Chapter 64
Luke Aegis, descendant of the great hero Aegis who protected countless people from the witch, had always wished to be someone who could help others since his childhood.
Thus, upon discovering that he had a talent for healing magic, he dedicated himself to becoming a doctor.
However, after becoming a doctor, he realized there were far too many people he couldn’t save even with the healing magic he had been praised for since he was young.
The majority of these individuals were heroes who had to fight monsters directly in the border regions or outside the protective barriers.
These heroes, who risked their lives to protect others, often arrived with injuries that even the most skilled doctors found difficult to treat.
Every time these brave souls were carried away from the operating table as cold corpses, Luke felt a sense of helplessness wash over him.
To save just a few more lives, he obtained a doctorate in medicine and studied everything that might help, but while his reputation grew, the number of lives he couldn’t save only increased.
Feeling the limitations of his medical skills, he took a short break from work and attended a college alumni meeting.
It was there that Luke reunited with Sator after a long time.
Although they weren’t particularly close, they were somewhat aware of each other, having both been referred to as geniuses that appeared once a century in their respective fields during their student days.
Perhaps it was because he wanted to confide in someone, but Luke, who usually wouldn’t touch alcohol, had a drink and, slightly tipsy, grabbed Sator, who was loitering nearby, to share his worries.
Sator looked at Luke for a moment before speaking.
“I’ve been researching something recently, and if I finish it, I think it could help you achieve your goal. But I can’t do it alone; I need the help of someone excellent in medicine like you. Would you be willing to assist?”
When Luke nodded, Sator, with a contemplative expression, hesitated and said in a cautious tone.
“The problem is, this is a very sensitive subject. I need to know how committed you are.”
Luke replied that he would do anything if it meant saving people.
Sator smiled and said,
“I hope you truly mean that.”
After the alumni meeting, Luke followed Sator to a large research facility, having sworn not to disclose anything to anyone outside the project.
As Sator manipulated something, a wall turned, revealing a hidden space.
As Luke stood in shock, Sator chuckled softly.
“It’s still too early to be surprised. The real thing starts now.”
Inside what looked like a hidden laboratory, Sator picked up a transparent vial containing what appeared to be pieces of black charcoal.
Holding it up for Luke to see, he continued.
“You know that Astra defeated the Witch of Wrath, right? This is a fragment of her heart that Astra kept. Don’t be too shocked. We’ve investigated and found that it still has a strong energy but doesn’t seem to be harmful to people. Luke, have you ever wondered just how strong witches must be compared to monsters? That’s what I’ve been thinking about.”
Sator smiled.
“Imagine if we could create a combat weapon with powers as strong as a witch’s using this. If such weapons could fight in place of people, the number of injuries caused by monsters would drastically decrease, saving countless lives. What do you think? If you want to back out, now’s your chance.”
While the thought of using remnants of a witch made him uneasy, Luke found it to be a compelling idea.
And that was the moment Luke stepped onto the path of the ‘Witch Weaponization Project.’
*
There are golems that can regenerate indefinitely as long as their magic core remains intact, though they can’t perform complex maneuvers.
A photo of the first experimental subject that Sator had worked on alone showed a golem made of metal.
“They were too clumsy and couldn’t harness the power of the fragment I used as a core. So I thought maybe a shape resembling a human would be better, and I created one. It seemed better than the first, but ultimately, it was a failure. I tried to improve it, but with my lack of medical knowledge, it was challenging.”
The second experimental subject Sator showed was a golem resembling a human form, made of flesh instead of metal.
Sator asked Luke for his help.
“I’d like to confirm if a human-like form is suitable; could you create a body that’s more similar to a human?”
The third experimental subject made to meet that requirement resembled a normal adult male.
“Well, the problem is that golems can only follow simple commands.”
The third subject, creaking as it moved, was disposed of.
“Do you know about the homunculi that ancient wizards studied?”
Luke was aware of them too.
In modern times, their research was applied to cultivate artificial bodies to replace lost ones.
Homunculi were significantly more challenging to create than golems, but they were capable of performing far more complex tasks and were sometimes used as assistants to wizards in the past.
“This seems to be the correct path. However, their durability is still too low for use as weapons.”
Although they appeared to understand more complex commands than golems, the fourth and fifth subjects created to test durability often fell apart even under simple orders.
Subjects four and five were discarded after failing the durability tests.
While no one had yet succeeded in cultivating superhuman artificial bodies, the two scholars managed to create a strong body using several spells and treatments.
Though it was a major discovery, their research findings were never published in academia due to the nature of the work.
“Now that the durability issue is resolved, we’re having problems with the fragments.”
The sixth subject, which passed the durability test, couldn’t withstand the energy emanating from the fragments embedded near its heart and died during a seizure.
“I thought it was appropriate to embed the fragments directly into the heart, but it seems the energy is too potent to endure. Perhaps we should spread them out.”
The seventh subject, with fragments placed in both hands, both feet, the head, heart, and lower abdomen, did not suffer any convulsions but still couldn’t harness the witch’s power.
“It seems it might be better if the form resembled that of a witch. How about making it female?”
The eighth subject, the first to be female, showed a slightly increased strength but still couldn’t use any abilities, leading to its disposal.
“I hear the Witch of Wrath had the appearance of a girl with black hair and red eyes.”
When a ninth experimental subject was created with that appearance, it seemed a bit stronger but was ultimately discarded for the same reason.
Through continuous experiments and sustained research, they improved the system, allowing movement through magic instead of sustenance, making the body progressively more weapon-like. However, without the ability to utilize the witch’s powers, it was merely a slightly tougher superhuman.
Amidst a string of failures, Sator proposed,
“… Luke, how about creating a homunculus with emotions?”
The creation of emotionless homunculi was already being met with skepticism in modern ethical discussions. Constructing one with emotions had been a strict taboo for a long time.
Luke knew it was something he should never do.
Yet, he felt exhausted.
He was tired of treating the experimental subjects he created in human form, which often ended up destroyed in the name of durability testing.
He had grown accustomed to the ghastly smell that came from incinerating the deceased subjects.
He was filled with doubt about whether what he was doing was genuinely right.
Extreme stress can sometimes drive a person to madness.
That day, Luke crossed the line he had set for himself.
He recalled a question he had once asked Sator.
Why were the experimental subjects named the way they were?
Sator had replied that he derived the names from a book about the Witch of Wrath.
A homunculus with black hair and red eyes, endowed with emotions.
Abbreviated, Experimental Subject No. 10.
Officially named, Evangeline Decimus. And so, she was born.
*
After school, Sylvia left a message for her attendant waiting in front of the school.
[I have to stop by somewhere, so please don’t wait and go ahead.]
The attendant would probably wonder what was going on and search for her for a while, but she was already walking down the street, following Yoon Si-woo after slipping out the back door.
Since she had impulsively submitted her admission application to Aegis Academy, this was her most significant act of defiance, and her heart raced.
‘By the way, is it a hospital visit?’
Sylvia discreetly glanced at Yoon Si-woo, who wore a worried expression.
‘It’s concerning to have a guy with such ulterior motives near Lady Scarlet…’
Especially considering he was the one who had previously tried to drive a wedge between her and Scarlet.
But it was also he who knew about the hospital visit and had Scarlet’s address, so she had no choice but to go with him.
Matching Yoon Si-woo’s quick pace, Sylvia tried to glare at him without making it obvious until she spotted something glinting on the ground in the distance.
Upon closer inspection, it was a familiar red ring.
If her suspicions were correct, this item shouldn’t be lying on the ground at all.
Quickly darting ahead of Yoon Si-woo, she picked up the ring and checked the inscription inside.
It was likely a phrase unique to this pair of rings, probably the only one of its kind in the world.
Suddenly, she recalled the image of Scarlet nonchalantly removing the ring and throwing it on the ground.
‘No way!’
Shaking her head to dispel the bad thoughts, Sylvia noticed a little dark red smudge on the decorative part of the ring.
A mark that, as an adventurer, she had no choice but to recognize.
It was blood.
Sylvia’s heart raced ominously.
Relatively strong in her own right, Scarlet hadn’t shown up at school today without any warning, and now there was this blood-stained ring lying on the street.
No matter how she looked at it, there was nothing good to be derived from this situation.
Suddenly, the memory of Yoon Si-woo’s ability from their previous field training flickered in her mind.
‘He said that if something like this existed, he could tell where she was…’
Holding the ring out to Yoon Si-woo, who looked perplexed by her sudden action, he instinctively pulled out a dagger from the air as his expression turned serious.
And Sylvia knew that his shifting expression confirmed her worst fears.
For the first time, his handsome face looked so menacing.
Yoon Si-woo spoke in a low voice.
“Scarlet is outside the barrier, hanging with chains around her limbs… She seems to have been kidnapped.”
Sylvia was sure her expression mirrored his.
Who would be crazy enough to kidnap a hero?
Normally, protocol called for reporting and waiting in situations like this.
But there was no saying if the heroes responding to the report would arrive in time.
Fortunately, two individuals were present who had reputedly greater strength than most active heroes.
Sylvia quietly made eye contact with Yoon Si-woo.
He nodded as if he was thinking the same thing.
In the next moment, Yoon Si-woo swooped in and picked up Sylvia, dashing through the street.
*
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