The Frontier Alchemist ~ I Can't Go Back to That Job After You Made My Budget Zero

We entered the encampment and made our way through a regular line of tents. In the center of the tent is a tent for storing water. A large water bottle with a water purification system can be seen in the center.

The people we pass are all standing around, working at a brisk pace. At a glance, many of them seem to be military personnel. They all glance at us with keen eyes.

Roa pointed to a tent that was about two times larger than the others.

I told Hippopo to wait for me with a tap on the neck. We went straight into the tent.

The first thing I saw was a large, state-of-the-art communication device sitting on a table in the center of the tent. Several people are busily exchanging parchments with it.

"Excuse me," I call out.

"Rust!　You're here!" I heard a familiar female voice over the comms device.

I hear her get up from her chair with a clunk, and Karin comes around to face me.

She is small, even for a woman. At first glance, one might mistake her for a child if one did not know that they are the same age. Her red hair, cut short, looks as fiery as ever.

She comes up to me at once with a big stride and shakes my hand firmly.

It's been a long time, Rust!　What, have I aged?" He waved his hand with a buzzing handshake, looked up at me and said something rude.

"Gohon. Mind your own business. I'll just add "like" to her name, since she's my boss.

Karin's lips twist in amusement. To which I reply with a wry smile.

"Well, Rust, I'm sure it was a piece of cake for you to get here, even if it is in the middle of nowhere. Did you have a problem with those two guys who went to pick you up? Kareen asked with a twinkle in her eye as she looked at Ary and Roa.

Was that to welcome us?

I see out of the corner of my eye how Ary and Roa turn their faces away from me with a pout.

Hmmm... so that's how it is. So Kalin thinks that if anyone in this encampment is going to have a problem with me, it's going to be these two. She's been doing this for a long time. She wants to be the first to clash with them, and then build a relationship with them. Well, I don't intend to follow Karin's plan.

"......Oh, no, I don't," he replies casually. But I can't help but frown and Karin laughs at me.

"Well, that's all right then. Come on, we can't stand around here talking. Let's all take a break," Karin says to the crowd gathered around the communication device.

Then, Karin lifts the communication device, which could be the size of several grown men, with one hand.

Seeing this, the people around her rush to open up the space. One of them hurriedly lays a cloth on the ground. Kalin places the communication device on the cloth.

"Come on, sit down, sit down! Sitting on one side of an empty table, Kalin points to an empty chair on the other side. Ary whispers in her ear.

With a small nod and a wave of her hand, Kalene makes Ary move back.

"Lois, tea, please!"

Then everyone exits, leaving the entrance to the tent open.

"Is there a problem if you made us leave all the way?" I ask, thinking, "Good grief.

"Oh, that's Rust. Thanks for talking so fast. Well, we can talk over a cup of tea and reminisce if you like. And Karin.

"Oh. This is a real mess. I thought life on the frontier was supposed to be easy. A carefree life where you can spend all day long without the local magic. I'll complain lightly on the pretext of getting to know each other.

"Of course, it's important to get rid of the demons. It's important to remove the demons, because the crops won't grow. But I wouldn't ask Rust for help with such a simple job. <

"...... don't do that. So, what's the trouble in the end, Lady Kalin?

Kalin finally stops teasing. She crosses her fingers and stares at me.

Kalene's face is that of a politician as she says, "First of all, I would like you to treat the endemic disease that is spreading in this encampment and find out the cause of it.