The Alchemy of Greed

I

Hope is the ability to see light amid darkness.

The Philosopher's Stone.

It is a legendary stone with the ability to transform metals into gold.

For centuries, it was the most coveted goal in alchemy.

It was the central representation of mystical perfection, divine illumination, and heavenly bliss.

It was nothing but a stone, a small stone that could grant any wish, including immortality.

The Elixir of Life, the water of immortality. A magical potion is said to provide eternal youth and immortality.

Alchemists devised numerous ideas and recipes to create it, which included complex methods and difficult-to-find materials. Despite numerous attempts and claims throughout history, no one has ever proven the Stone's existence, leaving it a long-standing mystery in the worlds of alchemy and science.

That's why Alchemists became the monsters of humanity. The reason why wars began was to own the most alchemists.

One word.

One order.

One desire.

For power, fame, for wealth.

For greed.

To reach the enlightenment of the forbidden, men sought immortality.

Until everything was filled with death, until everything was nothing but ashes and ruined.

"KILL THE ALCHEMIST! THEY'RE LIARS! HERETICS OF CROOK PATH!"

Kill.

Kill.

And be killed.

"DON'T LET ANYONE SURVIVE! DON'T LET THOSE LIARS LIVE!"

With nothing but one life spared, the era of alchemy has ended.

Shrouded in the mists of deception and ambition, there lay a forgotten path that only the most daring—or desperate—would cross. Cale, an alchemist on the border of the forbidden and the known, sought the elusive alchemy of life itself. But what he discovered was far darker than any concoction that bubbled in his flasks. It was a truth that hinted at a power beyond mortal hands, a power capable of unraveling the very fabric of existence. And as he stood on the edge of the unknown, the alchemist Cale had to make a choice: turn away from the abyss or embrace the madness that beckoned like a siren's call.

.

.

*Splash!*

Kim Roksu survived after being drowned in a bathtub. It is been eighteen years since his birth. He was reborn as Cale Henituse, the son and firstborn of a noble County family. His father was the County Lord, Deruth Henituse, and his mother was the former Countess, Jour Henituse.

He lived his life with memories of his previous life and had no special attachments to anyone other than his loving mother. Following her death, he lost interest in the count. The count even remarried a year after his mother died. It is happiness, so let him be. As long as that man does not interfere with him or his secret hobby.

He once read a book featuring Cale Henituse as a minor villain in a fantasy world, but it appears.

"I was reborn in the wrong world."

In a world where magic is rare and highly valued, he was reborn not only as a noble but also as a gifted alchemist. He had been in this business since he was ten years old, and he quickly became known across the continent for his unparalleled ability to create potions, artifacts, and forbidden concoctions. These creations are not only sought after by the highest bidders, but they also attract the attention of various factions, both dark and light.

The unnamed dealer.

He was even referred to as Anon, which stands for Anonymous.

Countless monarchs, nobles, and even the entire world are searching for him. Countless wanted posters of a hooded man were all over.

I have to be cautious and all.

Even when Alchemists are killed on the spot, he believes the stories about death and blood are false. Nobility at its finest is a creature that succumbs to greed. They would stage an alchemist's death while keeping them alive for the sake of one forbidden creation that could shake the entire world.

The Philosophers' Stone.

He stood up and wiped himself down with the towel. Ron, his servant, entered the bathroom with his clothes ready. He looked at him and smiled. The old man hands him a black invitation card.

"Even Rowoon Kingdom?" he laughs.

This stifling and tedious life becomes even more annoying.

Nobles would kill each other, drag each other into mud, and destroy each other.

"The count is waiting, My Lord."

Cale smiled and prepared for the day.

It's another usual day of the count trying to make the family close. It's alright, Cale was aware he was trying to mend something that couldn't be mended anymore. For him, it was nothing but a futile act and all.

"It seems that Anon was spotted in the County." Bassen started a conversation. It perked his attention. He secretly took a glance at Bassen. "There was a resident who said someone came by and gave him some healing potions."

"Really? So? Did you imprison the poor guy?" he asked. The entire family was silent. Of course, he'd been antagonizing every move Bassen made.

"No. I did not. He's not at fault at all."

Cale smiled. It's good that Bassen seemed to be a bit more flexible than ever.

"Potion-making, however, is a forbidden alchemical practice."

Cale looked at Bassen and said, "As to what is right or wrong, only men place a tag on someone is head and declare someone heretic." He shut Bassen's mouth with such coldness, "Sometimes, people you call heretic are people who were more noble than nobility; do not forget that."

"Cale, um..."

"There is only crook justice in the mind of a foolish nobility."

Dear Brother, do not become a foolish noble.

"I will keep that in mind, brother," Bassen replied.

Deruth and Violan remained silent; Cale was trash, but he was not total trash. He keeps humanity and reason at best but loathes bad deeds the most.

What Cale despises is an abuse of power and authority.

"If such an alchemist exists," he smiled, "I would love to meet him and have him work with me."

Deruth remarked to Cale, "It is a waste of talent if it is used to make some noble bastard immortal. Why do not they use it to save and protect people? I am sure they would love that too."

Cale's slacker lifestyle is bothered by a society that does not value equality.

Is there a power that has the potential to change the world?

It is the ability to move people to do his bidding.

Regardless of the type of ending.

Equality and peace are the most wonderful but difficult things to achieve.

TBC