Primordial gold, the Philosopher's Stone.
In many legends of alchemy, this mysterious substance was the "ultimate goal," capable of defying the principle of equivalent exchange and creating unimaginable miracles.
-and now it lay quietly in Kroya's palm, a pebble-sized stone that was red with life, like a beating heart.
"Uh... how do I use it?" Kroya studied it with a solemn gaze for a while. Just as Miya thought he was about to use it, she suddenly heard that question.
"You don't know?" Miya looked exasperated. "Didn't I extract all the knowledge of alchemy and compile it into a book for you? Haven't you been reading it?"
"Oh, that. I've read half."
Kroya casually pulled out an incredibly thick tome. Its pages rustled as they turned, yet the remaining pages never seemed to diminish, as though they were endless.
"Speaking of which, how many pages does this book have? I've been reading it for so long. How am I still only halfway through?"
"It turns its pages according to your understanding of alchemy. If you're halfway through, that means you only understand half its principles."
Miya walked up to Kroya, and he instinctively lowered his head.
Then the blessing of the Ring of Radiance landed on his forehead. The sensation was a little off, though, as if she had put on some lipstick...
"Why are you wearing lipstick?"
"It seems to be made from ground Astral Blooms, too."
The knowledge pouring into his mind made Kroya feel a little itchy, and he couldn't help wiping the lipstick off his forehead.
At the mention of that, Miya's expression grew rather odd. "That human named Tony put it on while doing my makeup. He seems quite fond of me. He even touched my face while he was at it.
"I barely managed