Chapter 113
29. Item Presentation (4)
What was the ultimate goal that alchemists dreamed of in the beginning?
T h i s w as c o pi e d from k i ng mt l . o r g
Immortality? Elixirs? The Philosopher’s Stone?
No. None of those.
It was to create gold.
In ancient times, those who didn’t learn magic were not even given a chance to earn money, and those who were mired in poverty had no choice but to develop alchemy to try and create ‘gold’ directly to strike it rich.
Nowadays, synthesizing gold through alchemy is a basic level skill, but to honor the will of the ancestors who gloriously opened the age of alchemy in pursuit of gold, modern alchemists unified the superlative adjective for the greatest things as ‘golden.’
Th i s w a s c o p i ed fr o m k i n gm t l . o rg
[Alchemy Castle, Golden Platform]
This place, which might not open even once a year, only opened when groundbreaking alchemy or new inventions were developed.
Thus, with the simultaneous birth of groundbreaking alchemy and new inventions, there was no reason not to open the ‘Golden Platform.’
Woo-woo-woong!!
The sound of warp hole gates reacting from the north, south, east, and west of the Alchemy Castle continuously rang. Nobles from all over the world arrived in their splendid self-driving carriages or parked their personal airships, making the Alchemy Castle bustling with people for the first time in a long while.
In the streets of the Alchemy Castle, a small festival to welcome such guests was held. As expected of the city of alchemists, the road colors kept changing, and statues danced, showcasing technology unfamiliar even to mages.
“It’s been a while since I was here.”
“Human cities are always so noisy, it’s annoying.”
“Don’t say that. This is a place we had to come to at least once anyway.”
T h is w a s co pied fr om k i n g m t l .or g
The streets were so crowded with people that two passersby in black robes didn’t appear suspicious.
For mages, robes were almost like an identity.
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Thus, even in a society of mages, Dark Mages could walk around openly.
“Professor Kamahon from Stondel University, Professor Taivon confirmed.”
Professor Kamahon entered the Golden Platform confidently, and no one around him suspected a thing.
“Oh, Professor Kamahon. It’s been a while. I was impressed by your research journal on the Second Verse.”
“Professor Kamahon! I’m Mozen, a third-year at Barren Magic University! Do you remember me?”
Other people even greeted him first, showing that he was quite socially famous.
Taivon clicked his tongue as he watched Kamahon, who laughed and accepted their greetings.
‘Even a fellow Dark Mage would believe he’s an actual mage.’
As Dark Mages who sold their souls to the Other World, they had long lost all human emotions in exchange for strong dark mana.
Yet, being able to mimic humans so well meant Kamahon had seriously decided to infiltrate human society.
Since Taivon had no intention of going that far, he just watched from behind.
“Click, this is tiring.”
After sending off the mages, Kamahon tidied his suit and clicked his tongue.
“Why do you go to such lengths?”
“It’s not ‘such lengths.’ If it’s the order of the cult leader, I’ll do my best.”
“Oh, right. You’re a follower of the Moonshadow Church.”
Even among Dark Mages, there were countless factions, and Professor Kamahon was a devoted follower of the Moonshadow Church, commonly known as the ‘Black Magic Cult’ among mages.
T hi s wa s c o p i e d f r om ki n g m tl . o rg
Previously, it was just an insignificant cult, but after learning to hide dark mana from the mages’ detection, the name ‘Moonshadow Church’ spread widely within the Dark Mage society.
They proved their capability by infiltrating the massive magical institution, Stella Academy, and thus gained significant prestige in the Dark Mage society.
‘A religion for Dark Mages…’
The idea of those who sold their souls to the Other World forming a religion itself seemed absurd to Taivon.
Still, he thought Kamahon’s efforts were somewhat useful.
The Alchemy Castle, the core of magical society’s technology.
Who could freely walk through the Golden Platform, the very heart of it, except for a Dark Mage like him?
Moreover, their purpose for being here was to join Alterisha’s faction.
Even Dark Mages now had to acknowledge that no one could match Alterisha’s alchemy and magical engineering.
‘Alterisha is dangerous.’
Like the great mages who threaten the Dark Mage Union, Alterisha was on the ‘top priority elimination list.’
Of course, mages weren’t fools either. The cutting-edge security system of the Alchemy Castle thoroughly excluded Dark Mages.
Even if they managed to infiltrate by hiding their dark mana, the Mage Association and Stella Magic Knights were directly guarding her, making assassination nearly impossible.
But…
Must they really kill Alterisha?
Wouldn’t it be better if they could absorb her technology instead?
Just like they always had.
All they had to do was infiltrate Alterisha’s faction.
The ‘Golden Alchemic Show’ to be held at the Golden Platform was not only to announce the existence of alchemy and magical engineering to the world but also to expand the faction.
Numerous scholars from around the world would be attracted by her technology at the Alchemic Show and would seek to join her faction.
Taking this opportunity, Dark Mages hid their identities and real names and flocked to the Golden Platform, and Kamahon and Taivon were just one of these groups.
Since mages couldn’t detect the ‘Dark Mana Concealment Array’ of the Moonshadow Church, they wouldn’t know how many Dark Mages infiltrated Alterisha’s faction and would be devoured bit by bit.
…At the same time, in the same place.
Kaen, the leader of the 13th Extermination Squad from the Tower of the New Moon, slowly surveyed the familiar scenery of the Golden Platform.
Right behind him, Vice-Captain Hyeijin Macaron complained, ‘We’ve come to another boring place,’ but she also accepted it as inevitable.
She thought it was impossible for such a large event to take place without the appearance of Dark Mages.
‘It’s unusually calm…’
There was no sign of activity at all. No traces left, meaning they were intentionally erased. Kaen felt more uneasy, but Macaron didn’t seem to feel the same.
“Hey, rookie. Aren’t you bored?”
“No, ma’am!!”
“Ouch! My ears! My eardrums are about to burst! Speak quietly in places like this!”
“Sorry, ma’am!!”
“Ugh, jeez…”
The 13th Extermination Squad assembled for the first time in a long while. Consisting of seven members, each one of them had experience defeating Dark Mages with at least 7-Risk levels.
They were particularly disciplined, and even the young man Macaron jokingly called ‘rookie’ was in his fourth year, indicating his experience.
Th i s w a s c op i e d f ro m k ing m t l .o r g
“Hmmm… Are you afraid something might happen? With this many people, we could handle anything that happens, so why don’t you relax a bit? You’re always so serious, Captain.”
“That’s right, Captain. We should take it easy sometimes.”
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“Besides, didn’t ‘Metler’ say he couldn’t detect anything?”
Whenever Metler, possessing superhuman senses, said nothing would happen, 99% of the time, nothing really happened.
“So let’s take it easy～”
Macaron said this casually and started teasing the rookie, and other members relaxed and joked among themselves.
Meanwhile, Kaen alone watched the Golden Platform with cold, sinking eyes.
‘…I’d rather something happen.’
If his intuition was warning of danger this strongly but nothing happened, it meant something was quietly brewing somewhere unknown to them.
* * *
Stella students can voluntarily apply for leave. Although the opportunity doesn’t come many times a year, it’s available whenever needed.
It was because the school had a high proportion of nobles. They often had special events in their territories or important family gatherings… there were plenty of reasons to skip classes.
Being a commoner, Baek Yu-seol usually couldn’t use such excuses to take leave, but this time, thanks to Alterisha’s help, he managed to skip classes.
“Yu-seol, what should I do…”
Behind the stage of the Golden Platform, Alterisha was giving herself a last-minute check before going up.
“You’ll do great.”
Although Baek Yu-seol tried to console her, would it help? She had to go up to that huge platform alone.
This presentation was not simple like before. Today, it was truly meant to bring a ‘technological revolution’ to the world.
After today, all magical tools and technologies worldwide would be plastered with Alterisha’s name.
The signal flare to announce its starting point would go off right here, right now.
And while she was conducting her presentation, Baek Yu-seol was scheduled to meet someone else at a different location.
Branding the items.
Since it was his project, he didn’t leave that part to Alterisha and decided to handle it himself.
“Doctor, it looks like it’s time to get ready.”
A staff member approached Alterisha, said that, and then hurried off somewhere, apparently having many preparations to make.
Looking at the main hall, over ten thousand people were already seated.
[Alchemist Alterisha]
A simple name floated above the platform. Everyone gathered here to be drawn to that name.
“How is it? Are there many people?”
“Yu-seol, why are you asking suddenly?”
Alterisha, who was calmly watching the audience in the main hall, was startled by Baek Yu-seol’s expression unexpectedly hardening. Since she was very sensitive to his smile, she couldn’t help but be startled.
T h i s was c o p i e d f ro m ki n g m t l . or g
“No, it’s nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew, but it must have been a mistake.”
“Aha…”
Trying to reassure her, Baek Yu-seol once again put on a relaxed smile.
“Are you nervous?”
“Is your heart racing?”
“Yes…”
“That’s not because you are nervous.”
“Huh…?”
Alterisha noticed the ease in Baek Yu-seol’s expression anew. He seemed to genuinely enjoy the situation.
“That’s because you’re excited. After today, everyone will be looking at you, Assistant.”
“Excited…?”
“There’s evidence. Right now, Assistant, the corners of your mouth are slightly raised.”
“Re-Really?”
She hurriedly touched the corners of her mouth, but she couldn’t confirm it just by touch.
“So, go and enjoy yourself. Anyway, those people will cheer even if you just sneeze?”
“Ugh…”
As Alterisha reluctantly nodded, the host’s voice rang from outside.
-Introducing Dr. Alterisha, the Alchemist!
“Oh, oh? I’m going now!”
As she hurriedly rushed to the stage, a grand applause erupted. Even the dazzling lights and cheers became part of Alterisha’s stage setup.
From now on, that place would be a stage solely for Alterisha, and those who witnessed her presentation would experience revolution in real-time.
They were blessed people.
Baek Yu-seol adjusted his glasses and glanced around the audience in the hall once more.
‘As expected, just as I thought…’
He was trying to scrutinize the audience more closely when someone urgently called his name from behind.
“Baek Yu-seol, so you were here!”
A junior alchemist from the faction found him.
“Now, Chairman Melian has arrived! He’s looking for you! You should go now-”
“No, there’s no need.”
Interrupting the alchemist, a tall man appeared from behind.
Brown fedora, brown hair.
Pointed elf ears, stylish fashion, and golden eyes behind golden-rimmed glasses.
Melian, the Chairman of Starcloud Trading Company.
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He had come all the way here.
“I didn’t expect you to come in person…”
Slightly flustered, Baek Yu-seol greeted him.
“I wanted to feel the heated atmosphere of the presentation, even if just for a moment.”
T hi s w a s c o p i e d f r om kin gm t l . o r g
Melian said, then suddenly stepped aside. From behind him, a beautiful girl walked forward.
Her appearance was so pristine that it felt as if the atmosphere was filled with the scent of lavender the moment she appeared.
‘Huh…?’
Though he hadn’t seen her face before, the name that came to mind through his glasses was familiar.
[Villainess Zeliel]
The daughter of Melian, the Chairman of Starcloud Trading Company, and a key villainess in the ‘Chapter 2’ episode distinguished by players.
‘Why is she here…?’
She walked towards Baek Yu-seol with a calm gait and slightly bowed her head.
“Nice to meet you, Baek Yu-seol.”
Her golden eyes twinkled vividly as she smiled faintly.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you.”
End of Chapter