Chapter 13
Naturally, the better the ingredients that go into alchemy, the better the result.
If the material Ian had used to make the knife had been a rusted blade instead of a perfectly good kitchen knife, then even if the effect had been the same, it would have shattered the moment it was used.
The one made from a kitchen knife broke too, but at any rate he had used that blade to kill all the monkeys. With a rusted blade, that would have been impossible.
In other words, even if it’s the same object, the outcome changes depending on the ingredients that go into it. The thing Ian was trying to make now was no different.
A dying eyeball. An atrocious object that seizes the eyeball of whatever is reflected in its retina and makes it burst.
However, for the living creature’s eye that would serve as the core ingredient, Ian chose one from a dead fish. Better than an insect, but far lower quality than the eyes of other beasts.
There was no helping it, since this was the only eyeball he could obtain legally. To be blunt, it wasn’t as if he could just gouge out human or animal eyes.
He had honestly considered digging out the eyes of the corpses that had died in the monkey dream, but in the end he never went through with it.
Desecrating a corpse was a crime. He couldn’t rummage through bodies at a place where he was guaranteed to have to visit the Bureau. If he didn’t want to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck and hauled off, he had to behave.
So, fish eyeballs it was. They were a little blurry and flat instead of round like a human’s, but they were still eyes from a living creature. They weren’t so bad that they couldn’t be used in magic.
It’s kind of lame imagining a mage chosen by an Outer God’s grimoire using fish eyeballs for magic.
He ignored the voice coming from behind him. With a serious expression, Ian drew the magic circle on the paper and arranged the materials one by one.
He poured the blood he’d brought in a bottle over the eyeball at the center of the magic circle. He sprinkled water around it, placed the chunk of Palcheok’s arm he’d brought at the very top of the circle, and set the monkshood he had bought from the flower shop at the bottom.
With that, the preparations were complete. Ian told Seoa to step back, then opened the grimoire.
……!
The moment the snow-white grimoire’s pages opened, goosebumps ran up Seoa’s spine. It was as if she had come face to face with something impossible to resist. It felt like insects were crawling over the skin of her whole body.
It was like that just from opening the page. If she actually read the grimoire, what would happen?
…….
She was curious, but she had no intention of trying it. As a mage herself, she valued her own life more than anyone else’s. There was no need to satisfy curiosity that would obviously get her killed.
She wasn’t a cat, after all. She wasn’t stupid enough to stick her head into a dangerous situation.
Still, she was curious about the results of alchemy, so Seoa peeked over Ian’s shoulder and watched the alchemical process.
Ian noticed her gaze, but he didn’t stop her. Instead, he calmly recited the spell written in the grimoire.
How can a mere creature dare to gaze directly upon the great? Lower your head. If that isn’t enough, gouge out your own eyes.
Hummm.
The magic circle vibrated. The trembling blood and water merged, and the mixture flowed into the lifeless eyeball. Ether wrapped around the circle like a barrier.
At that moment, Ian felt as if something indescribable had turned its gaze toward him.
This was different from when the matron had used magic. It was far more malicious and far more murderous a gaze. He immediately realized that these were the vile things the grimoire had spoken of.
Perhaps because they were inside a mage’s workshop, the gaze failed to lock onto him and quickly dispersed.
If this hadn’t been a workshop, they would surely have pinpointed Ian’s location and taken some sort of action. It was obvious enough that even a passing dog could tell it wouldn’t be good for Ian.
‘Unless it’s a truly urgent situation, I should absolutely avoid using alchemy anywhere other than a workshop.’
Ian silently made that resolve and calmly finished the final incantation.
Crush the gouged-out eyeball. Thus prove that my image was not reflected in your eyes. Then I shall not personally take your life.
The incantation was over. Ian, as before, gave a sideways glance at the orb and flower that were turning to ash and scattering, then picked up the slightly reddened eyeball and checked whether the alchemy had worked properly.
Fortunately, the alchemy had succeeded. Ian carefully wrapped the eyeball, which gave off a rather sinister aura, in the cloth he’d brought and tucked it into the ring case.
That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about it breaking during transport.
He nodded with satisfaction and showed the eyeball in the case to Seoa as well.
What do you think?
……What?
This. Doesn’t it look like it was made properly? At least that’s how it seems to me, but another mage might see it differently. I wanted your opinion.
As Ian said that with a shrug, Seoa narrowed her eyes and lightly poked the soft eyeball wrapped in cloth with a finger.
I can feel some kind of special power in it. It’s really unsettling. More importantly, is alchemy the kind of magic that developed into making weird things like this? There wasn’t really any explanation like that in Magic Common Sense Primer, though.
Magic Common Sense Primer?
Ian asked back. Seoa pointed to the various books lined up on the shelf.
Basic magic textbooks written by the British Clock Tower. They’re usually not leaked outside very often, but there was a time when a bunch were dumped onto the Cartel market. I bought them then. They explain all kinds of magic.
……Really? Can I read them?
Go ahead. More importantly, I’m hungry, so I was thinking of ordering something. Anything you want?
No, order whatever you want. I’ll pay. Consider it thanks for lending me the workshop.
Okay, then,
Seoa cleared her throat for no reason with a “hem-hem” and started browsing the delivery app. Ian left her to it and pulled out the books from the shelf to read their contents.
Most of it was information Ian already knew. But there was exactly one piece of information that caught his eye.
[It is possible to make fire with magic. That means learning magic that would seem to come straight out of a fantasy novel is not at all impossible.]
[However, the process of becoming able to use magic is extremely painful. If you want to handle fire, you must suffer full-body burns at least ten times.]
Ten or more full-body burns.
Seeing that, Ian was dumbfounded, so he settled down in a corner and kept turning the pages.
[If you want to control water, you must experience something close to drowning at least ten times, and if you want to control earth, you must endure being buried alive for a month. To control wind, you must fall from a height of nearly 100 meters ten times without any safety gear. That is how you wield elemental power.]
[Each and every one of them is a method bordering on suicide. If you value your life, it is best not even to try. Even if you succeed and gain the ability to wield elemental power, that power isn’t so great that it’s worth the risk. So it is recommended that you simply give up on the idea of controlling the elements.]
‘So there really is magic like Fireball.’
Because the way magic worked was different from ordinary magic, he had thought spells that seemed like they belonged in fiction simply didn’t exist. But apparently they did. The prerequisite conditions, however, were far more serious than he had expected.
Full-body burns, drowning, live burial, falling…….
Every single one of them was insane. He couldn’t even bring himself to try. At this rate, he wasn’t even sure someone who had successfully become an elemental mage actually existed. He’d probably die in the process anyway.
Still, the fact that a record existed meant that such people had existed, at least once. Better safe than sorry. Ian closed the book he was reading and opened a book related to alchemy this time.
It was a book explaining the basic concepts of alchemy. There were no recipes listed.
But there were a few examples of alchemical results listed, and they were all precious metals or potions. There was no record of making knives or eyeballs like Ian had.
Even the explanation of alchemy said only that it was magic for making valuable potions and talismans. Not a single sentence mentioned making bizarre objects like the ones Ian made.
‘It looks like only the alchemy I use can make things like this.’
It was a grimoire written directly by an Outer God. The possibility that it differed from the magic of ordinary scholarly circles wasn’t just high—it was overwhelming.
He wasn’t sure whether he should just be happy about that.
Still, now that it was in his hands, there was no reason to hesitate to use it. Rather, he should keep developing it.
‘I don’t know when the Outer God’s madness will appear, or even if it really will, but there’s no harm in staying on guard. Even if it does appear, the only way to keep it perfectly under control would be to raise my level as a mage.’
Ian had now come to trust what was written in the grimoire to some degree. Since it said that madness would not appear in a 100 percent compatible vessel, that statement was likely true judging by everything so far.
Still, that percentage could suddenly drop at any time. If he got complacent and settled for an easy life, the Outer God might find him obnoxious and mess with his mind.
All possibilities were open, so he needed to work to prevent that.
For now, the priority was to grow as a mage.
That was also the goal Ian wanted. Once he had entered the world of magic, he intended to see it through to the end. The Outer God, madness, and all that didn’t matter. That was all just an excuse.
Ugh…….
He closed the book and stretched. Seoa, who had been awkwardly pacing nearby, turned her head at the sudden sound.
Done reading?
Yeah. Thanks to you, I’ve learned a lot.
That’s good, then. More importantly, the chicken should be here soon, so if you give me your card, I’ll pay.
Ian handed over his card without a word. A little later, Seoa came back with the chicken, set the box on the table, and opened it.
Half sauced, half fried.
It was as classic as it gets. Ian finished his meal with satisfaction, cleaned up the trash with Seoa, and then put the dying eyeball he had taken out into his bag.
Once his stomach was full, he remembered the thing he had meant to ask on the way here by subway. Ian asked Seoa directly without hesitation.
So where is a mage supposed to make money?
Oh, that?
Seoa replied.
Usually, we contact these guys called the Cartel and do various things for them. It’s easiest to think of them as a kind of broker.
……Brokers.
The requests they give are pretty diverse, and you can choose the ones you want, so there’s no need to worry too much. I’ve used them a few times myself.
What kind of jobs do they usually give?
Well, stuff like ghoul hunting, vampire hunting. Mystic tracking, exorcising aberrations. That sort of thing? But I only do it when I’m in a pinch. I’ve got a main job, after all.
A student?
That’s secondary.
That was when Seoa said that. Suddenly, her phone rang with an incoming message. Seoa glanced over the message, then grinned and showed Ian the contents.
This is my main job.
[Exorcist-nim, I heard you’re really good, so I’m leaving you this message. I recently went to a haunted house, and ever since then, there have been way too many strange things……. ]
The message was cut off in the middle. Ian skimmed it and looked back at Seoa.
With a confident look, she summoned her guardian spirit and smiled.
I’m an exorcist.