Ch. 410 - Change (5)

The Sanctuary of Alchemists, Alchemy Castle.  

These days, asking about the ‘Alterisha Department’ there would only earn you odd looks. This was because everywhere you looked in Alchemy Castle, there were pink signboards unique to Alterisha hanging all around.

The Alterisha Department had come to control most of Alchemy Castle, a clear indication that her innovations and technologies were becoming increasingly globalized and widely accepted.  

Alterisha hoped that everyone around the world could use this convenient and beautiful technology, but practical issues stood in her way.

"This is far too dangerous.”

Take, for example, the taser device that Alterisha had lightly developed as a self-defense tool. Inspired by an idea from Baek Yu-Seol, the device was designed to incapacitate an attacker temporarily. But engineers worried about its potential misuse.  

“My goodness, even ordinary people without a mage’s license can knock someone out with just the press of a button on this portable item… This shouldn’t have been developed, Department Head.”

"I’ve already put performance restrictions on it. It’s absolutely non-lethal. There’s no better tool to protect the weak.”

"This is unacceptable! Ordinary people without professional knowledge cannot be trusted to handle magic responsibly. This item’s power is equivalent to a class 1 Lightning Shock spell!"  

“You have to approach close and make contact with the item for it to activate, so the power is irrelevant. It’s genuinely just for self-defense.”

"Absolutely not, Department Head. If such items are released into the world, it will devalue magic entirely!"  

"Devalue magic? Did you just say it would devalue magic?"  

At those words from an elderly beastman, Alterisha’s mind went blank for a moment.  

He was an enchanter and a senior mage, someone who adhered to the old belief that only those trained in high-level magic were truly noble.  

"Indeed. What do you think magic is, Department Head?"  

"Magic is... a wonderful and mysterious technology meant to benefit all of humanity. It is not, and never should be, a symbol of authority or privilege."  

"That may be your perspective, Department Head. But most mages would disagree."  

Many other mages agreed with the elderly beastman, leaving Alterisha feeling deeply frustrated.

They found it deeply unpleasant that ordinary people could use magic without the grueling effort they themselves had put in to learn it.  

The meeting made no progress, and faced with fierce opposition from the senior alchemists, the plan to popularize yet another potentially useful item was once again thwarted.  

Back in her laboratory, Alterisha slumped into her chair, clutching her forehead in frustration. 

Watching the meeting while chewing on jerky, the Golden Alchemist, Halsecoden, let out a wry chuckle.  

"Heh, amusing. It was the same when I was young. No matter how advanced technology gets, it’s useless when the old geezers are too stubborn to accept it."  

"Ugh... Sir Halsecoden, can’t you do something? They may not listen to me, but they always seem to listen to you..."  

"How long do you plan to rely on me for that? Sure, they might listen to me for now, as you say. But I’m retiring soon. Are you planning to keep depending on me even after that?"  

"That’s not what I mean, but..."  

"There are other ways. Develop a technology so groundbreaking it makes those old fossils turn their heads. Or crush them with undeniable academic evidence. Leave them no room to argue."  

As Halsecoden said this, he opened a can of beer and took a sip, while Alterisha let out a weary sigh.  

Her technical prowess could undoubtedly be called the best in the world, but dealing with people was always a challenge for her. Especially as a superior dealing with subordinates who were older than her, her timid personality often became a barrier.

"Why not handle it like you did that time? You know, more than a year ago, when you shouted down that arrogant alchemy professor at Stella. Haha, that was a real sight to see."  

"T-that was...!"  

Alterisha’s cheeks flushed red.  

For someone as shy and soft-spoken as her, the memory of that incident still felt unfamiliar and embarrassing.  

"There’s no need to feel embarrassed."  

"Pardon?"  

"I only observed you for a year, but out of everything I saw, that was one of the most impressive moments."  

"Ugh..."  

It wasn’t just about her raising her voice and getting angry. It was about how she had managed to rebuild her shattered self-esteem and confidently stand up to someone she once feared.  

Halsecoden was likely referring to that moment of courage and confidence.

‘Confidence…’  

Alterisha was about to sink into contemplation when a sudden, blaring siren cut through the air, jolting her out of her thoughts.  

WAAANG!!!  

Flashing red lights lit up the surroundings, signaling a dangerous situation. Alarmed, Alterisha bolted out of her lab.  

The scene outside was chaos. Researchers in white coats were running around frantically, while battle-ready mages appeared like phantoms, surrounding Halsecoden and Alterisha to protect them.  

"W-what’s going on?"  

"A high-risk Persona Gate has appeared in Alchemy Castle."  

"What?!"  

Persona Gates appearing within the city is a rare occurrence. However, for the average person, encountering such an event even once or twice in a lifetime was rare. This was almost a first for Alterisha as well.  

‘A Persona Gate, all of a sudden...?’  

“Please evacuate quickly.”

Following their training, the magic warriors began escorting key researchers to safety.  

But something about their grim expressions suggested the situation was more dire than they were letting on.  

"You’re hiding something, aren’t you?"  

When Alterisha called them out, one of the warriors hesitated before nodding.  

"We planned to report this after the situation was resolved... but in truth, about a dozen dark mages attempted to infiltrate Alchemy Castle. They were subdued."  

"What?! dark mages?"  

"It happens occasionally. But since the defenses were bolstered fifty years ago - protected by Class 8 mages and powerful barriers - nothing like this has occurred until now."  

"..."  

Alterisha fell into deep thought. Recently, similar incidents had been reported worldwide.  

Why were they specifically targeting her?  

It wasn’t hard to figure out. All the victims of these attacks were technologists in item development.  

In other words, the dark mages were willing to risk their lives to acquire the knowledge and technologies she had developed.  

“We must thoroughly secure the technology. Moreover, we need to break it down into fragments.”

"Understood." 

For example, let’s say a robot is being created using item technology.  

Some engineers would only be able to construct the robot’s shoulders, while others could only build its legs. By dividing the technology in this manner, even the dark mages would find it challenging to steal the complete design. However, Alterisha knew this was only a temporary solution. It would inevitably be overcome.  

Based on her estimates, that time would come within six months at the latest.  

She estimated six months specifically because she was considering going as far as manipulating parts of the technology to reduce the harm caused by engineerss constantly being kidnapped.

"... This is a serious issue. If those guys get their hands on item technology, it’ll be disastrous."  

"No, it’s fine.”

In fact, this might be a good thing.  

Engineers were already passionately explaining the dangers of item technology, so she planned to develop something related to that risk.

So, she resolved to create a technology that would essentially strangle her own creations.  

It would be an extraordinary measure to ensure that everyone could enjoy a comfortable and peaceful life through items.  

“I will make items… that kills items.”

If someone used an item as a weapon, she would create another item to neutralize it. While this meant that anyone could theoretically block the offensive capabilities of Alterisha’s items, she didn’t care.  

‘I don’t need offensive measures.’

She thought of the most powerful ally who always protected her and resolved to pursue this plan with determination.  

"I cannot stand by and watch the dark mages harm the world with my items."  

Her technology was meant solely for the happiness of humanity.  

***

His long-awaited encounter with Jeliel was anything but ordinary.

In the northern region of the Waning Moon Plains, at the Cloud Garden by the Four-Tiered Waterfall of the old fishing lake, Baek Yu-Seol made his way past the piles of dark mage corpses. He awkwardly waved his hand.  

"... Hi?"  

Jeliel, who had just finished smashing a dark mage’s skull with her bare hands, turned toward him. Her face and body were soaked in blood, but she greeted him with a bright smile.  

"Hi there."

The magic warriors standing nearby immediately realized that Jeliel was clearly flustered.  

‘The young lady is flustered.’  

‘She didn’t expect this at all.’  

‘Is he a civilian? Should we get him out of here…?!’

‘Use your common sense for once!’  

As the magic warriors from the Starcloud Trading Company finished binding the dark mages and whispered among themselves, Jeliel quickly turned away, hastily wiping the blood from her face.  

"Are you okay?"  

"…!"  

She had thought the thirty paces between them would give her enough time to at least wipe the blood away, even if she couldn’t reapply her makeup. But for Baek Yu-Seol, such a distance seemed irrelevant.  

"… I’m fine. But I didn’t expect to see you here. What a surprise."  

Having managed to clean the blood from her face, Jeliel tied her blood-stiffened hair back into a loose ponytail and spoke. Baek Yu-Seol glanced at the dark mage corpses as he replied.  

"I figured something was happening, so I stopped by on my way back to Stella. Not that it seems like I was needed."  

Jeliel had responded with far more speed and force than he had anticipated. She hadn’t just flushed out and eradicated all the dark mages hiding in the Waning Moon Plains but had also just rescued the kidnapped item engineers.  

Although the engineers had leaked some of their technology, their lives had been spared as a result.  

"We have no excuses, my lady!"  

"We’re sorry! We’re so sorry!"  

"Please spare our lives…!"  

The engineers, who were freed from the dark mages, were now groveling and begging Jeliel for their lives. They weren’t particularly moved by the fact that she had saved them.

Instead, they believed Jeliel had only saved them because their skills and knowledge had value.  

They thought she had rescued them simply because she didn’t want to lose what she owned.

"…"  

Jeliel silently observed them for a moment before kneeling down to meet their gaze.  

She didn’t bother forcing a smile. Not only did she have no desire to smile at them, but she also knew that forcing a smile would only instill more fear in them.

"I don’t care that you leaked the technology. You are my property, and I’m satisfied that I haven’t lost my assets."  

"W-what…?" 

A response that was quintessentially Jeliel.  

"W-well, that's true, but the dark mages did steal some of Starcloud Trading Company’s core business technologies..."  

It wasn’t a technology that could be easily redeveloped. Yet Jeliel, in a tone that made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal at all, replied,

"Isn’t that the kind of technology you can develop again as long as you’re still here? Obviously, the engineers are more important than the technology itself."  

Her words left the engineers dumbfounded as they stared at her. Jeliel struggled to her feet and continued.

"From now on… This sort of thing must never happen again. But if it does, throw away the technology and survive. What matters isn’t the technology. It’s the value of your lives."  

After saying that, Jeliel ripped off her blood-soaked robe and tossed it to her assistant.  

"I can’t use this anymore. Please get me a new one, preferably with a green design."  

"Understood, my lady. I’ll prepare one with a design you’ll love."  

Then Jeliel turned back to Baek Yu-Seol, her earlier sternness replaced by a genuine smile.  

"It must be disappointing to you that the incident’s already resolved. This is probably a first, isn’t it?"  

"W-well, I guess so?"  

Baek Yu-Seol had already resolved dozens of incidents by rushing in at the last minute, but this was the first time he’d arrived to find the situation already completely handled. It left him feeling a bit off-balance.  

Jeliel, however, seemed genuinely pleased. Watching this man, who always carried the weight of resolving everything himself, look so caught off guard filled her with a sense of satisfaction, even a thrilling sense of triumph.  

"Then, why don’t you use this extra time to hang out? I know you’ve got a week of summer vacation left."  

"… How do you, a student of Astral Flower, know about Stella’s summer break schedule?"  

"Am I not allowed to know?"  

"It’s not like you can’t, but…"  

"Then it doesn’t matter, does it?"  

With that, Jeliel grabbed Baek Yu-Seol’s hand with her blood stained one and pulled him along.  

Baek Yu-Seol was unsure whether he should feel happy about holding hands with this beautiful woman who was a year older than him or feel concerned about the strange situation he found himself in. 

———

TN:- Enjoying this story?

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I Became the Academy Killer

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