Chapter 15

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Translator: Ace

Chapter: 15

Chapter Title: The Imperial Civil Servant Hides His Alchemy

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Ian had to admit it. Having him around might actually be shackles for Lara.

Otherwise, how could she achieve something like this in just one month?

One hundred percent. Exactly 29 days since Ian had returned from the mana explosion incident mission. The notification popped up while he was writing a report in his office, leaving him so stunned he couldn't even speak.

When he had her with him, she'd barely reached 1 percent...

What kind of experiences had she gone through to make this possible?

Was the forest trip that fun?

'Sorry, Lara. Did I keep you cooped up inside too much?'

Granted, he'd only kept her indoors for about a week, but the point was, even if that time had stretched longer, Ian couldn't have given her many special experiences to boost her differentiation rate.

And why was that? Because Ian was a civil servant.

Even in a fantasy world, the daily grind of going to work and clocking out at 6 p.m. was the same. How could he provide special experiences like that?

To make matters worse, it was a six-day workweek. With only Sundays off and no holidays in this damn world, there wasn't even time for trips.

Of course, Ian was satisfied with his life. A decent job, fun hobbies, and great work-life balance—that was exactly the kind of life he pursued.

But the artificial lifeforms born from his hands wouldn't be content with that hamster-wheel existence.

That's why Ian couldn't help but feel sorry for Ddol Ddoli and Lara, whom he'd already created, and any he'd make in the future.

'Ugh, Lara. Ddol Ddoli. I'm sorry. If Dad were unemployed, I could've taken you out as much as you wanted!'

In fact, that's why he'd entrusted Lara to Edelin in the first place.

Out of basic human guilt.

With her eye-catching appearance, she couldn't even go out properly, but with the elves, at least that wouldn't be an issue.

The elves saw Lara as a fairy, after all.

No need to worry about prying eyes. She could explore the world freely.

That's how it was supposed to be, but to think she'd fill her differentiation rate completely like this.

'Should I be happy about this or not?'

He couldn't decide. Seeing Lara grow was great, but it also felt strangely bittersweet.

That's the unpredictable nature of human emotions.

Hmm, yeah.

Separate from the tip messages, Ian had roughly guessed as much.

After sending her to the elven forest, her rate shot up so dramatically—it would be weird if he hadn't anticipated it.

'Experiences, huh. That's where I'm a bit weak.'

A bureaucrat's life couldn't provide his creations with diverse experiences. But Ian didn't want to give up this life.

So he had his own dilemmas.

How to give future creations various experiences while solving that problem?

After pondering deeply, only one solution came to mind no matter how he thought about it.

'Just make them complete from the start, like Ddol Ddoli, so there's no need to worry.'

In Ian's view, the difference between Ddol Ddoli and Lara was exactly that.

Ddol Ddoli had been strong from the beginning, but Lara wasn't.

Ddol Ddoli, who could kill an ogre in five seconds, was worry-free, but Lara, small enough to fit in two palms, would be a concern anywhere he left her.

That was the difference.

'If I make them well enough from the start that I don't worry even if I let them loose outside, like Ddol Ddoli, and just release them.'

Ian let out a relieved sigh. Settling that worry cleared his mind.

The message appeared, and his vision blurred at the same time. Like donning VR goggles, another viewpoint began playing like a video.

It started in a familiar place.

His alchemy lab.

Inside, Lara was alone, curiously poking and prodding at this and that.

If this was truly Lara's experience, it must have been during his working hours. He couldn't take her to the office, after all.

He'd had no choice but to leave her alone.

'So this is how you spent time without me.'

A strange feeling washed over him. Like seeing a dog faithfully guarding an empty house.

She looked fine on the surface, but her expression somehow seemed gloomy.

Soon, the view shifted rapidly.

Wandering Kaindel's market streets together. Pointing out this and that, chatting away. Then following the elves into Eltea Forest, their domain, and having all sorts of experiences.

Gazing at dense trees and flowers. Watching crawling insects, soaring birds, and squirrels stuffing nuts into their mouths.

Lara's eyes, taking in all those sights, brimmed with vitality incomparable to her lab-bound days.

'......'

They entered the elven city. During her various experiences there, Lara was treated like a goddess. No exaggeration—all the elves adored her. It felt like collective mania, making even Ian, watching the footage, uncomfortable.

And on the 29th day, today.

The playback ended with Lara playing with elven children on the outskirts of the elven city.

Ian narrowed his eyes, arms crossed, as he reviewed the compiled results.

Hanging out with elves must've done it—her interests all aligned with theirs.

'Gaslit? No, elf-lit?'

The thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head.

Come to think of it, even before meeting the elves, Lara had been like that. Especially drawn to flowers and plants. The encyclopedia she'd stared at most in the lab was the Continental Flora Guide.

This was just her inherent disposition.

People have different innate temperaments, right?

Yeah, so for Lara, it was her soul's temperament?

'Whatever. Doesn't matter. As long as she grows well.'

He hadn't made the homunculus with any specific goal, so he had no grand ambitions for her.

Except one.

No ugly mutation.

'Druid, mage, spirit user, fairy—anything's fine, just no ugly mutation. Please, Lara!'

Ian wiped the sweat from his hands. Why was he so nervous over this?

'Damn. Even this has probabilities.'

Out of three directions, he'd pick 1 without hesitation.

Fairy type seemed least likely to mutate badly.

Honestly, her current look was already pure fairy.

'I made her so pretty— she can't mutate. Absolutely not!'

Sudden anxiety hit.

'But what if that 0.001% mutation happens?'

0.001. A minuscule chance.

But as a Korean gamer from his past life who'd beaten insane gacha odds, Ian couldn't shake the worry.

'I can restart if I don't like it, but...'

Honestly, he didn't want to.

Restart meant reset.

Lara wasn't an object—how could he reset her?

"Fairy type, please! Let's go!"

Ian squeezed his eyes shut and hit the differentiate button.

A translucent hologram window appeared in the corner of his vision, vividly showing Lara undergoing differentiation.

In the forest, Lara enveloped in mystical light, elves watching in awe.

The scene was indescribably magical, but Ian ignored the wonder.

He focused on one thing.

'Fairy type, please!'

His mind raced. What if she mutated there?

It wouldn't just be ugly. She'd lose her fairy look. Then the friendly elves' attitudes might change unpredictably.

They might even rage, accusing deception.

And then?

'The elves would be furious.'

Elven fury could spark conflict. A tiny chance of war.

His peaceful hobby life?

'Ugh, 72% should be fine! Last time with Ddol Ddoli it was 68%! Please! God! Jesus! Buddha! God of Light!'

Ian stomped his feet. The progress bar felt eternal. At least her appearance wasn't changing.

So fairy type? Right?

Ian sighed in relief.

'Phew. Good.'

Of course. 72% had to hit...

"Huh?"

A deflated question slipped from Ian's mouth. What? Direction what?

"Ah."

He pierced it.

The 0.001% probability.

"Hahahahahaha."

Ian could only let out empty laughter. Beyond absurd, his mind blanked.

Still, the differentiation continued.

In a direction Ian couldn't predict.