Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: A Traitorous Subject Has Their Uses - Part 179
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The beautiful, clean, and orderly street on the opposite side of the main thoroughfare bisecting the center was the true domain of the Alchemy Department. Here, various experiments, alchemy, homunculus creation, chimera crafting, and so on… were all taught, with the department internally divided into different schools.
And at the heart of this area, encompassing all those schools, stood a tower painted in a dazzling golden hue—the 'Aureus Truth.'
A meeting of the heads of each school was being held today in this tower, which symbolized the goal pursued since the dawn of alchemy: 'turning lead into gold.'
"We're all busy with our usual research… Why have you gathered us, Department Head Argen?"
"Actually, some rather unsettling rumors have been reaching us from over there. I wanted to hear your counsel, so I called you all."
The man sitting at the head of the table, referred to as Department Head Argen, was an intellectual-looking handsome man in his twenties with long silver hair, blue eyes, and glasses. The fact that he held the position of their representative, surpassing alchemists who had been researching for far longer despite his young age, hinted that his abilities were anything but ordinary.
Exuding an aura of nobility and elegance even while sitting still, he began explaining to the assembled professors and alchemists of each school in a polite tone.
"Recently, some rather unpleasant news has been coming from over there."
"What is it? Has the production volume of the things manufactured there dropped? Are we supposed to use them sparingly for a while?"
"No. Quite the opposite. Production has become extremely stable. So much so that we now need to consider increasing the volume of materials we import from outside."
"What? Isn't that a good thing? Calling us here for such a trivial matter… Tsk, tsk, tsk!"
Frowning at the nonchalant remark of another alchemy professor, Argen added a more detailed explanation to make him understand the situation.
"So, I don't know what's happening there now, but that place is changing day by day. To the extent that they finish all the tasks we used to assign them before evening, then either rest or work on further improving that garbage dump of an area."
"Then isn't that even better? What's the problem?"
"That place is supposed to be a problem. It's an incinerator where talentless trash, who waste this 'City of Truth's' resources and facilities, gather to fight amongst themselves, devour each other like piranhas, and are made to disappear. Phew~"
"Ah~ That's right."
"I'd completely forgotten since I never think about it."
"In our Alchemy Department… we don't really dispose of useless things there often."
Clap!
The professors responded with applause as if they had finally remembered. They had all been so focused on their own research and lives that they had forgotten what purpose that area on the other side of the main street originally served.
It was the same principle as those living atop skyscrapers in a city knowing about people dying in back alleys or starving on the other side of the globe, but forgetting about it as they go about their lives.
"That's right. Humans are creatures destined to conflict and fight. And as I mentioned earlier, many enter this City of Truth seeking truth and knowledge, but only a handful actually achieve it. However, once entangled in any form of human society, unless one falls into 'slavery' or commits a 'mistake,' at least the basic treatment due to a human must be maintained, making it difficult to sever those ties once formed."
Whether they were disciples or dependents, one couldn't simply cast them aside for being useless, as rumors could spread, potentially preventing them from receiving new disciple candidates in the future. So, even if someone was untalented or useless, they had to be taken care of.
The rulers of this city, who thought only of truth, research, and magic, had devised an efficient way to handle this without tarnishing their own names.
"That's why, in the past, Lord Darken Dyna negotiated with our ancestors to create that place. It was a perfect garbage bin, deliberately handling dirty and dangerous drug manufacturing and imposing such intense labor that people would either die easily or give up on their own out of hardship. But someone is ruining it. If the garbage bin stops functioning as a garbage bin, that itself becomes a headache."
"Hmm… So you're saying someone is cleaning up that garbage bin?"
"Based on a rough investigation, it seems the changes over there were caused by a single dark mage who came from the Darkness Department."
"Ah~ A dark mage? Then what, can't we just leave it be? Those guys… it's probably just part of their twisted tastes. It's best to leave alone those who associate with demons, no matter what strange things they do."
While this 'City of Truth' guaranteed freedom in all academic pursuits, including dark magic and necromancy, the perception of them as dangerous seeds still lingered in the minds of ordinary people.
Moreover, since associating with them rarely ended well, the best course was usually to think, 'Oh, that guy is doing something crazy over there,' accept it without interference, and ignore it.
"Of course, even so, I am the head of this Alchemy Department, and that garbage bin is also within our department's domain, so it falls under my responsibility to manage it."
"Then if an accident happens later, you can handle it alone, right? Was there a need to summon us too? Surely, that dark mage will either be eaten by or eat the demon he contracted with, causing a ruckus among the trash, and it won't be too late to deal with it afterward. Didn't we agree to ignore whatever happens within the trash zone?"
"However, since the former head of the Darkness Department, Lord Lirikel, has died, and the dark mages of the Darkness Department have fallen into civil war over the next department head position, an accident related to that might occur."
After Darkness Department Head Lirikel was killed by Beonald, the dark mages of the Darkness Department, having lost track of the perpetrator, immediately began fighting over Lirikel's position.
No, in truth, they didn't even try hard to find his whereabouts.
They only pretended to investigate to gain justification. They were all preparing for the fight to decide who would become the next Darkness Department Head.
"If that guy is some dark mage riffraff who escaped from that conflict, he might cause a dangerous accident. I'm afraid he might gather humans to offer as sacrifices to summon a high-ranking demon and cause trouble."
"Hmm… That is dangerous."
"That's why I gathered you all. Considering the level of this issue, even as department head, it's difficult for me to decide alone. I need the permission of the professors from each field as well."
"In that case… Ahem! You've done very well."
"Our apologies for misunderstanding."
"This is why Department Head Argen is most suited for that position. Haha."
Now that the discussion had reached this point, the professors of the Alchemy Department realized the matter was more serious than they thought and that Department Head Argen had respected their authority, so they awkwardly helped bolster his prestige.
It seemed his skill wasn't the only reason he held this position at such a young age. But Argen had already anticipated this reaction from them and that he was wasting precious time.
"So, I summoned him in advance to talk. If he doesn't comply, I plan to obtain your approval and subdue him. Besides, although we are the Alchemy Department, haven't we all reached considerable heights in the realm of magic?"
'What a sly bastard….'
"Isn't it good to save time? Haha. Well then… the appointed time is about ten minutes away now."
Department Head Argen had already predicted their reactions and proceeded accordingly. Ultimately, the completely outmaneuvered faculty gave Argen sidelong glances but could do nothing.
Despite his young age, he was a genius whose magical prowess and alchemical skill were both exceptional. If they were to compete, none present were confident of victory.
And around the time they were busy talking about him inside, Beonald had arrived nearby in response to the Alchemy Department's summons.
To disguise himself as a dark mage, he was wearing a robe with a feathered collar and a one-eyed monocle with a golden rim. While he thought it was a rather bizarre fashion choice, his handsome appearance made it somewhat fitting.
'So this is the Alchemy Department building? Hoh… Aureus Truth. Gold… hmm~ That's good.'
In a way, it was the fundamental element of alchemy.
The desire for gold. Since it began with the human desire to create that beauty with their own hands, it was only natural for the department building to incorporate a golden hue. Although it wasn't very tall, he admired how it maintained the form of a tower as he entered the main building.
'Hoh… What's that? That's me! Ooh!'
Inside, as expected, portraits of famous alchemists from the past hung on the walls. Among them was one of his past self, causing Beonald's eyes to sparkle with delight.
A portrait depicting him in his prime, similar to the one he saw in the Valderian family basement.
It was a dignified image of him holding a staff adorned with a hydra and wearing numerous magical accessories inscribed with various formulas.
'Ah, this brings back memories~ And even though I'm forgotten across the continent, they still honor me here. Haha, as they should. Hmph!'
Whether he was a traitorous subject or not, Beonald's name was undoubtedly one that could never be omitted from the history of alchemy on this continent.
Feeling a sense of pride in that, Beonald basked in the gratifying feeling as he gazed a little longer at his portrait before snapping back to reality, remembering why he had come.
'Oops! Now's not the time. Seeing my old self after so long made me nostalgic, and I almost forgot what I need to do.'
The task at hand. He had come in response to the Alchemy Department's summons to persuade them that the area under his control posed no threat to them and to gain official recognition of his dominance.
In case things went south, he had items, magical tools, or ancient alchemical texts to trade, so it wasn't a major problem. However, since the people here were no ordinary bunch either, he needed to go in prepared, or he might end up at a disadvantage.
"Ah, you've arrived. You… are Lord Beo, correct? I'll guide you."
He was still using the alias 'Beo' for his disguise. Following the guidance of the mage from the Alchemy Department who had delivered the summons, he began ascending the tower's stairs.
The tower wasn't very high; it was essentially a symbolic structure placed atop a regular building, so he reached the top quickly.
"Here we are."
"Finally, the time for the banquet has come."
"The way you dark mages speak is really hard to get used to. Well, I suppose associating with demons wouldn't leave one entirely sane……."
Beonald, aware of his current persona, knocked on the door the guiding mage pointed to and, upon hearing a response, cautiously entered.
Inside, there were more people than he expected. They were either all elderly folks or bizarre individuals who seemed to have experimented on themselves with chimeras—some with three arms or body parts replaced with magical tools.
Beonald instantly realized these were the key executives or professors of the Alchemy Department and paid his respects.
"Forgive my intrusion. Masters of the Alchemy Department, who toil day and night in research to grasp the golden light, for what reason have you summoned this insignificant dark mage who walks the path of darkness?"
"First, sit in the chair prepared for you."
'…A young voice? That's strange. When I glanced around, they were all old folks… What's that?'
He had bowed his head to pay respects and hadn't seen it then, but upon raising his head at the youthful voice, Beonald discovered someone standing with their back turned at the head seat.
He was momentarily flustered, for what he saw on the back of the figure occupying that head seat was all too familiar to him.
'…The Hydra Crest. Ha! Of course! That's right! Who am I?! I am a legend! A myth! Of course it should be so!'
The Hydra crest emblazoned on the cloak. Beonald instantly deduced the identity of the person at the head seat.
After all, in this 'City of Truth,' all forms of learning were permitted.
No matter how much Darken Dyna, the founder of this Dyna Kingdom, hated and looked down upon him, alchemy had too many applications in magic to be discarded entirely.
And he had sired many descendants… So it wouldn't be strange for one of them to survive and establish themselves in this Alchemy Department.
'Well… That old man Darken Dyna probably thought he could subjugate and use my descendants as tools, which would be somewhat satisfying in its own way. Anyway, I'd like to see his face… Hmm…….'
"What's the matter? Didn't you hear me? I said sit in the chair in front. Ah, perhaps you didn't recognize me?"
'…Al…terio?'
While he was momentarily dazed from seeing his family crest, the department head turned around, revealing his face. Beonald couldn't help but be shocked once more.
The man before his eyes now looked exactly like his eldest son, Alterio von Neumel, who had betrayed him 500 years ago.
'Good heavens… To resemble him so much that even I, his father, am mistaken….'
'Hmm? Ah… Is the atmosphere too oppressive? Well, can't be helped.'
The only difference was the hair color? Apart from that, his facial features seemed copied and pasted identically. As they overlapped in his vision, Beonald was at a loss, flustered. Seeing his state, Department Head Argen wondered if he had created too intimidating an atmosphere and softened his tone and manner of speech slightly.