Nicholas II eagerly used a spell from the Decree School to briefly assess the efficacy of the potion, then quickly revealed a look of disappointnt.
"...It’s beco specialized in elental creatures again."
He sat down with annoyance, "This one veered off course even more than the last..."
Oh well, might as well record the formula first.
It’s rare for it to have such a high completion rate.
"What should I na it? Hmm, never mind..."
Nicholas II pondered for a mont before he reluctantly pulled out a piece of tape and wrote, "Sample 23 - Poison Dust - Limited to Elental Creatures - Concentration 289% - Adhesion Rate 64%."
After he finished writing down the formula, he scooped out a small part with a spoon, wrapped it in paper, and wrote on the wrapper "Sample 23." He then placed it into a thick, album-like book made of obsidian material.
"But I’m a bit tired now..."
Nicholas II dispersed the barrier and murmured to himself as he sat back down in the chair.
Although this part of the mystical knowledge doesn’t get forgotten like the true na of a god after it’s used, even a soul of the gold rank feels a significant sense of fatigue afterwards.
If it was soone of the silver rank or lower, they might not be able to suppress the power of the mystical knowledge, resulting in impacts and hallucinations. They could even get directly burned by it.
After all, mystical knowledge does have its weight.
The weariness the soul feels from using mystical knowledge is like carrying a heavy load.
"You can’t rest yet."
Behind him, the stone statue with furrowed brows and a pained expression spoke calmly and suddenly, "ditate a bit before continuing."
"...Seriously, can’t we get so demon blood at all?"
"We can’t."
The stone father answered calmly, "The situation in Noah is becoming increasingly tense, and you can’t go out. Otherwise, you might get entangled in so troubleso event."
"How much more troubleso can it get..."
Nicholas II sighed.
—Could it get more troubleso than my current situation? Confined here every day, drawing on the leylines of Noah to build rituals. If I want to get so fresh air, I have to leave my body with my soul after ditating...
But it’s fine.
As an artificial human, that is my purpose.
"So I can with my soul state?"
"Yes. Just don’t get discovered."
"Even going out in person I wouldn’t be noticed..."
"It’s not the sa."
The stone father answered briefly.
Nicholas II knew that he wouldn’t get an answer even if he continued to ask.
So he simply gave up on asking and instead promptly sat down before the chair, beginning to ditate to recover his energy.
His soul, which had an exterior of orange and an interior like a gentle fla burning, crystal-clear, stood up from the chair.
"I’m going out for a stroll."
He glanced at the stone father, gave Him a respectful bow, and left the room.
—To alleviate the pressure borne by the soul, it needs to temporarily leave the body. After all, a soul of the gold rank wouldn’t be seen by just anyone... Taking a walk outside should be fine.
Although it’s not very clear why the stone father always forbids him from leaving... As Nicholas’s artificial human, his re survival can only be attributed to the fact that "Nicholas has already died."
Nicholas had never intended to share the technique of creating artificial humans from the very beginning. Only his own soul could achieve such a feat; and those artificial humans were also subject to special restrictions set by Nicholas.
Artificial humans cannot make or synthesize the Philosopher’s Stone, nor can they create new artificial humans. Even Nicholas II, who was born as an exact replica of Nicholas himself, is unable to break this limitation.
If artificial humans want to expand their kind, they can only reproduce in the sa way as other animals.
Everything is very clear.
From the start, Nicholas intended to beco the king of artificial humans... or their god.
...But for that very reason, Nicholas II was granted the permission to continue his existence.
—Because a sole artificial human cannot extend its lineage.
From this perspective, perhaps "Nicholas II" was specifically left as a backup by Nicholas, anticipating his own death—a backup that inherited all of his capabilities and wouldn’t be executed.
Given Nicholas’s talents and wisdom, such an arrangent is highly possible.
"...Hm?"
Nicholas II had just left the basent when he vaguely felt that sothing was drawing his soul.
He was curious but did not have the slightest sense of vigilance or fear.
He imdiately flew over at high speed.
Although he couldn’t create the Philosopher’s Stone, he had inherited all of Nicolas’s power and experience, and was even much younger than Nicolas himself had been. Even against ordinary gold-tier Transcendents, Nicholas the Second could effortlessly defeat three with one hand.
This was the absolute suppression of accumulated ti and wisdom.
And now, following the sensation that tugged at his soul, Nicholas the Second flew straight into a luxuriously decorated grand hotel.
The hotel’s floors were covered with hand-woven wool carpets, its walls adorned with paintings by famous artists, and small sculptures were placed between the rooms. Even the chandeliers were crystal, inlaid with gold. The furnishings in the rooms were far more luxurious than those of ordinary viceroys, even featuring bookshelves filled with books and high-quality daily necessities for free use.
This was a top-tier hotel catering specifically to nobles and major rchants from abroad, as well as distinguished figures from foreign lands arriving via the subway to Noah.
For a hotel, this was certainly decor to be proud of, and the quality of their service staff could absolutely match it. Only in the Royal Capital was it possible to operate such an establishnt.
But Nicholas the Second frowned slightly.
In his view, this was nothing but vulgarity.
re waste.
The gem shards inlaid in the walls could be ground into gemstone powder for use in making Divine Power potions or Charm potions, multiplying their value twentyfold;
The statues of historical figures that contained "solidified historical essence" could be used in ceremonies to converse with people of the past or to alter nightmare locus points based on influence;
Every crystal and piece of gold on the chandeliers, he could use to craft a holy shield capable of withstanding a silver-tier destructive Wizard’s strike—not to ntion that, in his view, the high-quality wooden furniture was also a waste.
These woods were not the most suitable for making furniture. Their value ca from their use in rituals after processing, not from the innate quality of the wood itself.
...It was simply a collection of wastes.
Driven by such disdain, Nicholas the Second couldn’t help but feel a asure of contempt for the other person he had yet to et.
—But this contempt quickly dissipated when he saw the other party.
Sitting in the room was a spirit without a head.
Yes, without a head.
He sat comfortably in his seat, with only his head missing. There was a constant convergence of light towards the head, regenerating it at an extrely slow pace.
"...Who are you?"
Nicholas the Second politely inquired.
The other party issued a warm, kind voice, "You may call Bernadino."
"I know who you are... I knew your father."
"...But my father does not know you."
Nicholas the Second searched his mory in silence, responding coldly and cautiously.
He didn’t rember Nicolas knowing the man before him.
The headless old man simply chuckled and said nothing.
He simply stated, "To cut to the chase, I would like to obtain the recipe for the ’Philosopher’s Stone of the Hers School.’
"Impossible."
Nicholas the Second imdiately denied and then prepared to turn and leave.
But Bernadino spoke from behind him as he turned, "Do you know about your father?"
"...What?"
"—Nicolas Flal, child of Hers. The greatest alchemist in the world... A man who achieved a feat worthy of the gods, the Sage."
Bernadino spoke slowly.
He "looked" at Nicholas the Second and spoke.
"He didn’t die back then... Did you know?"
Nicholas the Second remained silent for a long ti and then turned back to look silently at Bernadino.
The headless Bernadino chuckled.
"I can start by teaching you the recipe for ’artificial soul’ as a down paynt."
The headless old man spoke slowly, "This is sothing Nicolas Flal ca up with in recent years. Go back and study it, and you’ll recognize Nicolas’s style, yet it’s not within your mory.
"Whenever you feel like sharing the crafting technique of the Philosopher’s Stone with , co find here."
—I am always here.
—I’ll be waiting for you.
Bernadino’s vacant head, gazed emptily at Nicholas the Second.
Nicholas the Second stayed silent for a long while, neither agreeing nor refusing. He just stood there as if waiting for sothing.
Then Bernadino chuckled again and slowly began to divulge the formula for "artificial soul."
He was confident...
He wouldn’t have to wait long here.
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