This expedition near Naples was a great success, not only discovering an important ruin but also a large number of skill cards.
Although the gains in terms of consumable cards were average, the skill cards were quite the opposite. For example, an R-rated card in Liang En’s hands was as valuable as an ordinary SR card.
The reason for this is that many extraordinary powers are associated with noticeable effects. For instance, the natural powers that Liang En possesses are like this.
When these cards are activated, the reaction is comparable to the firing of a large-caliber cannon, so they are seldom used in daily life to avoid unnecessary attention.
However, the skill "Thought Guidance (R)" is quite the opposite because of its subtle nature when activated, making it more valuable in everyday use compared to other skills.
But when he saw another card, he realized what his true gain was. It must be said that the cards drawn from places related to legends are far more powerful than imagined.
【Emerald Tablet (SR)】The legend says alchemy originated in Egypt around 1900 BCE. The Egyptian Pharaoh Hermes and his legendary father, Thoth (also Hermes' eldest son, the high priest Thoth, forming the trinity known as "Hermes Trismegistus").
This trinity condensed the knowledge of alchemy into thirteen sentences, engraved on an emerald tablet, and passed down through generations. This text is known as the "Emerald Tablet."
This book was one of the earliest alchemical texts to enter Europe. Some believe that in 332 BCE, when Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, he found it in the tomb of the "Hermes Pharaoh."
Legend says that the author of the "Emerald Tablet" was Thoth, the father of Hermes Pharaoh. Thoth is also known in Egyptian mythology as the ruler of the underworld and the author of the famous Egyptian mystical text, the "Book of the Dead."
During the Middle Ages, a copy of the Emerald Tablet's text hung in the workspace of every alchemist; it was their ultimate guide and inspired them to continue their alchemical pursuits.
However, some believe this book was actually meant for philosophers seeking wisdom and spiritual enlightenment rather than being applied directly to real-world practices.
Of course, from today's purely academic perspective, this book seems more like a later fantasy since there was never a pharaoh named Hermes in history, while the Greek god Hermes has been known since the Mycenaean era.
Therefore, based on current analysis, the true author of this book should be a philosopher from the Hellenistic period of Egypt, during the Ptolemaic dynasty, blending ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations into this work.
In the ordinary world, this book is merely a historical and philosophical text, but with the power of legend, it can shine differently in the hands of a historical explorer.
Skill Card (Permanent) (Active), as in the legend, after mastering this skill, the user can truly grasp the secret of the conversion between soul and matter.
By injecting the power of legend, alchemical potions and items, once confined to legend, can be made. The most representative and legendary of these is the Philosopher's Stone.
Considering that the last host here, Bruno, published "On Magic" and "On the Connection of All Things" after his death, both of which are esoteric works, it makes sense for a place like this to produce an esoteric work.
More importantly, the Hermetic Order itself was very knowledgeable about alchemy, so finding something related to alchemy in such a place is quite reasonable.
“It’s amazing to be able to recreate this legend,” Jeanne said in astonishment after Liang En introduced the new card he had acquired.
In Jeanne's era, although alchemy was illegal, alchemists could still operate openly, especially in France and England.
This was mainly because the Hundred Years' War caused significant economic damage to both England and France. Therefore, both countries hoped to gain more resources and wealth by any means.
These methods varied. One common way was looting in the primary war zone. For instance, Jeanne’s hometown was once looted by the English, and it took great effort to reclaim most of the property.
But such looting was a one-time thing and couldn't be sustained. Thus, in the long drawn-out war, both sides naturally needed more wealth, bringing alchemy into consideration.
As a marshal of France back then, Jeanne had heard about such matters. Unfortunately, all she encountered were frauds, never seeing anyone who could actually turn lead into gold.
“I’m different from those frauds,” Liang En smiled and shook his head after hearing Jeanne's past experiences. “The alchemy here can indeed be performed.”
Since they were in a private space, Liang En, feeling enthusiastic, turned on the table lamp and took out a set of alchemical tools from his space to perform a demonstration.
Unlike the similar abilities obtained from previous cards, which at most enhanced the capabilities of existing potions, the current card possessed the ability to directly recreate legends in this world.
“What are you planning to do now?” Jeanne asked curiously as Liang En prepared all the alchemical tools. “Is it the Philosopher's Stone?”
“Of course not, that requires injecting 100 points of legend at once, and I’m still far from that level,” Liang En shook his head.
To be honest, he was very interested in the Philosopher's Stone, which could turn lead into gold and grant immortality, but lacking the required skill level, he had to start with something more basic.
“Right now, I’m going to alchemize this dagger to make it rust-proof,” Liang En said as he carved grooves into the dagger and inlaid silver while using his abilities.
“But this dagger is already rust-proof,” Jeanne said, puzzled, looking at the shiny dagger. “I remember it’s a sailor’s knife made of stainless steel.”
“Uh—” Liang En froze for a moment at Jeanne’s words, then stubbornly said, “It’s just a demonstration. Besides, don’t you think even stainless steel can have improved rust resistance?”
“That’s true,” Jeanne nodded habitually and made an excuse for Liang En. “After all, stainless steel’s rust resistance is only relative to ordinary steel and not absolute.”
“Alright, let’s not dwell on the details. Let’s get started,” Liang En said, feeling more embarrassed, and waved his hand, then continued his alchemical work.
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