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Chapter 68: Item (3)
In the center of the continent lay the first world tree called the heart of the world. Various major cities were located around it, most notably Arcanium and its twelve satellite cities.
On either side were the mighty fire kingdom of Adolevit and the magic empire of Skalven. A little further down was Alchemy Castle.
What did the name “Alchemy Castle” mean? It was a city made up of alchemy fortresses, hence the rather boring name.
Alchemists, displeased with the dull meaning, tried to give it a sentimental value by saying they synthesized stars with alchemy, but it seemed pointless.
Alchemy Castle started with the famous alchemist brothers, Leo and Galil, building small huts. As their fame spread, talented alchemists flocked to the city, and after hundreds of years, it had become an impregnable fortress that repelled foreign invasions.
Alchemy Castle was an international organization of alchemists that was not affiliated with any specific country.
That was why people of different races and nationalities gathered there. Although they had become accustomed to different races, it was still a bit strange.
As Baek Yu-Seol walked by, he saw a giant with blue skin towering over three meters, while a dwarf, barely reaching his waist, was causing a commotion on the street.
And there was an elf with pointed ears, dressed in work clothes, busy hammering away. He resembled a human but was still distinctly different.
Such was the typical scene in Alchemy Castle. While most were alchemists, there were many other craftsmen from different fields as well.
In the center of Alchemy Castle was a paradise for the greatest alchemists known as the International Alchemy Organization of Alchemy Castle.
"Welcome. This is the 13th branch of the Alchemy Castle, Zelkova Halsecoden’s Department."
The interior of the organization was not in a medieval fantasy style but had a very modern appearance.
The glass walls displayed holographic text and images that flickered and moved, and the lobby featured a huge spinning wheel that filled the visual and auditory space. Businessmen in neat suits busily moved about.
"I came to meet an alchemist."
"Sure, whom are you here to meet?"
"Her name is Alterisha..."
As soon as the receptionist heard the name, her expression stiffened. "You can't meet her right now."
Baek Yu-Seol expected as much. If it were any other alchemist, they would have asked if he had made an appointment.
But since Alterisha had many people wanting to meet her, it seemed she had preemptively blocked them.
He was the co-author, and if he had just relied on his charm, he could have become an alchemy apprentice here.
Well, he would have been kicked out soon since he had no magic power in his body.
"Here. This is a personal invitation from Assistant Professor Alterisha."
"Oh, my."
The receptionist's eyes widened as she read the invitation, and then she lowered her head.
"I apologize. I’ll guide you right away."
The place he followed her to was an alchemy research laboratory located underground, where doctors in white robes were bustling around.
There were no businessmen there. It seemed that only genuine researchers were allowed to enter.
Even if one wasn't affiliated with Alchemy Castle, as long as they had the status of a collaborative researcher, anyone could come and go.
Due to the special alchemical apparatus in Alchemy Castle, many people came seeking it.
Occasionally, alchemists from Stella Academy, including Alterisha, could be seen. They wore white robes with the Stella emblem on their chests.
No one had a mask.
He could count on one hand how many Stella alchemists he knew; it was only about three.
"This way."
They arrived at a temporary office with the nameplate ‘Alterisha Department’ hanging on it.
It went without saying, but not all alchemists in Alchemy Castle were collaborative researchers.
Alchemists were divided into numerous departments based on their beliefs and the directions they pursued, and Alterisha founded her own department.
Knock, knock!
"We're going in."
Even though he knocked, there was no response.
Perhaps it was a familiar occurrence, as the receptionist grabbed the door and pulled it open, causing a loud explosion sound to echo from inside.
Boom!
"Ah?!"
Baek Yu-Seol quickly pulled the receptionist's body back and defended the front, but fortunately, it didn't seem to be a major accident as only a bit of smoke was seeping out.
"That was a surprise..."
It would have been great if he could use wind control magic at times like this.
As he waved away the smoke with his hands and entered, the alchemists inside were coughing.
They were all alchemists affiliated with the Alterisha Department, and he was surprised to see that their number was quite large.
Among them, there was a particularly noticeable person with pink hair.
Her hair, matted with grease, was closer to gray. She coughed while loosely tying up her disheveled hair, but her face was filled with a smile.
Other alchemists were also in the same condition.
"Haha, we finally did it!"
Whack!
"Ouch...!"
As a dwarf patted her unreachable back, Alterisha’s body convulsed. She struggled to touch the patted area and laughed. "It's thanks to you, Mr. Halsecoden."
Baek Yu-Seol realized that the alchemist who was conducting research with Alterisha was none other than the golden alchemist, Halsecoden.
As expected.
It seemed they were conducting research together, just as in the original work.
"Assistant, I'm here."
"Oh, Student Yu-Seol? Ah, didn't see you..."
"Could you turn on the ventilation?"
"Y-Yes, I'll do it right away!"
At Baek Yu-Seol’s request, another alchemist quickly reacted and rushed out. Even so, it was quite daunting to be surrounded by alchemists who were likely to have considerable experience in research in this place.
After the smoke cleared for a moment, he was finally able to face her properly.
Alterisha pulled over a makeshift table and sat down, proudly showcasing the item she had just successfully created.
Well, to be precise, it was Halsecoden who was boasting on her behalf.
"Hehe, student, see this? Can you see it?"
"I see it well."
"This is the shield bracelet. Look, after wearing it like this..."
Halsecoden wore a silver-colored ring on his arm.
"And when you press it like this..."
He pressed a button to activate it. Astonishingly, the bracelet extended and covered his entire forearm in the form of a shield.
“In this state alone, it already boasts the defensive power of a Class 3. But if you activate it once more from here…”
Whirrr!
Suddenly, a shield of about three times the size of his face appeared from the bracelet. The difference from other shields was that there were no magical runes on it.
"How’s it? Amazing, right? Even if you have low mana or you're an ordinary person who can't use magic, you can use shield magic at least once! Although the defense power is only 500, it can be a great help in desperate situations."
"Ohhh..."
He couldn't help but be sincerely amazed. To develop an item of Class 3 level in such a short time.
"It's all thanks to this little genius!"
Slap!
"Ha!"
Once again, Alterisha received a smack on the back, and she spilled coffee from her mouth.
Halsecoden giggled as he fiddled with the bracelet.
"These days, every day feels so enjoyable that I feel like I'm going crazy. In the past, I used to do one research after another, continue with ongoing research, and be satisfied with finding something small. Do you see that?"
Following his finger, Baek Yu-Seol looked around and saw dozens of researchers manipulating complex machinery, hologram charts, and mixing reagents.
"In the past, even those guys were not full of enthusiasm. But ever since this little genius joined us, everything has changed!"
"Haha..."
Alterisha laughed awkwardly, but Halsecoden wasn't wrong.
The first alchemical magitechnician.
The world's greatest genius engineer who combined alchemy and enchantment.
A person blessed by the gods.
An alchemist who changed the world.
A woman who shattered the limits of impossibility.
The pioneer of a new era.
And so on and so forth.
There were numerous adjectives used to revere Alterisha, and not a single one of them was an exaggeration.
"Now, when we announce this, the world will be turned upside down."
He agreed with those words.
When Alterisha announced the interpretation of the Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique in the past, the academic world went into complete chaos.
But that was limited to scholars.
Ordinary people still didn’t know how amazing it was. They just thought it was great because the problem was solved.
But if a new technology that could shake the world emerged? Even children would know. They would know how great an alchemist named Alterisha had made such a great invention.
"By the way, aren't you the co-author? It's good to walk the path of a magic warrior, but if you entered alchemy, you could have gained more wealth and honor. Why didn't you do that?"
Baek Yu-Seol pondered for a moment.
‘Should I just make an excuse or tell the truth?’
Halsecoden was a good and wise person. He was the person Alterisha relied on the most.
He’d thought of revealing it to people around him someday, so it wouldn't be bad to tell a smart person first.
"I don't have mana in my body, so I can't be an alchemist."
"What did you say?"
Halsecoden’s eyebrows trembled. Alterisha didn't know this either, so her eyes widened and her hand holding the coffee shook.
"T-That's… What...?"
"I mean it literally. I have a congenital condition that cannot accept mana, mana leakage delay.”
No one in the academy knew this fact, but it wasn't really a secret. Even though they knew he didn't use magic, they decided not to expel him, so it didn't matter if he revealed it.
He just didn't have a reason to say it.
Besides, it would be revealed soon during the upcoming physical examination.
"You don't mean…”
Halsecoden seemed shaken. He unusually lost his composure and couldn't continue speaking.
Alterisha took over for him.
"Isn’t that… terminal?"
‘Ah.’
It didn't matter much to him, as he had already extended his lifespan through sufficient training and planned to fully awaken his abilities with the help of Leafanel after obtaining the heart of the divine beast.
As they sipped their coffee in silence, Halsecoden and Alterisha’s expressions grew increasingly lifeless.
Mana leakage disorder usually didn’t allow one to live past the age of 19. In other words, they seemed to have misunderstood him as someone who accepted even death humbly.
"Well... While it’s true that I have limited time, I have no intention of dying. I've already found a cure. I'm going to live long. Very long."
Reassuring them, Baek Yu-Seol spoke, and only then did Halsecoden and Alterisha breathe a sigh of relief.
"By the way..."
He quickly changed the subject. "Can I take a look at that shield bracelet?"
"Ah, yeah! Of course. Actually, I was planning to give it to you as a gift."
"What? Something so precious?"
"Yeah. Honestly, if it weren't for your idea, I couldn't have made something like this."
Suddenly, something welled up in his chest.
He intended to take it away, but receiving it as a free gift like this made him feel a bit guilty, sorry, and grateful.
"Thank you..." he said, gently stroking the shield bracelet.
Indeed, alchemy had a structure similar to modern semiconductors. It operated with numerous small magical lines connected inside.
Clearly, it was still in the early stages, so there were a few sloppy and unnecessary parts.
After examining the structure closely, he said, "Can I borrow a magic welding pen for a moment?"
"Yeah. Why?"
Without another word, Baek Yu-Seol received Alterisha’s magic pen and held it against the shield bracelet.
Halsecoden's eyebrows twitched, but he remained still when Alterisha restrained him.
Slowly, he connected the magical lines in a structure similar to the shield bracelet of the future that he knew.
Erasing the original and creating a more efficient structure that could increase output.
"It's done."
"What did you do...?"
Halsecoden's expression creased slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with him meddling with a masterpiece, but his reaction would be different in a second.
Zing!
When he activated the magic array after wearing the bracelet on his wrist, a much stronger shield was produced compared to before.
Halsecoden immediately opened his mouth wide and quickly brought a measuring device.
"The defense value... has been inflated to 800. It's over 1.5 times more efficient."
"I've been thinking about it for a while, but I didn't know I could make use of it like this."
He touched the bracelet with an incredulous expression and stared at Baek Yu-Seol blankly. Other alchemists passing by also had surprised expressions as they looked at the bracelet on his wrist.
“Being a co-author wasn't just empty talk! I thought I would just put your name in because this little one likes you. Well, well. It's a damn good thing you’re here."
Halsecoden exclaimed in admiration, and Alterisha, still shocked, opened her mouth wide and turned the shield bracelet around.
"I'll give this back to you. It can be applied to other items as well."
"Oh, um... I'll make something even better and give it to you again..." She omitted the rest of her sentence. No, it was more accurate to say she couldn't say it. Alterisha was already caught up in something new.
Halsecoden looked at Alterisha’s appearance and spoke earnestly while looking at Baek Yu-Seol.
"Don't you have any intention of working under me? No, I misspoke. Not under me, but on equal terms with me. You are a treasure of humanity. Don't worry about the part where you can't use magic. I can assign several alchemists to serve as magic shuttles for you."
"Haha."
Baek Yu-Seol appreciated the offer, but that wouldn’t work. This was actually a skill that Alterisha had established over the past six months.
It was provided in advance to facilitate her rapid ideation.
Besides, even without him, Alterisha would do well on her own, so his role was sufficient in accelerating the advancement of this technology.
"I'm sorry. I have a reason to pursue becoming a magic warrior."
"I see... There's nothing I can do about it."
"More importantly, I have a favor to ask. Hey, Assistant?"
"Assistant?"
"Huh? Hm? Why, why are you saying that?" Alterisha replied with sparkling eyes. Countless ideas were flooding her mind, influenced by the magic lines he drew for her.
So, the favor he wanted to ask her now would be a great help.
"Do you know what this is?"
When Baek Yu-Seol placed the force vessel on the table, Halsecoden chuckled. "It's been a while. It's rare to see these days. What do you plan to do with it?"
"I'm thinking of creating an item."
"Enchantment?"
"Spatial magic." As he said that, Halsecoden's expression changed oddly.
Alterisha smiled, looking a bit awkward.
"It might be a bit difficult for us to create something like that for now. We haven't tried enchanting with elemental magic."
"I understand. I'm not asking for it right away. Please do it slowly when the technology becomes available later."
It would be done within a few months.
Alterisha was a genius, after all.
"Hmm, but who would you go to for enchantment? It's extremely rare to find a spatial magic engineer."
In alchemical engineering, it was essential to have an alchemist to process materials through alchemy and an engineer to bestow magic enchantment.
Since Alterisha had not mastered magical engineering yet, they ultimately needed an engineer to perform the enchantment…
"The principal of Stella has agreed to help. So you don't need to worry about that part."
"The principal?!"
"Ha. The old man from Stella agreed to help? The more I see you, the more fascinating you are."
Alterisha’s mouth widened as if it were about to tear, and Halsecoden simply chuckled.
It seemed less surprising now.
Now that his words had gained credibility, it was time to bring those things out.
"Oh, and... it's about time to create a masterpiece. I brought the design plans for these items, thinking it would be interesting to create them with the prototype."
As Baek Yu-Seol unfolded the design plans on the table, some alchemists stared in astonishment. Halsecoden noticed and quickly withdrew his gaze, but Alterisha read the plans with apparent interest.
In truth, those design plans contained a bit of his personal desire. Well, quite a lot, actually. It was because he intended to use them first once they were created.
"Heh, that's fine. The materials might be a bit expensive, though."
"Oh, speaking of that..."
Baek Yu-Seol had planned to persuade Melian somehow to solve the material issue, but Alterisha spoke first.
"I don't think we need to worry about the price issue."
"Really? It's going to be quite expensive."
"Don't worry about it. We received sponsorship from the president of Starcloud."
‘Ah, right.’
Melian was an incredible philanthropist. While some companies waited until they saw tangible results, he casually invested a large amount.
"I was thinking of using the research funds, but it's even better that we have a use for it now, right?"
He asked nonchalantly, "How much is it?"
"Do you want to see?"
Alterisha smiled and showed him her bank account.
And then.
He couldn't help but doubt his own eyes.
"What's this...?"
‘Is it a money duplication bug?’