7th Time Loop WN Vol. 5 Fan Translation

167

On the night Rishe infiltrated the training ground disguised as a man, she found herself in a challenge within the palace kitchen, letting out a small scream.

"Whoa, w-w-what...!!"

This kitchen, usually used for boiling water or reheating meals, was typically deserted at this late hour. There were no maids around at this time of night, so Rishe was surprised to hear footsteps approaching.

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, Your Highness Arnold...!!"

As Rishe turned around, she was met with the sight of the chaotic kitchen, and Arnold, unusually wide-eyed.

"What is this...?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

The kitchen was filled with a vast amount of fluffy white substance overflowing from a large pot, covering the floor. Not just the floor, but also the table where the pot was placed, the chairs nearby, and even Rishe's dress and head were covered in the fluffy substance. Arnold picked up a piece of the white fluff floating in the air, scrutinizing it with his blue eyes.

"White petals... Or is it snow?"

"Well... I thought it would be nice if it looked like both, so I tried making it..."

Trying to cover the mouth of the large pot with crossed arms, Rishe attempted to stop the overflow. However, the white fluff continued to spill out from the gaps.

After observing Rishe covered in fluff for a moment, Arnold finally spoke up.

"...If it's edible, I'll help."

"N-No! It's not a cooking failure...!!"

Sensing the seriousness of Arnold's offer, Rishe blushed.

Rishe wasn't good at cooking, and Arnold was the only one who could eat her cooking without hesitation. But she felt the need to defend herself in this situation. Perhaps Arnold's words were influenced by something Rishe had said to him before, about not wanting to waste spicy wine.

"It's not something you can eat. It's an attempt to create props for the opera stage using alchemy..."

"Props?"

Rishe nodded and explained with a slightly embarrassed expression.

When the opera singer Sylvia visited the castle recently, Rishe had a conversation with her in the garden. During their talk, Sylvia mentioned using confetti on stage and how beautiful it was but also mentioned the difficulties of using it.

Listening to Sylvia, Rishe replied, "I think I can make it. Something that looks beautiful, can be prepared in large quantities, and disappears over time."

Actually, for a certain reason, Rishe had arranged for the necessary materials to be brought in by the Aria Trading Company.

"So, using ingredients extracted from various herbs, mixed together and dried, then adding water, they combine and expand to form large snow-like flakes..."

Facing Arnold across the table, Rishe explained.

She showed him a transparent powder on a small plate. Arnold, sitting in front of her, gazed at it intently.

"And if you apply pressure to this snow-like fluff..."

Scooping up the fluff in both hands, Rishe demonstrated rolling it into a snowball.

Then, when she loosened her grip, several dozen paper-like pieces, each about a centimeter in size, were formed.

"By applying pressure like this, they spread out in layers. See? Now they look like beautiful flower petals, don't they?"

"I see..."

Arnold took the petal Rishe offered him with his fingers and examined it against the light of the wall lamp.

"Is this also a technique of alchemy?"

"Yes! It's amazing how when you mix ingredients extracted from nature, something that wouldn't naturally occur can be created."

"And this kitchen was the result of an attempt to mass-produce using a large pot?"

"...I'm sorry about that..."

In truth, Rishe hadn't expected to generate this much.

(Unexpected test results... The last time I experimented like this was in the castle of the Kingdom of Koyoru. The amount of water and the ingredients were the same as back then, so why did it expand so much? Was it the amount of water, the quality of the water, the temperature, or humidity...? Alchemy is truly fascinating...!!)

In her alchemy life, Rishe had chased after a genius named Micheal Evan and dedicated herself to research day and night. Still, she felt there was much more to learn and felt both anxious and excited about it.

(I should write another letter to Professor Micheal. I just sent one last week, but I'm sure he'll be delighted to read about this too. Yes, I should include some samples...)

"..."

(Oh...!)

Feeling Arnold's gaze, Rishe hurriedly came back to her senses.

"B-But, please rest assured. This fluff will melt and disappear over time...!"

"Melt? So, what remains afterward is just water?"

"Yes. But it's only a small amount of moisture, so most of it will naturally evaporate. The original ingredients are colorless and transparent, so they're harmless even if ingested, and there's hardly any cleanup required."

When it comes to high-quality clothes, if you're worried, you can just brush off or rinse off the artificial snow.

Rishe thought it would be easy for Sylvia's theater troupe to use this.

(It was originally developed with the intention of burying it in the desert after moistening it, as a contribution to plant growth in desert areas. This alchemical compound was actually considered a failed experiment because it dissolved over time... But if it can be used in situations like this, it feels like those days of experimentation will be a little more rewarding.)

Remembering that, Rishe smiled nostalgically. Arnold reached out to Rishe and touched her coral-colored hair. Rishe naturally tensed up, but it seemed that a piece of the created snow had tangled in her hair. Sensing that Arnold would remove it, she remained tense but obedient.

"Have you been preparing the herbs for this technique for a while now?"

Startled by the question, Rishe felt a pang of nervousness.

"That's, um... I've been wanting to try something personal..."

"Oh?"

Arnold, releasing his finger from Rishe's hair, squinted at her, seeming to gaze through her.

This must be a flow of conversation that requires an explanation. Rishe already had plenty of secrets to keep. She wanted to be upfront about things that didn't need to be hidden. But it was inevitable that she would feel embarrassed.

"The capital of Gulkhain is filled with flowers, isn't it? The day I entered the capital, I saw petals falling from the windows of the houses, and it was very beautiful."

"So, I consulted with Oliver-sama and everyone else... I thought it would be lovely to have petals falling at our wedding..."

"Falling? Where?"

Feeling her cheeks burn, Rishe said boldly.

"...At our ceremony!"

Arnold seemed to hold his breath for a moment.