Morning sunlight pierced through the curtains, landing on Noel's face. He squinted his eyes open, reluctant to get up. How blissful it was to be able to laze in bed a little longer.
Waking up early was truly torture. The body's lingering attachment to the warmth of the bed was forcibly overridden by will, commanding it to get up and move. It was a harsh realization.
Noel first went to check on Mond's room. The old man was still dead drunk, snoring loudly, the redness on his face having subsided, but the heavy stench of alcohol in the room was still unbearable.
Right, the training plan… What did Master say yesterday again? Oh no, all his attention had been on the barbecue, and he hadn't actually listened. Now he was in an awkward position.
But beyond the training, Noel had the feeling there was something else planned for today. It was just a hunch, the intuition of an alchemist.
"Master, time to get up." Noel shook Mond's shoulder.
Mond had been sleeping comfortably, but suddenly felt the world spinning as he opened his eyes, only to find someone shaking his head vigorously.
Without thinking, Mond responded by smacking Noel on the head. "Oww! Master, what was that for?!"
"What do you mean, what for? What time is it?" Mond demanded, suddenly alert.
"It's almost nine. Is there something important? Does the time matter that much?" Noel asked, confused.
"Of course it matters. We need to set up the magic circle now. You'll assist me, but listen carefully—this circle is extremely important, so pay close attention," Mond said seriously.
Noel wasn't sure what was happening. He had never seen Mond this serious before, so it must have been a critical matter. But could he really assist with something like this after only seven days of learning alchemy?
He nervously counted on his fingers. It's only been seven days since I started… and I'm already an assistant for something like this?
Mond hurried down to the underground storage to fetch materials, while Noel, following Mond's instructions, found a clear space outside the alchemy workshop.
They hauled out a large pile of equipment, and together they began to prepare the area. Noel glanced at the diagram for the magic circle—and was immediately overwhelmed by its complexity.
Why is it so complicated? The circle was divided into four sections, each containing eight smaller circles within it, forming a massive structure. What kind of magic circle is this?
But then, he noticed the word offering written in the corner. Offering… offering… Noel repeated under his breath. If it required an offering, it was most likely some kind of summoning circle.
Is Master trying to summon a demon? But as he studied the flow of the lines, it didn't resemble any demonic summoning circle he had read about. His head hurt trying to figure it out.
While Noel was still staring at the diagram, Mond had already begun drawing the circle. It was Noel's first time witnessing Mond personally inscribe a magic circle.
Though Mond had taught him theory, seeing him work in person was entirely different.
Being personally guided by his master would be a valuable experience. Noel's own attempts at drawing magic circles were still rough, and for something of this scale and precision, he knew he couldn't manage it.
But Mond worked with practiced ease, calmly and efficiently. It appeared he was starting with the four core circles, intending to build out from them, using them as anchors to complete the four interconnected sectors, which would then feed into the central core.
Without such precise control, it would have been wiser to start with the central core first, as most alchemists wouldn't have the skill to keep the structure stable otherwise.
Noel was completely absorbed in watching the process, but he realized this method was beyond his current capabilities.
"Still standing there spacing out? Get over here and help," Mond snapped.
"Help? With what?" Noel stammered, completely lost. "Isn't the circle already complete? There's no need for me to modify anything, right? If I, a mere apprentice, mess with something this intricate, wouldn't it be a disaster?"
"It seems you still don't understand," Mond sighed, realizing he hadn't explained clearly enough. His apprentice was talented, but it was unreasonable to expect him to grasp everything just from looking at the diagram.
"Let me ask you another way—do you know what this circle is for?" Mond's tone softened.
"It's a summoning circle, isn't it?" Noel replied.
"You actually figured that out? Impressive." Mond raised an eyebrow, surprised at how much Noel had absorbed in just a few days.
"I'm happy you're praising me, Master, but can you please explain what exactly you need me to do? Do you really expect me to play a decisive role in this ritual?"
Mond had always been kind to him, but his methods could be a little strange. Given the word "offering" on the diagram, a terrifying thought crossed Noel's mind: Am I the offering?
"Master… there's no danger to my life, right?" Noel asked hesitantly.
"It's just a summoning circle; what danger could there possibly be?" Mond blinked, puzzled by Noel's sudden fear. "What's gotten into you today? Normally, you'd catch on immediately when I explain something."
Did that smack to the head this morning damage his brain? Surely not…
"Oh, so there's no danger…" Noel let out a breath of relief. "But Master, what exactly are you planning to do with this circle? It's scary when you don't explain anything, and for a moment, I thought you might sacrifice me or something…"
Mond nearly choked. "Why would I sacrifice you for no reason? Human sacrifice is illegal, and I'd never do something like that. Actually, this circle only requires a bit of your blood. It's a blood-based summoning circle."
"It may look complicated, but the principle is quite simple. The main goal is to call upon a spirit and receive its blessing."
Seeing Noel's confusion, Mond continued, "This circle will summon a Wind Spirit. Remember how I taught you the principles behind magic circles? With a spirit's blessing, your magic will become more stable and powerful. You can even summon spirits to aid you in combat."
"Master… are you sure I can actually pull this off?" Noel asked, uncertain.
He understood that everything in the world had a spirit, but to give birth to a conscious spirit required an immense amount of energy.
In other words, a spirit was the manifestation of an element's will, the convergence of the world's elements into sentience.
Spirits were known to be proud beings. How could a human hope to form a contract with one? It was a daunting thought, and he had no idea how he was supposed to face such a spirit if it truly appeared.
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