"The—Arcanists?" Amanises asked a tentative question. Wanting a clarification on this strange name.
"That's right!" Responded the still excited Daly Simone with her usual smug, refusing to further expand on it.
She continued. "Let's make our way in. The alchemist and I will explain everything, don't worry. Everything will make sense soon."
The doors to the so-called Alchemy room were just as complicated but not as grand as the captain's room. In fact, their symbols were slightly glowing, apparently not just for mere decoration.
The grand doors opened, letting whatever strange smell was there, scatter on the outside. It was thick and smoky-like.
Cough, cough. She fluttered her hand over her nose, trying to waft it away.
She threw a glance inside the room and— This looks just like an antique chemistry lab!
That's right! It was nothing more than an old, wooden style chemistry lab from her old world. What more could she expect?
A sudden voice was heard. "Ah! I'm so sorry!! I thought it'd work this time!" It sounded like it belonged to a young man in his mid-twenties.
And her guess was nothing but right.
Trying to rearrange the cluster of broken vials and scattered documents, was a handsome young man, with dark-brown messy hair, wearing a light blue robe with silver accents and a pair of steampunk round goggles hanging from his neck.
He had light gray eyes, his face was mostly covered in few, but noticeable, freckles. Underneath the light blue robe, he had a white button up shirt paired with dark brown classical pants held with a thick belt.
The young man rapidly turned around and flashed a smile at the two women. "Ah hello there! Sorry for all that. I promise it won't happen again."
Putting away the documents and the non shattered remaining vials, he strode towards them in huge steps.
"Miss Daly! It's been a while! The charms you requested will be done in two days, it's still early to collect them." He turned around and gave a confused look towards the stranger. Then, as a comical not-yet-existing-in-this-era lightbulb turned on in his head, his smile became even wider.
"Oh! You must be the newcomer! Evelyn right?"
"I—" But she couldn't respond back, before her hand was suddenly snatched by him.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! Where are my manners?" He gave her hand a light peck and raised his gaze, peeking under his well-defined brows. "Nice meeting you. I'm Theodore Maxwell, my lady, a Savant."
She gave a slight bow, holding the side of her skirt in reciprocation. Then gently retracted her hand, while commenting in jest.
"Is 'Savant' your sequence name or profession?" Her eyebrow nearly curled up.
"Hehe. Both, my lady!" He chuckled.
She reverted back to her noble days, when greeting enthusiastic young men seemed like a daily occurrence. She placed her hands on her stomach and gave a more suitable greeting once again.
"Well, it's nice meeting you too, sir Theodore."
But the man in question waved her professionalism out the window. "Oh please. You can just refer to me as Theo. We are coworkers now, anyway."
Daly Simone, who was simply watching for the side, interrupted their small conversation. "All great now. But, lady Evelyn still has to choose her potion today. Otherwise she might return back home at dawn."
Something clicked in Theodore's head. He hurriedly returned back to the Alchemy room and began searching through numerous cabinets and bookshelves.
What is he looking for now?
After a good minutes of rummaging, his head perked up, in one of his gloved hands was a dossier. It didn't seem to be stacked with papers, only a few were inside.
"Come on and choose a potion! We gave all the choices here!" He signaled to the dossier.
"All of them?" Eyebrows raised in question.
Daly shook her head and responded instead of the savant. "Not actually, just the one we have the Sequence 9 formula and ingredients at hand. There are a total of 22 pathways but not every single one of them is on the good side."
Not on the good side? What does she mean by that?
"We have only 10 available for consumption." She clarified.
10?! That's already more than I would've thought.
Amansies moved over to the Savant's desk and picked up the dossier. She spread the pages inside and sure enough—there were ten total.
Seer, Apprentice, Corpse Collector, Sleepless, Mystery Prier, Savant, Hunter, Monster, Spectator, and lastly, Reader.
What a wide range of potions! How am I supposed to choose only one?
She would've rather have less options to choose from than this.
"Hard choice eh?" Pointed out Daly.
"You can read the specifics of each pathway and find one that's most suitable for you." Mentioned Theodore, who stood quite nervously beside her.
Hmmm. Hard choice indeed. She picked up the first file. Seer—amazing divination skills and spiritual intuition, bad suited for combat. She picked up the second one. Apprentice—good spirituality, has the ability to pass through walls, not as bad at combat. Third, Corpse Collector—good spirituality, afraid of sunlight, pretty good for combat.
She threw a glance at Daly, who stood a bit further from the desk. This must be her pathway.
The forth file. Sleepless—as the name suggests the one who consumes this potion only requires 4 hours of sleep, they gain a physical enhancement during night-time and good spirituality.
She read the rest of the files, each potion had their own ups and downs, therefore she quickly reached a conclusion.
None sound as well-rounded as Sleepless, not to mention that, if I can cut down on sleep, I won't have to stay in the nightmarescape that much.
Unfortunately, that was not enough evidence to solidify her option. Amanises was still cautious, she cannot afford to be stuck with a potion she would soon grow to regret.
"What about the higher sequences?" She asked both members present.
Theodore made a strange expression while Daly shrugged. "You can never even be sure you're not gonna lose control from the sequence 9 potion, yet you're already thinking higher?"
"L-lose control?" She was aware of the dangers Beyonders faced, but only now did the aftereffects of her spontaneous decision come bite her in the ass.
Daly chuckled. "Don't worry too much. If you follow instructions and remain calm, the danger can be subdued."
Amanises gave a sheepish smile. "That still doesn't answer my questions about the higher sequences though."
Daly threw her hands up in defeat. "Well, aside from Corpse Collector, I don't know either. All that's known to me is that The Arcanists have the complete pathway recipes for Seer, Sleepless and Monster. That suffices?"
Not really. She lampooned inwardly.
Amanises gave a more in-depth analysis over her choices. She's right. I can't be sure I'll survive sequence 9, its too early to think about it in the long run.
She couldn't help but ruminate over it.
Sleepless does sound good...
She picked up the file of that potion and read it top to bottom. While doing that, Daly chimed in once again.
"Sleepless huh? Actually the captain also chose this pathway."
Her ears perked up. "Wait. Really?"
Daly nodded. "Yup." Refusing to elaborate further.
Should I ask him why he chose it? If I stall any longer, Daly might explode from the anticipation.
She noticed how the other woman's hands started to tremble a bit. Daly bit her lip to calm herself down.
"Actually I know what sequence 7 of this pathway is called." Daly Simone walked towards her and spoke softly in her ear. "Nightmare."
That word curated any doubts Amanises may have held up until now. The colorless river she had nightmares about ever since her transmigration surely must've held some secrets. Perhaps the Nightmare potion might help her uncover.
Or—she would advance enough to not need any sleep whatsoever, not even having the nightmare again.
She pressed the file on the messy desk with the full of her palm and said firmly.
"I choose Sleepless."
***
Empress Borough, in the villa of Viscount Glaint.
Audrey Hall, dressed in a gorgeous creme dress with blue accents, was seated at a tea table alongside some of her high-class friends.
Viscount Glaint seems more cheerful than ever, his investments must've paid off.
Lady Clair seems expectant, she wants us to comment on her new jewelry that her father bought last week.
Miss Dushten is happier than usual too, but I can't figure out any change, her perfume smells the same, and her dress is the one she wore two parties ago too.
There is no new jewelry I should take note of either.
Hmmm...
As Audrey kept pondering over the situation of her friend using her Spectator abilities, Viscount Glaint was one step ahead and chose to ask instead.
"Miss Dushten, you're quite happy today? What's happened lately?"
The dark long haired Miss Dushten gave a wide, happy smile and spoke in a cheerful tone: "Oh, you noticed? I didn't think I was being so transparent!
"I would like to invite you all to a mysticism gathering at my new personal house soon!" She exclaimed in delight.
Audrey and Viscount Glaint exchanged a look with each other, Audrey optioned to speak this time.
"Mysticism Gathering? What do you mean by that?"
There's no way she would know about Beyonders so soon, right?
Miss Dushten clarified: "My father just bought a mansion, the one in which a recent mass murder happened. Many who heard about it say that you can still hear the screams of the servants inside!"
Haah. Audrey was horrified. Not because of the story, but the gruesome way Miss Dushten was speaking about it.
Like it was some sort of tale one says to bed, instead of an actual tragedy that happened just a few days ago!
Audrey stretched the back of her head and said with restraint: "Actually, I'm going to be busy the next few weeks! My father requests my help in managing the bank. He says it's some sort of training, just-in-case. Hehe—"
Viscount Glaint nodded in a rapid manner. "I'm also extremely busy! I'm so sorry, my lady but I really have no time!"
Miss Dushten gave a disheartened sigh but Lady Clair put her hands over the hers.
"Don't worry, I'm completely free! I'll come, for sure!" She reassured Miss Dushten in a soft breathy voice.
In the meantime, Audrey Hall couldn't help but think:
Wonder what Miss Death would think, knowing her house is used as teenagers' horror attraction?