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

The food storage was ultimately a miss. Nothing was found that could have caused the endemic disease.

All of the stored meat from animal monsters and fruits and grains from plant monsters were properly processed.

The well kept and clean vaults seem to reflect the character of the person in charge.

No poison or residue of the original den owner - the monster that Rohr said was a bear - was found, as I had suspected.

I thank the man in charge and leave the vault.

I walk up the hill and onto the ground with a downcast look on my face.

A hippopotamus notices me and comes up to me.

Hippopo shakes his head lightly to the left and right, "Bumo.......

It seems that Hippopo did not find anything either.

Thank you, Hippopo. Let's move on," he says, patting Hippopo's ear.

"Where do we go next? Ary speaks to me.

"Let's go over there next," I said, pointing to a large water bottle in the center of the camp where drinking water would be stored.

I pointed to a large bottle in the center of the encampment where drinking water would be kept.

"No problem here either," I muttered to myself as I read the information on the scroll of "transcription" for drinking water.

The water bottle seems to be used as a magical tool, but its water purification function seems to be working properly and no problematic components were detected.

It is now lunchtime, and we have started our research in the morning.

Ary asks me to take a break for lunch. A suggestion that somehow feels unnatural coming from Ary and Roa. As I think about the discomfort, an idea suddenly occurs to me.

"Oh, I see. When Kalene told you to follow me, did she tell you to watch me as I ate?" I ask Ary and Roa.

Arri is silent and Roa turns his head away.

It seems that Kalin is completely in charge. She seems to think that I am the kind of person who, if left unattended, would continue my research while eating my personal food.

I remember when I was a student, Kalene once forcibly shoved food into my mouth while I was doing research. ......?

I was too old to say anything, so I decided to have a quiet lunch.

Ary and the others took me to a nearby tent. It was spacious, but only had a ceiling with a row of desks and chairs under it.

The food is cooked in the tent over there and served here. I'll get it," says Ary.

Loa follows Ary without a word.

Meanwhile, I take out the pellets made from hippopotamus grass from my backpack and sprinkle them with the finely ground magic stone powder, carefully measuring it out. For alchemical beasts, the ingestion of magical elements is a poison, both in excess and deficiency.

Hippopo. Eat."

"Bumo bumo!" Hippopotamus flicks his tail and puts his face into a pile of pellets.

As I watch, Ahri and the others return.

"They're back. Let's eat."

In his hand is an identical menu. It's for three people.

"Does everyone in the encampment eat here?" I ask Ary as I look at it.

"No, many people cook their own food. And I think many people with families also prepare their own meals," says Ary.

─ Ah, so this is like the cafeteria at the school or the members-only cafeteria at the association.

As I was convinced, Ary and the others started eating their lunch without saying a word. It seems that Ahri and the others are not in the habit of praying to God before eating. I also put my hand on the food in front of me.

There is a moment of silence, with only the sound of chewing.

As I eat with one hand, I take out the scroll of "Transcription" and look back at the data of the patients of this endemic disease.

I wonder if there are any commonalities that I have overlooked.

As I do this while eating, I feel Ahri and Roa's eyes on me. Through the cloth, I am not sure. They seem to be trying to say something.

I decide to ask them just in time.

"Do you two have anything in common with the patients of this endemic disease?　Also, are you asking if anyone else has had the disease today?"

They look at each other. Eventually, Ary answers.

"Master Rust, I think you should at least rest during the meal. I will inform Kalin. And I haven't heard if anyone has developed the endemic disease today. I am not aware of any commonalities.

Ary shakes his head.

Next to him, Roa muttered in a whisper.

"Many of them are single."