Unwillingness to Generosity

Everyone takes my words to heart and leaves me be. Everyone except for Alice, but she is not a bother, not really. She watches me intently, trying to learn and understand what I am doing. I know that Alice wants to help, and I am glad that she does.

Perhaps… she will be the same person that I love as before. No. Not the same. I should not even think of her that way.

The Alice in front of me will never replace the Alice that I have cherished, and moreover, she does not need to. Trying to live up to her counterpart will only end in more painful regrets, and I hope that Alice does understand this. But I doubt it since she is just a teenager. She has not lived through the horrors of what to come.

While I lament about the future, I keep a watchful eye on the pot, finding this process is taking forever, but there is nothing I can do. Actually, I can, but I am not willing to trade things unnecessary. Not right now when every little wealth is crucial.

Sorry, but Thomas has to suffer a little. It will not kill him. At least, not by my estimation.

"It's really cold here," Debra complains as she tries to get some sleep in the corner along with Teressa and Cindy. Alex is chilling opposite of them, and he pays very little attention to them. They are simply not his type.

Jessica is still with her brother, embracing him and keeping him warm with her body alongside with a campfire. The fire also keeps the gloomy mood away.

"You should take a rest, Alice." I tell her as she is shivering due to the low flames. "You do not need to try that hard to get my attention, as you always have it."

Alice obeys reluctantly and joins Alex at his own campfire instead of the other girls. She does not know them, but she does know Alex a little. She also using Alex to learn more about me since I am not that talkative. Not anymore, anyway.

Due to the chill, I am sure night has descended above ground without checking my phone. There really is no need to conserve power as I know ways to converting mana into electricity and vice versa. Having the ability to convert electricity to mana will help accelerating the research into Magictech and giving the human race an effective weapon against the wider universe.

Of course, I will not just give it away freely, and there are many things I need to do before that. Having that kind of power in careless hands will only result in the world's destruction. Honestly, much of Earth had been destroyed by our hands now as well as in another future.

Once morning comes, I decide that the life essence has sufficient concentration to be of us. While it is possible to purify it further, the time require is simply not worth it. That is why having a real Alchemist is important, as they can speed up the process through the skills and abilities granted by the System.

Speaking of the System, it is awfully quiet. There should be like a bunch of windows popping up, telling me what I have accomplished and what achievements I have managed to acquire. Strange. But it might be because I have not proved myself. Then again, why do I have access to the System if I have not?

I am unsure what is going on. Keep pondering about it will not get me anywhere. I rather use the time I have wisely, and it is time to heal Thomas. Jessica would love to see her brother alive and well, and I am still unsure whether I should charge her for this. I really do, but that is the Merchant talking.