Chapter 41: The Alchemist and the Barrier

Words : 1032 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 41: The Alchemist and the Barrier "Yeah," Shiao Yi nodded. "I was wondering if there’s anyone here who handles ores or minerals. There’s something I’m trying to find." "In that case, you should go to the outer wing that stretches off from the very end of this hallway," the man said. "There’s a guy named Aaron there. That area’s isolated because it’s used for dangerous materials." "Got it. Thanks. I’ll go check it out." Shiao Yi opened the door, feeling that his goal was probably in that direction. "Aaron himself is kind of a dangerous too—so be careful with him!" the man called out from behind while still holding the slime in his arms. "...What?" Shiao Yi turned in confusion. But the man had already shut the door behind him. At first, Shiao Yi thought all the mages in the east wing were strange like that one he had met. But as he walked further down the hallway, everything seemed normal. It was just very quiet, and he didn’t see a single person. Maybe that first room had been chosen as a kind of barrier, just like the man had said—a way to keep people away. Shiao Yi started to believe that most of the people in the east wing were probably like the calm and sensible Segoy. That strange guy must have been the rare exception, not the rule. He walked through the dim, gloomy hallway lit only by candles, and when he opened the door at the very end, he stepped outside into a narrow path winding through thick grass. Under the light of the rising moon, a small building stood ahead, glowing faintly in the darkness. At first, he thought the wild plants growing everywhere were just weeds. But when he looked closer, he saw small signs with words on them. It seemed they were growing useful plants, probably herbs and medicinal ingredients. When he got close to the building, he noticed parts of it had been badly damaged and then repaired—some walls looked like they’d been burnt black. The building itself didn’t look older than the rest of the fortress, but it had clearly taken more abuse. As Shiao Yi raised his hand to knock on the wooden door at the front, he remembered the warning he had been given: Be careful. Dangerous materials ahead. The person who opened the door had long, silver hair that shimmered even in the dark. He ran his fingers through his smooth hair and stared at Shiao Yi with striking green eyes. He was wearing a black robe, tall, and had a strong, solid build—he could probably pass as a soldier. He might have been around the same height as Dominic. His age looked to be somewhere in the mid-thirties. His face was handsome, with a certain charm to it. He watched Shiao Yi for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something and moved aside to let him in. Even from outside, Shiao Yi could smell it—sulfur, saltpeter, and all kinds of minerals were scattered all over the room. A large table inside was covered with glass tubes, filters, and many other tools Shiao Yi didn’t recognize. It looked like this room, too, was being used entirely by just one person. It was now clear to Shiao Yi why the east wing, although much smaller than the east wing, was assigned entirely to just a little over a dozen mages—far fewer than the number of soldiers. It was because, on average, far fewer people could share a single room. The reason was simple: mages were difficult to live with. Some kept strange and annoying pets, while others conducted dangerous experiments. "A visitor, huh? That’s rare. Welcome, I guess?" "I asked the man in the entrance room. Are you Mr. Aaron?" Shiao Yi replied. "Ah, so Jesse sent you here. I’m surprised he gave you proper directions. Looks like he likes you," Aaron said. So the slime man’s name was Jesse. Shiao Yi didn’t particularly care about being liked by him. In fact, he would’ve preferred to be left alone. "So, what do you want with me?" Aaron asked while staring at Shiao Yi with a bold, curious gaze that didn’t even try to hide his interest. "There are a few types of ore I’m looking for. I wanted to either get some from you or find out where I might be able to collect them myself." "Ores, huh? So you’re into strange things too? Just like me? Maybe we’ll get along well," Aaron said, stepping unnecessarily close to him and peering at Shiao Yi’s face. "You have beautiful eyes. Like obsidian. If you want certain stones, I’ll give you as many as you like. In return, can I have something from you too? Give and take, right?" A chill ran down Shiao Yi’s spine. This man might not be normal either. "You’re not getting my eyes. I kind of need them to see," Shiao Yi said firmly. "I wouldn’t do something so cruel. But the fear hidden beneath that calm face... I like that. It’s my favorite," Aaron said with a smile. Nope. Shiao Yi realized it then—this man was also mad. Shiao Yi tried to use telekinesis to restrain Aaron, but nothing happened. It wouldn’t activate. Shiao Yi must have made a startled face, because Aaron’s expression lit up with joy as he leaned in even closer. "Did you try to do something just now? There’s a weak barrier set up in here. Things explode sometimes, you know, so it’s just for safety. Maybe that’s what stopped you?" A barrier, huh. It seemed his power didn’t work well with barriers. The one set by the Dalmasca had been meant to block movement and intrusion, so it had interfered with teleportation. This one, on the other hand, was set up against physical force and destruction—so it probably blocked telekinesis. "There’s a rumor you came from another world. Is it true? I’m really interested. But maybe it’s not just a rumor. Maybe you really did. I mean, I can’t sense any magic power from you at all. Normally, people can’t stay alive if their magic is at zero, you know?"

Chapter 41: The Alchemist and the Barrier

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