TRPM 415

chapter 415

After school ended that day, a few students got up and left the classroom immediately after the closing announcements, as if something terrible would happen if they were even a little late.

The students were Ryu Amin, Ryu Ayoung, and Jin Cheonha, so the reason was obvious.

They were rushing out to buy the concentration-enhancing medicine that Kim Eun-yeon had mentioned.

‘…Does the medicine have a limited quantity or something?’

Those three had probably asked students from another class earlier about where to buy the medicine. If they heard that there was a limit per person or that the merchant only appeared at certain times, it made sense for them to hurry.

‘Catching the seller… can be left to the teachers…’

Even though the person had only sold the medicine to students while avoiding the teachers until now, if the school staff decided to actively search, it wouldn’t take long to find them. But the seller wasn’t really the main concern. The important thing was the alchemist who actually made the concentration-enhancing medicine.

“Shall we head to the lab first?”
“Yeah.”

For that, it was necessary to secure the medicine in question. Normally, tracking down the seller would be the fastest way, but this situation was a bit different.

“How much of the medicine is left?”
“A lot. Actually, barely any has been used.”

Kim Eun-yeon had used some of the medicine for experiments to check whether it truly enhanced concentration and whether it had side effects. Moreover, analyzing the components didn’t require much of the medicine, so more than half a bottle remained in her lab.

Deciding that we could use that medicine, I headed to the lab with Kim Eun-yeon.

“This is the medicine.”

As soon as we arrived, Kim Eun-yeon immediately showed me the nearly full bottle. I lightly opened the lid and performed psychometry on the liquid inside.

Psychometry allows one to read the memories imprinted in magical energy present in an object. Since the liquid contained magical energy, using psychometry wasn’t difficult.

‘The magic is strong.’

Perhaps because it was made by someone presumed to be an alchemist, the amount of magic in the liquid was greater than in ordinary liquids. Most importantly…

‘The memory of opening the bottle and taking some of the contents… that was Kim Eun-yeon.’

The memories left in the liquid were simple enough that it was easy to read events from the relatively distant past.

‘I need to look through the memories before and after the contents were placed in the bottle.’

It seems the medicine was created roughly a week ago—not too long ago. Most importantly…

‘Kim Eun-yeon secured and analyzed the medicine just last week.’

Today was Monday. That morning, she had finished analyzing the medicine and informed the students who bought it that it was a genuine concentration-enhancing medicine with no side effects. This meant that she must have analyzed it by last Friday at the latest.

“Kim Eun-yeon.”
“…Yes?”
“When did you acquire this medicine?”
“Umm… let me think…”

After a moment, she seemed to remember the exact date.

“Last Wednesday… and the student who brought it said they bought it the day before…”

Her memory seemed uncertain, but it was enough. This meant the medicine was sold around Tuesday of last week.

‘The medicine was sold to a student just about a day after being made… which means the distribution process wasn’t complicated.’

The merchant selling the concentration-enhancing medicine… might have been the person who directly bought it from the creator…

‘…Or it could even be the creator themselves.’

While many people use intermediaries to hide their identity when selling goods, some simply claim to be intermediaries to save money or protect themselves.

‘There’s one more thing.’

I recalled the hand movements of the person making the medicine from the psychometry. The movements were awkward but did not interfere with the creation of the medicine. This was likely due to the alchemist’s ability. Though inexperienced, the alchemist’s skill ensured the medicine was perfectly made. As expected, the creator of the concentration-enhancing medicine was an alchemist—a person with awakened alchemy abilities.

“Hmm…”

I glanced at the association staff member in charge of Kim Eun-yeon. Should I report this to the association? Of course, an alchemist would benefit from the association’s full support…

[From the association’s perspective, a potion ready for immediate distribution is more useful than a theoretical ultimate substance whose effects are uncertain.]
[So they likely provided Kim Eun-yeon with alchemy information but restricted details about the Philosopher’s Stone and Magnum Opus.]

Though the association never tried to control Kim Eun-yeon, they did limit information. Considering that, reporting a new alchemist to the association required some thought. But since the alchemist had already started selling potions, discovery by the association was only a matter of time…

‘…Right. Just report it.’

I decided to notify the association of the new alchemist.

“Excuse me.”
“…Did you call me?”
“Yes. Please find and protect the alchemist who made this medicine.”
“Alchemist…! Understood.”

The staff member immediately understood the importance of the situation and contacted the association. While catching unauthorized sellers is normally police work, if the seller was an alchemist, it was a different matter.

“So… my junior is going to… appear?”
“…Maybe.”

Kim Eun-yeon still seemed to think that the alchemist was younger than her. Just because the medicine tastes like strawberries doesn’t guarantee that a child made it.

‘I’d actually guess it was made by a parent for their child.’

Moreover…

‘…The hands seemed to have a lot of wrinkles.’

From the memories left in the medicine, the alchemist’s hands were wrinkled.

It wasn’t difficult for the association to locate the new alchemist. In fact, it was surprisingly easy.

“…The student selling the medicine was from our school? Are you saying the student is the alchemist…?”
“No, not the student. The student’s family is the alchemist.”

That explained why the teachers had been unable to catch the merchant near the school. The medicine was actually sold by a student inside the school.

“The alchemist made the concentration-enhancing medicine for a student struggling with studies, and the student sold it for pocket money instead of using it.”

The association staff explained this to Kim Eun-yeon and me… even though it had been less than 30 minutes since I told them about the alchemist.

‘Is the association really that capable at tracking, or was the alchemist just not good at hiding?’

Or maybe they didn’t even intend to hide. Kim Eun-yeon asked the staff member:

“So… the alchemist is… the student’s sibling…?”
“Hmm? Oh, you mean the sibling of the student who sold the medicine?”

The staff knew what kind of answer Kim Eun-yeon wanted because of her previous comment about wanting a junior.

“No? They’re actually older than you, Eun-yeon.”
“Ah…”

The answer was deliberately vague. Though it seemed the alchemist might be a year or two older, the wrinkled hands suggested otherwise. Age doesn’t always correlate with wrinkles, but it was likely the alchemist was older.

The staff continued:

“This alchemist will attend this school and share the lab with you, Eun-yeon. If inconvenient, a nearby empty classroom can be assigned as their lab.”
“Hmm… someone older than me… might be a bit….”

Wait… attend this school? I wondered if the staff misspoke.

“You’ll be attending our school?”
“Yes. Assigned to Class 1-1.”

…Why? Kim Eun-yeon also tilted her head in confusion.

“Weren’t they older than me…? Did they repeat a grade or something?”
“No, they only graduated middle school and dropped out of high school due to family circumstances. But once identified as an alchemist, they received funding and wanted to return to school.”
“…That couldn’t have been a simple process… all decided in 30 minutes?”

Actually, it wasn’t even 30 minutes. After confirming the student’s identity and the alchemist’s status, all related procedures would have taken maybe 10 minutes at most.

“Haha… They regretted leaving school as a child due to family circumstances, wanted to learn, and immediately completed the enrollment paperwork when they arrived.”
“Hmm… as a child…?”
“Yes, and they wanted to meet you, Eun-yeon, as a fellow alchemist, so they’ll be coming here soon.”

Kim Eun-yeon noticed the staff’s unusual choice of words. As the lab door opened, an elderly woman entered, assisted by a staff member.

“Oh my, classrooms are so bright these days! I might slip.”
“It’s okay, grandma. I’ll hold onto you.”

Indeed, she seemed quite elderly.

“Oh, Juyoung. Is this your grandmother?”
“Hello, senior. Yes, I am responsible for my grandmother.”

And then…

“Nice to meet you, Artist, and Alchemist Kim Eun-yeon.”
“Ah, yes.”
“……”

I responded formally, as if they were distinguished guests. Kim Eun-yeon seemed shocked that her new junior was actually a grandmother and didn’t speak.