Someday Will I Be The Greatest Alchemist?

Starting with Lord Simon, Margrave Volton, Earl Rockford, and Viscount Packard had become engrossed with mahjong, so viewing the new facilities was postponed till tomorrow.

When I peeked inside the bowling alley, I saw Rod-kun and the knights were having fun.

Additionally, I also caught sight of merchants who came to the Sanctuary.

As to be expected, it wasn’t only the Papeck Company that traded with the Sanctuary. Of course, the Papeck Company had majority of those shares, but other companies of Valkyra Kingdom, Lomaria Kingdom, and Yggurle Kingdom also come.

Naturally, those who pass through the gates of the Sanctuary were permitted to by the Great Spirits.

The bowling alley built close to the Lodge was 20 lanes huge, but there weren’t that many guests in the Lodge, so I thought that scale would be enough, and yet……

「It’s a full house. Moreover, there are people still waiting.」

When I tried asking the people working in the bowling alley about it, they said that the Sanctuary residents use it too. Apparently, because the bowling alley in the Sanctuary was always full, the wait was always long, so people wandered over to this bowling alley.

Bikes were popularized among the residents, so coming here was easy.

Now that I think about it, there was quite a few bikes parked at the bowling alley’s bike park.

Anyway, today, Lord Simon, Margrave Volton and the others probably wouldn’t be leaving the games room, so I’ll visit them again tomorrow.

When I returned to the mansion, Madam Elizabeth and Madam Rose were still enjoying their tea and chatting.

Did Emilia-chan get bored? She was playing jenga with Kaede and Lulu-chan.

「Welcome back. How were Lord Simon and the others?」

「I’m home, Sophia. Lord Simon and the others were engrossed with mahjong at the games room.」

「Ahh…… they will be there all night, wouldn’t they?」

「……probably.」

I also remember the times when I stayed up all night playing mahjong when I was a Japanese high school student in my previous life. Highschool students these days probably don’t play mahjong.

Even I got addicted to mahjong when I was a student, so there was no way that the people of this world with very few pleasures wouldn’t be addicted to it. Margrave Volton was fired up after losing, but that was probably because they were gambling.

It is a fact that this world has very few pleasures, but it can’t be said that they have absolutely none.

Actually, this world…… ,no, it’s not just this world, but for some reason, gambling is something everyone likes.

Gambling isn’t perfect. If someone were to have a match, it’s normal to bet on who would win. In matches, it wasn’t unusual for the lord to be in charge.

Even so, there was no roulettes, playing cards, or horse racing. Betting on who wins in matches or fighting tournaments was how this world gambled.

Maybe it was unwise to popularize playing cards and mahjong in this world. Come to think of it, there were residents who would wager on winning and losing too. There didn’t seem to be anyone who was addicted to gambling so I think it was fine though.

The next day, I took my time going to the Lodge, and I found the sleepy lords eating breakfast late.

「Good Morning. It looks like you played late into the night yesterday.」

「O-oh, Iruma-dono? Morning. It’s shameful how unbecoming it was of us to be so engrossed.」

「That can’t be. It was not only fun, but it also makes you use your head.」

「Godwin, you need to be more insightful.」

「Reud isn’t all that different from me, was he?」

「Now now, both of you had gotten overzealous with your wagers.」

「「Guh.」」

Lord Simon returned the greeting a bit sleepily. Margrave Volton began talking about mahjong early in the morning, and Earl Rockford mentioned that he should improve upon his insight. It was then that Viscount Packard remonstrated the pair, but judging from his relaxed attitude, I guess he must have come out on top yesterday.

「So, where should I guide you today?」

When I asked about their plans for today, it was not only Lord Simon but every single one them fell silent.

「Eh?」

「……apologies, Iruma-dono. We have a fight that we must face.」

「Iruma-dono, as men, there are times we must fight, even in the face of defeat.」

「Iruma-dono, my apologies.」

「Eh? That means……」

Lord Simon and Margrave Volton said some strange things. Earl Rockford spoke apologetically, but his expression was no different from Lord Simon and Margrave Volton.

「Iruma-dono, we must settle things today, so could you come again tomorrow?」

「Haa, so that’s how it will be. Very well. I will see you tomorrow.」

Who would have thought, it looks like there’s going to be more mahjong starting today.

These people… I’m afraid they will never go back.

***