Graduation Ceremony. Today is March 20, 1994, the year of the Divine History. It's the day of the graduation ceremony of the Canovarian Alchemy Academy, and I'm walking around the campus wearing a pitch-black gown over a white cutter, pitch-black pants, and even a square cap. 

　As I am walking towards the cathedral where the graduation ceremony will take place, I am approached from behind. 

'Huh?　Elle, are you alone? 

'Oh........Serena. It's been a while.... 

Oh, yes. And I also heard that you're going to be a part-time instructor at the Academy... 

'Strictly speaking, I'm on the sidelines of setting up the workshop. Inevitably, Fee is pestering me to work at the place he's referred me to. 

'Yes I can really understand Dr. Alsphira's difficulty you tried to focus on selling that walking corn, didn't you? 

Of course. You're right, Serena you know exactly what you're doing. 

　Grinning, Serena sighs, "Huh.... 

　Serena Brew. Her clothes are the same as mine, but her blonde hair is curled into a vertical roll. Well.............................She's a temptress as usual. 

　Also, Serena is one of the three major noble families, the eldest daughter of the Brew family. By the way, the three major noble families are the Medis, the Brew family, and the Barth family. All of them are famous for their alchemy, and in a manner of speaking, I've interacted with the direct lineage of these three families at this academy. 

　Well, even if I say so, it's probably more accurate to say that I was given a difficult time....... 

　Serena was one of them. When she first entered the school, she said, "I don't accept peasants like you! And she was resentful of me. 

　She was frustrated that, in addition to being from a farmer's background, she was the youngest student ever to enter the school, and even more frustrated that she had scored a perfect score on both the paper and the practical skills at the entrance exam. 

　I was fed up with Serena, who was always following me around, but we had gotten to know each other somewhat over the two years we'd known each other. This was because she seriously admitted that my alchemy was the best thing ever. 

　At the end, my attitude eased after I said, "I lost....... 

　Then, me, Serena and another three of us took the liberty of planting a field in this school.......and accidentally created the 'Crawling Carrot', a prototype of 'Walking Corn'. To be honest, it's part of my 'World's Best Farmer Project'. 

　And I have such a personal contract with Serena. 

'Elle, you remember that, don't you?' 

You mean the deal? 

Yes. I will be a knight. A knight who can use alchemy will be valued and the pride of this country. And you will continue to accompany me as I improve my abilities... 

And you're going to help me with my project. 

Hm. If you know what you're doing, you're good to go. 

　Yes, we have a mutual interest in fulfilling our goals. 

　Selena still has a sweet spot as an alchemist. Although she will graduate and become a gold-grade alchemist, she's still not good at the alchemy without an alchemy formation that I advocated. In combat, alchemy without an alchemy formation is the greatest strength. She couldn't master it before graduation, but she still wants to train with me. 

　Furthermore, as far as I'm concerned I'm actually considered a perfect genius, but there are things I'm not good at. I'm not very good at incorporating alchemy into matter, and I can't help but overdo it in my own way. Serena makes up for that. Honestly, 'Walking Corn' is not just me, it's our work. I've even included Serena's name in the acknowledgements for the paper. 'Oh no, you don't have to put her name in there!　 I guess she didn't mean it. Selena's name is already in the paper I've already submitted, so you can rest assured. 

''Well then, I'll be coming over to your house again. The snacks are good! 

"...well, if only by accident. But be careful with your mother she really seems to want me to marry you to her.... 

It's okay. I'm not getting married until I've fulfilled my dream. I've got a lot of work to do until I spread my crops around the world! 

Yes please keep it that way forever... 

I'll see you later. I'm gonna get my picture taken with the press anyway. 

Yeah, see you later. 

　After bowing politely, Serena left. 

　That guy is a noble lady too, after all..............I walked into the cathedral. 

''........here?'' 

　When I walk in, there's not much of a crowd. It looks like I came too early, but oh well. I'm reading a book. I'm about to read a book about crops that I had tucked into my pocket, when I'm approached by a voice from next to me. 

'Master!　It's early! 

Ahhhhh Fred. It's been a long time, too. 

'Master, I hear you're going to be an adjunct instructor. Congratulations to you. We'll send you a gift from our home. It's a commemoration of your employment. 

Really?　Then we'll go with the neighboring country's crops. I'm going to go out on my own and set up my own farm lab. I'll research other countries' crops. 

 Did your master get so impressed that he came early too? 

'No, I guess it's just habit. Besides, I've got a meeting with Fee later. I'll wait here. 

I see. The two years that passed so quickly. It took me eight years to graduate, but two years for Master... he's truly an amazing man. 

''It's been a long time ago... when we met, you were just as hostile to me as Serena was...'' 

Oh, I am so embarrassed. 

　This guy who scratches his cheek is Fred Barth. He has short, cropped black hair and a well-built body. I'm on the tall side, at 6'3", but Fred is even taller, at 6'3". 

　And this guy is the second son of the Barth family, one of the three generations of nobility. This guy, just like Serena, came to me to pick a fight. "Hmm, he's just a kid. I'll give you a twist," he said, and when I gave him a twist, he called me a master and somehow followed me. 

　Me, Selina and Fred. The three of us used to do stupid things together. Most of the time, though, it's just me planting crops in the school without permission and then causing a panic. It was good because I was a blue star class 《Blue Star》 alchemist, but the 'Great Vegetable Rebellion Incident' was a situation that nearly got me expelled from school. 

　That was just when I was finalizing my research on artificial intelligence and gave the vegetables a low intelligence at the drop of a hat. I didn't think it could be done, and it really was born by accident. And the vegetables that gained intelligence were scattered throughout the school and went on a tyrannical rampage. I sparked the alchemy of space transfer to stop it but now I really miss it. 

''As I recall, Fred's place of employment was........'' 

'Like Selina, I'm a knight, Master. But I've mastered alchemy without an alchemy formation, so unlike her, I'm suddenly a full-fledged knight. I was notified the other day that I'm not an apprentice. 

Well, that's a cause for celebration. What would you like to celebrate ... what would you like to celebrate? 

'No!　I'm afraid to say... well... I hate to say it, but my master is starting up a lab and I want to help him with that... 

'Really?　Well, we've been having a hard time getting members together. I'd like you to help me out in your free time. 

''I'd really like to start my own business with my master, but I have my own family situation...'' 

'Isn't it your aristocratic duty?　Noblesse oblige. 

'.........Master, please keep up the good work. 

Oh! 

　As we were shaking hands with a gasp, Fee's guy popped up. 

'Fee, aren't you allowed to abuse spatial transfer?　Your words, right? 

'Not today!　I've got a lot of work to do, really... so I'm gonna go. I'll see you later Fred. I'm going to borrow Elle for a minute. 

Yes. I know you're busy. Please take care of my master. 

　And so, Fee and I would make the final arrangements for the graduation meeting. 

　He comes offstage and we go over the arrangements for the day. 

'Okay you can do it if you do it!　Mimic the greatest genius of all time and don't touch the crops!　Do you remember your answer? 

'Oh, I learned perfectly what Fee gave me. I didn't miss a thing. 

Well there's a party later today. Good thing, mimicry, mimicry. The three great lords and royalty will be there and if they get ripped off here, your crop plans will be ruined. 

The World's Best Farmer Project, 

Yes, it could be sabotaged. Keep the announcement of your plans under wraps. At least until my power is much higher. As it is, the other nobles and royalty will crush you. 

Huh you know, power struggles are important. That's all right. This is the time to lay low. A skilled hawk hides his claws I'll just do my best to prepare for the day to come... 

'Yes you can!　Today you are the greatest alchemist of all time, Elweed Willis. You're not here today because you're a crop idiot, are you?　Okay?　It's your graduation ceremony until you get home, okay? 

What's with the grade school field trip analogy? 

'It's not a metaphor!　Even if it's only because your path is in a lot of trouble please don't ask me. I have my limits. Okay? 

Enough of a reminder. You can count on me. I'll be a sign today. Don't call me a genius. 

　I grinned and Fee grinned too. 

　That's right. Today I'm the genius alchemist, Elweed Willis. I'm not a genius farmer. 

　I told myself that, and I went to the graduation ceremony. 

　§ § § 

Phew, it's over. 

　I was outside with my diploma in hand and the wind in my face. The graduation ceremony was a huge success. At the end of the ceremony, Elle's idea was to lightly demonstrate my alchemy. Cherry blossom blizzards appeared from the ceiling and disappeared with a twinkle in the air, a fantastic sight. This was also a byproduct of the time I created it, but I'm glad I was able to produce it in a good way. 

'Brother!' 

"Oh. Riese!　And your sister! 

Well, that was weird. "Elle. 

　Lise and her sister Marie, dressed in formal attire, come up to me. But, however, there is no sign of their parents. 

''Where are my mom and dad?'' 

The press caught me. I probably won't be able to come down here for a while. 

Well don't bother me. 

　When I'm a little shuffled, Lise jumps on me. 

'Brother!　That was so cool!　Now you can be independent! 

'Oh!　I'm the vegetable, you're the fruit!　And..... 

So the rest of us.... 

'Master!　I've been looking for you! 

　Serena and Fred joined us there. Fred is fine as he is polite to everyone here, but the problem is Liese and Serena. 

''Oh my goodness?　Liese, are you short again?　And my chest stays flat... oh!　So I'm growing and you look relatively small!　Excuse me for this!　Ohohohohohoh. 

"....the fat lady. 

Hey!　I don't appreciate that statement! 

You do the same!　Fooling people!　I'm your brother's partner!　Okay!　It's me! 

Oh, dear. Hmmm, well, go ahead and rant now, Lise. 

'Disgusting!　That's disgusting to have that luxury! 

　The two of them are having a good time. They are dog and monkey, but that doesn't mean they are really bad. Talking bad words to each other is one of the ways of communication. 

　A refreshing breeze blows by. The weather is clear today, as if the heavens are blessing us. Please let's hope that my life as a farmer will go well. 

　While praying for that........the 20th of March in the year of the Divine History 1994. 

　I was the youngest person ever to graduate from the Canovarian Alchemy Academy.