Ch. 68.2

"I don't have mana in my body, so I can't live as an alchemist."

"... What did you say?"

Beaurock Stonforge's eyebrows trembled. Alterisha didn't know this fact, 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 Accumulation Retardation.."

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 anytime.

He just didn't have a reason to say it.

Besides, it would be revealed soon during the upcoming physical examination.

"Your words now… you don't mean…"

However, it seemed that Beaurock Stonforge had received it a little differently, as he unusually lost his composure and couldn't continue speaking.

Alterisha took over for him.

"The deadline... about life... right?"

'Ah.'

'Is that how it goes?'

But, Baek Yu-Seol was already practicing enough to extend his lifespan, and he didn't really care because he planned to revive his abilities by obtaining the heart of a spirit and with the help of Spirit Leafbane.

As he sipped his coffee in silence, Beaurock Stonforge and Alterisha's expressions grew increasingly lifeless.

Mana Accumulation Retardation 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.

"No... It's true that there is a deadline, but I have no intention of dying. I've already figured out a cure. I will live longer, much longer, for a very, very long time."

As if reassuring them, Baek Yu-Seol spoke, and only then did Beaurock Stonforge 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.

Anyway, he did have the intention of taking it away, but receiving it as a free gift like this made him feel a bit guilty, sorry, and grateful…

"Thank you..."

He said so and gently scratched 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 through his magnifying spec, he spoke.

"Can I borrow a magic welding pen for a moment?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Without saying a word, Baek Yu-Seol received Alterisha's magic pen and held it against the Shield Bracelet.

Beaurock Stonforge'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...?"

Beaurock Stonforge'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.

Beaurock Stonforge immediately opened his mouth wide and quickly brought a measuring device.

"The defense value... has been inflated to 800. It's nearly 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."

Beaurock Stonforge exclaimed in admiration, and Alterisha, seemingly 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, yeah... Instead of... giving me something better than this..."

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.

Beaurock Stonforge 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 had been flooding her mind, influenced by the magic lines he drew for her.

So, the favor he asking her now would be a great help.

"Do you know what this is?"

When Baek Yu-Seol placed the Mana Vessel on the table, Beaurock Stonforge 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, Beaurock Stonforge'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…

"Headmaster Stella has agreed to help. So, you don't have to worry about that part."

"The Headmaster?!"

"Yeah. The brilliant mind of Stella has agreed to assist. The more I see, the more fascinating you become."

Alterisha's mouth widened as if it were about to tear, and Beaurock Stonforge simply chuckled.

It seemed less surprising now.

Now that his words gained credibility, it was time to bring these 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. Beaurock Stonforge 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 point..."

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 this time. From the President of the Star Cloud."

Ah, right.

Melian, such an incredible philanthropist. While some companies waited until they saw tangible results, he just casually threw a large amount of investment.

"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 my own eyes.

"What's this...?"

'Is it a money duplication bug?'