TDAA Ch 13

“Okay. I’ll formally teach you.”

Eorzen frowned at Burdril, who had been loitering in front of the door since dawn and was now shamelessly enjoying breakfast and even dessert after being let in.

Burdril, while glancing at Eorzen, smiled brightly at Siol.

“Really? Should I call you Master then?”

“No, that’s okay.”

Siol shook his head, flatly refusing.

Under different circumstances, he would have formally accepted him as a disciple and taught him the history of the school, just as he had been taught by his master. However, the current situation didn’t allow for it. It wasn’t the time to leisurely teach a disciple, and given his identity, formally accepting Burdril would only be a burden to him.

He seemed excited now because he didn’t know anything, but would he still be like this after learning that Siol was the Alchemist of Death? If Siol accepted him here, the moment his identity was revealed, Burdril would also have to live with the stigma of being the disciple of the Alchemist of Death.

“You don’t need to be so formal. I mean, you’re being so polite to someone so much younger than you just because I said I’d teach you some alchemy?”

“Knowledge is great. Those who share knowledge deserve respect.”

Burdril spoke with unusual solemnity.

While Siol agreed with the sentiment, Burdril’s attitude seemed somewhat frivolous.

“Anyway, that’s enough of that. Just focus on learning what I teach you.”

“Okay! I’ll work hard!”

“Then there’s something I need to tell you first.”

Siol took out the pouch, which was at the center of the recent incidents, and placed it on the desk. He felt a little awkward taking it out in front of Eorzen, but there was something he had to say before starting the lesson.

“Burdril. An alchemist must always be cautious.”

“Well, that’s… true, right?”

“You can’t just use the pouch you took from the alchemist’s cabin however you want just because you like it.”

“Hmm…. You’re right.”

Burdril nodded obediently with a somewhat ambiguous expression. But his gaze kept drifting towards Eorzen, who was sitting on the sofa behind him, so Siol slammed the desk.

“Don’t look elsewhere! Do you think Eorzen will help you?”

“No, that’s not it….”

Seeing Burdril stammer and fail to finish his sentence, Siol shook his head. He still seemed to be glancing at Eorzen, not appearing remorseful, and Siol felt a surge of anger.

“I heard everything from Eorzen. In these cases, you should first figure out what the pouch does before using it. You should test it with something like a pebble to see if there are any problems, not put something important like a master key in it!”

“Look, I think there’s a misunderstanding, Siol-”

“What misunderstanding? Are you saying Eorzen lied?”

“No, that-, uh…. I think… I was mistaken. Yeah…. That’s right…. Sorry. I’ve been a bit forgetful lately.”

Siol tilted his head at Burdril’s sudden change of words and turned around abruptly. Eorzen was just sitting on the sofa reading documents, and when Siol turned around, he raised an eyebrow as if asking what was wrong. He didn’t look like he had done anything.

“Haha. Seeing the pouch made me want to put something in it! I happened to have the master key next to me, so I put it in, but I didn’t know it would disappear. I’m reflecting on it. I won’t be so careless next time!”

Burdril placed his hand over his heart and made a serious vow. At his prompting “Hmm?” Siol nodded obediently. He had only wanted to address the issue; he hadn’t intended to scold him harshly from the beginning.

“Okay. Since it’s your first time, I’ll let it go this time.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“So, shall we make a plan for how to proceed? Hmm…. If Burdril were someone who knew nothing, it would be better to learn the theory properly first, but alchemy is actually a study greatly influenced by talent. The transaction with the world, you know. The difference between those who can and those who can’t is significant. No matter how well you learn the theory, if you can’t make a transaction, it’s hard to call yourself an alchemist. But since Burdril has already made a transaction, I’d prefer to focus on practical training. Learning by doing.”

This way would allow him to teach faster, which was also better for Siol.

“But to do that, we can’t do it in the castle… I guess I’ll have to go down every day.”

At that moment, Eorzen put down the documents, got up from the sofa, and approached the sofa where Siol and Burdril were sitting.

“That’s not permitted.”

“Ah, why?!”

Burdril jumped up from his seat and protested before Siol. But Eorzen, whose expression remained unchanged, said,

“Sizool is frail. I can’t have him going up and down this rough mountain path every day. Burdril, you come up here.”

“Ah. Right. Okay. I’ll come up.”

“And limit the lessons to two hours a day.”

“What? That’s too short!”

The enthusiastic student Burdril stomped his feet and protested. Siol also felt the same. Two hours a day wasn’t enough to make anything properly.

“That’s right, Eorzen. Two hours isn’t enough for a proper lesson.”

“No.”

When Eorzen cut him off firmly, Burdril ruffled his hair and groaned in annoyance before clinging to Eorzen and grabbing his arm.

“Captain, let’s talk for a moment.”

Eorzen tried to shake off his hand, but at that moment, Burdril whispered “pouch” so that Siol couldn’t hear. Eorzen froze and stiffened, glaring at Burdril for a moment. When Burdril dragged him to the corner by the window, Eorzen reluctantly followed.

Siol watched the strange scene with surprised eyes.

“Captain, I helped you earlier, didn’t I? I’ll forget about that, so just increase it by two hours. Four hours a day. Okay?”

“…….”

“Ah, why did you lie? I told you that losing the master key in the pouch was just a joke. The master key is safe and sound in my desk drawer, so what did I lose?”

“…….”

“You confiscated my alchemy tools, saying I shouldn’t use them for pranks, but I’m starting to get really curious why you said that to Siol. Ah, I can’t stand the curiosity…! At this rate, I might just ask Sizool directly…!”

Eorzen clicked his tongue and glared at Burdril. Feeling a primal fear rising at the cold stare, Burdril quickly averted his gaze and pretended not to know. Eorzen frowned at his pathetic behavior, returned to Siol, and said,

“Three hours. No more than that. Sizool, you’re planning to write a book while teaching him, right? You’re also limited to three hours a day for writing. The rest of the time, you should eat, take walks, rest, and sleep.”

Seeing the rare sight of Eorzen visibly holding back his irritation, Siol nodded quietly. Burdril, still frightened, stood by the window and didn’t dare approach, but gave a thumbs-up with a giggle.

What kind of conversation did they have that made Eorzen back down? Siol was extremely curious, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask, seeing the displeasure on Eorzen’s face.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Late at night, Siol, who had been lying in bed, suddenly sat up. He had been closing his eyes the whole time, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

“Ladie….”

He took out the pouch and called the girl’s name beyond it.

It was an incredible stroke of luck to be able to contact Ladie. The fact that she was alive was a great joy to Siol.

However, staying in contact with Ladie brought Siol both joy and pain.

Siol thought he was fully aware of being the Alchemist of Death, but he wasn’t. Especially when Eorzen hugged him affectionately, or when Ryufen showered him with food, eager to feed him, he wasn’t. At those times, Siol unknowingly forgot his true self and existed solely as the small wolf, Sizool. He acted like Sizool, felt emotions like Sizool, and reacted like Sizool.

But this pouch, this contact with Ladie, confused him as to whether he should perceive himself as the Alchemist of Death or as the little wolf Sizool.

The price of that confusion was the misunderstanding with Eorzen. If he had thought properly, he wouldn’t have acted so suspiciously and aroused suspicion.

Siol fiddled with the pouch with confused eyes.

It was never his intention to forget his sins, what he had done. But that confusion prevented Siol from hiding himself. Now, when being discovered could lead to his death, this pouch was like a knife threatening his life.

[I’m sorry. The pouch was broken. I managed to fix it, but the connection is weak, and it might break again after a few more uses. Just in case, let’s refrain from contacting each other for now. If you need my help, please contact me then.]

It was a lie. The pouch, repaired by the world in exchange for the jeweled dagger, was connected much more firmly than before and would function perfectly for decades to come, unless it was intentionally torn.

But Siol didn’t have the courage to tell Ladie the truth.

If I keep in contact like this, they’ll find out I’m the Alchemist of Death. He couldn’t bring himself to write those words.

[I understand. Again, if you need my help, please contact me without hesitation.]

Holding the message filled with unwavering concern, Siol mumbled apologies several times before falling asleep.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Despite some guilt, peaceful days followed.

He taught Burdril alchemy for three hours a day, how to research his own talents, and focused on passing down the method of making prosthetic limbs. Burdril, who had originally been interested in mechanical movements, quickly grasped the principles of prosthetics. He still needed to study more about the functional aspects that required transactions with the world, but he could now make something up to the level of Siol’s tenth prosthetic limb on his own.

“Okay. I’ll formally teach you.”

“Look at this! If you do it like this—ta-da!”

The prosthetic leg Burdril brought was designed with a folding structure below the ankle. Instead, the shin part extended with a clacking sound.

Looking at the lengthened prosthetic, Siol nodded, saying, “Ah, so it transforms like this when humanized.”

While the transformation took too long and the movement was clunky, it wasn’t to Siol’s liking, but it was actually quite impressive for someone who had only been learning alchemy for about fifteen days. Burdril said he had only been researching decryption methods, but perhaps because he had been delving into alchemy, his learning speed was exceptional. Of course, his talent and unique, abnormal passion must have played a part….

At his nonchalant reaction, Burdril narrowed his eyes.

“What? I thought you’d be surprised.”

“Since beast-kin transform between human and beast form, it’s only natural that prosthetic limbs should be able to adapt to both.”

“…Don’t tell me you…?!”

Siol took out the prosthetic leg he had been making as a sample for distribution, grabbed somewhere near the knee, and pressed. The prosthetic smoothly shifted and transformed into a human leg.

“You have to measure the leg length in both animal and human form beforehand when designing. It doesn’t need to be exact, as long as it’s roughly correct, it’ll adjust automatically to some extent.”

“…Why didn’t you show me this earlier! I was so excited, thinking I had come up with it!”

“I didn’t show it to you in advance because it’s not beginner level. Burdril, your skills are developing faster than I expected.”

“Is that so?”

Burdril, who had been stamping his feet in dissatisfaction, quickly grinned again at Siol’s praise. When it came to alchemy, he was a simple man. Siol chuckled and began explaining the things to consider and the design points for creating a prosthetic limb that could adapt to both beast and human forms.

It was then.

A strange noise could be heard approaching from afar. Listening closely, it was the sound of the floor vibrating. It sounded like something large was running, shaking the floor.

Eorzen placed the documents he was reading on the sofa, got up, and opened the window. The sound grew louder, resonating as if there was an earthquake, and the area right in front of the window darkened with a shadow. And the next moment, the shadow shrunk abruptly, and a wolf darted through the window and ran into the kitchen.

“…Ryufen?”

Eorzen shook his head, went back to the sofa, and sat down. While Siol was stunned and dazed, Ryufen, who had run to the kitchen, came out carrying a large amount of raw meat.

“Ah, I thought I was going to starve to death!”

Ryufen, who had taken out all the raw meat from the kitchen, swallowed the dripping meat without properly chewing it. Even though he usually stayed in wolf form, he typically enjoyed cooked or roasted meat, but now he was devouring the meat as if he had no time for such niceties.

While Siol was dumbfounded by the sight, Burdril, who had grasped the situation, casually stood up after stuffing his bag with the materials spread out on the table, Siol’s book manuscript, and even the sample prosthetic limb Siol had made.

“Let’s end the lesson here today. Ryufen seems to have a lot to say, so I’ll be going now, Master.”

“I told you not to call me Master!”

Siol reflexively shouted at the playful address, but Burdril simply shrugged without promising to stop. It was all because he didn’t know what kind of being Siol was. Only Siol felt frustrated, unable to say, “Don’t call me Master, because I’m the Alchemist of Death.”

“Captain, I’ll be going now, since you seem busy today. If you need anything from the alchemy workshop, please call me later. Well, Sizool will be more helpful than me, though.”

“Yes, that would be best.”

After Burdril quietly bowed and left, Siol unconsciously looked at the desk and only then realized that the manuscript he had been working on until morning and the sample prosthetic limb were gone.

He really couldn’t understand why Burdril acted like that. He allowed Burdril to copy the manuscript, yet he would steal the original every now and then. As for the sample prosthetic limb, although not yet, when the time came, he would lend it to Burdril for a few days so he could disassemble and examine it. Yet, he would steal it, saying he wanted to examine it beforehand.

Why was he so greedy? Siol was inwardly annoyed, but the atmosphere wasn’t conducive to focusing on such things.

Ryufen, who had hurriedly devoured the chunks of meat, let out a strange groan and collapsed.

At the same time, Eorzen placed the documents he was holding on the side table and leaned towards him. The benevolent dragon, who had been waiting for his starving subordinate to fill his belly, asked,

“Now, tell me. There must be a reason you even went so far as to gigantify yourself and rush here, skipping meals, right?”

Siol also watched the scene with apprehension. Ryufen was covered in grime, and his fur was scorched in places, making him look wretched. If things had gone according to plan with the guerrilla base, he wouldn’t be in such a state.

Ryufen nodded with a stiff face and said,

“I stopped the humans from taking all the beast-kin living in Ephania back to their homeland.”

“…What?”

“When I arrived, human troops were blocking all the entrances to Ephania. There were dozens of empty carriages, too.”

The story was different from what he had heard before. Back then, Ryufen had said the humans wanted a massive livestock farm for slaves. Siol had agreed. Turning the entire city into a farm was much safer and more convenient than individually taking the artisan beast-kin to the human lands and exploiting them while providing food and clothing.

“Several carriages were already loaded with rabbits…. So, I had to act to stop it before I could properly assess the situation. If I had known there would be a fight like that, I would’ve taken a few more men with me. I only took three, thinking we just had to destroy the guerrilla base.”

Ryufen looked around for something, spotted Siol’s cup, and walked towards it. However, before he could reach it, Eorzen stepped on his tail, stopping him. When Ryufen pouted in dissatisfaction, Eorzen flicked his fingers, bringing a bowl of water from the kitchen and giving it to him. After gulping down the water, Ryufen’s expression brightened.

“I told the guys to destroy all the carriages, and I started by killing the horses pulling the carriages with the rabbits. Fortunately, there were no fortress defense mechanisms this time. If there had been, I might have really died…. Anyway, after that, it was just war. There were about… three hundred soldiers. About a hundred of them were a unit armed with alchemy tools. They were carrying things like flamethrowers.”

That explained why his fur was scorched in places. Siol looked at Ryufen’s singed tail with a sympathetic expression.

“It’s not the first time humans have been armed with alchemy tools. But the fact that they appeared as a unit means-”

“It means that the supply of alchemy tools has become stable.”

“I thought that after killing the Alchemist of Death, the power of the alchemy tools the humans possessed would weaken.”

“Perhaps a disciple named Nathaniel has inherited the name of the Alchemist of Death.”

Siol clenched his fists and closed his eyes. The Alchemist of Death. While he wasn’t proud of the name, the prediction that Nathaniel had inherited it made him want to scream.

“Sizool? Come here.”

Siol stared blankly at Eorzen, then swayed towards the outstretched hand. Eorzen pulled Siol’s waist and sat him down beside him, putting an arm around his shoulders. Siol, practically embraced, took a deep breath, leaning against the warmth behind him.

Seeing Siol’s distress, Ryufen flinched slightly and asked,

“…Should we do this later, Captain?”

“No, I’m fine. I want to hear it.”

Though pale, his demeanor was firm. Ryufen hesitated for a moment, knowing that Siol had been found in the Alchemist of Death’s cabin, but since Eorzen didn’t stop him, he resumed his story.

“But the real problem isn’t that. The rabbits suddenly started going berserk.”

“Berserk? What do you mean?”

“It’s hard to believe, but they really went berserk. It was similar to when the Captain goes berserk. Not all of them, just a few…. They suddenly went berserk and attacked everything around them, so we missed all the escaping humans while trying to stop them. We managed to capture and confine them, but after the berserk ended, they all coughed up blood and died.”

Eorzen paused in thought, then asked Siol,

“Sizool, is something like this possible with alchemy?”

From the moment he heard that the rabbits had started going berserk, countless methods that could make it possible had been flashing through Siol’s mind, weighing the possibilities. Numerous possibilities were placed on the scales. But the moment he heard that they had all coughed up blood and died, he could only think of one thing.

There was a potion that would draw out all the remaining power in the body in a short period, causing one to lose their mind and burn out.

“Yes. It’s possible.”

And Nathaniel. His only disciple’s specialty was potions.

⋆୨🔮୧⋆

Siol’s first memory of Nathaniel was of a timid, grimy child. Throughout the luxurious carriage ride, he sat on the edge of his seat, keeping his back straight so as not to touch anything around him. When Siol approached the stopped carriage and extended his hand, the frightened child hesitantly reached out his own hand in return.

The child, who had been living in the forest with only his grandmother, was sent to the research institute to become Siol’s disciple by order of the king. Siol knew the reason for sending the child in such a shabby state was to evoke his sympathy, but despite that, he pitied Nathaniel. So he accepted the child, who had recently lost his only family, as his disciple, washed him, fed him, and raised him with care. Of course, there were maids, but strangely, Nathaniel was afraid of young women, so Siol had to raise him almost entirely himself.

Perhaps he thought that raising the child like that would create a family-like bond.

It took Nathaniel about a year to accept Siol. Siol felt joy watching the little boy gradually start to smile, throw tantrums, and sulk and cry. The fact that the watchful child was expressing his emotions meant that he was now comfortable with his life.

It was around that time. Nathaniel, with a thrilled expression as if he had found a treasure, held out a piece of paper.

“Master. This, for you.”

His eyes sparkled, as if he couldn’t bear the anticipation of a reaction. Siol took the paper, wondering what the little boy had written, unfolded it, and was startled.

Two tomb flower leaves, ten drops of night dew, 50 grams of iodine root, four drops of farad oil, 25 grams of Aseric powder….

And for the sacrifice, the blood of five chickens, the hide of two cows, the tails of twenty rabbits…. And two human heads.

It was written that if you draw a summoning circle, place the ingredients and sacrifices on it, and chant a special spell, a potion called “Last Breath” would be created. The potion, it said, would devour the drinker’s reason and make the blood in their entire body boil. It would also awaken a desire for violence, steal their heart, and make taking a life seem like nothing.

“Where did you get something like this?!”

A trade item, offering a human head to some being and receiving something in return, and that too, a drug that robs a person of their reason.

Even on Earth, there were occasionally such people. People who would sacrifice the lives of others to create things that didn’t match their meager talents. Of course, his mentor, the director of the city’s alchemy research institute, despised such acts and punished them whenever they were discovered, but despite that, such people never disappeared and continued to appear.

Siol, who had never expected to see traces of such people even in this world, crumpled the paper and interrogated Nathaniel.

“Nathaniel, tell me the truth. Who taught you this? This is… horrible and disgusting!”

Embarrassment spread across the face that had been full of shyness and anticipation, and soon shock and fear settled in. As if he hadn’t expected Siol to react this way.

At the sight of those frightened eyes and the gestures tinged with bewilderment, Siol realized he had made a mistake. It was true that the timid child had brightened up considerably recently, but he shouldn’t have questioned him so accusingly.

“No, Nathaniel, that’s not…”

However, before Siol could utter an apology, Nathaniel stumbled backward and then ran down the hallway.

“…Nathaniel….”

Let’s call him and talk to him, holding his hand, when he calms down a bit. Let’s talk gently about everything, from where he got this horrible recipe to apologizing for speaking to him so angrily.

Siol made that resolution and returned to his room.

Ladie, who had been cleaning the room, looked back at Siol and brought out some tea.

“Did something happen?”

“Nathaniel… brought a piece of paper with some strange spell written on it…. So I yelled at him, asking where he got it.”

“A strange spell?”

“Something… that requires a horrible sacrifice, that kind of thing.”

Feeling uncomfortable revealing that the recipe required a human head, he spoke vaguely. Ladie fell into thought for a moment, then said,

“I heard Nathaniel’s grandmother was a witch.”

“…A witch?”

“Yes. She was called the Witch of the North. I don’t know much more than that.”

“Then that too… he must have learned it from his grandmother.”

He made a mistake.

Siol sighed softly, recalling the child’s shock-filled eyes.

His opinion that the strange recipe and spell were heretical remained unchanged. However, if he had known that it was related to the child’s only family, he would have approached it more gently.

Siol regretted not having taken an interest in the child’s past.

“Ah…. I think I hurt Nathaniel.”

He should have soothed the child and asked him gently instead of yelling like that.

Siol regretted and pondered how to talk to the child.

He didn’t want to speak ill of the child’s family, but a grandmother who taught such spells to her young grandson didn’t seem like a very good person. However, revealing such feelings to Nathaniel would only hurt him again.

Let’s try to explain to him that using people as sacrifices is wrong, but avoid overly harsh expressions.

“Master.”

As he was choosing his words and had drunk about three pots of tea, Nathaniel came to him first.

“Nathaniel, come in. Come on in.”

Siol extended his hand toward the boy who was hesitating at the door, looking around nervously. Nathaniel, still somewhat hesitant as he looked at the hand, soon ran vigorously and embraced him. Glassy eyes looked up at Siol for a moment before burying his face in his chest.

“About that earlier…”

“I heard from Ladie. She said you learned it from your grandmother.”

“…Yes…”

Nathaniel, still not over the grief of losing his family, mumbled and nodded.

“Your grandmother was… a witch?”

“Yes….”

“First of all, I’m sorry. If I had known it was a spell you learned from your family, I wouldn’t have spoken like that.”

“…Yes.”

Siol slowly patted the child’s back and continued,

“But, using people as sacrifices is wrong.”

“…Why?”

That using people as sacrifices is wrong is a matter of morality and, at the same time, a matter of humanity.

Such a thought is not an instinctive one that is acquired from birth, but a social norm learned while growing up. It might be natural for a child who lived alone in the forest with his witch grandmother to find such norms unfamiliar. However, Siol, who had been taught that it shouldn’t be so, was at a loss as to how to explain it, and everything went dark before his eyes.

“You wouldn’t like it if someone sacrificed you, Nathaniel. So you too…”

“But it’s an honor for a weak being to be sacrificed.”

“…An honor…?”

“Because a great being accepts an insignificant being.”

Nathaniel pulled away from Siol’s embrace and spoke clearly.

Siol felt like the little Nathaniel he had considered cute until now was a complete stranger. He was now facing a fanatic who had served a false god since birth. Nathaniel’s eyes shone with conviction, and it felt like something devoid of humanity.

Siol flinched involuntarily and recoiled his upper body.

“That’s… not right, Nathaniel.”

Siol, barely managing to utter words of denial, pulled the child closer and sat him down beside him. He could roughly guess what kind of life this little child had lived. But he’s still young, so there must be room to change his mind. Even if the time spent living with his grandmother, a witch who casually sacrifices the lives of others, had distorted the child’s way of thinking, Siol tried to reassure himself that he could teach him that it was wrong.

Making eye contact with Nathaniel while holding his hand, Siol began to speak.

That everyone’s life is equally important, and everyone has the right to live their own life. No one has the right to offer another person’s life to someone else. Even if he conceded that offering one’s own life was acceptable, another person’s life should never be treated that way.

As the story continued, Nathaniel at first wore a somewhat uncomprehending expression, but in the end, he seemed to accept it. He promised Siol that he would not sacrifice human lives. However, he couldn’t be stopped from sacrificing animal lives. Nathaniel begged Siol, saying he wanted to continue his grandmother’s knowledge in that way.

After that, Nathaniel changed a little.

He studied harder and acted more energetically. Thinking that it might be a side effect of having his previous behavior patterns denied, Siol also embraced the child more warmly and taught him more diligently.

Thus, the child grew up.

Siol felt a sense of pride as he watched the child become more and more dependable as he grew. This is what it felt like to raise a child. How joyful it was to see the child gradually taking on the role of an adult.

He had a somewhat obsessive-compulsive side, and he had a tendency to be assertive and to feel secure only when he had control over his surroundings, but considering his childhood trauma, these weren’t major flaws. Seeing as he was obedient to Siol, it wasn’t that he couldn’t read situations either. Perhaps he had become that way because he grew up without friends of his own age.

Siol couldn’t bring himself to scold Nathaniel harshly, feeling guilty for not being able to provide him with a better environment.

Still, he was good at handling people, and even though his talent for alchemy wasn’t outstanding, he was doing enough by the standards of this world, so Siol thought it was alright. Around that time, Nathaniel said he wanted to go to the king’s side.

It was sad that the child was leaving, but he couldn’t keep him confined to the research institute forever.

Siol had chosen to be here himself, but Nathaniel had been sent there against his will, so he had to willingly let him go now if he wanted to leave.

The day before he left for the king’s land, Nathaniel came to see Siol.

He still remembers the playful smile on his face as he knocked on the door, carrying two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

“Nathaniel.”

“I wanted to have a drink with Master before I leave, so I brought this.”

“Nathaniel, you’re not old enough to drink yet.”

“Can’t I?”

Siol looked at his pleading disciple as if he couldn’t refuse him, and soon gestured for him to come in.

Nathaniel, sitting across from Siol, skillfully uncorked the wine bottle and poured half the wine into the glasses. Siol, who had been staring at him, narrowed his eyes and pointed out,

“You look like you’ve done this a few times.”

“…Ahem. Please pretend you didn’t see that on a day like this.”

At those words, Siol just glared and decided not to pursue it further. He wasn’t unaware that his disciple often sneaked into the wine cellar and sipped the wine little by little. He just pretended not to know, feeling sorry for Nathaniel who lived without any friends and didn’t seem to be drinking excessively.

“Since I’ll be living apart from Master for a while starting tomorrow, I wanted to… talk a bit.”

Nathaniel’s face looked slightly tense as he mumbled so.

“That… do you remember what happened before?”

“What incident?”

“The paper… I gave you before. The… things my grandmother taught me.”

“…I remember.”

Why bring up that topic at a time like this?

Siol looked at Nathaniel, who was staring intently at the red liquid in his wine glass.

“You know that my grandmother was a witch. I grew up with her ever since I was little, so I thought it was natural. Things like catching people and sacrificing them. Medicines made with blood and pain.”

“Yes.”

“My grandmother always said she would take over the world.”

Nathaniel, after taking a sip of wine, met Siol’s gaze.

“And it… didn’t seem impossible….”

Seeing the numerous mysteries performed using humans as ingredients, it wasn’t unreasonable to think that way. Although he couldn’t be sure, witches were likely beings who grew stronger through exploitation, and it was easy to infer that she would have used human lives without hesitation in front of Nathaniel to demonstrate her powerful abilities. And perhaps Nathaniel had lost all the power he enjoyed simply for being the witch’s grandson when she died, and was driven here.

Nathaniel, with his kind face, wore a pained expression as he recounted each story from the past.

“It really seemed like we were just one step away from taking over the world, but she lost her life right before that. So… I thought I had to carry on her legacy.”

“…I see.”

“That’s why I gave Master my grandmother’s recipe that day. I wanted to be with Master.”

Nathaniel spoke in a tone that seemed both nostalgic and filled with suppressed pain.

“Nathaniel, as you know now, that recipe is no different from a terrible curse. Sacrificing people is wrong, and above all, the more people you sacrifice to that great being, the more it will-”

“I know.”

Nathaniel interrupted Siol and smiled with sad eyes. After finishing the wine in his glass and pouring a new one, Nathaniel shook his head.

“I know now, Master. You taught me.”

“…Nathaniel.”

“I know why it’s wrong, and what my grandmother has been doing.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“It’s not something Master should be sorry for.”

However, seeing Nathaniel trembling as he spoke with his head bowed, Siol couldn’t help but feel sorry. He didn’t regret teaching him what was wrong, but he thought he could have perhaps conveyed it more gently.

“I just… wanted to talk to Master about it one last time before I left. Those wrong teachings I learned as a child… what should I do with them? What would you do, Master?”

“Nathaniel, I can only tell you… to bury them forever.”

“As expected.”

“That knowledge shouldn’t be revealed. It’s best for the world that it’s forgotten forever.”

Siol’s disciple was still young.

Only 18 years old. Still too young to bear any burdens.

Nathaniel, who was about to leave the place he had lived safely for so long and head to a new place, must have been overwhelmed with fear. Siol looked at his disciple with pity, thinking that he had come to him to share the burden of his childhood memories that had resurfaced.

“As expected, that’s what you think, Master.”

His voice was bitter, likely tinged with remorse for the legacy his grandmother had left behind.

Siol held out his wine glass to his disciple, who couldn’t hide his sadness. Nathaniel, who looked up at the shadow cast in front of him, looked at Siol pleadingly with eyes flickering in the firelight. Siol thought the plea stemmed from the pain of his childhood that he now had to overcome.

“I believe you can overcome your childhood and move on.”

“…Master.”

“There are many days ahead of you. Nathaniel, I will always hope you walk the right path.”

“…I will… I will do that.”

Nathaniel spoke as if in pain and emptied his wine glass.

Then, after bidding Siol farewell, he stood up. Nathaniel, reaching the door, stopped and looked back. Siol thought he saw his eyes glittering like glass beads, but when he blinked, Nathaniel’s expression was normal again. He looked calmly at Siol, then bowed his head and returned to his room.

And the next day, when Siol woke up, he was already gone.

When they reconnected through the crystal ball, Nathaniel was his usual cheerful self, so Siol had thought that the events of that day were just the child pouring out his troubled heart.

Thinking about it now, perhaps it was Nathaniel’s way of testing Siol. A final interview to decide whether Siol was someone worth joining hands with.

Siol didn’t know it then, but on that day, his relationship with Nathaniel came to an end.

“Sizool, what’s wrong?”

As a cool hand touched his cheek, Siol felt as though he had been suddenly pulled out of a dream.

Deeply immersed in the echoes of the past, he was dragged back to reality as if by magic. The place he was sitting wasn’t the laboratory provided by the king, but the Blue Dragon’s castle. He was with Eorzen in the cozy hall of the castle, where a fire was burning in the fireplace and twilight was falling beyond the window. Beside them, Ryufen, in his wolf form, looked at him worriedly. Siol felt a warmth filling his chest.

It was a sensation that gently tapped and awakened his coldly settled heart.

“I was just suddenly reminded of the past. And…”

“And?”

These two beastmen, even in situations where they needed Siol’s help, told him it was okay if he didn’t want to help. They had done so many times. There had been several situations where things would have been easier with Siol’s help, but neither Eorzen nor Ryufen pressured him. They had never once pressed him to reveal information, to divulge his knowledge of alchemy.

Nor did they try to hide their conversations from Siol. Thanks to that, Siol had run away a few times and simply watched the situation unfold a few other times, but now – now he had the courage not to run away.

“I also thought… that I’m not afraid anymore.”

The sight of the timid boy’s clear eyes beginning to shine serenely evoked deep emotions in the two beside him.

For Ryufen, who had hoped for the timid, small wolf to grow up brave quickly, it brought a sense of pride. He felt that the child was finally starting to break free from whatever had been binding him. Ryufen grinned and moved closer to Siol, resting his chin on the child’s knee. Siol wiggled his toes shyly.

On the other hand, Eorzen felt a sharp stab of displeasure in his heart and was shocked. Why should the boy’s growth be unpleasant? Eorzen, who had brought the wolf boy who had lost everything and raised him with care, was bewildered, unable to understand his own feelings. But even as he tried to correct himself, the pain in his heart persisted.

He felt his grip tighten unconsciously. However, he couldn’t leave marks on Siol’s cheek, so he slowly removed his hand. Instead, he pulled Siol closer by the waist, placed his palm on his stomach, and held him gently. The warm body temperature seemed to calm his emotions a little. He looked down at Siol’s neck as if he would devour him, feeling a strange thirst.

That Siol shouldn’t know this thirst, but he should, but he shouldn’t be allowed to know-.

“It’s thanks to Ryufen.”

At that moment, Eorzen-,

“Of course! I’ve been breaking my back preparing meals to raise you.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve grown this much already. Thank you, Ryufen.”

Surprisingly, he wanted to crush-

“How old do I look now?”

“Hmm… I think you look about 17 now…”

“Really? I hope I look like an adult soon.”

“Why do you want to become an adult so quickly?”

-this loyal wolf who had served him for so long.

Siol shrugged and considered his answer. But even as he engaged in a future-oriented conversation with Ryufen, his thoughts weren’t so innocent. His back, pressed against Eorzen’s stomach, felt hot. The strange sensation from the hand on his stomach made him flustered.

Eorzen, smiling even more beautifully than usual, like a scene from a masterpiece, somehow felt like the blue dragon from that day. His white skin, which had seemed to glow faintly in the darkness, the blue dragon who had straddled him, gathered Siol’s knees to one side, leaned down, and kissed him. The blue dragon’s body had looked like a flawless plaster statue. Touching his smooth skin felt like encountering the most perfect thing in the world. Perhaps it was a feeling he felt because the other was looking at him that way. The blue dragon’s eyes, devoid of any reason, had looked at Siol with a kind of adoration. So, that’s why Siol unconsciously-.

“I want to become Eorzen-nim’s person.”

“Become… my person.”

Unaware of his dazed voice, Siol continued brightly, trying to hide his embarrassment.

“Yes. After all, it was Eorzen-nim who saved me. In that cabin.”

Siol, who had awakened in the magic pool, had originally planned to seek out the human king once his body recovered. It would be natural for a man with no reputation or title to be chased away if he suddenly declared he would meet the king, but Siol was confident he could disassemble the items scattered in the cabin and create new alchemical tools that would allow him to secretly meet the king. He was confident he could infiltrate the sleeping king’s bedroom like air.

It was this man in front of him, the blue dragon named Eorzen, who had forcibly brought him to the beastmen’s land. At first, it had been shocking, but now he knew it was the right thing to do.

“If it weren’t for Eorzen-nim, I…”

He might still be living, consumed by lies. Siol looked up at the blue dragon with excitement.

If this blue dragon hadn’t had a ‘partner,’ he would have asked to be his exclusive guide. However, all Siol could wish for from this man who had a partner was this.

“Eorzen-nim, when I grow up, please make me your alchemist.”

At this plea, which sounded like a confession, Eorzen smiled joyfully. There was something different about this smile compared to his usual one. He was a beautiful man to begin with, but that smile had a mesmerizing beauty, as if he was bewitched.

“Alright. Let’s do that, Sizool.”

Eorzen whispered softly and continued,

“Grow up quickly and become mine.”