Chapter 29 Alchemy?

As I parted with Llednar, I continued on my way down.

I soon came across stairs going down once more.

I began walking down vigilant.

Those undead I’ve passed by weren’t strong but they were numerous. I knew that recklessly fighting one would draw the others and I would be in dire straits once that happen.

I also met an undead who retained much of his mind but I doubt he’d help.

Though I’m glad to be of help to him, I know quite well that I can’t ask for his help.

I could feel it…

That he’d soon pass on.

I’m sure he’d glad to know that, but I believe he knows it himself.

Even if he did join me, he would soon depart regardless.

“It would be ideal to find others who retained their reasoning and possessed strong regrets that would grant them great power and ensure that they exist for a much longer time.”

I could vaguely feel that the time when I would pass on is still far off.

And that the grim aura is getting darker and more malevolent as I continue further down.

I’m unaffected by it in regards to the fact that I no longer draw breath.

But if the living actually drew here, I could hardly imagine the difficulty they would face down below here.

I’m certain that the malevolent aura that becomes heavier the deeper you go would have negative effects on one’s body.

However, since I’m undead, I’m being empowered as I continue on further.

If I do continue on further, I’m bound to encounter stronger undead.

I can’t relax my guard at all in regards to that then…

I must be on my guard or else I will fall.

That’s why I must hurry…

“Hm? A door?”

When I reached the end of the stairs, I saw a door leading to another room.

There were undead beyond the door I opened the last time.

If I judge how things would go like last time, then I should be prepared for battling multiple foes.

The aura here is much more malevolent than the last group.

The ones here should be much stronger.

I noticed this beforehand though it didn’t make much of a difference.

The undead inside the mansion were superior to the ones outside.

The ones outside, the frail ones, were weaker although the beasts I fought were stronger.

The reason why they were stronger is because they were a different race.

If there were beasts here like those outside, then it would make sense that the ones here would be stronger.

“I should be alright if the area is narrow.”

If worse comes to worse, I’ll retreat and face them here in the narrow corridors to limit the number of undead I face.

After considering the various tactics I would employ here, I opened the door slowly.

*Creak*

The door creaked as I opened it.

The building is already quite old.

I only hope that it isn’t so old that some structures would collapse, barring my way.

Or caving in and crushing me completely.

However, if it merely caved in and prevented others from following me, then that would be fortunate.

I intend to end this curse after all.

As the door opened wide, I saw the insides of the room.

Before me were desks and bookshelves.

All of them were filled with books and documents.

They looked quite important.

“This place is…?”

As I glanced around, I saw that there were no foes here.

Which was quite fortunate for me.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I sheathed my sword.

“There’s no harm in taking a look.”

I said to myself as I began to browse the books.

I would be lying if I said I’m not interested in what that professor was studying that involved the death of countless humans.

And as to why, our flesh do not decay and rot as the ones outside.

I took a seat and read the book placed on some desk.

It was a large and moldy book.

I opened it on the first page.

Usually, books would have a table of contents where I can look through the contents.

Although this may not apply to books where researchers write whatever they studied.

Sure enough, there was no table of contents, however, I saw some words written there.

I began studying them and reading intently.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The beauty of the human body is a frail and fragile thing. Be it our clear bright eyes, our rosy red lips, and our pale white skin, they all grow beautiful until a ripe age. Similar to fruits. And just like them, they too wither and decay with time and age. Ah, the scarlet crimson red of blood! The snow white skin that bathe upon the sun! I desire that their beauty becomes eternal.

“This is…? That man’s thoughts?”

This must be what that madman believed in.

His desires are written here plainly.

“Those words… ‘the scarlet crimson red of blood!’, ‘the snow white skin that bathe upon the sun’… They speak of that man’s obsession with human flesh.”

If so, before that man even started his research, he had already started killing long ago.

I continued reading intently.

I remember so clearly. The beauty of the flesh, man or beast, as they lay still in death. Their beauty preserved eternally. How captivated I truly became. So entranced by such beauty that I would love dearly to gaze upon them eternally! But alas, death and decay took hold. And how sorrowful was I, when their precious beauty fade away and wither! Unable to contain myself, I resolved to preserve their beauty eternally. So that I may gaze upon them eternally.

……………….

As I thought, he started murdering people even before he first stepped into this mansion.

“What a twisted madman… Still, how could his madness have killed so many in so many long years?”

I questioned myself as I continued reading.

To begin this noble endeavor, I’ve begun studying. Fortunately, I was able to find a mansion situated in a large forest. Many passed by here as bandits and beasts alike prey upon them. What savages! They tear and tore those beautiful bodies without regard for art at all! Unable to bear such savagery, I took it upon myself to end it.

“End it?”

This great forest was extremely huge and existed for so long that no one would even know how long it existed. There were hundreds and thousands of bandits here.

Their savagery and brutality was truly renowned.

Yet he wished to end them?

He must have trained as a warrior himself.

To have such courage to obliterate so many foes at once.

After two years, I finally annihilated those savages. They were never my match. Although they have the greatest sin of destroying art and beauty, their bodies would have proved quite fine specimens. So, I had mercy and killed them swiftly, so I may use their bodies quite finely, for the noble cause I endeavor. With so many fine specimens, I began my studies in earnest. To preserve beauty eternally.

“Only two years? He killed over thousands of bandits in such a small amount of time…?”

What a monster.

No wonder the number of deaths from crossing this forest drastically decreased.

The number of deaths disappeared suddenly and their corpses were never found…

In two years time, he tracked and killed them all and completely memorized the geography of this forest?

What a terrifying man…

No wonder there’s so many corpses here…

Although, the death toll soon eventually rose eventually after several years.

Those bandits proved quite splendid. And ah, my research improved splendidly… I was quite joyous. Although, I required a greater variety of specimens requiring me to go harvest them from passing travelers. The bandits who were appearing here and there were quite few… No matter. I can wait.

How frustrating… My research reached a stalemate… I require more specimens… I cannot fail…

More failures… How vexing!!! I cannot allow myself to fail. I must not lose heart. I will eventually succeed… Someday…

The writings clearly showed the vexation the writer felt.

As it continued, the writings wrote of how many failures and attempts he made to preserve corpses.

Until eventually, it changed.

At long last, I have succeeded. With the power of alchemy, I have finally succeeded in preserving beauty eternally. How wonderful! All my years of hard work finally bore fruit today! I must celebrate!

“Alchemy…?”

So that man succeeded eventually…

So those bottles I saw previously were bottles used for alchemy…?

I continued reading more. Hoping to learn more regarding that man’s heart… And his mind as well.

To uncover the reason why he killed so many.