Historia exhaled deeply, her face momentarily clouded with a hazy look of bliss.

“This is really good... My arm doesn’t hurt anymore, and my head feels so clear. I feel like my strength is returning…”

“Nyaa~ So nice,” purred Nabi in response, her contented meow following Historia's words.

Maximilien furrowed his brow, spotting Nabi lazing around in a narrow corner, surrounded by piles of magical herbs.

A solution to resist addiction: indulge beforehand. It worked.

Though, I was a bit concerned by how much Historia had smoked. How much had she taken to have her eyes unfocused like that?

“That’s just an illusion. Your arm doesn’t hurt because you’re numbed to the pain, and your head feels clear because you're getting addicted to the magical herb,” I pointed out.

Historia only giggled and waved the herb at me.

“No, really. It feels way better than the first time. Why do you think that is?”

“Magical herbs are like a matchstick that lights up your happiest memories. If it feels good now, it means your current state is so miserable that you shouldn’t get too comfortable.”

“All your fault. The only reason I’m smoking this, and that my life is so messed up, is because I got tangled up in your mess.”

“Huh?”

This was odd. It felt like she was reading my thoughts, but she was speaking aloud. I hadn’t even used my mind-reading ability.

She seemed to enjoy the surprised look on my face because she chuckled, took another puff, and let out a long, sweet sigh.

“Haa… Wanna take a puff too?”

“Don’t act all generous when that’s what I gave you. Hand over what’s left.”

“Pfft. So stingy. There’s no ‘yours’ or ‘mine’ with magical herbs. We’re supposed to share.”

The way she smiled—so carefree—felt jarringly out of place. How many mental barriers had crumbled from the drugs? It was unsettling how much a little herb could change someone.

While I was momentarily at a loss for words, Maximilien scrutinized the herb Historia held and gasped in shock.

“Is that... a leaf of the World Tree?! How did you obtain it? No, who gave it to you?!”

Historia, still smiling like a fool, shrugged.

“I don’t know… Why should I care who gave it to me? I just smoke it.”

“That’s impossible! Nothing from the Kings of Trees and Grass can escape the dominion of the Enlightened Ones! How did the World Tree’s leaves get out? It’s unthinkable!”

“Maybe one of them gave it to me. Wait, Huey, you gave it to me, right? Haha, Huey, are you one of the Enlightened Ones?”

Her answer, as nonsensical as ever, caused Maximilien to shake his head in frustration. Even he gave up on extracting any sense from her.

“In the end, even this question hinges on the Human King. There’s yet another reason to secure him.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

The mirth on Historia’s face vanished in an instant. The air seemed to cool several degrees as she dropped her smile. Every time she muttered, the magical herb in her mouth bobbed up and down.

“That damned bastard, he starts everything but runs away when it matters, leaving the mess for everyone else... But still, those were my best times.”

As she finished speaking, Historia launched herself into the air. No need for a running start—she landed effortlessly atop the six-meter-high Steel Beetle, taking a deep breath as she stood up.

Maximilien spoke.

“A hopeless affection. He’s the Human King. He won’t be swayed by mere individuals.”

“Human King or not, that doesn’t matter. It’s my memory. I won’t let the Director ruin it!”

This is why people should always put their best face forward. Look at this—my past actions are coming to help me in the present.

Though, I do feel like I’m receiving more help than I’ve given. Guess I’ll have to rise to the occasion too, as a decent human being.

I stopped what I was doing and climbed back up onto the Steel Beetle. Walking slowly, I positioned myself behind Historia as if to back her up. Azi, who had been chasing gears, noticed me, hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside me, his muscles tensed.

The situation had clearly changed. Maximilien, seeing the shift in dynamics, folded his fingers with a sigh of frustration.

“Three on that side. Just me on this one… Even without the King of Dogs, this won’t be easy.”

Although Historia wasn’t at full strength, and I was barely half as effective as I could be, together we were at least a match for one person.

This was the most hopeful I’d felt in the entire fight. Holding my head high, I offered him one last chance.

“This is your last opportunity. If you run, I’ll let you go.”

Maximilien seriously considered it. He was a man who moved like a gear, driven by logic and reason. The choice between a dangerous battle and a safe retreat was one he weighed carefully.

‘The Human King can break my body with just a touch. I can’t let him get close, but without the Steel Beetle, I’ll lose any advantage in combat. There are too many unpredictable factors. It’s logical to retreat... but…’

Despite his clear judgment, one lingering doubt held him back. He finally spoke.

“You said I was ordinary.”

I nodded, and to soften the blow, I added some words of comfort.

“Don’t be discouraged. Not just you—every human is ordinary. With very, very few exceptions.”

“I know that. From an objective perspective, humanity itself was just another common beast... until it made itself special.”

Maximilien looked down at his prosthetic hand, flexing the metal fingers. Though it wasn’t visible from the outside, the intricate gears within mimicked the movements of a real human hand.

How many trials and errors had it taken for him to achieve such a natural movement? No doubt that discovery had come after immense effort and honed talent in the perfect environment. It was a remarkable achievement.

But it wasn’t special. He had merely replicated something that already existed with gears.

At best, it was a substitute. No matter how finely crafted, even Maximilien knew that gears could only simplify the world’s workings to an extreme degree.

“Perhaps I knew all along. I am, objectively and subjectively, an extraordinary person. I’ve reached heights far beyond the ordinary... yet I still fall short of the Divine Beasts. To make up for that lack, I sought the Human King.”

“Well, you found him. You should be proud you figured out who I am. Now that you’ve had your audience, go back home and tell everyone. That’ll make a fine story over a drink.”

“If I give up now, I’ll be stuck at this point forever.”

Maximilien muttered, pressing his hands onto the Steel Beetle’s back. The moment he injected his mana into the beetle, his prosthetic hand glowed white as it resonated with the alchemical steel. The mana-concentrated tips of his fingers began to melt like molten lava.

With those melting fingers, he started drawing symbols: a circle, a triangle, and a straight line—shaped like a scale.

It was an alchemical array. The foundation of alchemy itself.

As Maximilien poured more mana into it, he murmured,

“Humans can do anything... even the most insane things.”

And moments later, both of his hands sank into the steel. Ripples spread outward like a hand plunging into water.

Alchemy. The art of transmuting materials, bound by countless limitations and rules. Regardless of the practitioner’s skill, the impossible remains impossible. It’s no mystical force, not like unique magic.

But alchemy is not about power—it’s about resources. Just like saving up pennies for years to buy something impossible on a normal day, alchemy allows you to accumulate and unleash power all at once, achieving feats that would otherwise be unattainable.

Even I can exceed my natural limits through alchemy.

Now imagine what Maximilien could do with it.

I shouted to Azi at once.

“Azi, jump!”

“Woof? Jump? Jump!”

Azi tilted his head in confusion but immediately obeyed, hopping on the spot. While I appreciated his obedience, that wasn’t exactly what I meant.

“No, not in place!”

“Woof? Jump differently?”

While Azi was still processing, Maximilien poured an immense amount of mana into the Steel Beetle.

The Steel Beetle, which he had meticulously forged and assembled from alchemical steel, was more than just a weapon—it was also a component for further alchemical transmutation. Like my cards!

“Battle transmutation. Mercury Dialche.”

Maximilien’s hands tore through the Steel Beetle.

It wasn’t unique magic. He had simply transmuted the entire Steel Beetle using his mana, breaking down and tearing apart its components.

Alchemy—the universal skill that I can freely use, yet cannot steal or replicate. A human ability.

The ground shook as the Steel Beetle split apart, shedding its outer shell. I felt myself lift into the air, almost slipping, but Historia quickly grabbed my collar and stopped my fall. My breath caught in my throat.

Thanks to Historia’s quick reflexes, I was safe, but Maximilien hadn’t been targeting me.

“Woof! Woofwoofwoofwoof!”

Azi, who had leaped into the air, fell into the gap as the Steel Beetle split. He scrambled, claws out, trying to escape the fissure.

“We are the Enlightened Ones...”

Maximilien murmured as he clapped his hands together. The sharp sound of metal echoed as his hands struck each other.

At his command, the steel surged back together, sealing the gap before Azi could escape. His barking echoed faintly, as if it were coming from behind a wall.

Having isolated Azi, Maximilien raised his arm. Steel clung to his prosthetic, forming a grotesque, jagged weapon. There was no longer any trace of elegance or precision, only raw aggression. Pointing the twisted mass of metal at us, he shouted,

“I will kill the King with my own hands and become a special beast! There is nothing I cannot do!”