Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 738 Thumbelina (4-in-1)

In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed.

The time comes on June 7th.

Missionary Kerrigan rode his horse, followed by a group of Templar Knights, and walked somewhat dejectedly through the bustling market street of Kepang.

The rising sun shone on the silver armor, but it couldn't reflect any glory.

This time, they were being deported and given a deadline to leave.

Over this period of time, both domestically and internationally, within and outside the temple, various parties have engaged in multiple rounds of conflict.

However, the nobles reacted very strongly, clearly wanting to take this opportunity to drive him out.

Even Kairigma himself couldn't quite understand it; he had simply seized an opportunity and taken the initiative...

How did things end up like this?

It's not that I didn't try hard enough, it's just that the wizard was too cunning!
"That wretched wizard..."

Kairigma thought bitterly to himself.

Upon reaching the city gate, the second prince and his retinue were already waiting there.

"Teacher, let me see you off."

Kairigma felt a little warmer, rode up to him and had a brief chat, exchanging a few words of comfort.

The second prince has a high degree of identification with the temple and is someone they are actively cultivating now.

But just then, a ragged pregnant woman suddenly rushed out from the crowd, followed by a thin boy and a girl.

The girl held her mother's hand tightly, blocking the horse and crying loudly, while the boy fell directly to the ground in front of the horse's hooves, shouting heartbreakingly, "Father, don't abandon us!"

Kairigama and the second prince were taken aback.

The pregnant woman grabbed the reins of his horse: "Father of the child, you can't be irresponsible and abandon us!"

The piercing cries were particularly jarring in the early morning market, causing the surrounding vendors to put down their work and turn to look.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Enraged, Kairigma shouted angrily.

"What a tragedy, they don't even recognize their own flesh and blood..."

Some random people, seemingly out of nowhere, pointed and whispered about the line, their faces filled with disdain.

"I heard these people were deported. Was it because they were having illicit relationships?"

"That's hard to say!"

An older knight frowned and stepped forward, asking, "Madam, have you mistaken me for someone else?"

The pregnant woman ignored her and just pulled on the reins even harder.

The warhorse trotted restlessly, unsure whether to move forward or stop.

The second prince also wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground; he regretted not coming to deliver it.

Kairigma felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and his eyes almost spit fire.

His right hand unconsciously pressed against the sword at his waist, wishing he could kill this lowly commoner who dared to slander his reputation on the spot.

But his remaining rationality forced him to remain calm.

The attendant beside him whispered, "There's a trap here, you must hold back!"

Kairigma gave a wink to one of the priests accompanying him, who quietly cast a spell that sent the pregnant woman and child flying to the side.

Then, he pulled on the reins, took the opportunity to break free from the entanglement, and rode away without looking back.

In the crowd behind him, a few seemingly ordinary onlookers exchanged a glance before leaving.

……

"Who did this?"
Tajer shouldn't have that kind of ability, and those nobles might not dare to offend the Temple. Could it be that it's infighting among the mages, or even within the Temple itself?

At 42 Duke Street, Roy was busy in the alchemy room until late morning before coming out for breakfast.

Hearing that Prandtse, who had gone out to gather information, had returned to report, he was quite surprised.

This is quite reminiscent of "The Election of a Bishop." It can only be said that the conspirators have unanimously chosen to use promiscuous relationships as a breakthrough point, and it seems to be quite effective.

Roy didn't know how Kairigma would handle the matter, but just putting himself in her shoes was enough to give him a headache.

"Sometimes, it's good to be a wizard; wizards don't have these kinds of problems!"

He sighed inwardly.

Wizards and mages dare to openly summon succubi for fun! Would a priest dare to do that?!

Not far away, Domi finished enjoying his grilled fish and soup at a small table. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, satisfied, and then a ghost maid cleared away the tableware and took it off.

It jumped down, raised its tail high, and tried to stretch.

As a result, Roy grabbed it by the neck and lifted it up.

"Meow? Master?"

Domi cried out in confusion.

Roy patted the cat's head: "Don't be afraid, Domi, it's just a small experiment."

We just happen to need a cat.

"Meow!"

Domi sensed something was wrong and started howling.

But a moment later, he was forced to sit at a small table to study.

Roy recently took on his teaching duties and rewrote the course for beginners, aiming to create a new set of teaching materials that are suitable for all ages and backgrounds, regardless of their level of understanding.

Domi's current mental strength is definitely not weak. Even disregarding the [Sage's Proverb], his own mental strength of more than 10 degrees is comparable to that of a formal-rank wizard.

However, its soul structure and biological template are, after all, a cat, which greatly weakens its intelligence and temperament.

However, Roy only wanted to test his apprentice-level learning ability.

We still included it in the calculation.

In other words.

If you can't learn a universal textbook that even a cat can learn, what does that say about you?
They're not even as good as cats.

……

Soon after, Syrmac paid a visit.

Roy was lounging in the velvet sofa, engrossed in reading a thick, gold-embossed reference book.

It wasn't until Symako came into the hall, found a place to sit down, that he closed the book and handed it to Alice, the angelic maidservant serving beside him.

He looked at the newcomer: "But is there any new development from the Temple?"

“That’s right, they plan to send a new missionary, this time Nobillis, who comes from a noble family.”

Syrmac briefly introduced the background of Nobilis.

"He was a prince of Lux and had a chance to compete for the throne, but he failed for various reasons."

Because of the Temple, he preserved his property and life, and thus devoted himself to it, becoming passionate about the ministry.

Upon hearing this, Roy knew that this time they would indeed be a tough opponent.

The nobles themselves were not a monolithic group; many nobles had conflicts with the king or their heirs.

The temple offered them an alternative to the struggle for power and profit: to secure their interests by investing in church property or positions.

Conversely, it is also possible for a young child to become a monk or for other actions that involve trying to have one thing in common.

That way, even if they unfortunately lose in the political struggle, they will still have the opportunity to make a comeback.

"Let's wait until he gets here and see how things develop. There's no need to panic."

Roy thought for a moment and then said to Symarko.

"I have no choice but to leave it like this."

Syrmac agreed.

******
About half a month later.

At the mansion at No. 42 Duke Street.

Domi the black cat sat in the room, with a small wooden table in front of it that was specially made to match its height, on which was placed a specially made miniature transmutation array.

It used its furry cat paws to manipulate the talisman array several times, using its paws as fingers.

A moment later, he added the magic ointment dipped in gold powder into the wide-mouthed beaker and mixed it.

As various materials were gradually thrown into the formation, a barely audible "ding" sounded.

A runic magic stone, about the size of a finger, appeared in the formation.

What makes it most different from the magic stones we usually see is that it has gilded engraved runes on one side, which are clearly in the form of will runes.

As Domi used her mind to roll it up and place it on the other side, the cat paw-shaped anti-counterfeiting pattern engraved on the back faintly glowed.

Roy pushed open the door and entered, his gaze falling on the neatly arranged rune magic stones on the low table.

"Ok?"

He crouched down, gently tracing the runes that shimmered with golden light with his fingertips. After a brief inspection, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Well done!"

He gently rubbed Domi's fluffy head, and the cat ears twitched comfortably in his palm.

"It seems you're getting closer and closer to becoming a fully-fledged alchemist!"

"Meow!"

Domi proudly raised its head, its tail held high in delight.

At this moment, it is unaware of the price of "maturity" and is completely immersed in its owner's free praise.

Freya followed her in through the door, looking at the scene with a hint of disbelief.

"My God, it actually worked..."

Use physical objects to aid meditation!

Roy laughed and said, "That's right. I simplified the process of manifesting the will runes in my mind, making the progress of meditation visible and materialized."

Crafting such a rune magic stone essentially involves activating the body's memory function, transforming dry imagination and understanding into comprehensive, actionable memorization!

Traditional meditation relies on abstract thinking.

In practice, the rune trajectory can be transformed into muscle memory, creating a deep impression in the mind.

By utilizing the principles of neuroplasticity, new synaptic connections are established in the motor cortex of the brain...

This makes memory and perception as natural as instinct.

For example, cycling and swimming.

No matter how you preach, it's all the same.

Why not give it a try?

Many animals' innate abilities, including reproduction, hunting, and evading predators, are hidden in their genetic instincts.

This inevitably brings to mind the "True Dragon Wisdom" that I am currently inheriting, which, in a sense, also originated from this.

"What's even better is..."

The finished product of this is also a magic stone, and you can make money on the side!

Roy continued to explain.

Even if you don't learn it all at once, you'll still earn a considerable amount of money during your apprenticeship.

I have improved and optimized the method of refining individual magic stones, making full use of the "alchemy array" to increase the success rate.

This way, you can accumulate extra resources over time to improve yourself with the help of external resources!

After hearing the explanation, Freya couldn't help but say, "This will definitely be a groundbreaking new achievement, and may even completely change the landscape of apprentice advancement in future generations!"

Freya wasn't the only one who thought so.

Soon after, Symarko also learned that Roy had made such a thing, and he was equally shocked.

"Your Excellency Kirick, have you really not considered switching jobs and becoming a professor in our Achinira?"

Someone as talented as you will receive special attention and cultivation after becoming a Grand Master.

"Haha, that's getting off-topic."

Roy gave a vague answer.

“I think there’s more value to be found in this kind of thing, for example, it could be materialized into something like a rune array…”

Then, the combinations of different runes are extracted to create entirely new 'rune words'!

"Runewords" are a special product of alchemy and magical equipment crafting. Some runes with magical power, when inlaid into equipment with slots in a fixed order, can activate powerful attribute bonuses and even give new special effects.

It can transform ordinary equipment into powerful items with unique effects, and when combined properly, it can greatly enhance the strength of the wearer.

However, Roy's creation can be considered a "new runeword".

It is a similar system, but one that is highly customizable.

If we had to use a metaphor, it would be similar to "movable type printing," offering more possibilities for free combination, and its application extends beyond equipment to include magic circles, rune arrays, and other similar items!
Roy said this to make this new approach more economically valuable.

This inspiration also came from my previous work, "How to Get Rich".

He discovered that the apprentices' enthusiasm for worldly wealth was somewhat excessive...

Recalling his past, his apprenticeship days when even a few stones of magic stone were highly valued, he devised a way to combine runes and magic stones.

This idea seems simple, but in reality, combining meditation training with productive work, and even further exploration and enhancement, is many times more effective than before, which is quite remarkable.

In the past, many people must have had similar ideas, but they failed to realize them due to various limitations.

Only Roy could create such a system and systematize it!
……

For some time afterward, Roy devoted himself to this research.

This achievement, which was still in its early stages, was already welcomed by the apprentices.

They had also heard about the professor's recent expulsion of Kerigma, and their admiration for him grew even stronger.

Zaif felt this particularly strongly and immediately adopted "Professor's" ideas as his guiding principles.

"Learning and making money at the same time..."

This is great news!

In the past, meditation training was just meditation training.

Putting aside the effectiveness, the act itself consumes time and energy.

Now, with the same amount of time and energy, you can do two things at the same time: refining magic stones!
Furthermore, it involves exploring value on a larger scale and in a deeper way—the new runewords!

He couldn't wait to try this new method, which led him down the path of alchemy.

Later, he suddenly realized that the advanced apprentice stage could also refine the Philosopher's Stone, and further combine the part related to [Reddening] with the refinement of his own soul.

Furthermore, when it comes to the creation of all things and self-improvement, the combination of internal and external factors is the core essence of "Luo's Alchemy"!

The other apprentices did not immediately decide whether they would pursue the path of alchemists.

But in the process, it became natural for him to take on a part-time alchemy apprenticeship.

Who doesn't love magic stones?

Every little bit helps.

However, by this time, it was already mid-August.

Roy then turned his attention to something more important.

A new messenger sent by the Temple.

Nobillis, born into a noble family, has arrived.

******
Kaipan, at the city gate.

The Templar Knights escorted a magnificent, gilded carriage slowly into the place where Kerrigan had once fled in disgrace. It was drawn by four pure white horses, its shafts adorned with exquisite sacred runes, and its banners bore the eagle emblem of the Lux dynasty, exuding an air of nobility and grandeur.

Dozens of fully armed silver-armored knights stood on both sides, riding their horses and holding reins, looking majestic and imposing.

Behind them were servants, attendants, and other accompanying priests, nuns, and missionaries, a large entourage of people and carriages following closely behind.

The onlookers murmured, "Look at that swagger! No wonder he's Prince Nobilis!"

"He is a high-ranking nobleman from Lux's side. I heard that after he joined the Temple, he donated a lot of wealth and received a 'blessing'!"
"What divine grace!"

Just as the public was praising the event, a sudden change occurred!

A ragged, blind old woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere and staggered into the line.

She waved her bamboo cane, striking aimlessly, completely unaware that a galloping horse was about to knock her down and trample her.

Some sharp-eyed people noticed the danger and couldn't help but exclaim in alarm.

The others also craned their necks to look, their faces showing reluctance.

At the critical moment, the knight beside her leaped off his horse with lightning speed and pulled her away from danger.

He steadied the old man's swaying body and gently reminded him, "Sir, be careful."

From the crowd, Prandtse watched coldly, a disdainful sneer playing on her lips: "Heh, putting on an act, and doing it quite convincingly!"

As a dark elf, she is a complete conspiracy theorist.

To her, what was happening before her eyes was nothing more than a show.

The caravan stopped, and a middle-aged man's voice came from inside the carriage: "What happened?"

"She was a blind old woman..."

The knight stepped forward and responded.

After a moment's hesitation, he reached out from behind the carriage curtain and waved it.

A holy light descended from the sky and enveloped the old woman.

The miracle happened!
The old woman's cloudy eyes gradually cleared, and she trembled as she touched her face: "I... I can see? Oh my god, I can see!"

The onlookers were immediately in an uproar, with various exclamations and discussions rising and falling.

"By the Lord of Glory!"

"Is this the legendary healing magic? It's unbelievable!"

All of this was just hearsay before; I never expected to see it with my own eyes.

The people's eyes were immediately filled with awe.

Pramie's expression suddenly turned serious. She stared at the convoy for a while, then quietly turned and left.

……

Shortly after.

42 Duke Street, in the mansion.

Roy was sitting by the window, writing furiously at his desk, when he heard Prandtse's footsteps. Without turning around, he asked, "How is it?"

“It might be more complicated than we thought.” Pulanjie took off her hood behind him and briefly explained what had happened at the city gate.

Roy put down his quill and said thoughtfully, "Although from a supernatural perspective, this isn't too difficult."

But his willingness to demonstrate in public foreshadows that his methods of conduct and preaching will lean towards these highly persuasive aspects.

With Roy's current level of magic, he doesn't even consider this divine magic a threat.

But he was able to see the big picture from small details and discern the hidden secrets within.

According to intelligence, Prince Nobilis was just a typical secular nobleman a few years ago. Apart from the knight's breathing technique, which he used to strengthen his body, and the resources he used to reach the advanced knight level, he had no other skills.

It is truly unbelievable that in just a few years, one could reach the point of being able to treat serious injuries and possess the ability to "reattach severed limbs" or "regain sight."

But that's the nature of the divine magic system.

As long as one is devout enough, or receives enough "divine grace," one can advance quickly.

This is the true "miracle" that even extraordinary people would marvel at!
Just then, Artedia walked in: "My lord, the palace urgently summons you."

“It seems Nobillis has already gone to the palace to see the king.” Roy nodded. “I’ll go and meet him.”

……

In the reception room of the royal palace.

Prince Nobilis wore a dark blue velvet suit embroidered with silver thread, and a snow-white lace scarf accentuated his sharply defined jawline.

The platinum family crest adorned his chest, the gemstone rings shimmering with crimson light adorned his fingers, and his hair was combed up like a large golden retriever.

All of this demonstrates the elegance and nobility of someone born into a noble family.

His handsome face, in particular, made everyone who spoke with him feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

"The king and he had a very pleasant conversation!"

Also present in the reception room were Syrmako and other court officials.

The monk couldn't help but mutter to himself in private.

"Fortunately, he represents the loser in the struggle for the throne, so King Capone would naturally not like such a person, and might even be wary of him."

However, the situation is less certain for other nobles.

Some people regard him as a mentor and want to learn how to challenge the king and still emerge unscathed.

Using the temple as a sanctuary was a successful operation.

Some were also interested in his rapid mastery of extraordinary power, and inquired whether all those who believed in the Lord of Light could receive such a blessing.

But pastors are servants of God, and their profession itself cannot change their physical condition or prolong their life.

After they die, their souls return to the Kingdom of God, where they are truly meant to serve.

It is difficult to obtain divine magic without genuine faith.

This made many nobles, who were only superficially interested in such things, compare the different characteristics of these extraordinary individuals and realize that they themselves did not have the potential to become priests.

However, there is one unsurprising consensus: everyone is willing to befriend Prince Nobilis.

Perhaps you or your family members need his help in some way.

Roy also keenly sensed this and decided to do something to counteract the impact of the Temple's move.

At this moment, Nobillis specially came over and smiled, "Are you Lord Symako and Lord Kiric?"

I've heard so much about you.

"Since you represent the Temple, are you also going to attack and kill us like you did with Kerigma before?"

Symarko scoffed, speaking without any politeness.

"No, please don't misunderstand."

Nobillis smiled slightly.

“I’m not a reckless guy like Kairigma.”

I have come here with a sincere intention to seek ways to get along with each other.

Our Lord, the Glorious Lord, is a lawful and good deity. It is forgivable that you may stray from the right path. Unless you commit heinous crimes and incur the wrath of heaven and the resentment of men, why must we resort to arms?

He was subtly expressing his intention to reconcile.

Roy and Symarko exchanged a glance.

This guy is definitely much more troublesome than the previous Keriger.

Forget it, let's take a step by step.

******
In the days that followed, Nobillis kept his promise and did not cause any trouble for Roy and the others.

Furthermore, there was no large-scale deployment of the Knights Templar to engage in any outrageous acts such as challenging royal authority or enforcing religious law.

But he also did a lot of things.

For example, establishing churches, training pastors, and promoting magic.

The latter, in particular, has come up with a unique skill that resembles a free clinic on Sundays, openly making holy water and spreading holy light!

This move not only won the hearts of the people but also demonstrated extraordinary power, attracting a lot of attention.

Roy and Symarco soon discovered that some of the apprentices were talking about it with a hint of envy.

This is a "miracle" for the extraordinary.

As long as you have faith, you can be tempted by divine magic!

However, Roy already had a plan in mind, so he wasn't in a hurry and continued to make his preparations step by step.

In the blink of an eye, several months have passed.

In the No. 42 mansion.

"The Fables of Ilor (reverted to its original name, Aesop's Fables, in this world)..."

This is a piece I wrote during my time at the academy...

Do you plan to select the best of them and publish them worldwide?

Freya opened the manuscript with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"The wolf is coming..."

The story is about a mischievous shepherd boy who cried "wolf!" twice to lure the villagers up the mountain, causing them to make two wasted trips and making them furious, so they no longer trusted him.

As a result, when the wolves actually attacked, no one came to their aid, and the flock of sheep perished.

This story serves as a warning that lies will lead to a loss of trust.

But Freya was a mature reader who spent her entire life doing reading comprehension exercises.

It was immediately clear that the question setter/author/poet's intentions were not so simple.

"The 'wolf' here likely refers to the Inquisition of the Temple, and 'the wolf is coming' is a reference to the Secret Order's gas..."

No, that's not right. It should be the other way around. The apprentices can act like wolves, using false information to confuse the Temple and keep it busy.

When the actual gathering finally took place, the temple was no longer distinguishable from the real one, and there was no power to seal it off.

There are at least several deeper implications here, which are worth studying!

Then I watched "The Wolf and the Lamb".

The wolf met the lamb by the stream and, in order to have a legitimate reason to eat it, kept making up excuses to accuse it.

Although the lamb was able to refute the wolf's arguments with reason and evidence each time, the wolf eventually lost patience and pounced on the lamb.

This story reveals the truth that those in power will always find an excuse to commit violence, and is intended to strengthen the apprentice's resolve to pursue the truth.

There are also stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Three Little Pigs," which tell us about the importance of focusing on learning and building a solid foundation, and not being easily fooled by seemingly easy magic tricks!

This is cultivating the outstanding qualities of extraordinary individuals.

Freya understood instantly.

“That’s right, I intend to use this to spread my teachings.”

Who says the dissemination of knowledge isn't preaching? Knowledge can also be a form of faith.

Roy revealed his true intentions.

The core function of fables is to convey lessons or moral concepts through their plots.

Including but not limited to moral education, social critique, knowledge transmission, and entertainment...

By "copying books," one can bring enlightenment about witchcraft and magic to the world.

This is also a way of telling everyone that there really are extraordinary beings in the universe, and that we should not be Muggles, but seekers of truth!
Besides that, there were some personal motives.

A belief in the transformation of "knowledge".

Zaif's previous performance showed him that he had gained something in this regard.

He keenly realized that works such as *One Thousand and One Nights* and *Aesop's Fables* could also become new "idols".

They will be a new medium in addition to the "Statue of the God of Wishes", "Vending Machine", and "Statue of the God of the Golden Dragon", and also a major tool to fight against the Temple!
"By the way, besides these that I've already compiled, I also have some new stories."

But this time I'll have to use a different pen name.

Freya asked curiously, "What pen name?"

"Maybe it's Andersen, maybe it's Green... we'll see."

The people of the Temple are not to be trifled with.

The sudden appearance of so many fairy tales and fables on the market must be related to wizards or sorcerers.

Roy had no intention of hiding it from them.

He's playing all these cards openly, it's a calculated strategy, and he's got plenty of them.

However, different pen names can indeed be organized and categorized.

This is also very necessary.

……

"The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, The Rose (Sleeping Beauty)..."

Another day.

In the city of Kepang.

A new meeting place.

Zaif and the others were pleasantly surprised as they flipped through the new manuscripts brought by "Professor Zaif," each title carrying a classic feel.

These stories are not only published in the world, but have also been sent to "Golden Feather Bookstore" for simultaneous publication through the academy's channels.

As a classic that has been passed down for many years, the spiritual enlightenment it brought to these seekers of truth in such a medieval, low-magic world was absolutely breathtaking.

"Are there really magical clothes in this world that respond to the heart and wisdom?"

"Yes, through wisdom verification, intelligent people can see it... This is quite common among the wonders of 'creation'."

"Is the transformation of the ugly duckling into a swan a magical transformation brought about by bloodline witchcraft?"

"That's right, bloodline factors determine whether it's a duck or a swan. If your witchcraft is skilled enough, even an ugly duckling can become a dragon!"

"Pumpkin carriages, glass slippers... these are what's called 'charm items'?"

"That's right, even Cinderella can easily increase her charm and make the prince fascinated."

"A spell that can make a wolf disguise itself as Grandma..."

So, does this mean humans can also transform into wild beasts?

"You're very clever; you've grasped the fundamental elements of 'Transfiguration'!"

"Professor, could you show us what's in those stories?"

Filled with eager anticipation and inexplicable longing, an apprentice cautiously made his request.

Zaif and the others' eyes lit up when they heard this.

They also cast hopeful glances their way.

At this moment, the will to learn converged into "faith," once again illuminating the soul particles around Roy.

He felt something gathering around him like a gentle stream.

"can!"

Roy readily agreed to their request.

These apprentices are like children in the mountains, who have never seen the prosperity of big cities. As a teacher, I have a responsibility to meet their needs.

At the same time, it was also to counter the allure of quick mastery of divine arts and to strengthen the apprentices' resolve.

"I'll show you what 'creation magic' can achieve when alchemy reaches an advanced stage..."

A certain ultimate moment from the old era...

Thumbelina!

After a moment's thought, Roy chose one item!
(End of this chapter)