LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Philosopher's Stone.
A legendary item said to be able to create all matter.
Originally, medieval alchemy began in pursuit of gold, but once the concept of the 'Philosopher's Stone' emerged, alchemists shifted their goal from gold to the Philosopher's Stone.
Naturally so-if one could transmute the Philosopher's Stone, things like gold would come as a mere byproduct.
Historically, there have been quite a few alchemists who claimed to have created the Philosopher's Stone.
Such as the French alchemist Nicolas Flamel,
or the German alchemist Paracelsus, and the Persian alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan.
However, whether anyone truly succeeded in transmuting the Philosopher's Stone remains unknown.
Even with modern alchemy combined with contemporary chemistry capable of creating gold, the Philosopher's Stone remains elusive.
So scholars have long debated whether, in an era with less scientific knowledge, it was truly possible to produce a Philosopher's Stone.
In that sense, the Philosopher's Stone housed at the Academy is not a true Philosopher's Stone.
[Philosopher's Stone Project].
Starting in the 1960s, this project was launched alongside the founding of Warna Academy, a collaboration between the Korean government and the Academy's first principal.
The first principal, Kim Donghyuk.
Kim Donghyuk, a renowned magitech engineer, mage, and alchemist, dreamed of creating what all alchemists desired-the Philosopher's Stone.
No, rather than simply dreaming of it, he was utterly obsessed with transmuting the Philosopher's Stone.
Why he fixated on the Philosopher's Stone-a goal shared by many alchemists-is unknown.
Perhaps it was resentment toward his senior alchemists who declared it impossible,
or perhaps he sought immortality, or maybe he just wanted to be the first to create it.
But the Philosopher's Stone was an item whose authenticity was questionable at best.
Naturally, countless failures accompanied his attempts to transmute it, and each time Kim Donghyuk tasted bitter defeat.
Then, the Korean government approached him with a proposal.
If you become the Academy's first principal, we will help you realize your dream.
Having squandered all his fortune on the Philosopher's Stone, Kim Donghyuk could not refuse the government's offer of honor and wealth.
And so, he became the founding principal.
The Korean government kept its promise, funding Kim Donghyuk's research and supplying materials.
In exchange, the government received regular reports on the progress and results of his research.
Among the many failed prototypes he created, one particular item caught the attention of the President himself.
The item that drew the President's personal interest certainly possessed the most extraordinary capabilities among Kim Donghyuk's failed attempts at the Philosopher's Stone.
At that time, Kim Donghyuk was attempting to integrate magitech with alchemy to produce the Philosopher's Stone.
As a result, he created something that could categorize and store different individuals' mana-a feat only imaginable back then.
Seeing its potential, the President's eyes naturally lit up.
So the Korean government proposed that, instead of pursuing the Philosopher's Stone, he should first improve and complete this device, then resume his Philosopher's Stone research.
In truth, the government's 'proposal' was closer to a threat.
Since Kim Donghyuk had exhausted all his funds on the Philosopher's Stone, he had no leverage against the government, who controlled his funding.
After persistent persuasion, the government eventually redirected the [Philosopher's Stone Project] to focus on perfecting this device.
It was even given a name.
[Philosopher's Stone].
Because the new device, inspired by what had been a failed prototype, performed so exceptionally well.
The government was so impressed that it named the device the [Philosopher's Stone], launching a new [Philosopher's Stone Project].
Time passed, and in the early 1980s, the device was completed.
It could collect, store, and analyze mana in real-time-much like a modern computer.
The new regime, having seized power through a coup, installed this device in cities and schools nationwide.
However, the Philosopher's Stone was far too large to be installed in schools as-is.
So they had magitech engineers and alchemists work tirelessly to modify it.
As a result, they managed to significantly reduce its size.
Although its performance diminished accordingly, that was acceptable since it only needed to function within the confined space of a school.
The government used the main unit at the Academy to process mana data collected from each city, identifying and either eliminating or recruiting potential threats-thus aiding their dictatorship.
And this Philosopher's Stone remains in use even today, in a country that is now a full-fledged democracy.
Because it proved useful for identifying ability user terrorists who illegally entered for attacks, as well as for scouting promising talents nationwide.
Of course, one could argue such methods infringe upon freedom.
But even countries like the United States and Japan do everything they can to identify their own ability users, monitor dangerous individuals, and recruit them.
Not to mention China.
Since other countries employ similar or even harsher methods, there's no reason Korea shouldn't.
Anyway, this is just the sort of device that would interest Gamigin.
If the demon itself is intrigued, then its contractor volunteering to approach would be a welcome surprise.
Moreover, the mana emanating from the basement was growing increasingly intense.
It seemed a fierce battle was underway.
To get to the basement, I needed to head toward the stairs.
But if I went to where the stairs should be, I would only see the floor-no entrance to the basement.
Because the founding principal, Kim Donghyuk, had protected it with a barrier when the [Philosopher's Stone Project] shifted directions.
As an alchemist, mage, and master of barriers, it was easy for him to conceal the basement beneath a barrier.
In the original story, too, this facility was hidden behind a barrier and only revealed when a terrorist attack devastated the Academy building.
So right now, the entrance to the basement was surely sealed with a barrier.
Yet when I arrived at the spot with the stairs, there they were, leading straight down.
What's more, I could hear deafening crashes and sense mana surging from within.
I was momentarily startled, but quickly regained my composure.
It seemed the demon contractor had broken through the barrier and charged inside.
Which worked out well for me.
Now I could enter the basement comfortably without any trouble.
Leisurely, I descended the stairs, deliberately making my footsteps audible.
I heard a mix of sharp metallic clangs, bursts of flames, crackling ice, and the mournful wails of the dead.
I made my footsteps even louder.
Perhaps because of that, the sounds of fighting grew quieter as I went deeper.
Finally, when I reached the bottom, two women had stopped fighting and were now on guard against me.
One had long navy blue hair.
Four different spirits floated protectively around her.
Peculiarly, her entire body appeared faintly translucent.
That must be the current principal, Lee Sunhee.
The other had short gray hair, amber eyes, and wore four bracelets on each wrist.
Seeing dark mana leaking from her bracelets, I guessed she was the one contracted with Gamigin.
[Strange. It smells of Gamigin, but so faintly it's like looking at an illusion. Did they contract her as a disposable bodyguard to protect the real contractor? But then, isn't she just a decoy?]
Using a decoy to hide the true contractor?
That would explain why Mio had trouble sensing her mana.
If she was meant as a disposable pawn, they wouldn't have made her easy to identify.
They probably assumed she would die or be captured and spill information, so if not for Marbas, we wouldn't have realized this dark mana belonged to Gamigin.
And this decoy likely died protecting the true contractor Gamigin truly valued, slain by the divine spellcasters.
Well, that demon's situation is none of my concern.
What I want is conversation and negotiation.
If I can send Gamigin's contractor back alive for now, that's good.
I avoid bloodshed, the principal saves her strength, and we protect this underground facility-everyone wins.
My goal is simply a peaceful conversation, nothing more.
Fighting here would only be dangerous.
"How about everyone stops fighting and we talk?"
The two women grew even more wary.
Uh-oh, this isn't good.