I Got a Gallery in the Wild - Chapter 378

"Ehehehe...."

Selena let out a rare perverted laugh.

Since her beauty was originally so striking, even that laughter sparkled, but the fact that it was insidious didn’t change.

The reason she, who usually boasted an elegant posture, was laughing like this was just one thing.

’Knowledge left behind by the gods...! And it’s alchemy at that!’

It was because of the book Grylls lent her. She cherished and stroked the book held in her hand.

On the book cover, ’Basic Chemistry Theory’ was clearly written.

Another one was a book related to nitrogen fertilizer.

Among them, Selena focused on Basic Chemistry Theory.

’That mimic said it. Chemistry is the next stage after alchemy.’

Selena demonstrated excellent talent in various fields, but her best was alchemy.

Traces of her struggling to survive when she suffered from the Nine Yin Severed Meridians.

If not for the knowledge gained back then, receiving the Mature Mandrake from Grylls would have been meaningless.

After barely calming her heart, mixed with excitement and tension, she looked into the book.

Originally she should be conducting research with Kadir, but currently it was break time.

’How on earth did the gods develop alchemy?’

With an excited heart, Selena carefully turned the pages of the book.

She was confident in speed-reading, but this book she intended to read meticulously.

’They categorized every single component. Extremely detailed.’

Unlike Grylls’s assumption, alchemy in this world had developed to a considerable level.

Roughly to the extent of grasping whether it would become medicine or poison depending on which herbs and how much were mixed.

It was just that it wasn’t systematically classified; overall, it was at an impressive level.

Thus, alchemy was heavily tied to ’calculation’. A subject at which people good at mathematics excelled.

However, chemistry was far more detailed and complex than that.

’Water, which I thought was simple, contains components like this inside? You can analyze this one by one?’

The more Selena read the book, the more she couldn’t contain her amazement.

Present alchemy was sufficiently systematic, but compared to chemistry, it was no different from being humble.

If this concept could be applied as is, the world’s alchemy would leap forward several steps.

A paradigm shift in alchemy would be basic, and most disputes being argued back and forth would settle down.

’Periodic table? There’s something like this too.’

When she saw the endlessly complex ’elements’ classified into a table, she marveled.

Just how developed was science that they could even draw up a table?

’There are even formulas combining respective elements and mana. Fascinating.’

Immersed in it, before she knew it, she had read through all of it.

Selena closed the book and rubbed her eyes. She had concentrated so hard that she even forgot to blink, leaving her eyes dry.

’There’s still the manufacturing method for nitrogen fertilizer left, but....’

As the library librarian Alex said, it was an invention by a person who greatly altered human history.

A chemist who made bread from thin air—a person who attained the supreme reputation for an alchemist.

In her heart, she wanted to read it right away, but her confidence dropped. The reason was simple.

’Can we make it with current technology?’

Because even if she received the answer sheet, she wasn’t confident in writing it out as is.

It wasn’t that confidence arose because she was smart, but the opposite.

Reaching the peak of a mountain doesn’t mean it’s the end, but that the sky is visible. That was Selena’s current sentiment.

’I’m in a spot where I have to prove that atoms and molecules even exist first. I’ll also have to steadily learn physics.’

It’s hard. Not just hard, but hard enough to cause a headache.

The fortunate thing was that she fully understood the basic theory.

What atoms are, and what elements oxygen is composed of, etc.

Through her brilliant brain, she could accept all of it, but she was bound to struggle with organizing it.

’To artificially combine or separate these, various reactions are needed... ugh.’

Her head spun. Even so, Selena could be considered fortunate to have encountered this knowledge through this book.

In the past, regardless of experiments, announcements were made based on philosophical and religious judgments.

Simply put, if a certain substance decreased in weight? It was explained that it was because the soul departed.

In fact, since Ascension to Immortality actually existed in this world, thinking like that was natural.

However, such opinions gradually faded as time passed, and the importance of alchemy emerged in earnest.

Of course, separate from its emergence, becoming systematized like chemistry was difficult.

’Ironically, mana was a major hurdle in the development of alchemy.’

It was precisely because of mana. During experiments, mana seeped in, altering each result.

This book was knowledge applicable when ’mana’ was excluded.

If mana seeped in, it exerted minor or major influences on elements, carrying the possibility of alteration.

The gods solved it with energy like fire or electricity at most, but this world was different.

Since most used mana as an energy resource, it was inevitable that even small amounts caused alterations.

’Mana in the air is no problem. But mana used by machines or humans is too concentrated.’This story is hosted at novel⁠ping.com.

Just how long would it have taken to discover this fact? Just imagining it made her dizzy.

However, now that the secret was revealed, experiments for proof were needed.

"Hehehe... hehe...,"

Selena letting out an insidious laugh once more. Since her nature was her nature, expectations swelled.

If she developed alchemy—no, chemistry abilities—she could provide great help to Grylls as well.

Even now she steadily provided Elixirs, but what if she could give something even better?

Just imagining it warmed her heart. To be able to do self-development and repay a favor at the same time.

"Why are you laughing like that?"

"Hekkiyak?!"

That was only brief, however. At the voice heard from behind, Selena jumped in shock.

It was a sound like a cat bristling its fur.

"You startled me. I was even more surprised."

"C-Countess Menethil?"

"I told you to call me Ash now."

It was Ash. When she spoke with a smile, Selena averted her gaze out of embarrassment.

Following up with a fake cough, she asked in her characteristic elegant tone:

"F-For what business did you enter my room? Without knocking."

"I knocked. I even called your name loudly. You were clearly inside yet didn’t answer, so I felt strange and came in."

"...."

Selena felt awkward for no reason and just toyed with her long hair. Embarrassment washed over her.

To make an excuse, she was so immersed in the book that it couldn’t be helped. Anyone else would have been similar to her.

While Selena calmed her mind, Ash carefully picked up the book.

Since they already knew everything about each other, Selena didn’t stop her.

"Basic Chemistry Theory... Just looking at it makes me dizzy. Did you read all of this?"

"Yes. Though to fully understand it, it’ll take about a month."

"A whole month?"

Ash opened her eyes round in surprise. She also knew how intelligent a person Selena was.

For even Selena to take a whole month was astounding.

If it were anyone else, even understanding it would likely have been impossible.

"It’s just my estimate. I might also need to separately fabricate various tools for experiments."

"I see. Will you get Kadir-nim’s help?"

"It would be great if I could, but...."

The source was the issue. If it were Kadir, he would try to find out where this book came from.

Even if she could somehow hide it, the moment the identity of this book was exposed, she might face a troublesome situation.

Kadir’s personality learned while conducting research so far was perfectly suited to an ’eccentric’.

’Last time, even when an undead threw a rampage inside the refrigerator, he ignored it.’

As a co-researcher he was reliable, but personally there were quite a few unsettling aspects.

Still, as a close friend of the Hero, it was clear he was a good person. He just had an excessively large thirst for knowledge.

"It seems best to hide it for the time being. Besides, our reason for coming here is clear, isn’t it?"

"That’s true too."

"Ah. Come to think of it, Menethil...."

"Ash."

"...What happened to Ash-nim’s sword?"

Selena mentioned Ash’s sword.

Even to Selena, who was ignorant of weapons, Ash’s weapon was at a level beyond extraordinary.

"According to Kadir-nim, it’s a weapon made not long ago—that is, recently crafted. It’s hard to believe, though."

"Is that true?"

"Yes. He said the sword hilt was in a style popular among dwarves 100 years ago."

Since Kadir knew all kinds of knowledge, he could notice.

Still, there was a part that didn’t make sense. At this, Selena spoke:

"If it was famous among dwarves, blacksmiths in the empire would likely have noticed too... why did nobody know?"

"Probably because it was a style that wasn’t exported outside. Our empire also has some distance from Mountain."

Messiah Empire and Mountain have quite a long physical distance.

In the end, coming through another country or importing via teleport was the best option.

Whether the former or the latter, clear pros and cons existed, and massive costs were incurred.

"If this was really crafted recently... could it be?"

"It seems Selena-nim is having a similar thought."

Ash held up her sword, which bore a dull grey hue.

Though plain-looking on the outside, the moment mana was poured in, it was a sword that revealed a beautiful form.

A sword very similar to this sword—the two had seen it in the Gallery.

"I thought it was identical to the sword Ludwig uses... Could it really be a sword crafted by that person?"

"Even if true, I don’t understand by what course of events this sword came outside."This chapter is updated first at novelpi​ng.com.

"True. If he couldn’t come out himself, but the sword came out first, he’d feel wronged."

Ash gave a smirk and sheathed the sword back.

She was already half-certain, but she could only reach a conclusion by asking the person directly.

"Since he said the hilt was made 100 years ago, there’s also a possibility it’s not."

"It could be crafted by a dwarf who entered the Forest of the Four Seasons."

"If possible, it seems best for us to keep quiet about this sword. It will only cause unnecessary confusion."

The two decided to keep this matter quiet for the time being.

Also, they didn’t forget to get their stories straight to prevent confusion.

"If the craftsman of this sword really is Grylls-nim, Ash-nim will become endangered too."

"Not endangered, but annoyed. I decline that much."

Ash also wanted to firmly decline becoming annoyed.

She had finally distanced herself from power by secluding herself, yet if information that she acquired this weapon was leaked?

She would have no choice but to jump back into politics once more.

You might ask why she couldn’t just stay quiet, but considering her martial power, that was impossible.

’In the worst-case scenario, simply staying quiet could be considered a threat and they might try to eliminate me.’

Considering the temperament of the current emperor, Arnold, that possibility was extraordinarily low.

However, since ’what-ifs’ existed, paying attention was unavoidable.

"Time’s up. Let us go quickly. Kadir-nim will be waiting."

"Yes."

Selena and Ash stopped chatting and returned to Kadir.

Soon arriving at the lab, the two could see clearly.

"Um... Kadir-nim?"

"...Speak."

"Did something bad happen by any chance?"

As if his mental state had been completely ground up, Kadir looked considerably exhausted.

Even for a mage famous for low stamina, Kadir’s realm was lofty.

Furthermore, when even Selena wasn’t tired yet, it was absurd for Kadir to be exhausted.

There must surely be a reason. Did an experiment go wrong midway?

"It’s not that... in the Gallery...."

"The Gallery? Ah. Could it be...."

"In the Central Plains, there is a saying: a painted rice cake...."

Kadir reached his hand out toward empty air, then muttered in a voice that was haggard to the extreme:

"Over there... there are heaps of treasures... the knowledge of gods...."

"...."

"Ahhh... why of all times... right now...."

Just how excessive must one’s thirst for knowledge be for a person to turn like that? They became extremely curious.

Selena momentarily looked at that sight and wondered whether to tell him the truth.

However, she suppressed it with reason. One must not flip their cards seduced by sympathy.

Especially since this card was close to a ’Joker’, it couldn’t be carelessly exposed.

"Mm... are you by any chance talking about the library that person found?"

"Yes... that is right."

From Kadir’s perspective, it was no different from missing what’s right under his nose.

"If we dig deeper into this research, couldn’t we even summon ancient ruins? Even if not a library, something similar...."

"Y-Yes! There was such a way! Let us proceed right away!"

To Selena, it was identical to adding wings to a tiger.

When the research of Selena and Kadir began gaining momentum.

In the Central Plains, there was also one person who received a book on a first-come, first-served basis like Selena.

A woman who was quietly resting at the inn as the time had not yet come, Yoo So-wol.

"Interesting. No, beyond interesting, splendid."

Munching on lamb skewers obtained from outside, she read the book.

Though it was a book, she was someone who had only read things related to martial arts.

However, the book Grylls gave her was different. It wasn’t interesting merely because her benefactor gave it.

"It is a text that teaches the virtues a gentleman ought to possess."

The book Grylls handed over was none other than the famous ’Analects’.

It was a book very suitable for Yoo So-wol, who usually displayed a domineering disposition.

’My benefactor seems to wish for me to become a splendid gentleman. Seeing as he gave me such a book.’

To think of her this much. Yoo So-wol smiled with satisfaction.

If so, would she strictly follow the passages in the Analects?

’Thinking and practicing are entirely different things.’

That was a matter to think about slowly.

Right now, simply receiving Grylls’s heart was sufficiently satisfying.

’I shall accept your encouragement.’