Nicolas Flamel—a name that was widely known throughout the world.
Compared to an alchemist like François Prelati, who was only known through fragmented and mostly ill-reputed accounts, Nicolas Flamel's achievements were undoubtedly more groundbreaking.
After all, Prelati's Human Transmutation only involved the conversion of physical life, whereas Nicolas Flamel had successfully researched the 'Philosopher's Stone'—a legendary artifact previously thought to exist only in the Age of Gods, said to be able to alter the structure of all things.
The things the Philosopher's Stone could do not only included Human Transmutation but could also achieve the creation of gold from stone, an extremely high achievement in the field of alchemy.
It was important to know that in this world where "the older, the more mysterious, and the more mysterious, the more powerful," the significance of gold, which was produced from the explosion of supernovae, was even more extraordinary. Being able to interfere with gold often meant being able to interfere with everything, even being able to simulate the environment of the Age of Gods with modern-era prana.
If Human Transmutation was only equivalent to a high-level mystery or magecraft on the level of a Great Ritual, like a Baptismal Rite or a Reality Marble,
Then the Philosopher's Stone was already approaching the realm of an even higher level of mystery, the category of so-called 'Magic'.
Although, throughout history, Nicolas Flamel was not the only one to have created a Philosopher's Stone, he was undoubtedly a pioneer.
He was the first to reproduce a technique from the Age of Gods in an environment where Mystery was in decline.
He was also an alchemist who, through his own power, reached the very pinnacle of achievement, bordering on True Magic!
And that was the figure who now appeared before Lu Kang and Prelati.
A man in a simple gray robe, with long, thick hair, a stooped figure, and skin like the bark of a withered tree, as if etched with the fine rings of age. He was an ancient, great tree of a man, seemingly unremarkable.
[You are astonished by Nicolas Flamel's aged appearance.]
[In your understanding, a master of a mystical field who has reached this level should have infinite ways to delay their own aging. It shouldn't even be difficult to achieve immortality—just like Prelati, who stands beside you now, who in the 'original story' truly lived until the modern era.]
[But Nicolas Flamel shows no surprise at your arrival.]
[He also pays no mind to Prelati's insolent remark or the astonishment you reveal. Instead, he matter-of-factly invites you into this ancient shop, which looks as weathered as he does, and serves you a rich coffee that had been prepared in advance.]
"This coffee of yours... how old is it, just like you?"
Prelati didn't reach for the coffee Nicolas Flamel offered. Instead, she covered her nose with a look of disgust.
Lu Kang looked at the coffee before him, which was so dark it was almost black, and was left speechless.
"These coffee beans were probably planted in the year John II was captured by the English. I remember a lot happened that year, nearly cutting off my coffee supply—"
Meaning, nearly sixty years ago.
The old man shuffled to sit across from them, a look of reminiscence on his face.
The ancient shop, just like its exterior, was filled with a sense of age that went beyond just the coffee in hand and the old man across from them. The small shop was filled with shelves on all four sides, and the various 'alchemical tools' scattered around were just the same.
This was clearly Nicolas Flamel's alchemical workshop—just like a magus's magical workshop.
Although Lu Kang couldn't feel the slightest trace of prana or the workings of a formula, as if it were just a shop selling ordinary goods.
But if Prelati hadn't been with him—and if their years of living together hadn't taught him that while his teacher had a wicked personality, she wouldn't truly harm him—Lu Kang would never have entered this place.
To walk into the workshop of a legendary great alchemist, even with confidence in himself, would be suicidal.
In the next moment, he heard Nicolas Flamel continue, "Of course, the most memorable thing about that year was meeting you."
"Lady François Prelati."
Is Prelati even older than Nicolas Flamel?
Lu Kang's eyes twitched at these words.
He recalled all the information he had about Nicolas Flamel and suddenly had a realization—historically, Nicolas Flamel was not born a magus or an alchemist. He was originally an ordinary scribe who one day announced to the world that he had dreamed of an 'angel' and received a magical book that recorded countless secrets of mystery and alchemy. This was the version of history passed down to later generations. Looking at it now, what 'angel'? It was clearly Prelati causing trouble again.
This suddenly made him curious about just how long his teacher, who would live until the modern era, had actually lived.
"I feel like you're thinking something unpleasant, little Victoire?"
Prelati suddenly turned her purple eyes to the silent Lu Kang. Her eyes seemed to hold a smile, but anyone could feel her displeasure.
To this, Lu Kang responded calmly, "I am merely curious about things that a magus pursuing mystery ought to be curious about..."
"Such an answer... so full of reason and restraint, little Victoire."
Prelati was stunned for a moment, looking slightly surprised.
"But of course," Lu Kang replied with a similar smile. "After all..."
"I have been seeing, in my 'dreams'—in that ability you call future sight—visions of you existing into the future."
"As they say, the good die young, but a scourge lives for a thousand years. I am truly curious if you have really lived for over a thousand years, and if you will continue to live for another thousand?"
Lu Kang—or rather, Victoire—was able to vaguely dream of future scenes while he slept.
This was something Prelati was already aware of.
It was also a faint, hazy perception of his true self that Lu Kang, still in a simulated state with his soul projected and true memories not yet awakened, experienced.
Those scenes were less the future, and more fragments of his memories as a transmigrator.
This wouldn't expose anything, because he would only dream of corresponding memories when he saw the corresponding people or things... only memories of those specific people and things, and nothing else.
This simulation mechanic had, in fact, existed from the beginning.
It was just that in the previous simulation, Lu Kang had not encountered any people or scenes he had witnessed as an observer before his transmigration, from birth to the awakening of his true memories.
This time, however, it was activated by the existence of Prelati, the 'cross-dressing witch'.
And before this, although he was born intelligent, he was still just an eight-year-old boy.
It was perfectly normal for him to mention it occasionally.
It was only natural for Prelati to see it as 'future sight'.
In the world of mystery, there were many unknowns. While future sight was special, it wasn't something to be truly shocked about.
Especially a future sight that was uncontrolled and not very useful?
A smirk formed on Prelati's lips.
"Curious, are you?"
She smiled maliciously. "Then you can just keep on being curious—perhaps when you are on your deathbed, I will tell you at your graveside... in this very form I have now."
"Puhahaha!"
The 'young girl' laughed joyfully.
During this conversation,
Nicolas Flamel finally turned his gaze to the young boy who had come with Prelati.
"It seems this young gentleman is the one Lady Prelati often mentioned—her newest student, the commoner genius of Atavism, Victoire?"
The old man raised his somewhat cloudy eyes.
"That's me."
Lu Kang took the opportunity to turn his gaze to the renowned old gentleman of the alchemical world. "I am Victoire."
"And, most likely, one of the forces you are hoping for in the French mystic side's resistance against the invasion of the English magical world."
Yes.
[Although Prelati did not mention the purpose of her leading you to visit her old friend on this journey, based on what you have seen and heard along the way, you had already guessed.]
[In your impression, the European mystic side has always been controlled by the Magus Association and the Church. The Magus Association has always proclaimed that magecraft has no borders—but you know that while magecraft may have no borders, magi certainly do.]
[Even if most magi do not care for the bonds of the mundane world, when their own interests are harmed, they will inevitably fight back.]
[And in this old era, mystery belonged to the few, and even more so to the upper class of the era, to the nobles of the various nations—just like Gilles de Rais who would later follow the Saint, and just like your mother's original family, who could hire Prelati.]
[Even if mystery needs to be concealed, there are many forms of warfare, and the methods of magi are more than enough to keep their struggles hidden from ordinary people.]
[But along the way, you did not see many magi.]
[You knew this was not normal.]
[It was not until you set foot in this city of Paris,]
[And saw Nicolas Flamel living in this city,]
[That you finally understood.]
[It wasn't that there were no magi, but that most of the magi in France had already gathered in this capital city.]
[At this stage, with the Kingdom of England controlling the five coastal ports in northern France and the entire English Channel,]
[Paris, located in the north, was itself on the front line of a war that could break out at any moment.]
[And it was the front line of a war that had already begun.]
[A national war on the mystic side, unknown to the world.]
[You think this might explain why your current location, this alchemical workshop belonging to Nicolas Flamel, is in a state of having no magical defenses whatsoever—because there have been too many outside visitors here recently.]
[You think this is probably why Nicolas Flamel was not surprised to see you.]
[You are very confident that your deduction is correct.]
Silence.
As Lu Kang spoke his words one by one, sentence by sentence, as he laid out all that he had seen, heard, and deduced on his journey, the ancient shop fell into a momentary silence.
Meeting Nicolas Flamel's astonished gaze, Prelati suppressed a gleeful laugh, reining in the amusement she felt.
She just said, "Don't look at me like that."
"I strictly followed your so-called confidentiality agreement—I didn't reveal a single thing to him on the way here."
What Prelati loved to see most were the surprised, shocked, even angry, terrified, and despairing expressions of others!
To her, it was a magnificent performance.
An eight-year-old boy, speaking with such confidence.
It was clear that everything came from himself, from his own deductions.
"This is... truly astonishing," Nicolas Flamel couldn't help but say.
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