The Alchemist's Guide to Flesh and Blood Ascension

Ionevoy now felt a throbbing in his temples—not just because of the poem that made him so embarrassed he was digging his toes into the ground.

There was also a curious little one, Iserlia, who tugged at her sleeve and followed her step by step.

After all, the only person she currently trusts is Yonevo, and the only one she can learn from is Yonevo...

"Yonev! Yoonev! Can we go to that flying cake shop again next week?"

Iseria tilted her head back, blinked her bright eyes, and spoke in an ethereal voice with obvious anticipation.

"The boss said they'll be having a 'Rampage Water Magic Source' flavor next week... I want to go!"

Oh well, what can I do? This child is so sensible. Besides, I'll still have to rely on him in the future. Yunevo sighed.

"You can go, just don't take that gold chandelier down and play with it again..."

Iseria shrank back, looking somewhat guilty. Her fingers unconsciously twirled the lace trim on her cuff, which was stained with a little oil, and she argued in a low voice.

"I just wanted to see the rune structure..."

"So we need a home, a place where tearing down the walls will only hurt our own feet."

Iseria immediately perked up, her eyes reflecting the magical lights of the shops along the street, and her steps became lighter again.

"Then, what kind of place do you want? Lots of books? Like the libraries we've seen?" She got more and more excited as she spoke.

"Could we stay near that library? That way I can—"

"no."

Ionevoy cut her off decisively.

"Why..." Iseria lowered her head in frustration, as if her cream jelly had been stolen.

"Look, aren't some of those mages wearing white robes? Aren't they carrying golden staffs and using golden spells?"

"It seems so..."

"Think about it again, what about those bad people in the church? Don't they dress and act the same way?"

"Ah! Does that mean Iserlia shouldn't stay there anymore?!"

"I was just kidding... Actually—"

Upon seeing Iseria pout, Yunevo immediately changed the subject.

"Actually, the most important thing is... you will become addicted to reading, your face will turn pale, your back will ache, and you will even have difficulty seeing things clearly."

Yonivore shrugged, his face clearly saying, "I'm doing this for your own good."

"Moreover, theory and practice should go hand in hand. If there's even the slightest bit of unnecessary activity at the library... they'll probably be arrested and detained."

Iseria's expression immediately turned serious, and she nodded earnestly.

"Then...then we need to find a better place!"

"Actually, I only have three requirements for where I live..."

"Hmm?" Iseria tilted her head and looked at the serious-looking Yunevo.

"Safety! Safety! Safety!"

"Isn't this talking about the same thing?" she puffed out her cheeks.

……

Half an hour later, the two stood in front of a three-story stone building in the middle of Miracle Gold Street.

"Yonev, didn't you say this place was full of shady middlemen? Why did you come back?"

"Take a look around."

Iselia did as she was told. This bustling street was filled with people coming and going. It was a well-connected area and was a commercial street specially chosen by the Mage Association to make money.

"There are lots of shops selling potions... and lots of fake alchemists too."

"So having another pharmacy wouldn't be a big problem. When we're not famous... the church's informants basically won't notice us."

"Then, once we become famous... won't we be in danger?"

"No, with our growing fame, the church's spies won't dare to openly target us, at least not until the church headquarters finds a plausible excuse... We're safe in Starmoke."

As Yunevo spoke, he used his identity card to unlock the rather sturdy enchanted oak door. The hinges turned smoothly, and it did not look as dilapidated as he had imagined.

"The previous tenant of this house was a half-baked pharmacist," he said, leading Iseria into the room and turning on the wall lamp.

"That guy mixed some addictive 'stimulant' powder into the wholesale drugs, and he was arrested and shot... caned... in short, he died."

"Then the house was mortgaged to the Mage Guild, which was in gratitude for Norton's favor," Yunevo said, glancing briefly at the layout of the house.

The ground floor is square, about forty square meters, and the layout left by the previous pharmacist is still there, almost a standard store that can be used with some modifications.

"Add a few more layers of protection to the wooden door, and place the shelves against the inner wall..."

Iseria carefully stepped on the creaking wooden floorboards against the back wall, looking around.

She accidentally pushed open a small door, revealing a set of solid wood steps leading down.

"This is……"

"A two-story basement," Yonif followed behind her, down the steps.

"The ventilation system is pretty good, and the plating is well protected... There's even a secret passage that the previous owner didn't have time to use."

"So... this is a warehouse? And what about the next floor?"

"With a simple renovation, it can be used as your spell practice room."

They went up to the second floor, which was divided into three rooms. The largest one faced south and had three windows, offering a clear view of almost everything happening on the street.

"This entire second floor can be used as a laboratory..." Yunevo stroked his chin, lightly tapping the ground with his toes, and looked at Iseria, who had a hopeful expression on her face.

"As for the bookshelf... do you want it here, or in your room on the third floor?"

"Hey, should we live separately?"

"It has nothing to do with trust. Everyone deserves an environment where they can be alone, Iseria..." Yunevo's tone was somewhat serious.

He led Iseria up to the sloping roof of the attic, where a few rays of moonlight shone through the skylight, casting a tranquil gray glow on the ground.

"It's lively here, allowing you to see a lot of 'reality,' but at the same time it's also very quiet... so quiet that you only need to think about what to eat tomorrow, and be yourself without any worries."

Iseria stood there, staring at Yunevo for a long time, her fingers even creating wrinkles in the hem of her skirt.

"And what about you? Did you save yourself a room?"

"Of course, the hazardous materials in the basement need to be guarded, or rather, the experimental equipment—"

When he met Iseria's incredibly serious eyes, Yunefu's prepared words choked in his throat.

"no."

The girl took two steps forward, head held high, her gradient blue eyes surprisingly clear in the dim light, her tone unwavering.

"You said... this is our home, so you shouldn't continue living alone."

Yunevo opened his mouth, but his "deception theory" paled in comparison to Iseria's "clumsy sincerity."

"We can divide the third floor into two small rooms..." Iseria continued, gesturing with her fingertips in the air.

"You take one room, I'll take one... or maybe we can add another small room in between! We can sit there together and eat flying cake!"

She paused, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Yonivore's sleeve, the force light but carrying an undeniable authority.

"Why do you still live in fear all alone, just like you described 'before'?"

"I'm right here. Anyone who dares to cause trouble... I'll pelt them with fireballs!" She blinked, revealing a pure and innocent smile.

Iseria grasped Yunevo's wrists, her voice soft.

"Don't be afraid, okay?"

...Does she know what she's saying? Eunice was uncharacteristically "frozen" for a moment, turning her face away, her ears turning an unnatural blush.

"Anyway, let's tidy up the room first, otherwise we'll be sleeping on this awful floor tonight..."