"Young Miss, this is simply amazing you've obtained a feather from a Guardian Beast," Jennifer said, her eyes wide with awe as she gently lifted a flask that Cynthia had handed to her. "But… I still struggle to understand why go to the trouble of strengthening it?"
"Jennifer," Cynthia called, her voice even but focused.
"Yes, Young Miss?"
"What do you know of alchemy?" Cynthia asked as she placed a translucent strip of paper onto the table, adjusting the arm of a magnifying lens fixed to an articulated stand. The lens clicked softly as it angled downward, letting her inspect the fine fibers of the strip beneath it.
Jennifer paused for a moment, thinking. "Not much, honestly. I have no affinity for the craft. All I know is that ingredients, time, and frankly luck are key to getting results. I suppose that's the general consensus, isn't it?"
Cynthia smiled slightly, her eyes still behind the glass. "A fine answer, Jennifer. And you're right that is the widely held belief, and also the one I subscribe to. But because of that uncertainty, I take every precaution to work only with the finest and most compatible materials. Most failures in alchemy come from poor synergy quality, not just quantity, determines whether a reaction melds... or breaks."
Jennifer nodded, watching as Cynthia's attention returned to the translucent strip under the lens.
"So then," Jennifer said after a moment, "does that mean you'll be collecting ingredients more frequently now? Even more than you did back at the manor?"
"Indeed," Cynthia replied as she reached out to take the flask from Jennifer. "At the estate, I was permitted to observe the world of Mystics, yes, but never to fully immerse myself. That boundary no longer exists. Here in Lumenoth, I am not just an observer I am a participant. And that changes everything."
She dipped a thin glass pipette into the amber liquid inside the flask, drawing out a measured amount before letting a few drops fall onto the strip. The liquid darkened as it soaked into the fibers, and after a few moments, a subtle golden tint shimmered across the surface.
Cynthia then picked up a rune-scribing pen she had acquired from the market and began inscribing arcane symbols onto the strip, using the liquid as ink. Jennifer stood silently, observing with quiet reverence. Each stroke Cynthia made was deliberate, slow but confident. Her movements were precise almost ritualistic.
As time passed, Cynthia periodically reapplied ink to the pen and continued her delicate inscription work. It seemed like hours had passed before she finally leaned back, exhaling a long breath.
Jennifer stepped forward and gently dabbed a cloth against Cynthia's brow. "How is it coming along, Young Miss?" she asked.
"Almost finished," Cynthia murmured. "Just one final character left to complete."
She adjusted the magnifying lens to a different angle, dipped the pipette into the flask once more, and resumed her work. Just as her pen hovered over the final glyph, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Jennifer, see who it is," Cynthia said without looking up.
"Yes, Young Miss."
Jennifer crossed the lab quietly and opened the door just a sliver to peek outside. She found Opal standing there, expression composed. Upon recognizing her, Jennifer opened the door wider and stepped aside.
"The Young Miss is still working. Wait until she finishes or until she acknowledges you," Jennifer whispered. Opal gave a curt nod of understanding, stepping into the room silently.
Together, they stood nearby, not daring to disturb the final moments of Cynthia's concentration.
After a time, a soft golden glow began to radiate from the strip. The entire room seemed to hold its breath as the light intensified then slowly faded, leaving behind a sequence of gleaming gold runes etched into the strip, the black ink completely transformed.
Cynthia carefully lifted the strip, moved the lens aside, and examined both sides with her unaided eyes.
"Opal, welcome back," she said at last, her eyes still scanning the shimmering runes. "What did you bring me?"
Opal stepped forward and extended both hands. Between them was a thick, leather-bound tome.
"I was entrusted with what is called the Arcane Lexicon of Beasts, Young Miss. It contains the most comprehensive body of knowledge on Mystic, Spirit, and Battle Beasts currently known."
"And Tet claims that this one book is all I'll need for what I asked?" Cynthia asked as she rose from her seat, carefully setting the completed strip down on the table. She made her way toward Opal and Jennifer, her steps steady.
"Yes, Young Miss," Opal replied, "From the way he spoke and carried himself, it seemed he believed this tome to be not only sufficient, but perhaps the only material truly worth your attention."
Cynthia took the hefty tome from Opal's hands, weighing it in her grip before running her fingers along the ancient leather binding.
"I see," she murmured. "Well, if Tet is that confident, who am I to doubt him? As the library's custodian, he likely knows the full scope of what resides within its walls and what best suits my purpose."
She unclasped the leather strap that kept the massive volume sealed, the latch giving a soft click. But just as she was about to begin her inspection, a different set of mechanical clicks echoed through the lab.
The three women turned toward the sound.
From the other end of the room, Vesan stirred. The deep black voids where his eyes once seemed dormant began to glow with a soft cerulean light. Slowly, the glowing shapes refined into clearly defined eyes, and his form floated forward, elegant and silent, until he hovered just before Cynthia.
"The information you requested has been compiled," Vesan reported, his voice calm yet tinged with synthetic precision. "It is now ready for review."
Cynthia nodded in approval, holding the tome slightly higher for him to see. "Excellent timing. This is the material I mentioned. I trust it holds what you were waiting for."
"Understood," Vesan responded. A soft beam of blue light pulsed from his glowing eyes, enveloping the tome. It lifted gently from Cynthia's hands and floated through the air before settling onto the central table.
The beam's hue shifted subtly as Vesan began to scan the contents, pages flipping with crisp, fluid motions as the text and diagrams were absorbed into his system.
Jennifer and Opal watched.
"Young Miss… what exactly is that golem doing?" Opal asked, eyes narrowed in curiosity.
Cynthia, her arms folded as she observed the process, replied without turning.
"That isn't a golem, not quite. Vesan shares a conceptual similarity, but he is far more complex. Right now, he's processing and storing the tome's contents. It's more than reading, he's... ingesting the knowledge."
The room returned to silence, filled only with the occasional rustle of a turning page and the soft hum of Vesan's scanning energy.