit outdated, but you can use it as you like. I'm not sure if it still works, but there's an old still left behind, I think."
"Is that... the laboratory of Paracelsus?"
Theofrastos asks Robert with a curious tone.
"Yeah, that's right. Ah, I see, you're a descendant of Paracelsus, aren't you?"
"I'm his great-grandson. I inherited my name from my great-grandfather."
"What does that mean?"
"Paracelsus was his title as an alchemist, and Theofrastos is my real name."
"Huh, I didn't know that."
"Uncle, why was Paracelsus conducting alchemy experiments in the castle?"
"He wanted to create the Philosopher's Stone, apparently."
"The Philosopher's Stone...?"
Theofrastos explains with a wry smile.
"My great-grandfather worked as a court alchemist in the capital for many years, but in his later years, he became obsessed with researching the Philosopher's Stone. The Philosopher's Stone is like a fairy tale to us alchemists. It's said to be able to turn any metal into gold and grant eternal youth, but I don't think such a thing really exists."
"That's right, isn't it?"
"The previous Marquis Grandchester was deeply impressed by Paracelsus's papers and invited him to this land to build a laboratory. At the time, it was said to be the most cutting-edge technology."
"Even considering the previous generation, wasn't Mr. Theofrastos's great-grandfather quite old?"
"Yes, that's right. He must have been over 100 years old, but thanks to the blessings of the spirits, he looked quite young. He even remarried to a wife younger than his grandchildren."
"That's amazing, isn't it?"
"That's how my family became the subjects of Grandchester and established a branch of the Alchemist Guild here."
In reality, the Alchemist Guild's branch is the only one in Grandchester. The royal capital's Alchemist Guild is located within the Academy's grounds and is almost like a research institution. Students who major in alchemy at the Academy often spend more time at the Alchemist Guild than in the classroom as they advance to higher grades. The reason is said to be that the professors don't budge from the Guild.
"That's wonderful, isn't it!"
"Well, it's no mistake that Paracelsus spent a fortune like water."
"Uncle, it's unavoidable that research and development require a lot of funding. By the way, why did Paracelsus build an experiment room in the castle instead of the Alchemist Guild?"
"He probably wanted to keep the experiment results secret, Sara."
"Lady Sara, all the experiments great-grandfather conducted in the castle are completely classified. Even the Alchemist Guild and our family don't know about them."
'It's an experiment that used a massive amount of funding, so it's not something you can easily make public. It's a bit romantic, isn't it?'
"But, it's been a long time, and wouldn't it be okay to make it public with grandfather's permission, uncle?"
Theofrastos and Alexander nodded enthusiastically at Sara's proposal.
"...I don't know if I should say this, but the current Marquis Grandchester has no interest in alchemy and hasn't inherited Paracelsus's records..."
""""EEEEEEEEEE!!""""
Robert's apologetic response was met with a collective gasp of surprise from Sara, Rebecca, Theofrastos, and Alexander.
"Great-grandfather and Paracelsus spent a fortune on various experiments, and you're saying the results are lost, uncle?!?"
"I mean, it's gotta be hidden somewhere in the castle, but the previous Marquis's will didn't mention the location, you know?"
"That's right. The previous Marquis passed away in a carriage accident, didn't he?"
Theofrastos seemed to nod in agreement at my word.
"So, when did Mr. Paracelsus pass away, uncle?"
"No one knows. He suddenly vanished when the previous Marquis was still alive. Since there was no note or message left behind, it caused a huge commotion at the time, with people suspecting kidnapping."
"Back then, there were many cases of talented mages and alchemists being kidnapped, so maybe Paracelsus was one of them. They searched extensively, but couldn't find any leads," Theofrastos added.
"It's a shame, especially since he had a young wife..."
Then, Theofrastos smiled wryly and said, "That wife is still alive, and she's now the respected elder of our household, ruling like an empress."
Well, despite the many mysteries surrounding it, Sara had obtained the alchemy laboratory, the experimenters, and the craftsmen who made the equipment.
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