Thinking About Vitality and Magical Power

Then I continued explaining.

──that with my Alchemy, I still couldn't create things possessing life or lively items.

──that as the alchemist directly serving Demon Lord Lukie, I wanted to overcome that flaw.

──and that I wanted to try various methods so I could grow as an alchemist.

Mabel and Lukie listened to me with serious expressions.

Incidentally, the Pixies, led by Soleil──

"We'll protect our liege's privacy!"

said this and turned their backs to us.

It seemed they were going to pretend not to see. What a relief.

"Alchemy was originally a way of discovering the world's mysteries through trial and error. So I think I have no choice but to awaken my own Skills through trial and error as well."

I continued speaking to Lukie and Mabel.

"And after coming to this Demon Lord's Territory and absorbing dark magical power, I awakened to 'Creation Alchemy.' Magical power is deeply connected to my Skills."

That's the key.

To create something with vitality through Alchemy, I need to learn more about magical power. Magical power also affects living creatures' physical condition.

In fact, Mabel and Soleil have both improved physically by enhancing the circulation of their magical power.

So the quickest way to sense vitality is to sense magical power.

And Mabel the elf possesses powerful Water-Attribute magical power.

The reason I wanted to hug Mabel was to sense her magical power.

I thought that to create lively items, I needed to sense the magical power of living people—to touch people brimming with beautiful vitality, like Mabel and Lukie, whose beauty seemed like the work of the gods.

By doing so, I could imbue items with lively vitality──

It was when I had gotten that far in my thoughts that I realized something.

"Sorry, Mabel. There was no need to hug you. Holding hands might be enough."

...W-whaaaaaaaaaat?!

Mabel cried out in surprise.

She was... frozen with her arms still spread toward me.

I was really sorry.

"Sorry for startling you... I got ahead of myself."

Come to think of it, all I needed was to touch Mabel and sense her magical power.

There was no need to hug her...

"...I'm really sorry, Mabel."

"...Y-yes."

"Go ahead and hold hands, Mabel."

Beside me, Lukie stared at me intently.

She let out a sigh that sounded oddly relieved.

"Holding hands should be acceptable. Indeed, is that not what you wanted as well, Mabel?"

"...Yes, Your Majesty."

"Thor, hold out your hands as well. You were the one who wanted physical contact."

At her words, I held both hands out toward Mabel.

Mabel was still holding both arms open as if to welcome me.

Her fair skin was flushed pink. Her breathing was ragged.

I could clearly see her large breasts rising and falling.

"In that case... please excuse me, Thor-sama."

Then Mabel stretched out both arms and entwined her fingers with mine.

"Please feel my vitality and magical power..."

"Okay, Mabel."

She was hot.

This was Mabel's body heat. It should have been about the same as mine, but it felt incredibly hot.

I could feel her breathing and pulse right next to me.

Was Mabel all right with her pulse beating so fast?

Before I knew it, Mabel's violet eyes were fixed on me.

Her long elf ears were dyed bright red.

We were holding hands and gazing at each other from so close that I could feel her breath. That meant I could clearly see Mabel's expression, her embarrassment, and even the timing of her breaths.

Which meant Mabel could also see my reddening face──

"This might actually be more embarrassing than hugging."

"Y-yes, it might..."

"Since we'd be looking straight at each other's faces."

"Yes. When we do this... it makes me want to get closer to you, Thor-sama."

Before I knew it, Mabel was inching closer to me.

Half a step, then a full step. Our arms, held out while our hands were joined, gradually lowered.

As they did, the distance between us shrank.

"...Thor-sama. I... um... I wouldn't have minded if you had hugged me, you know?"

"...Yeah. I had a feeling."

"...If your Skill doesn't awaken from this... will you hug me then?"

"...Actually, I'll be the one to ask."

We whispered to each other.

Mabel's magical power flowed into me through our palms.

I felt as though I was about to understand something...

How to use Alchemy to create something resembling a living creature──

"That's far enough!"

Yank.

Suddenly, Lukie slipped between Mabel and me.

"I am sorry, but I would like to switch with you, Mabel."

"Lukie-sama?"

"Your Majesty?!"

Reflexively, Mabel and I let go of each other's hands.

Lukie's small hand seized the one that still retained Mabel's warmth.

"Y-you wanted to feel vibrant magical power, did you not? Mabel alone should not be enough. Besides, I am a Demon Lord, too. I am confident in the strength of my magical power and vitality!"

Saying that, Lukie thrust out her chest.

"Thor. You said this was necessary for Alchemy. That you would learn about vitality by sensing the magical power of living beings. If so, you must come into contact with more people. So... um..."

Just as Mabel had done, Lukie entwined her fingers with mine.

"This is a rare opportunity. You should experience the sensation of my magical power... and my vitality as well."

"Y-yes, Lukie-sama."

"That is how it is. My apologies, Mabel."

"N-no... I have already received more than enough from Thor-sama..."

Mabel lowered her head, her face unbelievably flushed.

"I was just thinking it might be Your Majesty's turn soon. Please, Your Majesty."

"That is how it is. Resign yourself, Thor."

"Y-yes. In that case... since the opportunity has presented itself..."

Still holding hands, I looked down at Lukie's face.

Lukie's body was small and slender.

But as Demon Lord, she properly ruled this Demon Lord's Territory.

She carried that much responsibility on her shoulders. I honestly thought she was amazing.

I had to protect her. No matter what.

As the alchemist directly serving the Demon Lord, I would help Lukie and the Demon Lord's Territory.

I renewed that vow to myself, but──

"...H-how is it, Thor?"

"Even if you ask me how it is..."

"I can feel your heart pounding."

Looking up at my face from close by, Lukie said this.

Her face was unbelievably red, and her eyes were moist.

"To touch each other and sense the magical power of a living being. This is necessary for your Alchemy, is it not?"

"Yes, Lukie-sama."

"Indeed. I am allowing you to touch me because I was convinced by what you said. Alchemy is a means of unraveling the mysteries of matter and life. If so, experience touching life is necessary as well—yes, it makes perfect sense."

As expected of Lukie. She understood my reasoning.

Alchemy had originally also been a means of unraveling how the world came to be.

Alchemists created items to learn how the god who created the world had done so. By imitating the act of 'creation,' they also sought to discover how the world had come into existence.

"That is why alchemists want to create things that possess life, or something close to it. By creating artificial life, they hope to learn how the living things in this world came into being."

"So that is why you need to touch living creatures and sense their magical power and vitality."

"Exactly. I'm sorry for asking something so unreasonable..."

"Did I not say I would give you a reward?"

Lukie cut me off.

"I said I would give you a personal reward. That reward shall be that Mabel, my subordinate, and I cooperate with your Alchemy. That should suffice."

"Thank you very much."

"So, how is your Alchemy Skill? Has anything changed?"

At Lukie's words, I nodded.

I could feel my 'Creation Alchemy' Skill reacting inside me.

To create life through Alchemy, it was necessary to interact with other living beings and experience vitality firsthand. There was no doubt about it. I knew that now.

But it still wasn't enough.

I still hadn't awakened the power to create life.

What else did I need──

"...W-wouldn't it be best to stop about here?"

Tug.

Suddenly, Mabel tugged at the hem of my clothes.

"If we take too long, Chancellor-sama might come to fetch us..."

"Ah!"

Lukie and I came to our senses.

We held our chests, looked at each other, and nodded.

"Y-yeah. Let's not overdo it."

"I am grateful, Mabel."

Lukie and I thanked Mabel.

That had been close. Neither Lukie nor I knew when to let go.

"Y-yes, that is true. We were supposed to report our reconnaissance findings to Kelv and Raizenga as well."

Lukie nodded.

I had forgotten, but the chancellor and general were waiting for the Pixies' information too.

Since the Pixies were shy, we had agreed to receive the report ourselves.

We shouldn't keep them waiting too long.

"Thor. So, what happened to your Alchemy Skill?"

"Thanks to Mabel and Lukie-sama, I now know how to become capable of manipulating vitality."

By touching them and sensing their magical power, I understood it clearly.

'Creation Alchemy' could definitely be used to handle life.

And the method for awakening that ability was──

"It seems that to create something resembling life, I have to come into contact with people who possess the Light, Dark, Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind Attributes, and sense their magical power."

It had been the same when I awakened as a 'Creation Alchemist.'

I had absorbed the dark magical power I lacked and become a 'Creation Alchemist.'

Likewise, it seemed that to handle life as an alchemist, I needed to come into contact with people of every attribute.

"...I see."

"In that case, we will need the help of others."

"Kelv is of the Earth Attribute, if I remember correctly."

"Let us ask Agnis-sama for the Fire Attribute. She will surely be delighted."

"That leaves light and wind..."

"Ah!"

Mabel, Lukie, and I cried out at the same time.

We had realized the solution.

And it seemed the girls had realized it too──

"There!"

Four Pixies flew at me all at once.

"...Please hold me."

"...Pet me passionately!"

"...Smoochy-smoochy, warm and fluffy!"

"For the sake of the Alchemist-sama, Soleil is willing to lend a hand."

The Earth- and Fire-Attribute Pixies pressed their bodies flat against my palms. Soleil clung to my arm—and the Wind-Attribute Pixie... Hey, why are you trying to crawl inside my clothes through my collar? What are you planning to do with 'maximum skin contact'? Hey.

"That gives us every attribute!"

"Since Her Majesty has the Dark Attribute and Mabel-sama has the Water Attribute, we will provide the rest!"

"It's warm inside the Alchemist-sama's clothes. Mmm..."

"Hey, get out of my clothes! Wind-Attribute, stop acting on a whim... Wait, why are you rubbing yourself against the Alchemist-sama's skin?!"

Soleil flew right in front of my eyes.

She chased after the Wind Pixie, who had slipped completely inside my clothes—and then—

"Soleil, aren't you crawling inside my clothes too, even as you say that?"

"D-don't stop me. Soleil was entrusted by Rune with teaching the others—"

"Wait, Soleil. If you waste too much energy, you'll have to use the 'footbath' again—"

Just as I grabbed Soleil by the ankle and said this,

──You have sensed the magical power and vitality of all six Attributes.

──You have awakened to 'Pseudo-Life Perception.'

──You can now create items that imitate life.

"...I've awakened."

'Pseudo-Life Perception'

You can imbue created items with lively vitality.

Pseudo-life created with this Skill cannot be distinguished from actual life.

By supplying it with magical power, you can keep that pseudo-life active for a long time.

This was a Skill for creating things resembling life, or items that imitated life.

It seemed I couldn't create living creatures themselves, but I could make a 'body pillow' that moved as if alive or 'dress-up pajamas' that transformed into perfect copies of real creatures.

What I had needed to handle life through Alchemy was to sense the living magical power of people possessing the six basic attributes.

All I had needed to do was touch them and press close to them.

I hadn't needed to hug them... but that meant my theory had been almost entirely correct, didn't it?

"Thank you very much, Lukie-sama. Mabel. And all of you Pixies, too."

I bowed to everyone.

"Thanks to you, I awakened to the 'Pseudo-Life Perception' Skill. Now I can create items capable of disguising themselves as other living beings."

"Y-yes. Amazing, Thor!"

"Congratulations, Thor-sama!"

As Lukie peeled the Pixie clinging to my right hand away, and Mabel peeled the one clinging to my left, they both nodded.

The Wind-Attribute Pixie... Ah, she had fallen asleep inside my clothes.

Soleil's body was warm. That's what happened when she ran wild after getting carried away.

I would put her in the 'footbath' later.

"First, I'll try making the 'dress-up pajamas.' We'll experiment with them, and if they work, we should be able to deliver a message to the Imperial princess."

"If we can speak with her, we should be able to determine whether she is an ally."

Lukie nodded with a serious expression.

"If she truly has no intention of opposing the Demon Lord's Territory, we may even be able to have her move the Imperial military. Even changing the location of their military training would be enough."

"Yes. I would like to hear what the princess has to say as well."

If my guess was correct, Princess Sofia had no right of succession to the Imperial throne—in other words, she was a princess whose very existence had been denied.

I wanted to know what she thought about the Empire's current state.

And if she had any information about 'smartphones,' I definitely wanted to ask her about it.

If I could recreate one, it should change this world as well.

"If the princess is hostile, we should either protest to the Imperial military from the Demon Lord's Territory or send a negotiator. But... I do not want to become enemies if I can avoid it. I believe that we can learn from humans, whoever they may be."

Lukie said this with a serious expression.

I wanted the people of the Empire to hear those words.

The Demon Lord's Territory, led by Demon Lord Lukie, had no intention of becoming enemies with humanity.

On the contrary, we intended to learn all sorts of things from humans.

So please don't get in our way.

Humans might also have something to learn from the Demon Lord's Territory someday, when things stopped going well for them.

"In that case, I'll begin making the 'dress-up pajamas.'"

"Indeed. Then I shall discuss our future plans with Kelv and the others."

"I will see the Pixies off."

Lukie drained her tea and rose to her feet.

Mabel placed the Pixies on her shoulders and picked up the tired Soleil.

That signaled the end of our tea party.

"Come to think of it, Kelv said that he planned to lure out the enemy soldiers."

Lukie suddenly spoke.

"You remember how you asked whether there were any greatswords that were no longer needed? You came up with a plan to lure out the Imperial soldiers using them. Kelv and Raizenga decided to adapt that plan and carry it out."

"The plan using the 'Improved Chain Lock'?"

"Indeed. He said that if it worked, it might be possible to stop the Imperial soldiers in their tracks."

"Are we really going through with that plan?"

It had been my idea, sure.

But would anyone really fall for something like that...?

Most of the Empire's important people had been influenced by the Hero's legend. They yearned obsessively to become like the Hero.

That was why I had come up with the plan, but—would it really work?

"It was a plan proposed by you, Thor-sama, was it not? Then it cannot possibly be wrong."

Mabel's eyes were shining.

"Even if it fails, all that will happen is that one 'Chain Lock' will disappear."

"The greatsword is only impressive in appearance; we plan to use one with a battered, badly rusted blade. It will not take much effort. It is worth trying."

We nodded to one another.

After that, Lukie went to her room to attend to her official duties.

Mabel went to her room to put the Pixies in the 'footbath.'

I decided to begin making the 'dress-up pajamas.'