Never mess with an alchemist.
That was common knowledge in this world.
Because you could never be sure what sort of methods they might use against you.
And now,
Sir Perry's condition was a perfect example of that.
So the question was—
Who was using these methods against Perry?
Or, to put it another way, which powerful alchemist had Perry managed to offend lately?
The answer was obvious.
After all, she had just cleaned up Perry's mess.
She had taken out the White Gloves' Mason Knights Order commander.
She just hadn't expected the other party to keep going anyway.
She wasn't sure whether they hadn't understood her hint or were doing this on purpose despite understanding it.
All right.
Perhaps expecting an alchemist to have any political sense was the biggest mistake of all.
Most of the time, alchemists had nothing in their heads but research and materials.
It was impossible to expect them to 'get' anything from her actions.
"Sigh... I understand. You may leave."
Once he'd figured out the crux of the matter, the Old Emperor waved Lady Baroness away.
Lady Baroness wouldn't dare say anything about that.
And if the Old Emperor had already said he understood, yet she kept making a fuss, he wouldn't be so easygoing.
She bowed, then left.
It all happened so quietly.
Only the Old Emperor remained, sighing to himself.
There was no helping it.
No matter what, she was his own flesh and blood. Of course he had to protect her.
And he had to give Lan Qingyou enough respect and benefits, too.
"Have someone deliver the deed transferring that manor and the surrounding forests and lake to Lord Lan Qingyou. Tell her that from now on, it's her fief."
Only after Lady Baroness had disappeared from sight did the Old