Maolikus, the manager of the sales agency, has emerged as a suspect.

The old man decides to check the store in the town of Ulaanu with his peepers.

He thinks that he might find some evidence or a reference.

But....

>

I was hoping to find at least a piece of resin.

>.

The old man changes his mind.

<> are investigating ...... probably in vain>>.

If Maaliks were the culprit, they would have gone to the trouble of telling us that <> and we would not have fallen for it.

<

* * * * * * * * * *

So, on the same day, <>.

Except for the one that Eira had << inadvertently heat-treated>>, the researchers were carefully examining one of the two remaining pieces.

One was Arnold, the other was Calaris Faius of the Chemistry Laboratory (a.k.a. Bakeken), and the other was Makina. And Makina.

"Well, it seems to have a rather complicated structure when I examine it with <>.

Arnold tilted his head.

"If it can't be fully analyzed by Arnold, then it can't be a known substance, can it?"

Calaris Faius said. She is one of the most skilled analysts in the institute.

"I think so too."

Makina agreed.

But Makina, who was also a , understood that the resin was very similar to polystyrene.

Polystyrene is a plastic resin made by polymerizing styrene monomer from crude oil and naphtha, as explained by the Japan Styrene Industry Association.

It has good transparency and moldability. It is used for food-related containers because it is tasteless and odorless. It can be easily colored.

It is widely used for transparent containers such as food packs and CD cases, and can also be foamed to make food trays and heat insulators.

When burned, it tends to emit black smoke, but does not emit toxic gases.

It is a plastic resin that is easy to recycle.

However, it is not easy to recycle.

(There should be no petrochemical industry technology in this world. ......)

The is at the forefront of technology in the world of Ars, but since the leader, Hitoshi, is relatively inexperienced in the chemical field, the production technology of the chemical field, which does not use engineering magic, has been lagging behind.

（The fact that there are people on the street who can synthesize such a large number of substances is also a matter of some concern,......, and it is not surprising that there are many possibilities to be drawn from this.)

There are not many possibilities to be drawn from this.

The most likely is the < relationship.

The <, who can be said to be the natives of Ars, migrated from the planet Hale, and naturally had a high level of civilization and technology.

They have remained in the present day as <>, and only a few of them are still in operation or in a repairable condition.

There are other possibilities such as <>, but if they were transferees, they would have spread more technology than just plastic. The same goes for self-development.

(If that is the case, we need to follow this line, but how can we follow it?)

It took 0.5 seconds for Makina to think about this.

It took 0.2 seconds to come up with the idea of analyzing the non-resin component.

"I don't know any more about resins, but ......<>...... I see."

"Did you find anything out?"

"Mm. The dye that gives this resin its color."

"Oh, I see!　So the dye is a known substance!

Calaris Faius of the Chemical Research Institute said he had never thought of that.

"You can try it too."

"Yes. ......<...... this!

"Do you understand?"

"Yes. It's a very distinctive dye.

"Yes."

"......?"

Arnold tilts his head, so Makina explains.

"Arnold may not know this, but synthetic dyes are produced in a limited number of places.

"Is that so?"

"Is that so?" "Yes. Magic dyes are produced here and there, and so are natural dyes. But synthetic dyes are made at .......

Where is it?

Mitsuho.

* * * *

Mitsuho is located in the western part of the Shoro Empire, further west of the Harihari Desert.

Most of its inhabitants cannot use magic.

However, in the past, Adriana Barbora Tsezi, the first Magecraft Meister, visited Mitsuho and built a factory to produce daily necessities, and Mitsuho has developed its own civilization.

One of the founders of this civilization was Adriana Barbora Tsezi's foster father, Shuki Tsezi.

<

His knowledge was related to the synthesis of chemical substances, and Machina told him that it would be possible to make synthetic dyes by applying his knowledge.

In medicine, there is a method of examining fungi and bacteria by coloring them with dyes and looking at them under a microscope, so it is assumed that ?wi?cie Tsezi knew how to make such dyes.

Although he would not have been able to make synthetic resins.

* * * * * * * * * *

On Horai Island, the old man was moving quickly.

He investigated through what channels Mitsuho's dyes were distributed.

As a result, it was found that about 80 percent of the dye was purchased by the neighboring Shoro Empire and distributed to the Koguryo Kingdom from there.

Of the remaining 20 percent, 5 percent was consumed within Mitsuho.

And the last 15 percent.

This is nearly impossible to trace.

This is because most of the purchases were made by individuals.

Most of the individuals are workshop owners, spinners and weavers, and they use it to dye yarns and fabrics.

On the other hand, the use for <> purposes is conspicuous.

<

The old man began the detailed and tedious task of checking the ledger book with a <>.