In this world, the gods' rule is absolute. Whether you're a monarch or a leader, the fate of a kingdom depends on the gods' favor to them.
However, most kingdoms didn't know what they were capable of. Some kingdoms had few religions not supported by monarchs, some were putting them down out of fear, and some never believed in gods.
In the era of disbelief, the gods were nothing to them.
But fate has a funny thing of creating simple actions into a worldwide change.
It started with an empire that suddenly disappeared from the continent and was replaced by a den of demonic beings beyond their belief.
Then people from other worlds appeared wielding powers that were said to be blessed by the gods the people had abandoned and came to rid the demons that had befallen them.
And lastly, a few women suddenly claimed they heard the voices of God as they began to heal the cursed and the injured through the powers they didn't possess at birth. Those very women became known as the "Saints" of the gods.
No one knew how it all happened and yet, it's because of these surprising curses and miracles that people started to believe in gods again. And it wasn't a one-way relationship. Through the Saints' role as the bridge between the mortal and god, humanity was granted gifts from the gods, and in return, they became devoted to them as most of the kingdoms transformed from skeptical countries to the religious lands of this world.
For many years, the kingdoms have been reliant on the fate of the Otherworlders to keep their lands safe while they prayed for the gods for the world's safety against the monsters and demons created by the wicked Goddess of Darkness. They thought only humanity was blessed by the gods' kindness.
What they don't know is the other way around.
For you see, the Empire didn't disappear from the Goddess's evil machinations.
It was destroyed because they had angered her out of pure justice.
----------------------------------------
Days passed after I started my Alchemy training and as we continued my training, I managed to make other stuff with Synthesis thanks to Casia's teachings.
One is a pebble using [Earth] mana (I was trying to make a small piece of metal as Casia said, but my affinity to it says otherwise). Another is a lava plume from [Fire] and [Earth]. It's not exactly a perfect one since it's all Fire and no Earth on the plume I've made. And last was something he called a prism. I don't know what he meant, but the word "prism" sounds like a crystal triangle. I don't know why I thought of that, but I simply made one with [Light] and [Darkness] as he asked. He...is shocked, to say the least. He said it wasn't possible to make something out of those elements as they are like oil and water. But I made it and it's enough to give me points.
But with all of my successes, I still haven't worked on that project with the [Mana Crystals]. Making some of them is okay, but all I want is a way to combine them together. If it's possible, then I might be able to solve my bathing problem.
Yet as I read my Alchemy basics while lying on my bed, I wonder to myself if it's possible to combine them. The humanoids failed to do so despite years of research and not even the demons were willing to test it out. If it's really possible, then I can make more than the hot and cold shower. I recalled that I saw some inventions I had never seen before in my dreams, yet I can't clearly remember what they were. But it would be great if I could create more new things for just the three of us. Then we can live happily in this dark world together.
It depends on your definition of "happy".
What am I talking about? I can eat as many crystals as I want, hunt some Wild Demons when I grow up, and practice my magic together with Casia! Isn't there anything I want from that?
If we live here peacefully, would it change things for the better?
I hummed. I wanted to live happily, but I never thought about living peacefully. Compared to the outside world, it's much more peaceful from what I read in the history books. Dictators, so-called heroes, criminals, slaves... I don't know if the fairy tale stories of the heroes and demons were true or not. I wonder if there is more to them than meets the eye...
It's not like I can predict what's happening outside the Demon Territory.
I sighed. There's no way I can do that. I don't know if I can predict the future. Either way, I'm not gonna do anything just by staying awake. I put away my book on the bedside table and drift myself to sleep. I want to try to sleep these thoughts off for now. Who knows? Maybe I might figure something out from my dreams.
----------------------------------------
"There were two beings.
One who creates and one who destroys.
The being creates many of the nature we know and the being destroys the ones that are unnecessary.
Conflict cannot be avoided as they begin to argue about what is to keep and what is to erase. It has gone on and on for millennia.
But unknown to them, there is one more I know.
A being who can fuse these excess creations into a new one.
They continue to fuse as the beings bicker. And by the time they noticed, they stopped their fight to see their new creations born from another.
No one knew about the third being. Yet one known realized they existed for a reason.
A reason that has changed the shape and knowledge of Monochroma."
----------------------------------------
I yawned as I woke up to another day of the shining blood-red moonlight. What a strange dream. But unlike the other ones, I can remember clearly. I did have a habit of forgetting dreams. Casia said it's normal to forget them. But if I'm fast enough after I wake up, I may able to write them down in a journal.
Luckily for me, Casia offered me one a few weeks ago and it has helped me remember as it sits there on my bedside table next to a pen and my Alchemy basics book. This dream, in particular, seemed important. I don't know why, but it beats forgetting them again.
Monochroma... That's the name of this world. The Demon Territory is one part of it. I learned the name from my history book. I don't know what it really means, but something about it seemed way off. But why am I thinking about it right now? I wrote down my dream already, so I need to get ready for Casia's lesson today.
If I recall, I'm five minutes late to meet him.
Dang it, Vander! Why do you have to remind me of the time?! Ugh... I guess I still have to get used to trying to be an early bird for almost 2-3 weeks in a row (I lost count...). I've taken two punishments and 4 for Vander and I'm already scared at what kind of punishment he will give us next.
Anyway, I decided to freshen myself up (with cold water again, unfortunately) and book it to the garden once I dressed up. But when I opened the door, I stopped to see a note below my feet. I'm confused about how it got there, but I pick it up and read it.
> "By the time you got this note, I had to take an emergency leave late at night. Something came up and I feel that today's class will be delayed by tomorrow.
>
> Don't worry, nothing dangerous has happened. It's just that I need to deal with something private. If I return, I will explain more clearly.
>
> But don't forget, kid. You two might be alone for today, but I don't want to see you do something crazy while I'm gone, okay?
>
> Be back soon, kids.
>
> Sentio"
I frowned once I finished reading. I can't believe he left without telling us...
"Well, you can't blame him." I turn to see Vander emerging from behind me. "He may be our grouchy teacher, but he's still a strong Drago Nox. Not only he's going in and out to take care of those demons trying to crash in here, but he makes sure that there are no intruders who might try to burn it down due to reasons."
Reasons? I would rather not ask what they are since he might not know.
"Man. I have so many questions about Synthesis and Mana Crystals. I can't believe I'm stuck here and waiting until he gets back," I complained. "This is so unfair..."
I can hear Vander sighing seemingly behind me. "Well, I know what you're going to do while he's gone and I know Casia doesn't want you to burn down the mansion by accident. Of course, I also know you're too stubborn to listen to me reminding you about it."
Now it's my turn to sigh. "That's because you're me, remember?" I said. "I just want to experiment more on the crystals now that know more about Alchemy. Is it because I'm only a kid? I know that, but I was an Otherworlder. Sure, I don't remember much, but I can make as many amazing things as you!"
"You do realize that I'm currently in the same boat as you, right? The moment I woke up after my rebirth, I couldn't remember much about myself. No memories, no hints of my past self... I recalled that the moment I woke up in my new self, any hints from my past were gone. She didn't say why until we're grown up, but she said it's best if I rather not pursue it since it only brings me pain. And hearing that makes me sad just thinking about it."
I don't know if I can take that from words alone. But to be honest, I feel the same. It's not only because he's part of me, but something within that makes me want to forget about it. Part of me wants to search for my past, but what happens if I find it? Would I be happy about it? Because I felt like it wasn't the more I thought hard. Doesn't it defeat the purpose of why we're here at all?
Man, I'm not like Casia, but I want to be there for him regardless of what he does. I'm here for a good reason and I want to find what it is to help Vander, Casia, and hopefully, everyone else in this territory.
Before I could think more, I heard Vander coughing and turned to him. "Although... You have to remember that I'm now the master of the mansion. The one who makes the rules. And since you're me and I'm you, that makes you..."
My eyes widened as I realized what he meant. "The Master of the Lavender Mansion, right? But I thought..."
"Fufufu... Who says we're going to do it inside the mansion?"
----------------------------------------
I chuckled as I looked around at the back of the mansion. Compared to the garden, it seemed to be very empty, but free of flowers and herbs we might accidentally destroy. It seemed to be a nice place to do it, but...
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"You do realize the statue of the goddess is here, you know."
"Casia said it's protected by a magic barrier, so I think we're fine for now," Vander said as I watched him sit on a nearby bench. "But if it goes wrong, I'll try to take over and deal with it before he gets back."
"But can you switch in while I'm still awake?" I asked. "You always do that whenever I head off to sleep. I know I don't need it, but it helps me calm my nerves after every class."
"I don't know. But we might unlock some ability to do so. Either way, I'm right here if you messed up."
I groaned. "Gee, thanks for the compliment." I took a deep breath afterward as I took out the Mana Crystals from my pouch. "Deconstruction and Reconstruction... Now that I know how to use Synthesis, I might be able to use the former two. The Mana Crystals act as materials, right? So I might skip a few steps and get right into the final step of Alchemy."
"Huh. That's pretty bold of you," Vander said from behind. "I'll be here at a safe distance. Don't worry, I'm still jumping in if you blow it up again."
Again, thanks for the assurance. But sarcastic or not, I'll accept it and get right on with the experiment.
"Alright... [Fire] and [Water]. I want to get only hot water, not another steam bomb." I looked at the said crystals. I already cut the former into smaller pieces for this experiment while the latter remained uncut. "I wanted to use the [Fire Mana Crystal] uncut, but I want to make sure my theory is correct."
I placed my hands over the first set. Using Deconstruction is the same as Synthesis. However, the main difference is that there is no spell exclusive to it. According to the book, I simply have to focus my mana to merge the two materials while keeping an image of the item I wanted. In this case, I only want a Mana Crystal that creates hot water. Am I thinking too little for this big experiment? Yes. But it's better than making another bomb by accident.
"Here goes..."
I took another deep breath and started to pour my mana into both crystals. For my image, I wanted a mix of red and blue into a new crystal to symbolize it. Something to mix polar opposites to create something new. Something useful in our daily lives. Combining an item this small requires a bit of my mana, so it might be easy to make. It took me a few seconds, but I could see both crystals merge together into one item. As soon as I put my hands down, the mana disappeared and the new item stopped glowing.
> [Congratulations! You have successfully combined [Small Fire Mana Crystal] and [Water Mana Crystal] into a new item!]
Huh? A tablet appears right in front of us. It's a bit smaller and it says that I managed to combine them. I tap on it a few times and another small tablet appears next.
> [UNKNOWN! MUST HAVE THE [DEMON PHYSIOLOGY] TO ACTIVATE [DEMON'S EYES].]
Okay? That's weird. I feel like I heard that name from somewhere, but I can't tell why. Either way, there's no way I can figure out what those new tablets are. But enough of them.
I look down and see my new crystal. But the only odd thing about it is that instead of mixing colors, I can see a red inside the blue crystal. It's the same size as the water one, but the shape seems...uneven.
"Yeah... I don't know if I consider that a success."
Looks like Vander thinks the same thought as me. Either way, I should test it just in case. I focus a bit of my mana on it. When I did, the crystal glows and just when I lose hope again, the water starts to come out from it. But it's not an ordinary stream of water. It feels a bit...lukewarm. Most Water Mana Crystals often feel cold to the touch. So does that mean...it worked?
"Huh, I take it back. Although, I don't know if it's enough to install it in the faucet," Vander commented. "Can you adjust how hot the water is?"
Good point. I don't know how I can do that, but maybe I can do it by using a bit of mana into it. But even though I did all of that, the water remained lukewarm.
"No. I can't even make cold water no matter what I do," I said as I became dismayed at this discovery.
"You did cut those gems in different sizes. Let's try them all if we want to see different results."
I hummed while staring at the gems. "Are you sure? You do know it will take a while for Casia to get more fire crystals. Plus, there's a fact we might accidentally burn the mansion."
"You are using small portions of them. As long you don't get distracted, we'll be fine." Vander walked up to my side and said, "Here. I'll give you advice and you'll do what you want to do."
I smiled at what he was trying to do. Even when he told me how impossible it was to combine two different crystals, Vander was still there in my mind helping me achieve it. I can't give up like this. Not after I found my goal. It's small, but it's enough to help me motivate continue my new life ahead.
I don't know how long am I working on this project. A few hours? I can't tell from this never-ending night. But I combined many crystals and almost all of them are getting close to what I want. A crystal that makes water that is too hot, one that makes it too cold, and one that somehow made ice that burns for a strange reason... But nothing came close to the idea I have. I'm down to 2 more pairs of crystals and I'm starting to lose my motivation.
"Aster, are you okay?"
I look at Vander's eyes. I'm not and I'm not telling him that. Although, it's not like I can hide since he is part of me.
"No, but I need to catch my breath," I said. "I know I'm getting close, but I feel like something is missing. I did the process right. I tried not to make many mistakes. Just what am I missing to make the impossible possible?"
I tried everything in my power to find the right results. But nothing seems to work. I need a miracle. I need something to break the impossible!
Goddess, please hear me. Help me find a way to achieve something great!
You already did.
Huh? That's not Vander's voice.
You've accepted your new life. Now, you must accept your new self. Open your eyes and let it forge the path you wish to go on.
Forge...my path...
I want to move forward. I want to get away from my forgotten past. If it means harming myself to get the job done...
Then I will give up everything to become a person who will defy my fate again!
Don't worry. You won't give up everything...
Huh?
> [NOTICE]
>
> [Your determination and unwavering perseverance in your work have granted you a new power.]
>
> [You have gained the [Talent], [Spellcraft].]
Spellcraft? I never heard of that ability before.
> [As you have mastered the art of [Reconstruction] on [Mana Crystals], you have learned a [Spellcraft] skill, [Mana Fusion].]
>
> [Your repeated attempts to fuse [Mana Crystals] from your determination have also granted you a unique [Alchemy] skill.]
>
> [You have learned [Crystal Alchemy].]
What are these new tablets popping right in front of me? And they said I got new powers thanks to my attempts to combine Mana Crystals... And I'm not the only one who notices them.
"Whoa... Who knew your stubbornness would grant you a new power?" Vander commented. "I'm guessing this is the Goddess's work, but I didn't feel any mana coming from the Goddess's statue nearby."
So it's Umbaria's work, but she wasn't the one who gave me these new abilities? I'm confused, but as long as this is earned through my attempts to combine these crystals many times. First off, I tap on the words on the last tablet.
> [Crystal Alchemy]
>
> [A special variant of [Alchemy] that involves reconstruction and deconstruction of [Mana Crystals]. Possessing this [Talent] has a high success rate on [Mana Crystal]-type projects.]
So with this, I can get the crystal I want, right? I don't know how it exactly works, but it's the only miracle I have left if I want to make a perfect hot-and-cold water crystal!
"You...really don't want to let this go, aren't you?"
I glared at Vander. "Hey! I got this ability fair and square! Don't ruin the moment for me, Vander!"
Vander chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so. Let's see this miracle the Goddess has given us."
He's right. I only have two more chances. One of the fire crystals is a bit smaller than water and there's a chance it might make what I really wanted. I take a deep breath and place my hands on the second-to-last pair of crystals as I close my eyes.
"Goddess of Darkness, hear my prayers. This gift was earned through my hard work and I pray that it will be not in vain. Give me the courage to finish what I started. Give me the power to change my fate."
With that prayer alone, I focus most of my mana on the crystals. For some reason, I noticed they're a lot bigger despite my attempts to keep the minimum. Is this part of my new ability?
No, I can't get distracted this time. I feel like I'm so close. Close that I should be able to make my realized project into a reality!
"Give the impossible dream a reality. [Crystal Alchemy...]"
I opened my eyes.
"[Crystal Fusion]!"
The mana begins to absorb into the crystals and they glow in pure white light. I can't see them clearly, but both of them start to melt and mix together in some sort of energy mixture. It only took a few seconds until the glow died down and I saw the results. Unlike the other crystals, this one looks like I can see stars in a night sky, except the stars inside are red and the sky looks like an ocean blue like in those picture books.
"N-No way..."
Those are the only words I can mutter as I stare at my new creation. I was so in shock that I almost missed the next tablet that appeared next to me.
> [Congratulations! You have successfully created [HC (Heat Control) Water Mana Crystal].]
"Heat Control... So this is what it's called."
Vander took a closer look at it and said, "Well, why don't you try it?"
I agree. I'm curious about what it can do. First, I want to have cold water, so I focus on that while using a bit of my Mana. The crystal glows in response like stars and suddenly, water comes out of it. It felt cool to the touch. Looks like it works, but what about turning it to hot? Before I can do anything, the water suddenly turns hot. Too hot as I quickly dropped the crystal once I felt it.
"I-It's changed into hot... It changed into hot!" I muttered.
"You're not making sense here, Aster," Vander called me out.
I quickly pick the crystal back up while trying not to lose my composure. "S-Sorry. I can't believe I got a crystal that can change from hot to cold water! Just like I wanted!"
I'm already too curious and excited not to put down the crystal. I tried warm water, I tried lukewarm... This crystal does it all. And the best thing about all of this is that it doesn't expire after a few uses! My dream of having a warm shower might be a reality!
"Uh, Aster... If you're done daydreaming, you might need to see this."
I quickly shook out my thoughts when I heard Vander calling out to me. I turn around and I notice another two tablets appear in front of us. It's not like the last ones we saw. Rather, it seems like a recipe from the crystal I made.
> [HC Water Mana Crystal]
>
> [Materials]
>
> x1 [Large Water Mana Crystal]
>
> x1 [Medium Fire Mana Crystal]
>
> [This recipe will be saved into your [Alchemic Memory].]
Wow! So not only can this ring give us new powers and skills, but it can save any recipes whenever I make a new item through Alchemy. Maybe being a demon isn't so bad after all. I'm already excited to make a second crystal...
"Uh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..."
Bad news? What's Vander talking about?
When I turn to where he's pointing, my excitement quickly dies out as I see the last two crystals...
"Gone," I muttered. "They were here a minute ago! How could they disappear? Did I drop it?"
I know I didn't put them near the edge of the table. And yet...
Hmmm... Now that I think about it, there is another tablet next to the recipe.
> [NOTICE]
>
> [Since the materials' size used was insufficient, similar items are used to compensate for them.]
Compensate? Is it saying that it also used the last pair to finish creating the crystal? I didn't know it could do that! Man, I'm getting better and better each day! I can't wait to show this to Casia!
"Aster..."
"What?!"
Ugh... If I hear another complaint from Vander one more time...
"I'm impressed at your work, but what are we going to do with the duds lying around the field?"
Duds?
Crap! I forgot the failed crystals that I threw out after I called them failures! And I recalled from Casia leaving them alone might lead to catastrophic consequences. AKA exploding the mansion.
"AGGHHHH!!! I can't believe this! Vander, please help me pick them up!"
"Why? You know I can't touch things while you're active. And the same said to you if I do the same. So good luck cleaning your mess up~!"
Vander! You're a meanie!
That's the last time I did a solo experiment with Vander around.