It was the first warmth Michael had experienced since he was born.
He felt it as if an embrace was gently embracing his entire body.
It was his first time. Michael, who was feeling a little fed up, muttered.
“Your hands... It’s really warm.”
“Ah, this is a warming spell. It was cold. Should we raise the temperature a little more?”
"It's okay."
Michael was not only disappointed but also felt slightly betrayed.
However, when I let go of her hand, my gaze followed my hand for a long time as if he were disappointed.
“Then let’s begin the ritual.”
“Should we do it right here?”
"Huh. I’m a great alchemist, so I don’t need much preparation.”
"Right."
“Ah, I’m sorry I couldn’t pay you as splendidly as the other knights.”
"No. It’s a shame that it becomes a spectacle.”
Imprinting was a ritual that combined magic and alchemy.
Because it was a magic contract that engraved an absolute master-servant relationship into the soul,
Although it is a magical ritual, the object of its imprint is not biologically human but is an alchemical ritual.
Since it was a homunculus, a created being, it was an alchemy ritual.
In particular, alchemy accounted for a large portion.
When it comes to alchemy, the basic work that cannot be missed is drawing formulas.
I took out a small ink from my bosom.
I drew a line on the bottom of my left hand with red magic ink made by grinding a high-grade magic stone.
The delicate jeans were completed in no time.
“Michael, hand.”
At first glance, it seemed like I was treating him like a puppy, but Michael, who understood my intention, held out his right hand without saying anything.
I placed my palm on his.
The drawn formula was copied like a seal. They clasped their hands together without removing them.
“The other hand too.”
They were in a facing position with both hands clasped together. I smiled at Michael, who looked awkward.
All ready for the ceremony
Michael had something to confess to me as soon as possible.
He averted his gaze slightly and said.
“Let me tell you in advance, my mental cooperation won't really help. It was not my will to refuse the Emperor’s oath of loyalty.”
“Ah, it was like that too.”
I was calm, but on the contrary, Michael was worried.
“You are not even a Saint yet. You're a Princess. Can you really be confident that you have greater control than the Emperor of the empire?”
"Well. I’m not sure about that.”
“If you don’t have confidence, it’s better to step back now. You're overdoing it for no reason. If you proceed with the ritual and it recoils, it will be difficult to survive."
My eyes sparkled at Michael, who spoke bitterly.
“Are you worried about me? I couldn't even imagine it. Thank you."
“W-what! I’m not worried!”
Of course, it was an act that Michael's pride could not tolerate.
He denied it emphatically.
“Weren’t you worried?”
"Of course. There is no way I would worry about you, a member of the royal family. Don’t talk nonsense.”
"I see. Then I guess the habit of speaking as if you were worried started from then.”
"What?"
Michael asked curiously, but I looked the other way and avoided explanation.
I happened to have a good excuse to change the subject.
“Now, let’s really start.”
"I get it."
I closed my eyes and concentrated.
“Royal Imprint（Royal Imprint: Engraving)"
As they chanted the song, a light gust of wind swirled around me and Michael.
It was a wind of reaction.
'It won't be easy.'
As expected from a homunculus that could not be subdued even by the Emperor's control, its resistance was formidable.
It was Michael himself who was most embarrassed by the rejection that had nothing to do with his will.
“Are you okay?”
"It's okay."
I concentrated even more.
As sweat beaded on my forehead, the vortex wind centered around Michael also became rough.
Soon, the air prison began to rattle and shake violently.
Slowly, it became difficult to maintain body balance.
When the situation seemed to be going smoothly, Michael finally tried to dissuade me.
“After all, it would be better to quit. If things continue like this, there will definitely be a backlash. Then you are in danger.”
“Shh, I’m concentrating.”
“I’m just telling you not to concentrate. Stop right now.”
“Don’t say things like that, just support me.”
“How can I just wait and see when something reckless is happening right in front of my eyes?”
“Even if it’s okay. I have also prepared a secret weapon.”
“A secret weapon?”
It was right then.
A loud noise came from my head, which had been carefully decorated for today.
Pachang!
One of the pomegranate-colored jeweled hairpins glowed brightly like a hot iron and shattered into pieces.
Jewel dust was scattered everywhere and landed on Michael's cheek.
Michael felt it through his skin.
He instinctively recognized its identity.
“Magic stone?”
“To be exact, it is an amplification alchemy stone.”
It is an artifact that maximizes the results of alchemy by crafting an effect-amplifying formula into magic stones.
Only a wise-level alchemist could make it, and its use was strictly prohibited in the empire.
This was because the amplification effect mimicked the function of the Philosopher's Stone, the symbol of the Emperor.
An artifact that is a concentrated form of highly alchemical essence and whose distribution and use are prohibited.
Naturally, its scarcity and value were extremely high.
“Is that all you put in your head?”
"Huh."
"Oh my God."
It was no wonder that Michael was shocked.
The naughty 7th Princess has over a dozen banned current self-sufficient artifacts.
Who would have imagined that it would be disguised as a hairpin and smuggled into a homunculus training center?
No one would be curious about how I obtained the Amplified Alchemy Stone.
I read Michael's eyes and gave the answer first.
“My mother’s keepsake.”
"Ah."
Only then was Michael able to remember.
My mother did not belong to the Imperial Alchemy Society.
It is not well known that she was a great alchemist comparable to the level of a wise man.
Pachang!
One of the butterfly-shaped jewel hairpins that adorned my lime-blonde hair was broken again.
When one was broken, the other took its turn and became a ritual offering.
Close to twenty decorations.
It didn't take long for it to be reduced by half.
“Are you sane?”
Although the source of the precious artifact was clearly revealed, Michael's shock did not subside.
Originally, alchemy did not consume much mana.
So, alchemy stones made from magic stones can be used semi-permanently.
It is of high value, but now I am using it for one-time use and performing the imprinting ritual.
Because it was being enforced.
“It’s not that surprising. The basis of alchemy is to make up for lack of talent with capital.”
The first common sense you learn while learning alchemy is that you can cover your talent with ingredients.
Therefore, bold decision-making and not sparing when it comes to using ingredients were also the virtues of an alchemist.
An ordinary member of the royal family would not have been willing to pay such a price just to obtain one Homunculus.
Nevertheless, I did not look regretful at all.
“You came here determined to get me.”
"Of course."
“Is it really worth it to me?”
“The value of Michaelis Agnito is enormous.”
The high evaluation was sincerity and a fact proven by my past life.
The Hadelamid Empire was a country that exploited Homunculus to build the rock.
The Emperor is highly demanded to have control over the homunculus.
Therefore, if I get Michael, the King of the homunculus, I will absolutely become the heir to the throne.
I, whose ambition for the second time in my life was to inherit the throne, had no choice but to burn out my will.
“I must have you.”
There were only three alchemy stone hairpins left.
White light burst out and the drawing formula on Michael's palms was absorbed into the body.
“Is it okay?”
While I was dazed, something unexpected happened.
A shock wave large enough to make my heart pound directly erupted around me and Michael.
It was on a different level from the gusts that had been blowing around so far.
It was a wave that could easily be called an explosion.
"OMG."
The public prison was nothing more than a fragile cage hanging on chains.
Due to the unprecedented shock, the public prison tilted steeply like a ferry boat hit by a tsunami.
As a result, I let go of Michael's hand and lost my body's balance.
I, who was once ridiculed as the wise man in the corner of the room, had miserable reflexes.
In moments of crisis, I simply chose to close my eyes rather than wrap myself in a protective barrier.
That was when my body slipped to one side of the cage and was about to make a painful impact.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist.
Comments
Post a Comment