Chapter 42

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 42

Chapter Title: You've Opened Your Eyes

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After crafting the Heart Strengthening Potion, about an hour had passed.

I was still deep in thought, agonizing over whether I should drink it or not.

"Which one is it...? Drink it? Or not?"

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No... it's still too dangerous to drink.

My body couldn't possibly handle the power of that scale, infused with transcendent might capable of interfering with Synthesis itself, right?

But... if I just grit my teeth and down it, I could gain an SS+ grade trait?

It says it won't tolerate it twice, which implies it might tolerate it once?

By that logic, there's a chance it could tolerate it three times...!

But... if I drink it the second time and drop dead, what's the point?

No, wait—who even wrote that penalty message in the first place?

Arin herself? Or the transcendent being who granted climbers their status windows?

It feels like someone who knows everything is saying, "Just this once," and letting it slide.

Does that mean one of them—or both—are watching over me?

...No. Don't overthink it, Benefactor!

What matters right now is the binary choice.

Drink or don't. Zero or one. Yes or no. Odd or even. Left or right.

Male or female... no, definitely female...! I have to pick female...!

So I... I'm...!

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-Ding!

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The moment I mustered my courage and crunched down the potion.

As expected, an SS+ grade trait didn't come for free.

A sensation like my heart stopping hit me, and I blacked out.

How much time had passed?

"...What the hell is all this...?"

When I came to, a barrage of notification windows like stacked rice bowls flooded my vision.

Reading through them one by one, I quickly realized a ton of changes had happened to me.

And among them, the most shocking fact was...

"I had something like that lurking inside me?"

The innate disposition that had been tormenting me lately.

It had been rated a whopping S+ as a negative trait.

"No wonder my head felt so refreshingly clear, like I'd been reborn..."

I'd thought it was because of the new Half-Human Half-Dragon (S+), but nope.

It was probably because Mental Abnormality (S+) was finally gone.

"Come to think of it, things did feel off..."

Looking back, yeah.

Even with traits like Composure (B) and Clarity of Mind (S), they never seemed to perform at full capacity.

It hadn't shown up on my status window, so I didn't know, but Mental Abnormality (S+), higher grade than both, must've been interfering from the shadows.

As proof...

"Past me... what the fuck was I thinking posting that crap on the gallery...!!!"

Suddenly recalling my past deeds filled me with shame.

I logged into the gallery, determined to erase every black mark from history, and started deleting every post I'd made over the last three years.

"Arghhh-!"

Since I had to enter each post individually to delete them.

Each time, I got hit with the sticky emotions of my loser, mentally unstable job-hunt villain days, screaming internally but powering through the deletions.

"...This is the last one."

[Post has been deleted.]

After 30 minutes glued to my phone, I finally deleted the last post.

Then, by changing my gallery fixed nickname—allowed only once per account—I successfully wiped away every trace of my past.

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"...It's over."

Now, everything was truly over.

The loser, mentally unstable job-hunt villain who posted crap under that innate disposition's control no longer existed in this world.

The old me died here today.

And as long as Dr. doesn't betray me, no one will ever know I did those things.

A secret known only to Dr. and me—our intimate little secret.

Like it or not, I'm bound to Dr. for life now.

Of course, I should hear her opinion on it... but honestly, that didn't matter much.

Since I had no intention of ever letting go of her anyway.

With that in mind...

"I need to make Dr. fully my person for sure."

I trusted Dr. completely, even now.

But if asked if there was zero chance of betrayal, a sliver of unease was inevitable.

Even if it meant crafting a Contract Scroll or force-feeding her a similar potion, I'd make her mine.

"Come to think of it, I still don't know much about Dr. at all."

What kind of person was she, really?

All I knew was that she was a high-floor climber (mage).

She could fabricate my identity overnight, fooling even the tax office.

She threw around nine-figure sums without batting an eye and even handed me a limitless black card.

She rescued a foreign climber exploited in the tower, sheltered them in her domain, and covered it up.

Was this something an individual could pull off?

I didn't think so.

There had to be some faction backing her.

But the more I thought about it...

"...What the hell is Dr.'s real identity?"

With that level of wealth, power, and personal strength.

This was straight out of novels or comics—the genius youngest daughter of a chaebol group.

Or the pampered jewel of a prestigious family.

Otherwise, a benevolent goddess or angel descended from the heavens...

"That's a bit too mu—"

...Or is it?

Considering the tower appeared out of nowhere ten years ago.

I shouldn't rashly assume nothing from another dimension crossed over.

Anyway.

"I can't settle for our current relationship."

To learn about Dr., whether I like it or not, I need to stand on equal footing with her.

So I need my own personal strength, power, wealth, and a loyal group that obeys my commands.

But achieving all that at once would be greedy.

Even if I flaunt my alchemy to grab four rabbits at once, if I'm too weak, I'll just get used.

So for now, first things first.

"Time to build strength."

-Ding!

"...The more I look at it, the less it suits an alchemist."

What alchemist in the world would swing a double-edged axe wrapped in orc fighting spirit?

Not even in all the subculture I've consumed.

But... what can you do?

If your body is (overwhelmingly) strong, you suffer less—that's the law of the world and an eternal truth.

And as an alchemist, I'm just following that truth toward the pinnacle of alchemy.

So please...

Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!

...I hope my current choice isn't wrong.

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