BXBX NOVEL Chapter 94 – Sensing the Mystery (2)
Chapter 94 – Sensing the Mystery (2)
“Looks like you couldn’t sleep.”
“How could I with something like this? I’m still so excited I could go crazy.”
“It seems quite captivating.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Arkamis shook her head and walked inside.
She sat in a chair and shook a glass bottle.
The iridescent granules inside swirled softly.
“These granules have no inherent properties. They don’t hold any mystery, have no individuality, no characteristics. They’re just a simple substance in the purest sense.”
“But when they come into contact with a specific reaction and other materials, they change to possess the properties of that material. If it’s gold, it becomes gold; if it’s diamond, it takes on the characteristics of a diamond. When it touches something imbued with mystery, it becomes imbued with mystery.”
And there was no limit to this transformation.
Over the course of the night, Arkamis had tried using a total of 124 different substances, and the granules had transformed into all of them.
“There were some trivial materials you could find on the street, and catalysts that were three times more expensive than their weight in gold, all of them.”
Arkamis looked at the iridescent granules with a sense of wonder.
No matter how expensive or rare a material or catalyst was, even the tiniest fraction of it could be replicated in the quantity of the iridescent granules.
“This is like the Philosopher’s Stone, isn’t it?”
A stone that transforms into any material.
It was a fitting description.
Ketal’s eyes lit up.
“Now that you mention it, it is.”
In a way, Nano’s characteristics were just like the Philosopher’s Stone.
“Could this catalyst be used to create the Path of Mystery?”
“Absolutely.”
It wasn’t just possible; it was extremely easy.
Being compatible with all materials meant that if it came into contact with the withered Path of Mystery, it would become the Path of Mystery.
Ketal’s eyes shone brightly.
“But there’s one problem.”
“What is it?”
“The quantity is too small.”
“Ah.”
The amount of iridescent granules Ketal had brought was just too little.
It was less than a grain of rice, far from enough to create the Path of Mystery.
“Considering it’s a material I’m handling for the first time, I might make mistakes, and I also need to run various safety tests….”
“We’d need quite a bit more.”
“Exactly.”
Arkamis quietly estimated the amount needed.
“I think we’d need at least as much as my body size. Can you get more? And if possible, even more than that.”
Arkamis’s face lit up with excitement.
“If I had this, I think I could achieve my goal. I’ll pay any price.”
“Payment isn’t necessary. Do you have a goal?”
“It’s nothing grand. Just a personal goal. So, what do you think? Is it possible?”
“I want to help, given the favor I’ve received, but….”
Ketal had a hesitant expression.
“I’m not sure if I can get more.”
“Ah… it seems quite rare. Well, a material like this, it can’t be helped.”
“It’s not exactly rare. There’s just a difficulty in acquiring it.”
The Kingdom of Lutein was consumed by Nano.
Not only humans but the entire royal palace was likely Nano.
It wasn’t rare; it was incredibly abundant.
The problem was how to obtain that Nano.
The iridescent granules were the remains of dead Nano.
They likely harbored a deep hatred for Ketal, who had killed them.
“If you could just tell me where to find it….”
“I don’t have the habit of killing my alchemy teacher.”
“…Is it that bad?”
Arkamis didn’t think much of it.
Since Ketal, who didn’t even know about the mystery, could obtain it, she thought it would be easy for her as well.
Ketal responded.
“It’s not a matter of capability.”
“It’s a matter of the gimmick. If that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
Arkamis let out a groan and rested her chin on the table.
She hadn’t had high hopes, but hearing it was impossible still left her feeling down.
“With this amount, it’s insufficient. We need to find another method to create the Path of Mystery.”
“Is that so?”
Ketal clicked his tongue.
Taking a difficult path could be enjoyable, but right now, regaining the sense of mystery was the priority, so it was disappointing.
Just as he was about to ask what catalyst was needed, someone knocked on the door.
It was a rough, discourteous knock.
It wasn’t Milena.
Arkamis stood up with a puzzled look.
“…Why is that guy here?”
“Do you know who it is?”
“This is my territory, after all.”
Arkamis opened the door.
There stood a man with a highly displeased expression.
Arkamis spoke.
“Swordmaster Maximus. Why are you here?”
Arkamis recognized him.
When she stayed in the Kingdom of Denian, she met Barbosa, and Maximus was with him.
Maximus looked around the house instead of answering.
Ketal smiled slightly.
“The second time, isn’t it? Nice to meet you.”
“He’s here.”
After a brief sigh, Maximus spoke.
“The king summons you.”
“The king?”
Arkamis frowned.
“Didn’t he agree not to interfere? What’s this about?”
Arkamis had made a deal with Barbosa: she would create a few artifacts, and in return, Barbosa would not interfere with her actions.
Barbosa had agreed.
Summoning her now was against their agreement.
Maximus shook his head.
“Not you, Arkamis.”
“If not me, then Ketal?”
Maximus nodded.
“…Really?”
Arkamis was taken aback.
Maximus continued.
“His Majesty calls for you, Barbarian.”
* * *
Ketal was resting in the lounge of the Denian royal palace.
Leaning back on a plush sofa and enjoying some refreshments, the door opened.
Ketal greeted the visitor warmly.
“Oh. Isn’t it Elene?”
“Yes. It’s been a while.”
“Aaron, you’re here too. Are you alright?”
Aaron looked half-dead.
He spoke in a depressed voice.
“…The princess is taking action. Though I am in such a pitiful state, I cannot stand idly by.”
“I see.”
Ketal looked at Elene.
It had already been a month since he last saw her.
And her aura had changed since then.
She no longer seemed shaken or broken; she looked composed.
“You seem well.”
“I’ve come to terms with it.”
Elene murmured quietly, looking intently at Ketal.
“Ketal, if I become something else, will you still see me as Elene?”
“To me, you are Elene. That fact won’t change now.”
“Is that so? Then that’s enough.”
As if all her preparations were complete, Elene took a deep breath.
She then formally bowed to Ketal.
“Elene Mavlocci Lutein, first princess of the Kingdom of Lutein, expresses her gratitude to her benefactor, Ketal.”
“…Oh.”
Ketal’s eyes widened with interest.
She had abandoned the Kingdom of Lutein.
Yet now she was expressing gratitude to Ketal as the princess of Lutein.
“It seems you’ve made up your mind.”
“Yes.”
Elene nodded.
Ketal and Elene exchanged stories about how they had been.
When Ketal mentioned he was learning alchemy, Elene hesitated.
“…Alchemy?”
“Yes. It’s more interesting than I thought.”
“Is, is that so?”
As they continued their conversation, Elene suddenly seemed to remember something.
“By the way, why did you come here, Ketal?”
“The king of Denian called for me.”
“Lord Barbosa? Why….”
Ketal grinned.
“You’ll find out when we meet.”
He looked into the air, where a semi-transparent window visible only to him appeared.
[Quest #786.]
[Respond to the Other.]
* * *
A few minutes later.
A servant came to guide them to the audience chamber.
Apart from the servant’s frightened hiccups, they reached the chamber without incident.
Barbosa was seated on the throne.
Next to him stood Maximus, the Sword of Denian, as his guard.
“You’re here.”
Barbosa spoke.
Ketal smiled slightly.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Ke, Ketal!”
Elene was startled.
Barbosa was the king of Denian.
Addressing him without bowing and using informal speech could land someone in prison for lèse-majesté.
However, Barbosa spoke indifferently.
“You don’t need to worry, Elene. I have already given him permission.”
“Is, is that so?”
“So, why did you call for me?”
Barbosa, who had been looking at Ketal, spoke.
“…You told me that talking to them would be the right answer.”
“Yes, I did.”
The entity that consumed the Kingdom of Lutein was fixated on humanity.
Ketal had said that although it was unclear what they wanted, the first step was to try and communicate with them.
“It’s a high-risk approach, but it makes sense. We contacted the Kingdom of Lutein. In a few days, an envoy will come here.”
“Oh.”
Ketal’s face lit up with interest.
“Are you asking me to take responsibility for my advice?”
“You have a good understanding of them. Having you here would be helpful.”
“I don’t mind.”
Ketal smiled broadly.
Missing out on such an interesting story would be a loss.
He looked at Elene.
“How about you, Elene?”
“I’ve decided not to run away.”
Elene spoke in a low but firm voice.
“They need me for something. Whatever that need is, they won’t act recklessly. So… I plan to meet and talk with them.”
Elene still didn’t know the identity of the entities that had consumed the Kingdom of Lutein or what they wanted.
So, she decided to have a conversation.
To find out what they wanted and why they devoured her kingdom.
“It seems like a reasonable approach. But are you sure? If they harbor malice, it could be dangerous.”
Nano could replace humans.
And the speed at which it could do so was incredibly fast.
You might not even notice if someone right in front of you was replaced.
Although the captured knights seemed fine, it was still a significant risk.
Barbosa spoke.
“It’s alright. We have made sufficient preparations for that.”
Barbosa shifted his gaze.
“Please come forward.”
[Is it finally time?]
The air split open, and a skeleton appeared.
Elene involuntarily recoiled in shock.
The skeleton chuckled.
[Don’t be too frightened, child. I’m here to help you.]
“…You are…”
Elene’s eyes widened.
[It seems you know who I am.]
“Well, yes.”
The figure was a lich.
The staff in its hand and the luxurious robe it wore.
Elene recognized the features of that robe.
The master of the abode of all magicians.
One of the three most outstanding wizards in the world.
An entity in the position of a hero.
Elene’s eyes filled with astonishment.
“The Magic Tower…”
“Oh. Patrick. It’s Patrick! Nice to see you again!”
Ketal exclaimed with a bright smile.