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

The encampment is in sight.

Loa comes running up.

"Master Rust, this way!" Roa pointed with his spear on the opposite side of the road from where we had come.

"What about Ary?　"If you're not feeling well..." I ask as I climb down from the hippopotamus.

"I'm coming with you. "I'll go with you, and I'll see you through," Ary said.

I nodded silently and followed Loa's lead into the encampment.

"Master Lusto, be careful. I can feel the evil in him," Roa tells me as we run.

A demon's presence?　Did you see something through your clairvoyance?

As I am about to ask back, I finally see Riharzam.

Standing right in front of Riharzam, a figure in jet-black full plate armor stands at the entrance of the encampment, his back to us.

"Kalin-sama!" comes Ahri's voice.

In Kalene's hands are swords as tall as she is, still in their sheaths. The tips of the sheaths are sunk into the ground, as if to prevent Riharzam from entering the encampment.

"Rust, you're here," said a relieved Kalin.

I called out to her, thinking that if what Ary had told me was true, Kalin, who specializes in physics, would have a hard time dealing with a master class alchemist.

"Thank you for waiting. I'll take your place. I motioned to Kalene as well as Roa and Arli to stay away from her.

I switch places with Kareen and step out in front of Riharzam.

"Hey, Rust! You're here at last!" and the voice was as shrill as ever.

"...... Rehalzam, what can I do for you?" I reply. His usual somewhat foolish expression is gone, and his eyes are glazed over. His figure is, for some reason, ragged. And a little smelly.

"Master Rust, listen and be glad. The Alchemy Society is going to officially reinstate the basic research section. The head of the association says you can work for the glorious alchemy association again. Aren't you happy?　Wouldn't you be honored?　Now, get your ass back here," said Riharzam, who was not at all sure what he was talking about.

"No, I can't," he says, so unintelligible that he just says what he thinks.

"What? Riharzam looks at me with a blank expression for some reason.

"Well, I wanted to quit, so I did. It all started with the loss of the basic research section. I think I'll be able to do more research here. And we have a bigger budget. If that's all you want, please leave.

Riharzam looks down after hearing my reason and starts to tremble.

As I look at him, Riharzam suddenly starts to laugh out loud.

"Gghh..." he says. Gghhhhhhhhhh!　Ah, ha ha."

As I watched him with alarm, wondering if he had lost his mind, the sickening laughter finally stopped.

"Ah. Well then, it can't be helped. Oh, it can't be helped. Yes, this can't be helped. Rust, I'm gonna smash it!　"Deployment."

Riharzam's face contorts in an ugly manner, as if the frenzy he had been suppressing has overflowed. Riharzam deploys the scrolls.

"Everyone, more distance!　"Deploy!" I called out to the others and deployed the scrolls I had prepared, partly in response to Ary's warning.

I did not understand why Riharzam had changed so much, but I put that question to rest.

"Rehalzam!　It is forbidden for master ranks to kill each other!　At best, you will be disqualified as an alchemist. You know what you're doing! And I finally yell at Rehalzam.

"Gosh!　If only one witness were still alive!" Riharzam attacked me with a huge mushroom group of alchemists in his left hand, which he pulled out of the scroll.