Chapter 21: War and a Moon?
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After Sayru and Ananova arrived in the magical capital, the two entered the city and were instantly captivated by the beauty of the Ancestors' Festival taking place that very day.
Following that, they purchased a home, and each was given their own room.
Later that night, as Sayru spoke to himself, Mimin emerged from his mind-sea to ask him about his first move now that they had reached the capital.
"The first step will be... to destroy that moon!"
Mimin blinked in disbelief.
"Destroy what?! Have you finally lost your mind?! You know full well that if either of the two moons is destroyed, the seal on the Forbidden Domain will break!"
Sayru replied calmly,
"Yes. That's exactly the point."
He laid back on the bed, resting his back against it.
"Do you remember the war that's supposed to start five years from now?"
Mimin floated closer, her tone bitter,
"Of course I do. That war brought regret… for both you and me."
"It all began with a petty dispute between the White Cloud Clan and the Sacred Elven Lands, but it ended up pulling most of the races into a full-blown war."
Mimin scowled.
"I know that. Why are you reminding me?"
"Because I've thought of a way to stop that war."
Mimin raised a brow,
"That would be great… but if you go through with this, you won't be able to meet her again. Are you sure about this?"
Sayru sighed,
"That's why I have to destroy the moon… so I can meet her again."
"Huh? Wait, what?! My brain's a mess. That doesn't make any sense!"
"You'll understand soon. Besides, you don't even have a brain—you're a spirit. I need to rest now. I've got a lot to handle tomorrow."
Furious, Mimin shouted,
"What the hell do you mean I don't have a brain?! Hey! Don't fall asleep while I'm talking! You—!!"
—
The next morning, after waking up, Sayru left Ananova behind to clean the new home and headed straight outside.
His destination: the Alchemists' Guild, to buy the herbs and spiritual materials he needed.
On the way, Sayru mused aloud,
"I think the spiritual essence Ananova fused with should be enough for now. People with special physiques usually don't require spirit stones since their bodies themselves serve as a source of essence."
"That said, Ananova's case is unique. She had to merge with a Royal-grade spiritual essence just to form a spiritual space within her."
"Her training will be much tougher than that of other girls with similar physiques."
Sayru continued contemplating the right way to guide Ananova's future training.
Because she possessed a Sacred Body, awakening it had to be handled with the utmost care.
These kinds of bodies were divine gifts—misusing them would invoke the heavens' wrath.
Since Ananova's awakening hadn't occurred under ideal conditions, her Sacred Body was incomplete.
Just like Sayru's own case.
To complete her body, a second awakening would be necessary.
To prepare for that, Sayru was now mentally sorting out the types of techniques and pills he would need to create the best conditions for the next awakening.
"Hmm… For energy cultivation, the technique '〔Path of Sanctity〕' should be ideal. As for combat techniques, healing and purification-based arts suit her peaceful nature best. The technique '〔Saint's Radiance〕' should be sufficient."
Without realizing it, Sayru had arrived at the Alchemists' Guild.
He paused in front of the entrance, gazing at the guild name overhead for a few seconds before stepping inside.
The large hall was filled with alchemists and trainees—some had come to buy, others to learn.
The scent of burning herbs filled the air, likely from those currently taking their alchemist certification exams.
Despite the crowd, the guild had a strange air of quiet professionalism.
Sayru approached the reception desk, where a slender girl with golden hair was busy taking orders.
"Welcome to the Alchemists' Guild! How may I help you, sir?"
She spoke with a cheerful tone and respectful demeanor.
Sayru replied while staring at her face for some unknown reason:
"Five Red Sunflowers, hundred-year-old ones. A sixty-year-old Purefire Root. A fire-type Demonic Beast Core. And a fifty-year-old Healing Water Lotus. Bring me all of those, and tell me the total cost."
The girl looked stunned by the sudden, direct request.
As she processed what he'd said, the cheerful look on her face shifted into one of confusion and suspicion—what he had asked for wasn't normal.
"U-Um… Sir, everything you asked for is in stock—except one. If you're an alchemist, then you'd know that the Healing Water Lotus must be at least a hundred years old to retain its full properties. A fifty-year-old one would be ineffective, so we don't stock those."
She put on her glasses and grabbed a small calculator before continuing,
"Most of the herbs you asked for are available, but since you specified certain ages, it'll take some time to gather them. Also, everything you listed is Royal-grade. Excluding the Lotus, your total would be 20,000 gold coins."
Sayru said nothing, simply listening as he kept his gaze locked on her face.
"If you have an official Alchemist badge, you qualify for a 20% discount. So, sir… do you happen to have one?"
Noticing his unblinking stare, the receptionist grew uneasy.
"Is… is something wrong with me?"
Sayru finally responded,
"Wrong with you? No. I'm just surprised to see an elf working as an alchemist."
Fear instantly appeared on her face. She stepped back, sweating and stammering,
"W-What do you mean, sir? Haha… I don't see any elves around here…"
With a smirk, Sayru said,
"Then I wonder who I was staring at just now~"
The girl instantly stood up and rushed to the storeroom.
"I-I'll get your herbs right away!"
"Take your time~"