Upon arrival, King Park Byung-eun was overcome with a violent coughing fit, as if his very life hung in the balance. The mystical alchemist bowed deeply, his expression respectful.
"*I've heard you've been attempting to master a new kind of spell*," the king managed to say between coughs, his voice strained, as he leaned to one side of the palace throne.
"*It's nothing grand, just a trick I dabbled in for amusement. Hardly worthy of being called a spell*," the mystical alchemist replied, his tone bold yet laced with respect, careful not to overstep his bounds before the ailing king.
"*I know I can't ask for eternal life, but it pains me that I have no heir*," the king whispered, his coughs punctuating the sorrow in his voice.
"*I wish you a swift recovery*," the mystical alchemist replied, bowing deeper, his tone filled with genuine goodwill despite the formality.
The king's eyes gleamed with a calculating intensity, his voice low and deliberate. "*I can't do much in this frail state, but… if I were to inhabit a body that's young and healthy*," he trailed off, the unspoken implication hanging in the air like a challenge—or a warning. The mystical alchemist's expression remained impassive, but a flicker of wariness danced in his eyes.
"*There is no art or spell that allows humans to switch bodies*," the mystical alchemist replied, his voice firm but respectful, as he bowed slightly to decline the king's request. His tone was measured, leaving no room for negotiation, yet his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity about the king's intentions.
The king's head tilted slightly, his eyes locking onto the mystical alchemist with an unblinking gaze. A sly, knowing smirk spread across his face, as if he held a secret the alchemist couldn't quite grasp. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with unspoken implications.
"*Don't play coy, Master Alchemist*," the king's voice dripped with calculated intent. "*I know you've been experimenting with soul transference. I want to be the one to benefit from it*."
The mystical alchemist's expression remained unreadable, but a flicker of wariness danced in his eyes, sensing the dangerous waters he was being pulled into.
"*The Alchemy of Souls*," the king repeated, his voice low and heavy with anticipation.
The mystical alchemist's composure faltered for a moment. He bowed his head slowly, then snapped it back up, eyes wide with a mix of shock and wariness. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as their gazes locked, the silence between them almost palpable.
In that fleeting moment, the mystical alchemist saw something in the king's eyes—a hunger, a desperation—that made his heart sink. He knew then that the king would stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
"*That's the forbidden Alchemy of Souls. If a soul clashes with a foreign body, it could turn into a malevolent spirit—a wild being beyond control. How could I dare risk the king's soul for such a gamble?*"
The mystical alchemist's words hung in the air, a mixture of caution and dread. The king's eyes gleamed with an unnerving intensity.
"*How about your body?*" the king asked, his voice low and deliberate, as if the very suggestion was both a test and a temptation.
The mystical alchemist's face went blank, his mind racing with the implications. The king's proposal was not just reckless—it was madness.
The mystical alchemist's eyes widened in horror, his brows shooting up toward his forehead as he stared at the king in utter disbelief. His face was a canvas of shock, his expression screaming a thousand unspoken warnings.
The king's suggestion hung in the air like a poisoned dagger, its deadly edge gleaming with madness. The mystical alchemist's lips parted as if to protest, but no words came out—only a silent, incredulous stare that seemed to beg the king to reconsider.
The king's voice cut through the stunned silence, his words dripping with an unnerving confidence. "*Us switch bodies for just seven days*," he declared, his eyes gleaming with a mix of desperation and anticipation.
The mystical alchemist's face remained frozen, his mind reeling at the king's audacity. Before he could utter a word of protest or caution, the king continued, his tone unbending. "*That's all I'm asking. Seven days*."
The air felt thick with unspoken consequences, the weight of the king's proposal settling heavily upon the mystical alchemist's shoulders. He knew that even a temporary switch could unravel the very fabric of their beings, but the king seemed beyond reason, driven by some darker impulse.
The king's demeanor shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to deflect the mystical alchemist's question. "How did you know about that?" It was left unspoken, but the surprise was evident on his face. Instead, he opted to play the power card, using his royal authority to try and intimidate the alchemist into compliance. "I am a king protected by the skies," he declared, implying divine sanction and invincibility. The air was thick with tension as the two locked eyes, each waiting for the other to blink.
The king's words dripped with persuasion, each phrase a subtle manipulation. "*And after seven days, you can turn things back*," he promised, his voice smooth as silk. The mystical alchemist's resolve wavered, his mind torn between the risks and the king's flattering words about his mastery. The king's persistence had planted a seed of temptation, and for the first time, the alchemist found himself considering the forbidden switch.
The king's voice boomed through the palace halls, "*Joo Sang-uk, give this king a different body!*" His stern gaze pierced through the mystical alchemist, demanding compliance. The air grew thick with anticipation as the king descended from his throne, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. He stood before Joo Sang-uk, his presence imposing, his eyes burning with an unyielding desire. The silence was oppressive, heavy with the weight of the king's expectation, as he awaited Joo Sang-uk's response...