"Alchemist?"
The term was not commonly used in the Magus Universe, where such practitioners were typically referred to as apothecaries. However, such a title was indeed used in so smaller or more isolated worlds.
Noticing Lady Ella's positive reaction to the word. Ery could see value in the term, a depth that might serve as a useful layer for his cover.
With a calm deanor, he said, "Yes… I was out harvesting when I noticed your battle. My na is Ery."
The words seed to calm the female magus sowhat. Her posture relaxed, and her guarded stance shifted into sothing less defensive. But the dark elf captain who stood by her side, ever vigilant, remained skeptical. His sharp, penetrating eyes never left Ery as he spoke, his tone asured yet laced with suspicion. "And which kingdom are you from?"
Ery prepared to dodge the question, ready to feign irritation once more to conceal his true identity. However, Lady Ella interjected before he could speak.
"Captain, don't be rude." She then turned back to Ery, her expression kind. "I can tell you're from the beast-man clan… that's all we need to know"
"Beastman?" Ery echoed quietly. It took him a mont to fully grasp her aning. At that mont, he realized what had happened—Lady Ella had seen through his half-blood nature. It seed that in this realm, beast-man was the term used for soone like him.
Ery didn't bother to deny her assumption. His silence, perhaps, spoke louder than any words could. A beast-man was what he was.
Lady Ella gave a small, knowing nod before her gaze shifted toward the enormous carcass of the Ancient Desolate Beast that lay sprawled on the ground.
"Sir Ery… Without your intervention, we would have never defeated this creature." She hesitated briefly, as if weighing her words, before continuing. "The priceless loot rightfully belongs to you… But if I may ask for one thing—the beast's heart. I need it to heal my father's illness."
The corpse of an Ancient Desolate Beast was indeed an extraordinary treasure, its materials worth a fortune. However, Ery understood the true value of earning goodwill and forming alliances in such uncertain territory.
With a gentle nod, he refused any share of the loot and gestured toward the corpse. "Take it all. I dare not... it's all your hard efforts" he said while taking a glance at the group of exhausted and wounded warriors.
Lady Ella's eyes widened in surprise, her voice trembling with gratitude. "Truly? Thank you, Sir Ery. You have my deepest gratitude."
Ery's refusal didn't just earn Lady Ella's gratitude—it also had a noticeable effect on the dark elf captain. His sharp gaze lingered on Ery, now carrying a hint of respect rather than suspicion.
At that mont, Ery's mind began to churn with possibilities. He had already begun forming a plan to integrate himself into their group. But before he could act on those thoughts, Lady Ella unexpectedly extended an invitation.
"Sir Ery," she said with a bright smile, "as a gesture of our gratitude, we would like to invite you to Azure Could as our honored guest."
The offer clearly startled the dark elf captain, who imdiately spoke up. "My Lady… That might not be appropriate. Our ho is five days away, and I'm sure Mister Ery still has important matters to attend to here."
Ery wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away. With a carefully asured response, he said, "Actually, I was just about to leave this area myself…"
He paused, furrowing his brow slightly as if weighing the decision. After a brief mont, he nodded and said, "I would be honored to accept your invitation."
Lady Ella's face lit up with a bright smile. "That's wonderful!"
After tending to the wounded and properly storing the beast's corpse, Ery silently followed the group, his mind constantly working.
He remained cautious, watching for any signs that might reveal more about the strange world he had found himself in. Despite his calm outward deanor, he was probing for answers, gathering information from casual exchanges.
The first striking revelation ca as they discussed their histories. How the long-standing race war between elves and humans had co to an end over a millennia ago. The two races, once locked in a bitter conflict, now coexisted peacefully, side by side.
But that wasn't all. There were other races too—the beastman, the giants, and the fairies. Each of these races inhabited one of the seven planets within the sa star system, creating a complex and diverse society that stretched across multiple worlds.
Ery felt his heart race as he processed this new information. It was now undeniable: he wasn't just in a distant part of the universe. He had crossed into an entirely foreign realm, one far beyond the neutral zone and even the elven world. As the days passed, Ery grew closer to Lady Ella and her people. They had beco more comfortable around him, and the tentative walls of suspicion that had surrounded their interactions began to dissolve.
He learned that the Azure Cloud faction, to which Lady Ella belonged, with dozens of magus in its ranks and multiple grand magus elders was considered a relatively low-ranking faction.
As Ery digested this information, he ca to another eye-opening realization: In this world, breaking into the magus realm was not an extraordinary achievent. Most people could reach it with enough effort and ti. The truly exceptional individuals, the ones with genius-level talent, were able to ascend to what they called the "cosmic realm."
The news was overwhelming. It reshaped everything Ery had thought he knew about power and influence in this universe. To safeguard his identity, Ery kept his questions about the so-called "travelers"—beings from other worlds—at a minimum. He sensed that this was a topic he needed to approach with caution. On the next day of their journey, Ery discovered the real reason Lady Ella had invited him along. She wanted his help in checking on her father's health. What struck Ery most was the fact that, in this world, an alchemist like him was considered to hold a prestigious and nearly revered status—on par with the most powerful of beings. The title itself was viewed with great respect, and an alchemist's skills were highly sought after, even by the elites of society.
As a talented apothecary, Ery realized that this world could be a golden opportunity for him. While his ultimate goal was to find a way back ho, there was no harm in taking advantage of the benefits that this world could offer. ###
Author Note.
The month of December draws to a close, and I would like to express my appreciation for your support of the novel. I understand that this month I have fallen short of my publishing target due to my illness and the holiday season.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. It was a much-needed rest, and next month, the normal publishing rate will be resud, with 12-14 chapters per week. As I promised, there will also be a discounted rate.
#### December Spoiler:
The new world arc will be crucial for Ery's journey, particularly with his work as an Apothecary and, most importantly, his step into the Grand Magus realm.
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