Chapter 225

Chapter 225

Carrying lanterns, the two stepped into the abandoned alchemist's tower.

Cold, white moonlight streamed in through a massive crack in the wall, pooling in a semicircle on the floor. The silence was so profound that not even the chirping of insects could be heard.

Though Louis was no longer present, the Oliver family was still thoroughly investigating how he had managed to communicate with the outside world and who had supplied him with the necessary tools. Alchemists possessed numerous communication methods, making them difficult to guard against, and the investigation proved exceedingly troublesome. The only recourse was to employ basic physical confinement. For instance, Lorca had previously escaped from home by establishing contact with Agnes.

The tower had been sealed layer by layer with chains and locks. Fortunately, Alice still held the authority to open it. Earlier, in the room, Eve had been inquiring with Alice about this derelict tower.

The walls were blackened by fire and smoke, and fragments of the building lay scattered on the ground. Several pieces were wedged behind the heavy door, requiring Alice to exert considerable effort to push it open. Raising their lanterns, the desolate past immediately unfolded before them. Due to a recent slowdown in the search efforts, a thin layer of dust had accumulated inside the tower.

When Eve had first visited, the loose-leaf manuscripts, orreries, and astrolabes that had once floated suspended in mid-air now lay strewn across the floor. The star charts on the walls and ceiling were obscured by soot, and the precious manuscript collections on the bookshelves were either burned or scattered, with fewer than one in ten remaining safely intact.

Everything had been preserved as much as possible in its original state.

"What are you looking for here?" Alice asked, casually placing her lantern on a low table and rolling up her sleeves. "I studied under Lord Louis for a while and am quite familiar with the tower's layout. Let me help you."

Finding evidence of Louis's collusion with outsiders and whether he was still alive was the Oliver family's own concern, and Eve felt it inappropriate to interfere. However, she had come here with a different objective: "Do you have any insight into the specific field of alchemy Louis was researching?"

"Huh?"

Alice paused, reflecting for a moment before replying somewhat sheepishly, "I never really paid attention to that. Even when I came here, I mostly just read the books and manuscripts left by my predecessors on my own, and if there was something I didn't understand, I'd ask the teacher... Besides, an alchemist of his caliber wouldn't likely discuss his research with me, would he?"

The disparity in their abilities was too vast. No matter how talented Alice was, a junior Three-Star Alchemist could offer little assistance to a Five-Star Alchemist.

Eve's mouth twitched, barely suppressing the urge to recount how Agnes had exploited her back at Venom Fang. That was true apprentice work—anything Agnes deemed within Eve's capabilities was roughly broken down and handed over for her to solve.

Though it was also possible that Louis, out of concern for Alice, had deliberately kept her separate from his research.

Yet, Eve only knew that Louis was researching Zerg venom but had no idea how he was conducting his research or whether those so-called manuscripts even existed.

"Never mind," she conceded, abandoning her thoughts. "Let's just find all his manuscript records. We'll each take half the area. Which side do you want?"

"I'll take this side. This is where I usually stayed when I studied in the tower, so I'm more familiar with it and can search more efficiently."

"Alright."

Alice, with her capabilities as a Three-Star Alchemist, was fully capable of independently searching for materials. Moreover, compared to Eve, she was clearly more familiar with Louis's organizational habits. The not-so-spacious interior of the tower was quickly divided into two sections. Due to the fire, the damage to the book collection on the first floor was more severe, and the higher they went, the better the condition of the books became.

Wiping off the soot clinging to the book's spine, Eve pulled it out for what felt like the umpteenth time. Densely packed text filled the pages, and at first glance, it looked no different from those purely theoretical ancestral manuscript collections. She had initially been flipping through it casually, but under the lantern light, Eve suddenly noticed something odd—although the text was written in alchemical cipher, a few characters appeared far too frequently.

Her movements slowed as she turned to the first page, carefully examining the curved, delicate, mysterious runes. Only then did she realize that this was actually a... diary?

Well, calling it a diary wasn't entirely accurate. Although it had dates, the entries were fragmented, mostly serving as outlets for Louis's personal emotions.

The expressive range of alchemical cipher was ultimately not as broad as that of universal interstellar script, so homophones were used in many places to convey meaning.

"July 23rd,

Heard that a collateral branch member named Jacob is coming to the capital planet due to a work transfer. Leo says that, by blood relation, he should be my cousin. Hah, less of the claiming connections. I grew up in the main family and have little to do with country bumpkins from a middle-tier planet.

Leo mocked me for staying in the main family so long that I’ve really started acting like a young master. I got angry and fought him. As expected, the elders only punished him—no dinner. Later, his senior Levin took him away and told him not to play with me anymore.

As if I want to see him either?"

"August 1st,

That Jacob guy finally arrived on the capital planet. What a jinx—he ran into space pirates on the way and only managed to return by hitchhiking with the Medici family.

Levin was promoted to Four-Star. They say he’s the youngest Senior Alchemist in the family in the last hundred years. I need to step up my game too."

"August 8th,

Vincent Oliver got engaged to the eldest daughter of the Luo family.

How long have those two been flirting with each other? What’s there to celebrate? No one even cares that I was promoted to Four-Star. My teacher said I have great talent and that promotion was just a natural progression.

But why didn’t anyone congratulate me for breaking Levin’s record? So annoying."

"August 17th,

Jacob told Vincent directly that he doesn’t like me and called me stupid. He told Vincent to stay away from me. I’m so mad. Does he even know who’s the last person you should mess with in this family?

Anyway, the council of elders will always be partial to me. I’ll find a chance to get back at him."

What is all this nonsense?

Eve frowned and quickly flipped to the later pages. Louis’s life was boring enough to be summarized in three or two sentences per day—either complaining about this or that. The only reason she didn’t immediately stuff the diary back into its place was because she remembered that this guy was also one of the people involved in the Oliver family’s internal conflict back then.

It wasn’t until she reached the end of the three-fingers-thick diary that Eve finally found what she was looking for.

"February 13th,

Since the head of the family passed away unexpectedly, the atmosphere at home has grown increasingly strange... I’m so nervous.

Levin went on a business trip. He asked me to keep an eye on Leo because the elders wouldn’t easily target me.

But who can say for sure? I can’t even guarantee my own safety."

"February 15th,

Jacob moved out. Ran away pretty fast."

"February 16th,

Vincent was assassinated. Luckily, he had a substitute talisman and didn’t die.

I was right next to him when it happened. The bullet flew right past my eyes—I was scared to death. My heart is still pounding.

Why hasn’t Levin returned yet? Leo is so annoying—he only holds me back. I really don’t want to deal with him anymore."

"February 19th,

Elder Gulliver was poisoned during a meal with Vincent. When Vincent’s attendant came to find me, I was afraid of being implicated, so I had Leo turn them away. Who knew it wasn’t Vincent who was poisoned? Elder Gulliver died.

I’m a little scared. Leo said not to worry, that he would protect me.

What nonsense is he talking? What use is he? He needs me to protect him."

"February 21st,

The elders came looking for me. I was terrified and didn’t open the door. I sent a message telling Leo, who had already left, not to come back and to seek help from Vincent instead. But shortly after I sent the message, the elders left.

Leo didn’t return that night."

"February 22nd,

Leo still hasn’t returned. I went to find Vincent, but he said he hadn't seen Leo."

"I asked him to help me, but he told me not to go out, saying there are protective spells left by predecessors in the tower that would keep me safe.

Hah... I know he just wanted to blow me off. Luo Yunyi is pregnant, and he’s been swamped with that lately—he can't be bothered with what happens to me. Besides, last time he sent someone to call for me, and I didn’t go. He’s definitely getting back at me."

"February 23rd,

Levin is also out of touch. I thought of asking Jacob for help, but as soon as the call connected, he hung up.

That selfish bastard! Now that he’s gotten on the Medici family's ship, he doesn’t care about the rest of us!

If I survive this, I'll make him regret it."

"February 24th,

The Imperial law states a person is considered dead after missing for three days. Leo must be dead. What am I going to do?

The elders came again. They sounded polite through the door, but I don’t trust them.

What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?!!"

In the dust-filled tower, the hastily scrawled uncommon script intertwined, the dark ink staining the pages made to look like part of a manuscript collection, growing increasingly frantic and desperate. Further on, there were traces of torn pages, followed by blank sheets.

But Louis didn't need to have written it down for Eve to know what happened next. Louis, unable to withstand the pressure from the elders and resentful of Vincent for not helping to protect him, ultimately ended up making the poison for the elders.

Judging by the completely weathered fibers at the torn edges, those pages had been ripped out long ago. Likely, amid the chaos of the internal conflict and its subsequent resolution, even Louis himself had forgotten about this diary, allowing it to survive by chance.

Clutching the dark brown parchment cover, she pondered for a moment before slipping the diary back onto the bookshelf.

It was all in the past.

If one lacks the resolve to cut away the rot and heal the wound, the best way to treat another’s scar is to pretend it’s unblemished skin.

*Thud.* The spine hit the inner wall. Eve tilted her head slightly and heard Alice’s voice echoing from the other side, hollow, as if coming from a higher floor.

“Eve, come here quickly,” she exclaimed, “I found some... well, some very old experimental records and data. Come see if this is what you’re looking for?”