Chapter 1 – Let’s quit!!

“…999, 1000.
Alright, today’s quota is done! And it’s not even noon yet, so I’m going to spend the afternoon doing research…”

I say as I check the bottles of distilled water I created with my rapid transmutation.

Distilled water is used to make various potions, but also to transmute magic creatures.
It’s an indispensable ingredient.

Its quality also has a lot of influence over the quality of the final transmuted product.
My distilled water is special in that I mix magic energy uniformly, making it very high quality.

And there are a thousand bottles in front of me.
The alchemist association goes through them in one day.

“Hey Master Rust.
Master Rust!”

A grating voice calls my name.

“…Do you need anything here Master Rihalzam?”

I answer as a middle aged man approaches me.
This man with a bit of a foolish expression on his face is an alchemist of the arms transmutation department.

“What kind of answer is that? That’s why you basic research department people… Forget it, the president is calling you gufuh.”

He says before laughing in a creepy way.

Rihalzam is always trying to start arguments with me any chance he gets.
He’s very proud of being a part of the arms department that makes so much money, and he’s always complaining about my basic research department’s budget.

He’s in a very good mood today, which is actually a bad sign, but I can’t ignore the president when he calls me.
I have no choice but to head to his office like Rihalzam says.

“Hmph.
People who are supposed to do chores should just do them and stay quiet.”

He mumbles as I leave.
He then takes the distilled water I transmuted like he owns the place.

◆◇

“We are cutting the basic research department’s budget.”

Says the president while throwing me a piece of paper.

Apparently this is the next term’s budget.
When I look at this paper I feel my vision turning dark.

“Z-zero!?”

“Hmph.
The basic research department shows no actual resul