Chapter 12

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Ace

Chapter: 12

Chapter Title: The Noble Homunculus Awakens

-----------------------------------------------------------------

In this life, Ian had grown up without ever wanting for anything. That meant he'd been exposed from a young age to luxuries that commoners could only dream of.

Even Ian had never laid eyes on a hero-grade item. Naturally, the sensation was entirely new to him.

'To think I'd be consuming a hero-grade item like this.'

In truth, since it was the soul of a holy spirit dwelling in a sacred relic, he wondered if it might even qualify for legendary grade. But hero-grade was more than fine.

'Hero-grade is no joke. It's the highest-grade item I've ever seen in my life.'

He'd seen unique-grade items too, but those were special grades outside the standard hierarchy, so they didn't count.

In reality, the "Noble Holy Spirit Soulstone" more than satisfied Ian's high expectations.

'Insane. This is truly insane.'

It wasn't even comparable to a goblin soulstone.

Every single option was top-tier, nothing to discard.

At this point, Ian couldn't help but wonder.

'Just what kind of soul was this?'

What sort of person had it been in life to become such an extraordinary soul?

Since it dwelled in a sacred relic, it had to have been someone remarkable.

'No. The relic became sacred because this soul was so extraordinary.'

No matter how he thought about it, the causality worked that way.

And it wasn't called a holy spirit for nothing.

It earned that title through its capabilities.

Ian immediately set to work completing the homunculus.

"Huh?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Astonishing compatibility?

'There was nothing like this with the goblin.'

As expected from a higher-grade soul—it was different right from the start.

It was the same process as before, but the difference was the speed—it was slow.

Even the percentage barely budged.

That must have been because it was a higher-grade soul.

'This won't finish today.'

Ian's uneasy premonition came true.

It didn't complete even by the next day.

Or the day after that.

Ian wiped the sweat from his brow and relaxed his tense body.

'Whoa. I waited so long for this. Five whole days.'

That was 120 hours.

The goblin soul had only taken 30 minutes.

She must truly be something else.

At that moment, a rustling sound came from behind. It was the homunculus. Ian froze in place.

She was waking up. Like a princess rising after a long slumber, she stirred groggily, rubbing sleepy eyes as she looked around.

Then their eyes met.

Ian's heart pounded as he stared into those drowsy eyes.

'She won't croak like a frog again, will she?'

If she did, it would be utterly despairing.

"Yaaawn!"

She was even stretching just like before.

'If she croaks now, I'm done for.'

He'd die of despair.

But fortunately, nothing of the sort happened.

Because vitality soon sparked in the homunculus's drowsy eyes.

Like the sun rising over calm waters, a clear gaze emerged from the haze of sleep.

"You're the one who made me, aren't you?"

As those sparkling eyes focused sharply on him, Ian's strength gave out, and he slumped into his chair.

"Thanks to you, I was able to be born into this world. Thank you for creating me."

The tiny homunculus approached and bowed her head. Ian couldn't muster a reply.

His voice wouldn't come from sheer joy.

'Fuck yes! Thank goodness! It really worked! Sniff!'

He was so elated that a single tear of happiness trickled down his cheek.

Have you ever assembled a jigsaw puzzle?

When faced with hundreds of pieces scattered across the floor, the future looks utterly bleak.

It's only natural for thoughts like this to arise.

-When the hell am I going to finish this?

If you're doing it with others, it's a bit better, but alone? Without even a reference image of the completed puzzle?

That makes it even more daunting.

That was exactly how Ian felt.

He'd broken through life synthesis, but how much effort would it take to actually synthesize a life?

And how many ages would it take to complete it?

Sighs inevitably escaped him. Even if it was just a hobby.

But in the end, everything has an conclusion.

Ian felt that viscerally now.

This sensation was like successfully completing a massive jigsaw puzzle all by himself.

This thrill! This excitement! This sense of accomplishment!

How could it even be described?

'I made that?'

Ian rubbed his eyes. He still couldn't believe it. That wriggling little life was truly his creation?

Of course, he'd made a golem before, but the feeling was worlds apart.

The golem looked like a stone doll, while the homunculus—small as she was—had an unmistakably human form.

How could one compare that soft skin and expressive face to a Stone Golem?

'Ddoli. Sorry. Seeing this kid makes me realize I haven't paid you enough attention. I'll do better from now on.'

Sending a silent apology to Ddol Ddoli, who was probably massacring monsters somewhere, Ian fixed his gaze on the homunculus.

"Achoo!"

The homunculus tripped. She was practicing walking. Her appearance was that of a late-teens girl, but she was a newborn existence.

Still unsteady on her feet, she was doing toddler steps. Having tumbled off the desk and bumped her forehead, she rubbed it with a teary face.

"Eeeeng! It hurts!"

Hmm, it still didn't feel real.

Was this how it felt to have a child?

No, probably not. Even without parenting experience, he was certain.

It was hard to explain, but subtly different.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt a lot?"

"I'm fine. I won't yield to a little pain like this!"

With a spirited reply, the homunculus resumed her walking practice.

Precarious as it was, she was walking on her own.

'She'll be running soon.'

It had only been 30 minutes since she started practicing. That meant she'd learned to walk independently in half an hour.

She was definitely no ordinary lifeform.

At first, she couldn't even take a single step without falling.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

At this rate, it'd take mere days to make use of the transparent wings on her back.

'Her adaptability is no joke.'

And she spoke clearly and sharply too.

Though her speech had an oddly archaic tone—was that the soul's influence?

The homunculus's info window was simpler than Ddol Ddoli's.

Unlike the skill-heavy Ddol Ddoli, she only had two skills.

'But what's Boundless Potential?'

Unlike the other five traits, this one wasn't from the "Noble Holy Spirit Soulstone."

Now he got it from the description.

It must have been a bonus from the high compatibility.

'Like an extra achievement reward.'

Next, the racial trait.

The name was a bit vague, but easy enough to grasp.

'She can become anything, something like that.'

In RPG terms, like a novice right before their first job change.

'Does that mean she'll evolve here too? Even change appearance?'

If so, he hoped she'd evolve into something pretty.

It'd be heartbreaking if she turned ugly.

"Homunculus?"

"Yes? Did you call me?"

She tilted her head cutely as she looked at him.

Hmm, whoever made her did a great job.

"I'd like to give you a name. Any preference?"

"Anything is fine with me. Name me as you wish."

"Hmm, how about Lara?"

"I like it! But what does it mean?"

"Uh, well."

Ian panicked a bit. Asking for the meaning? Ddol Ddoli had just accepted it.

'No meaning. I just thought it sounded pretty.'

But he couldn't say that outright, so he racked his brain.

"It's ancient tongue for 'lovely and pretty.'"

"Wow! Really? I'm so happy!"

Ian wiped the sweat from his forehead.

'Phew. Good thing she likes it.'

Of course, no such ancient tongue existed.

'But, differentiation rate?'

'Ah, like evolution EXP.'

Not exactly, but close enough.

'The key is how to raise the differentiation rate. How can I boost it quickly?'

His bewilderment was brief. Soon, excitement gleamed in Ian's eyes.

Alchemy truly had no end. It wasn't just about creation—how captivating was that?

At the same time.

Ddol Ddoli was traversing a barren gorge near the Empire's southern border.

A remote, uninhabited area known as Karshi Gorge.

Ddol Ddoli, who had been smashing the Iron Fist Ogres—the predators of Karshi Gorge—on sight while seeking strong foes to grow even stronger.

As it thudded up the sheer cliffs, its head suddenly snapped to the side.

It had detected something.

-Enemy scent.

Ddol Ddoli sniffed intently. Focusing allowed it to pick up enemy smells.

The enemy scent was sticky and slightly unpleasant, and it hung especially thick in this area.

That meant a strong enemy.

-Strong enemy make Ddol Ddoli stronger. Get strong, meet master.

Ddol Ddoli immediately turned right. The scent came from there.

More precisely, from below.

At the base of the gorge's cliffs.

A cliff dropping dozens of meters at least.

Ddol Ddoli peered down the dizzyingly sheer drop, then plunged without hesitation.

BOOM!

A massive crash echoed. A height that would instantly kill any human—or living creature—but Ddol Ddoli was unscathed.

Feeling the ground shake and dirt spray across its body, Ddol Ddoli immediately advanced. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠definitely sensed it from the cave beyond the darkness at the gorge's bottom.

-Ddoli smelled this before.

Indeed. Especially sticky and unpleasant. Master called this unique scent "demonic energy."

-Demonic energy, thick. Strong enemy. Strong enemy make Ddol Ddoli strong.

Ddol Ddoli's eyes gleamed. It had spotted them. The enemies.

Figures resembling its master, clad in black robes emblazoned with horned demon emblems.

Suddenly, master's words came to mind.

'See this emblem? The horned picture? People wearing clothes with this are all bad guys.'

'Ddoli, there are good guys and bad guys in the world. You don't want to kill good guys by mistake, right?'

'I like good guys more than bad ones. But if my Ddol Ddoli killed good guys, I'd be so sad.'

Master's words replayed perfectly, word for word.

-Horned picture. Black clothes. Demonic energy. Bad guys. Master hates bad guys.

Decision made, Ddol Ddoli charged. The robed man standing at the cave entrance startled at the thudding rock giant.

"Wh-what the hell is that...!"

THWACK!

"...!"

-Bad guy, dead.

Ddol Ddoli grinned. Master would be pleased with bad guys dead.

-But more bad guys left. Ddol Ddoli won't stop.

Ddol Ddoli sniffed. At least seventy more emitting this scent.