The next day. Fee and I had come to the Society. We're going to tell the chairman what happened yesterday. 

"Uncle, you know, in fact... 

　With that, Fee begins to talk briefly about what happened yesterday. Hearing that, the chairman presses his head. 

 Come to think of it, do you know what this stuff is? 

Is this...? 

　It was something me and Fee had never seen before. A small, square, black blob. At first glance, it looked like a bug. 

This is a piece of lost technology mined from the labyrinth. It seems to be able to pick up and transmit sound within a 5 meter radius. As far as technological systems go, it's different from alchemy. 

Well that's interesting. 

　And then I stare at the object. Yeah, I can tell if it's an alchemy. I can tell if it's an alchemy or not by looking at it a bit, but this is something else entirely. What kind of technical system is this........ 

　And then the chairman says something unexpected. 

''Actually, there's another one. 

Is it...? 

But the other one was stolen while we were transporting it... 

Stolen...? 

So here's an idea. Is this not on your body? 

　No way. I think, and I probe the body. But there's nothing. There's nothing like that. 

"Hey, Fee. You don't have any...? 

Yeah. Here it is.... 

　Fee pulled out a small black object from the inside pocket of his suit. And it was definitely the same as the one on this desk. 

''Huh.......I checked it to make sure, but I knew it. Even Prince Oscar is in trouble........ 

"Hey ... wait a minute. Does this mean my private life was in full view...? 

　Sahhhh, the Fee's guy goes pale. Indeed, if you ask me, the sound alone is quite a bit of information. It's safe to say that the conversation between me and Fee is almost completely tuned out. 

'Oh no ... maybe the conversation that happened?　No way, not even that one!　　I can't allow this to happen again!　This is an invasion of privacy! 

　Fee snaps out of his temper with a slap on the ground. Yeah, I haven't seen that in a long time. I haven't seen him lose his temper like this.... 

"Elle," he says. Also, I want to check something else. This is a very top secret information, but is Proto in the workshop now? 

Yes. I'm here. 

Can you check that now? 

Well, we've got the alchemy path linked... well, I can see... what? 

　I trace back to the First Pledge, the Primamateria, and look for traces of the proto. Normally, this would be a random task; it would take less than 10 seconds. However, it doesn't connect. I can't connect the path to the proto. 

"Huh?　No proto? 

I knew it. Prince Oscar kidnaps the proto.  I just got word of it............................but it's too late. 

Proto ... proto ... 

　Proto kidnapped?　I've been with Proto all my life. 

　In health, in sickness, in joy, in sorrow, in riches, in poverty, I loved Proto, I respected Proto, I comforted Proto, I helped Proto, and I swore to give my whole heart to Proto for as long as I lived... Did they take Proto away from me? 

　My proto for their own desires...? 

　I won't forgive you. I'll never forgive you! 

'Feeb!　Let's hit the royal castle! 

'Hey!　I'll bite you!　Our alchemy is for this moment! 

'Huh ... well, I guess I will. Anyway, we've got the evidence, so that's good.......................but don't go overboard with the fancy. Good luck. 

　When the chairman said that, we headed to the royal castle as soon as possible. 

''What's the point of royalty! 

I don't give a shit! 

　§§. 

Reliance!　Reliable!　I'm here to break the dojo! 

'Yes!　Yes!　Open up!　Let us in! 

　In front of the main gate of the castle we make a scene. Then the same maid from inside comes out. 

"...Prince Oscar is waiting inside. 

'Hahahahahaha!　They'll make it a bloodbath! 

I'm going to make you regret invading my privacy... 

　With unfocused eyes, we were led straight to the throne. 

'Hey I've been waiting for you. Elweird Willis-kun. 

　For some reason, Prince Oscar was sitting on that throne. As I recall, the king said yesterday that he would be gone on an expedition, but it's not like Prince Oscar is the rightful successor... what was that attitude? 

You understand why we're here, don't you? 

Of course it's for this guy.　And maybe this one for Alsphira? 

　With that, Oscar's bastard came over with the proto in his right hand and the wiretap in his left. 

 Ahhhhhh!!!!!　You ready?　Let Proto get hurt, and think you're not going to live!!!!! 

　Proto is jittery and flailing in the hands of the f*cking Prince. Oh Proto, poor Proto I'll let you go in a minute. 

'Wow. I'm scared. Your obsession with this is apparently true. Besides, I've been talking about it with Alsphira all week. 'Ah!　Speaking of which, are you two lovers?　You seem to be living a very bland life. 

That was just Fee being drunk. 

'No!!!!!　I don't like this anymore!!!!　I'm going to kill him, I'm going to kill him, and I'm going to die too!!! 

　Fee went crazy. But, well, it would be unbearable to hear that lasciviousness. 

The first thing to do is to go down to my military gate if you want this carrot back. I'll put a curse on you at that time, though. 

...the curse. 

　Curse 《Curse》. It was an alchemy used in the days of slavery. It was a way to seize control of an opponent and manipulate them at will. That was a technology that has already died out, but was there anything that could still be used? 

''Okay. We'll make a deal. 

'Errrr!　That's........ 

I'll be fine. 

　After saying that in a blur, I headed to Oscar's place. On the way to the throne, dozens, no, close to a hundred alchemists were waiting for me. I see...the mystics. 

"Give me back the proto first. 

I can't do that. Let's do it at the same time. 

Okay. 

　I roll up my right arm and present it to him. And at the moment Oscar carved the alchemy formation of the curse 《Curse》, the proto was back in my hand. 

''........! 

　Gulp, I tried to raise my right hand as usual, but it was instantly shuffled away.  

''Hahahahahahahaha!　This kingdom is mine!　Even the Blue Star class Bluesteller alchemist has fallen into my hands!　Oh God, I...I...I...I did it! 

　Oscar shouts that with a joyful voice. And Oscar immediately tries to use the curse 《Curse》. 

"Hmmm. Then, let's use the spellcasting 《Curse》 immediately. Elweed Willis. I'm going to hurt Alsfira. There's no need to kill her. But that woman's repulsion was rather troublesome. Do it......... 

　At the same time I say that, I slowly move closer to Fee. 

'Uh ... you're lying, right?　Eh, Elle is important to me too, right?　Hey...? 

　Fee pulls and shakes like a fawn. Then I walked up to Fee and raised my right hand just like that. 

''Hee!　I mean, what? 

Take care of the proto. I've got an errand to run to that f*cking prince. 

Uh-huh. 

　Gently, so gently, I hand the proto to Fee and I go back to Oscar. 

''Bah ... silly!　The curse 《curse》 is not working!　It's something that even a Platinum Grade [Platinum] alchemist can't resist! 

　Oscar stands up to back away. Is this guy an idiot?　How do you expect me, a blue-star class Blue Star, to be able to hold them off with just a sample of the platinum class? 

　This kind of thing is even lower and lower down in the early stages of Proto's research. This crude wrought team can be resisted in seconds. It's no trouble. 

''Oh, you guys, stop it!　Don't let this thing get anywhere near me! 

　When Oscar says this, nearly a hundred alchemists unleash their alchemy on me. But that's too poorly done. It's too late to build a smelting formation from scratch. Overwhelmingly slow. 

　I quickly cleave my right hand to the side, and an area of ice expands around me. And not only do I freeze the legs of the ragtag bunch, I also freeze their hands. 

''Ha........ha!　I'm a platinum-grade "platinum" and gold-grade "gold" alchemist!　And that in an instant...! 

　This a**h*le was wrong about my abilities. Well, that can't be helped. My accomplishments are my research work, not my combat prowess. Besides, there's only a limited amount of people who know about my strength, and I guess he didn't think to research that much. You were too impressed with the name of the Blue Star Class 《Bluesteller》. But still, if I were you, I'd prepare a bit more. You thought you would win if you cast the Curse, dumbass. 

　And now I'm going to be right in front of Prince Oscar. 

Hey ... how do you want to end this? 

Hi!　Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee!　Oh, it wasn't me!　I mean, they said to do it! 

That's not very nice... 

'Hi, hi, hi!　It's cold!　It's cold!!!!! 

　Slowly, I freeze it from my feet. And once I stop it, I grin and start talking again. 

'Hey, do you want me to freeze just the limbs ... and scrape them off a little at a time? 

'Hi, hi, hi, hi!　That's it!　That's it!　And besides, I'm royalty!　If anything happens...! 

'Do you think I'm going to give in to that?　You are not royalty when you take away the proto. You are a criminal. Punishment for the crime... right? 

　Oscar's face goes even paler when I give him a serious look and stare. Finally, he understands that I'm serious. Stupid Prince. 

"Well how many more seconds do we have?　Until your extremities are frozen... 

'Heeeeee. I won't do it anymore, I'm sorry!!!!! 

　A dumb voice rang out, and the door behind them opened. And there they were, the King and Alice. 

''Oscar-sama, if you let him swim, is this the quickest way to do it? Huh........pathetic....... 

Oh, Father... 

　Oscar's eyes widen as he looks at the king who should have left. 

'Oscar. That's why I told you, things have their limits. You are a foolish son of a jasper-class alchemist, Lord Elwydd Willis, to offend a jasper-class alchemist.... And Lady Alfira Medis. I am sorry for my son at this time I will punish him, can you forgive me for today? 

'........Okay. If the King says so.... 

　I unlocked my own alchemy and walked straight out the door with Fee. 

"See you soon, doctor? 

　Alice said, and I smiled at her, and I smiled at her. Well, the proto will come back and that a**h*le will be brought to justice. Enough said. 

　§ § § 

　Later on, or rather, the end of that a**h*le, I asked the president of the association the next day after that. 

Prince Oscar has been deprived of his claim to the throne and sentenced to a month in prison. And he's going to be sentenced to a month in prison. I also heard that he's going to apologize to Elle and Fee individually. The King asked if you're unhappy with them. 

No, it's not that... it's over now. 

I would have liked to take at least one hit, but, well, Elle did it, so that's fine. 

Well that's the main thing. 

　The chairman fumbles with something and pulls out a sheet of paper from his desk. Me and Fee look at it and wonder if there's anything else going on. I'm sure there's nothing more we need to do here, right? 

'Elwydd Willis and Alspheera Medis have a request from the Society. We need you to capture the Sixth Labyrinth. 

What?　The Sixth Labyrinth? 

　The Sixth Labyrinth. It's a labyrinth near the Kingdom of Canovaria. But why would we...?　As I thought about it, Fee was shaking next to me. Ah, I see. Speaking of the Sixth Labyrinth.... 

"The Sixth Labyrinth?　Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Ah!　I don't want to be in that labyrinth alone... I don't want to be in that labyrinth!　Forgive me, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! 

　Fee becomes half-mad. 

　That's right, the sixth labyrinth is also known as............the labyrinth of the spider. 

　For now, well........it looks like my retirement is still a long way off.......hohoho.....