As if the success of the scheme was already certain, the corners of Brigitte's mouth curved.
Derek asked her what he was curious about, glad that she seemed happy for the first time in a while.
“But how did you find the sealing stone?”
Brigitte's eyebrows twitched.
It seemed like an unpleasant question.
“I saw it in my dream.”
"OMG!"
That was a dangerous statement.
“What, a dream? Isn’t the dream here the dream of the dragon...?!”
“Isn’t that a nightmare?”
Brigitte responded indifferently. It was purely a rationalization.
“Well, still, the dragon is taking over. Something is ominous. And the fact that I had that dream in the first place is a bit... You are now looking at me like a crazy person just because of a dream."
Is that so?
“Ah, no, that’s not it. I wonder if it’s moving according to the cunning dragon’s intentions..."
“I’m perfectly rational, Derek.”
Brigitte didn't even listen. It was useless to speak directly to Derek.
“This is the difference between you and me. To me, even the dragon is just a chess piece. Are you saying that you should waste a good opportunity because you are afraid of that little dragon?”
'It could be that the demon dragon is using you!'
Derek cried out inwardly. Then he felt a desperate desire to get out of this.
He was busy in the middle of the night, digging a trap with the help of a dragon. If this isn't something a villain would do, then what is?
At that moment, Brigitte lowered her posture and touched the floor. The sealing stone reacted weakly to the magical power flowing through the ground.
“It only stopped for a moment because the ground collapsed, but the function is still alive. Normally, the starting horsepower is maintained. It’s bound to be more than five times the magic power. It’ll take a lot of mana to get it running again.”
“Where do you get such astronomical amounts of mana? There are no magic stones here. Should I go to the capital?”
“No, there’s no rule that says you have to get mana only from magic stones.”
A cool smile on Brigitte's lips while she speaks meaningfully.
Derek, who was on the same side, flinched for a moment.
“We also need a sacrifice to activate the sealing stone.”
“A sacrifice?”
Ingredients and sacrifices were essential to alchemy, but at this moment, the word “sacrifice” sounded ominous coming out of Brigitte's mouth.
“Oh, no..."
“Yeah, you wouldn’t know.”
Brigitte began to explain, without hiding her contemptuous gaze.
“For example, let's say it takes two cups of flour, two cups of sugar, a cup of milk, five eggs, and a tablespoon of leaven to make bread. The end product, the bread, is worth much more than the sum of the ingredients. Moreover, the bread can be reused to make a cake, which will greatly reduce the process.”
“Oh, I guess so.”
“So it is with alchemy. The value of the final product is overwhelmingly greater than the sum of its ingredients. The more you process it, the rougher it gets, the more value it adds.”
“Yeah, yeah, I think I did, I learned that in materials class, when you put the alchemical value of distilled water, which is a natural ingredient, at 1, and we had to memorize a table of the relative values of the alchemical results like a healing potion was 150 and a stamina potion was 300 or something, right?”
“This accumulation of value is more valuable when it is used as an offering than as a material. Materials do not fully realize their value because they remain in use, but offerings fully release their value in exchange for destruction.”
“But, but...?”
“Ha, if I tell you this much, you should understand. It would be easier to talk to Evienrose instead.”
It was so obvious that Derek didn't feel needlessly hurt.
Soon Brigitte spoke with a cold glow in her eyes.
“What is the most complex and elaborate of all alchemical creations?”
“Oh, no way..."
“Yes, it’s a homunculus.”
Since humans are God's creatures who once received God's protection, they cannot be used as materials or sacrifices in alchemy.
However, a homunculus is an alchemical creature that follows the providence of alchemy.
Therefore, it has sacrificial value. And she is talking about astronomical value.
It was then that Brigitte revealed the dark thoughts she had been harboring for a long time.
“Everyone knows I'm behind Eve in alchemy, yes. Certainly in understanding and application, maybe. But you see. Alchemy is won by the one who knows more of the truth. Understanding and application are both based on knowledge.”
Derek swallowed hard.
'Isn't that called black alchemy?'
He wanted to ask, but he felt like his life would be in danger if he did.
“Derek, there’s something I need you to do.”
“Me, me?”
“Then why did I bring you here for nothing?”
Today, I feel sad that I am useful.
“To reactivate the sealing stone, you must activate the sealing stone. Alchemy is a power that only humans can use, so you should take on the role. You are a royal, so I’m sure you can do that.”
“If, if you do it..."
“Since you are more sloppy and vulnerable than me, wouldn’t you be less cautious?”
“Oh, yes..."
As always, Brigitte is in a safe place far away.
She was planning on waiting for the fruit.
Brigitte's gaze fell on the guide homunculus.
“There, you.”
“Yes? Yes, yes, Your Highness.”
“Tomorrow, at an appropriate time, lure the Knights of Punishment here.”
“Oh, I see... I see.”
Homunculus did not dare to say no. He had already been cajoled, threatened, and cajoled again by Brigitte into submission.
At first, she said she would let him enter the palace when they returned to the capital.
It was a sugar coating. But when it didn't work, she threatened his life by whipping him.
When even that didn't work, Brigitte used her remaining dominance to imprint on him.
For Brigitte, the imprint was merely a means to perfect the homunculus.
Elijah, who had to watch every detail of the process from the side, looked down with a stiff expression.
Brigitte said she didn't like the look on his face.
“Shouldn’t righteousness take precedence over justice? My ascending to the throne is for the sake of righteousness.”
“...Yes, Your Highness.”
It was still a pearl-like speech. Elijah's eyes darkened and sank even further.
Brigitte looked up at the obelisk-shaped sealing stone. The walls glowed with eerie anticipation.
“You will never escape. You can't override it, you can't break it, you can't bend it, it's going to eat you.”
The reconstruction of Dandelion was nearing its end, the subjugation was going smoothly, and civil engineering work under the guise of a supply route was also progressing rapidly.
Now, if they can find and restore the last sealing stone, the expedition will be important.
It was a state where it could be considered that the mission had been completed. It was possible to return to the capital.
“I must work hard to return to the palace quickly.”
***
“Don’t overdo it and take care of yourself when you get home.”
I still go to Dandelion with Rosenite despite the dissuasion from those around me.
I was in a position to protect them. I waved her hand and saw Michael and Punishment off.
When the knights disappeared into the purple fir forest, I lowered my shaking hand and looked up at the sky.
“It’s cloudy.”
Dark clouds filled the sky. It was a sky that foreshadowed rain.
By the afternoon, Michael had sensed something was amiss with his guide, Homunculus, as his inner self seemed to be aimed at transportation rather than exploration.
But before any countermeasures could be taken, something ominous happened.
“Ugh!”
The man's scream echoed through the forest. As a knight, it was a situation where the trained people had no choice but to move. Michael and Punishment knights immediately kicked the ground.
"Ha."
But when they arrived at the place where they had to fight their way through the branches and buses, Michael had to let out a sigh of relief, because what he found there was Derek hanging upside down from a tree bush.
“Ugh! Save me! Ugh! Kkeuaaaaaah! Save me!”
He was constantly making noise and twisting his body. He was calling out demons with his whole body.
Michael approached him, thinking about that.
“How did this happen?”
“Oh my! Wow, you’re here! You’re finally here! Look, as you can see, we’re in trouble. I was suddenly attacked by monsters from the sky and was separated from my knights!”
Michael looked at Derek. Derek's clothes were dirty as if to prove that there had been a heated situation.
'But your face and hands are clean.'
His eyes narrowed in suspicion. Derek, feeling stung, shook his body again and shouted.
“What are you just looking at! Homunculus over there! Get out of here!”
Derek looked at the other members of the Order of Punishment besides Michael and gave orders. According to the oath of loyalty, the homunculus had no choice but to politely lower Derek to the ground.
Michael suggested, eager to get Derek dealt with quickly.
“I will help you join the Knights of the Flame.”
“No, there’s something more important. While I was being chased, I saw something that seemed to be a sealing stone. I’d better get there first before I lose my sense of direction!”
Rational, cause-oriented judgment was uncharacteristic of Derek, to say the least. Normally, he would have tried to give the Templars the benefit of the doubt.
“So everyone, follow me! Come here!”
“...Yes, Your Highness the 6th Prince.”
The situation they were worried about has unfolded.
Derek took the lead, with Michael and the Knights of Punishment reluctantly following behind.
For quite some time, eyes of distrust and suspicion were fixed on Derek's back.
The distance traveled was not long. Soon they found themselves in a situation where the ground had caved in.
They arrived at a shallow cliff.
The tip of the obelisk, which rose up through the thick branches of the trees, was visible to everyone.
It was caught in the eye. It was undoubtedly a part of the sealing stone.
“This is the final sealing stone!”
“It really happened!”
Michael spoke to Derek while the Knights of the Punishment looked on in amazement.
“I guess I can report it now.”
With that dry comment, Michael turned on his heel, his back straight, his intention to return to the outpost clear.
“Hey, wait! Aren’t you going to check? You have to go closer and check! Look at it! Touch it! Huh?”
“...Homunculus is ignorant of alchemy anyway. You can’t figure something out by examining it.”
“Then, come with me. You all come with me! You have to escort me!”
It had been a long time since everyone in the Punishment noticed that Derek had an ulterior motive. Their expressions were as dark as the sky today.
'If only the 7th Princess had been here at a time like this..."
If that were the case, she would have protected them.
“Come quickly!”
But Eve was not here. Now the homunculus were defenseless before the royal family's orders.
That was when.
“Punishment, stop.”
Michael's voice applied the brakes.
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