I Thought I Was Married, But I Was Left Alone, So I'll Live as I Please. So Please Don't Mind Me Anymore, My Lord of the Border - Chapter 6

Well, this has become troublesome.

As I stirred the alchemy furnace, I recalled the person I saw today for the first time in two years – my former fiancé.

Well, actually, today was the first time I’d ever seen their face.

I only just learned their eyes were a beautiful green like the herb garden.

They didn’t notice me, but their attendant seemed to have recognized me.

…That face. Even if I wanted to forget it, I couldn’t.

Those deep blue-violet eyes that glared at me with utter annoyance were frozen with panic.

They probably never imagined that the fiancé their master had abandoned would now be the alchemist supporting the territory.

Serves them right, I’d say.

Just seeing that face made two years’ worth of frustration lift slightly.

…Well, but now they probably know I’m here too.

Even though they drove me out, why make that face now?

They were the ones who said “Do as you please.” I haven’t done anything wrong.

The skilled alchemists from the Kreuz territory have finally caught up with me, and my organization is just getting established.

Just when things are getting interesting, I don’t want to be bothered if they start talking about fiancés and such.

I absolutely refuse to return to the side of someone who didn’t need me.

As an alchemist, I’m willing to contribute to this territory, but “as a fiancé”? Absolutely not.

…Well, that might already be resolved anyway?

After all, they clearly said they didn’t need me back then.

Yeah, that’s right. It must be so.

“…Phew”

While lost in thought, I’d somehow managed to fill the entire pot with wound medicine.

“Toooom, help me with the bottling!”

I called out loudly from the preparation room.

I was supposed to work in the Alchemist Association’s preparation room, but I didn’t want to be where I’d seen that person.

Tom came from the shop and peeked into the preparation room, giving a wry smile when he saw the pot full of liquid.

“You made another huge batch, huh?”

“Hehe… I got carried away while thinking.”

“We won’t have to worry about stock for a while.”

His large hand ruffled my head.

That kindness gradually melted away the rough feelings in my chest.

Tom praises me no matter what I do.

When I joked that he might make me do bad things if he praises me so much, he grinned and said, “You wouldn’t do that, kid.”

I was so happy that he trusts me unconditionally that I couldn’t help but hug him.

“I love you, Tom.”

“Whoa there, getting all affectionate on me.”

When Tom shrugged and laughed, a warm atmosphere spread around us.

Before we knew it, we’d developed a relationship like grandfather and grandson.

When Tom saw me returning home earlier than planned, he opened the preparation room without saying anything.

He’d seen I was feeling down and let me make medicine to my heart’s content.

When I rubbed my face against his clothes, the familiar scent of herbs soaked into them was comforting.

The feeling of his large, rough hand gently stroking my head was warm and pleasant.

“I want to stay here forever.”

Here, I don’t have to worry about anything.

Tom sees me just as I am.

I can remain the alchemist I love being.

That sense of security makes me act spoiled.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I’ll leave the shop to you when I die.”

“Really!? Ah, but you have to live a long life!”

We faced each other and laughed.

I love that smile of his – when his wrinkled face laughs, it becomes even more creased.

“Coming here and meeting you, Tom, is the best thing that’s happened to me.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Saying this to each other, we began the bottling work together.

In the pot, the pale green liquid flowed thickly, scattering particles of light.

When poured into bottles, it sparkled brilliantly, almost as if it were alive.

“Ah, this batch turned out well too. You’re something else, kid.”

When praised, a smile naturally escaped me.

A warm sensation spread through my chest, like when my parents used to praise me.

“It’s my specialty!”

Even in this world, the knowledge I gained from games strangely comes in handy.

How to identify materials, timing for mixing, temperature control.

But reaching the optimal methods was all through trial and error.

I occasionally fail, but even that is enjoyable, and I’m grateful to be living in this world.

“But thinking to improve quality starting from the materials – that’s something only you would do, kid.”

While gazing at the sparkling bottles, Tom murmured with admiration.

“Well, if the material quality is higher, wouldn’t the finished product be better too?”

Alchemy has recipes.

Anyone can make items of a certain quality if they follow the recipes.

But naturally, you’d want to aim higher than that, right?

When I said that, he laughed, “You’re a strange one,” and ruffled my head again.

In my improved mood, I started humming, and Tom casually asked,

“So, are you feeling better?”

“…Mm. Hey, Tom, will you listen?”

“Sure.”

Listening to the sound of bottles rubbing against each other, I began speaking haltingly.

About having a fiancé two years ago.

How when we first met, the other person clearly looked bothered.

How I never once made eye contact with my actual fiancé.

How I left the mansion thinking I’d live as I pleased, just as they wanted.

And how today, we met by chance, but they didn’t even remember me.

“It’s all in the past, and I think I’m fine with it, but…”

When I placed the finished bottle on the table, it made a small clinking sound.

“It’s just, you know. I was a little, just a little, frustrated.”

My chest stung with pain, and my hand stopped placing the bottle.

Only when I put it into words did I realize.

That’s right, I was frustrated.

As an alchemist, I was recognized by that person.

They praised the medicine I made and looked at me with respectful eyes.

When I saw that smile.

I felt like the me from two years ago was slightly saved.

But I wished they’d directed even a fragment of that smile toward me back then.

“Letting you go – that was a waste on their part.”

Tom pulled me close and patted my back.

“If I were twenty years younger, I would’ve married you myself.”

“No way – you’d need to be thirty years younger!”

“You brat!”

As he ruffled my head, both the sadness and frustration turned into laughter.

“…Well, it’s not like we’ll meet again anyway, so I’ll just forget about it.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Wash away unpleasant things with good food. My treat today!”

“Eh, really!?”

“When you’re feeling down, eat your fill and sleep – that’s the best medicine!”

“Then I want to eat the meat from Hans’ place!”

“Alright, let’s go when we’re done!”

“Yay!”

That night, I ate delicious meat until I was full, and even got the new alchemy tools I’d been wanting for so long.

I laughed and laughed, filled with happiness from the heart.

When my mind calmed down, I realized that since we won’t have direct contact anyway, there’s no need to worry about it.

So as I sank into bed, I thought, “Maybe I’ve moved on.”

And the next morning.

The moment I opened the shop door, my breath caught.

My body stiffened, and my feet wouldn’t move.

I looked up at the source with movements like a broken tin doll.

Why on earth is the Margrave here, in a place like this?

…Please don’t kill my mood first thing in the morning, seriously.

I have nothing but bad feelings about this!