Part 90: Chapter L-11: Their Cherished Mentor

Part L-11: Their Cherished Mentor

Hello! …Hm?


The Teachers Convene



What? I don’t think we ever really sat down and read books, did we?

Good point… Sophie has quite a unique method of teaching.

T-That’s not true! Alright, well, maybe it is… Sorry I wasn’t a more orthodox teacher!

Ah, no need to apologize! You’re a practical teacher, that’s all! That’s fine too, hahaha! I didn’t dislike it, either. It was great fun, learning from you!

Firis…!





We are having a little meeting of teachers and students, talking about the best ways to teach.

Wah, you do that too? So that stuff you were just talking about…

Hehehe. I’m surprised to hear you dislike studying, Sue. Ilmeria has been telling us all about it!

Ah, well… I’m sorry, Ilmeria…

…

Ilmeria?

What? Ah, sorry… I wasn’t listening.

How about we close this meeting and eat? You two can join us, if you’d like.

Ah, would that be alright? Great!

One meal later…

Please come again, anytime!



Ilmeria, can I ask? Sorry if I’m wrong about this, but you look a bit upset about something…

I noticed that as well… Is it about me?

No, it’s not that. Not entirely. It’s just that Sophie and Firis are so dazzling… Firis talked about how much fun it was to learn from Sophie. I know the way I teach is a bit boring… I’ve just been thinking about that. That maybe it would have been better if someone else had become your teacher…

That’s…!

Sorry. I’m going home now. Bye bye, girls.



Why would she say that?

It’s my fault… Because I hate studying so much.



Sue!

Sniff… (Well… I know what must be done! No matter how much I hate it…)


How They’ve Grown



You’ll give yourself a fever and collapse, pushing yourself so! Stop it, Sue!

Hey, that’s just mean. It will take more than an hour to make me collapse!

I guess it might, but what’s brought this on so suddenly?

I’m worried about Ilmeria. I’m the reason she’s so sad… I can’t imagine having any other teacher. We are so lucky to have found her… So I’m working to be able to withstand longer sessions of studying, but… uwah!

…You can’t take anymore.



Ah, I’m worthless! A worthless student who only causes trouble for her teacher.

Sue… Right, I’ve got an idea!

An idea? What for, a recipe?

No, an operation. An operation to let our teacher know how we feel! Ilmeria said it before, didn’t she? That she is happy to see her students grow. So let’s make an incredible item and give it to her! Something to show her how much we’ve grown!

Of course! We’re alchemists, after all. Giving her something we’ve synthesized would be the best gift!

Well said! Let’s think about what we should make, then!

Let’s! Hmm… How about Philosopher’s Stones? Giving her some would show her we’ve become great alchemists in our own right…

Yeah, but I don’t think they’d cut it on their own. We have to make it more of our own… and something she’d like…

Something cute… Oh! If we switch up the recipe for Philosopher’s Stones like this…

Go on!

Hmm… yes, there we go! We’ve done it. We’ve really done it! This isn’t going to be easy, either, is it…

If we’re making something for Ilmeria, it has to be cute. This recipe is totally amazing!

Yes! These Cute Philosopher’s Stones will surely tell her exactly how we feel!



You said it! Just you wait and see, teach!



We were a bit short on Ashes of Origin and Crimson Stones…



But now that we have them, we can really do this operation justice!

We’re even using Philosopher’s Stones as a catalyst, and more yet as ingredients… this’ll turn out really nicely!

Shame about the loss of a trait, though… but this is the catalyst we need for the synthesis space we need!




Perfect! Now, to Teach’s at once!

Oh! Girls…?


Her Ultimate Students

Teacher! This is for you!

Wow…! Incredibly cute Philosopher’s Stones! They look so different, I presume this is an original recipe? Did you two think this up?

Yes! We created it together!

I almost can’t believe it! But why? Don’t tell me…

Hehehe, I think you’ve worked it out. We wanted to show you how much we’ve grown.

I know, I’m a bad student. I don’t like studying, I can’t sit still for ten seconds… But I love learning alchemy from you! I want you to know that!

Sue…

Hehe. Other people have taught us, too, but your lessons just calm me down the most. After all, we’ve grown so much thanks to all the fundamentals you’ve drummed into us!

Lydie!



That’s right. Be your normal, confident, kind, gentle and cute self! Please!

All this to say… Please, Ilmeria! Continue to teach us!

Please!

Hold on. Did you think this would make me happy?

W-What? It didn’t work?

B-Because I can’t study? Are we going to be kicked out? Are we really going to be kicked out?!



Hahahaha! Maybe we can skip that part…?

Hahaha, thank you, both of you. You’ve blown away all the clouds from my heart. Lydie, Sue… You are the ultimate students.

Teach…

Being blessed with such fine students… Ah, how lucky I am!

Ilmeria has acquired the skill “Outstanding Genius Alchemist”.

Outstanding Genius Alchemist - Restore a small amount of MP each turn.

Hehe! Sue, don’t you feel closer than ever before with Teach now?

I sure do! But this isn’t as far as we can go… so let’s go home and redouble our efforts!

And so, several long months later…


Different Developmental Paths



Okay, using this method, right after heating the athanor…

Mix this in quickly, and if you hit something on the bottom draw it out at once…



Sure! Low heat, mix slowly in perfect circles. Remove any impurities, and then turn up the heat! Right, all done!

You’ve both developed in completely different directions, haven’t you!



One question at a time, please. I’m here because I was just passing by. As for going in completely different directions, surely you’ve noticed it yourselves?




Logic and instinct… Now that you point it out, I think you’re right.

Hehe. There’s no right answer. Neither is better than the other. It’s just interesting how, under the same teacher, you’ve developed so differently.

Hahaha, I guess you’re right…

Anyway. I think I need to praise you, too, just a little. You’ve become so good at alchemy. Leaps and bounds ahead of where you started. I think you’ve both achieved so much. I’m so proud, as your teacher.

Ilmeria! That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to us!

Get ready, Sis! A whole ton of homework is going to rain down on us! Run for it!



Hey, you two! I was just being nice to you! …I can’t believe those two… They’ve grown as alchemists, but they’re still just kids. I’d better get home and do some studying myself. I can’t afford to hang behind, either, can I…

…Okay, it’s been long enough, right? We’re in the clear, right?

Yeah. Say, maybe we should drop into the tent again…


The Teachers’ Fight

Hold it! Firis is the best student, and that’s a fact!

No, that’s not right! Escha is definitely a better student than me!

I won’t accept that! Lydie and Sue are the best!



Ah, well. We were having another teacher and student meeting… And we got into a fight about which of our students is the most capable…

Hahaha, I think I see now. But hold on, Firis, you have a student too?

She does. Enough of this, though. This kind of battle means nothing at all.

That’s right. I know it’s odd for us to say this, being involved, but everyone has their own…



Oh… Here comes another biased teacher…

Hey, girls, great timing! Come on, say something! Tell them that you’re the best!

What? W-We can’t do that! It doesn’t matter who’s the “best”, anyway…



Uwah!

Very well. We aren’t going to settle this today. Let’s wait a little longer and see what happens.

Good idea. Considering Escha’s incredible potential, this should be settled pretty soon!

Don’t write yourself off so soon, Firis! You’re still growing yourself!

And you’re one to talk, Sophie! Your talent shows no sign of slowing down!

…Let’s not get caught up in this, Lydie…

Yeah. I can’t see this ever being settled…

Hah! None of you get it, do you? The alchemists with the greatest potential for the future are… The two who will become the greatest in the land, taught by a genius alchemist in her own right! Lydie and Sue! The only possible choices! Isn’t that right, girls? …Girls?

Ilmeria has acquired the skill “Leader’s Guidance”.

A new Combination Art for Alt and Ilmeria “Four Pillars of Heaven Judgment” is unlocked.

Leader’s Guidance - Increase Combination Arts damage.

Hey, Lydie. As far as we’ve come and as much alchemy as we’ve done, and as much as we’ve developed differently…

Yeah. I was wondering, too… But first!



This is Teach's ultimate staff. Can't say it isn't ornate.



Now, to the atelier!

Lydie, Sue, are you home?! I…


Varied Voices





…will see you later…

Ah, wait, don’t go! It’s not what you think!

Sorry! I’m sure that looked really odd, but I assure you there’s an explanation! Really!



No, er, well… That is… Sue and I were listening to the voice of an ore…

Oh? The voice…?

Yes… We can hear the voices of our materials, but we were just wondering if we each heard the same thing…

We’d never actually compared notes when it comes to how the materials speak to us.

Come to think of it… Hehe, that sounds interesting! Count me in too! You know I can hear the voices of ore very well! Let me join in on your ceremony!

Of course…! But it still isn’t a ceremony… Okay, then, shall we begin?

This time, let’s try not to look too weird…





…Okay, I’ve heard what it had to say. Are you ready?

Heh, of course! How about you, Sue?

Yes! Let’s all take turns explaining the personality of the ore, and what it had to say! I’ll go first! This particular ore has an aggressive, masculine personality, and it wants to become an all-powerful weapon.

Huh…? To me it sounded like a gentle, kind boy. It did say it wanted to get stronger by becoming a weapon…

I heard a young man of 22 years of age. His homeland had been overrun by monsters. Because of that, he was separated from his beloved. He wants to become a weapon and travel in search of her.

Hmm… Each of us heard the same ambition, but from very different characters…

Yes. And Firis heard way more detail than us. I guess that’s just a difference in talent…

I’m not sure, but… what really matters is that we can hear the voices of materials… If what they want turns out to be the same for all of us, then the other details don’t really matter.

Firis… you’re right… It is the true goal of alchemy to lead each material to its fated destiny!

Yeah! But this was kind of fun… Want to try it with something else?

Haha, of course! I wonder what voices we’ll hear this time…!

Lydie, Sue, are you home?! I’m here to…





…I think I must be a little tired. You can’t have seen what you thought you saw, Ilmeria. Isn’t that right… Hehe…

And we’re closing this update with another visit to the tent… and some more spoilery stuff for Atelier Sophie. So if that’s something you care about, then that’s it for this update!

…


Plachta in Action

Girls, good timing. In fact, perfect timing! I’ve got a request for you. Will you watch me synthesize?

Synthesize? But you said you couldn’t do it before…

That was because of my doll body. Now that I am human again, I should, in theory, be able to perform alchemy again…

Of course! In which case, we’d love to watch you in action, Plachta!

We get to see 500 years of alchemy in action! I can’t wait! Plachta, go ahead!

Thank you. Listen to the desires of the materials, and change their properties. Remember…



Great! Congratulations! Not to mention the high quality…

So this is your skill, Plachta? Uwah, I think I’ve got goosebumps!

Hehe, this takes me back. The feeling of creating something new… That raw thrill! It’s been so long since I last experienced this. Alchemy really is something special, isn’t it?

You’re right! Alchemy is fun!

It’s been 500 years for you too, hasn’t it? That must make it feel even better!

It does. Now I can experience this again whenever I want! I owe Sophie even more gratitude, clearly… She has given me back something very dear to me.

Hehe. You look so happy, Plachta!

I’m glad, too. Please show us what you can do again soon!

Of course. Anytime you like, girls, if that is alright with you. Thank you for today.

Mmm! We can’t wait!

See you again soon!

…It’s been a while since I synthesized anything, but there’s one thing I can’t ignore from this. From the quality of this item, it’s clear that my student surpassed me long ago…



Atelier Sophie spoilers end here.