After that, I ran around the kingdom with Elle.


　Of course, my whereabouts were unknown, in a manner of speaking, so there was a bit of a commotion, but since Elle was by my side, I wasn't particularly blamed.


It's a good thing that you're not the only one. I'm sorry about today.
No, it's been a pleasure.
Well, that's good. Well, that's good to hear. I'll leave you to it.
...Yes. Goodbye.


　I got a lift to the front of the royal castle and looked off the back of it.


''........''


　He was a strange man.

　To be honest, I didn't have a very good impression of high ranking alchemists. Of course, there were some personalities, but there were also those who flaunted their abilities. There were those who told me that they were platinum-class "platinum" alchemists, and others who told me that they were from noble families.

　The three great aristocracies, and even royalty, have alchemy supremacy.


　They say that the search for truth is their duty and everything else is a trivial matter. They are all people who seem to have no regard for human dignity. I was fed up with such alchemists. That's why I didn't have a good impression of Elweed Willis' name when I heard it.


　He is the youngest alchemist in history and a platinum-class 《platinum》 alchemist. Plus, he was admitted to the Academy's entrance exam with an unprecedented perfect score. He was a genius among geniuses who would eventually reach the Blue Star Grade 《Blue Star》.

　Whenever I heard such rumors, I assumed that he was also a supreme alchemist.

　But when I actually met the man himself, I knew.

　Elweed Willis is not steeped in such nostalgic thinking. He is a free man with wings that can flap his wings, free to go wherever he wants.

　I envy him.

　At the same time I was curious.

　Who he is and what he will achieve.

　Let's get out of this gray world for a moment. That's what I was feeling at the moment.


　◇


Good morning, Master Elle.
Hmm?　Ah, Alice. Good morning.


　He smiles at me. He, on the other hand, has sweat on his forehead and is digging in the ground with a hoe. This is his family's farm, he says. He tills the ground like this early in the morning these days, preparing to grow crops.

　He would have been able to save himself that hassle with alchemy, but Elle said he liked the work itself.

　I had come to the house since then to catch a glimpse of him. I gathered rumors that he was working on the farm outside in the early morning, so I ventured to talk to him and see if I could find him. So I came to see him almost every morning these days.


'You come here a lot every morning too,'
Yes. I'm interested.
Well then, go ahead and take a look.
Yes, sir.

　He's mistaken.

　I'm interested in Elwydd Willis himself. But it was still good. For some reason, just watching him work so hard at something filled me.

　I kept smiling and laughing as he worked hard to raise, lower and plow in the morning sun.

　After finishing that work to some extent, Elle begins to prepare to head to the academy.


''Good. So this is it.
Is that it?
'Ah. I've got plans to go to the academy afterwards to do some experiments.
Okay.
'Is Alice coming too?　In my lab.
'What?　Are you sure?
Oh. You're interested, aren't you?　To the crops.
'Well yes. You could say that.
I'm working on a new crop. And I'm working on a subject I've been pursuing for a while now. I think it will be interesting...!


　His grin was somewhat of a devious smile...or something like that. Innocence, you might say. It's an expression you wouldn't expect from his large frame and gallant face.

　But it looked very attractive to me.


''Well, I'll be right there, so just wait for me.''
I understand.


　I stand in front of his house and wait for Elle to come out. Now he's in disguise, wearing a straw hat and sunglasses, but... well, I think it's suspicious even to me, but it would be a big problem if I went out normally, so this was about right. The people on the street won't think it's that Alice Canovaria, as expected.


''Huh?　What can I do for you at my house?
"Well, you see I'm just waiting for Master Elle...
Are you my brother?
'Yes. Excuse me, but what about you?
'I'm my sister Lise!　But why are you wearing sunglasses anyway?


　As I waited, an adorable girl came to talk to me. I knew she had an older sister and a younger sister, but the younger sister was very pretty in person.


''..... This is a secret, okay?''


　Then I take off my sunglasses and take off my straw hat too.


'What?　Are you Princess Alice?!
'Yes. Yes. My name is Alice Canovaria.


　Then I quickly put my disguise back on.

　Seeing my true face like that, Liese-san seemed very surprised.


''Oh, you don't mean to say that you and your brother.......are getting engaged?!
'No, not that much...........................or should I say my friend now?
'Okaasan!　Hey, guys!　Oh, my God!　It's a big deal!
Oh my........he's gone.......


　Riese quickly returned to the house and reported something of a misunderstanding to her mother. I then greeted her mother as she came out of the house and told her that it was a misunderstanding. That was already a polite greeting.


　However, it wasn't full of ulterior motives characteristic of the aristocracy, and she genuinely asked me to take care of her son.



''Alright. Alice, are you ready?
Yes, sir.


　As I do so, the important person comes out.

　It seems that there was a lot of commotion at home, but he doesn't seem to have any intention of doing so and comes to talk to me that way.

　We did so, and then we both walked side by side to the academy.